Cas. 'Tis just:[2865]
And it is very much lamented, Brutus, 55
That you have no such mirrors as will turn[2866]
Your hidden worthiness into your eye,
That you might see your shadow. I have heard[2867]
Where many of the best respect in Rome,
Except immortal Cæsar, speaking of Brutus, 60
And groaning underneath this age's yoke,
Have wish'd that noble Brutus had his eyes.
Bru. Into what dangers would you lead me, Cassius,[2868]
That you would have me seek into myself
For that which is not in me? 65
Cas. Therefore, good Brutus, be prepared to hear:[2869]
And since you know you cannot see yourself
So well as by reflection, I your glass
Will modestly discover to yourself
That of yourself which you yet know not of.[2870] 70
And be not jealous on me, gentle Brutus:[2871]
Were I a common laugher, or did use[2872]
To stale with ordinary oaths my love
To every new protester; if you know
That I do fawn on men and hug them hard, 75
And after scandal them; or if you know
That I profess myself in banqueting[2873]
To all the rout, then hold me dangerous.
[Flourish and shout.
Bru. What means this shouting? I do fear, the people[2874]
Choose Cæsar for their king.[2874]
Cas. Ay, do you fear it? 80
Then must I think you would not have it so.
Bru. I would not, Cassius, yet I love him well.
But wherefore do you hold me here so long?
What is it that you would impart to me?
If it be aught toward the general good, 85
Set honour in one eye and death i' the other,
And I will look on both indifferently,[2875]
For let the gods so speed me as I love
The name of honour more than I fear death.
Cas. I know that virtue to be in you, Brutus, 90
As well as I do know your outward favour.
Well, honour is the subject of my story.
I cannot tell what you and other men
Think of this life, but, for my single self,[2876]
I had as lief not be as live to be 95
In awe of such a thing as I myself.
I was born free as Cæsar; so were you:
We both have fed as well, and we can both
Endure the winter's cold as well as he:
For once, upon a raw and gusty day, 100
The troubled Tiber chafing with her shores,[2877]
Cæsar said to me 'Darest thou, Cassius, now[2878]
Leap in with me into this angry flood,
And swim to yonder point?' Upon the word,
Accoutred as I was, I plunged in[2879] 105
And bade him follow: so indeed he did.[2880]
The torrent roar'd, and we did buffet it[2881]
With lusty sinews, throwing it aside
And stemming it with hearts of controversy;
But ere we could arrive the point proposed,[2882] 110
Cæsar cried 'Help me, Cassius, or I sink!'
I, as Æneas our great ancestor[2883]
Did from the flames of Troy upon his shoulder[2884]
The old Anchises bear, so from the waves of Tiber[2884][2885]
Did I the tired Cæsar: and this man 115
Is now become a god, and Cassius is
A wretched creature, and must bend his body
If Cæsar carelessly but nod on him.
He had a fever when he was in Spain,[2886]
And when the fit was on him, I did mark 120
How he did shake: 'tis true, this god did shake;
His coward lips did from their colour fly,
And that same eye whose bend doth awe the world
Did lose his lustre: I did hear him groan:[2887]
Ay, and that tongue of his that bade the Romans 125
Mark him and write his speeches in their books,[2888]
Alas, it cried, 'Give me some drink, Titinius,'[2889]
As a sick girl. Ye gods! it doth amaze me
A man of such a feeble temper should
So get the start of the majestic world 130
And bear the palm alone. [Shout. Flourish.[2890]
Bru. Another general shout![2891]
I do believe that these applauses are
For some new honours that are heap'd on Cæsar.
Cas. Why, man, he doth bestride the narrow world 135
Like a Colossus, and we petty men
Walk under his huge legs and peep about
To find ourselves dishonourable graves.
Men at some time are masters of their fates:[2892]
The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, 140
But in ourselves, that we are underlings.
Brutus, and Cæsar: what should be in that Cæsar?[2893]
Why should that name be sounded more than yours?
Write them together, yours is as fair a name;[2894]
Sound them, it doth become the mouth as well; 145
Weigh them, it is as heavy; conjure with 'em,[2895]
Brutus will start a spirit as soon as Cæsar.[2896]
Now, in the names of all the gods at once,
Upon what meat doth this our Cæsar feed,
That he is grown so great? Age, thou art shamed! 150
Rome, thou hast lost the breed of noble bloods!
When went there by an age, since the great flood,
But it was famed with more than with one man?
When could they say till now that talk'd of Rome
That her wide walls encompass'd but one man?[2897] 155
Now is it Rome indeed, and room enough,[2898]
When there is in it but one only man.[2898]
O, you and I have heard our fathers say
There was a Brutus once that would have brook'd
The eternal devil to keep his state in Rome[2899] 160
As easily as a king.