Hor. Arm'd, my lord.
Ham. From top to toe?
Hor. My lord, from head to foot.
Ham. Then saw you not his face?
Hor. Oh, yes, my lord; he wore his beaver ap.
Ham. What, 'look'd he frowningly?
Hor. A count'nance more in sorrow than in

anger.
Ham. Pale, or red?
Hor. Nay, very pale.
Ham. And fix'd his eyes upon you?
Hor. Most constantly.
Ham. I would I had been there!
Hor. It would have much amaz'd you.
Ham. Very like. Staid it long?
Hor. While one with moderate haste might tell

a hundred. Ham. His beard was grisl'd? Hor. It

I have seen it in his life, A sable silver'd. Ham. I'll watch to night; perchance 'twill walk

again. Hor. I warrant you,

it will. Ham. If it assumes my

noble father's

person, I'll speak to it, tho' hell itself should gape, And bid me hold my peace. I pray yoy, If you have hitherto conceal'd this sight, Let it be ten'ble in your silence still: And whatsoever shall befal to night, Give it an understanding, but no tongue; I will requite your love: so fare

you

well. Upon the platform 'twixt eleven and twelve

SHAKESPEARE.

no

was,

as

1'visit you.

CHA P. X I V.

Brutus and Cassius.

Cas. W,

ILL you go see the order of the course?

Bru. Not I.
Cas. I pray you,

Bru. I am not gamesome; I do lack some part
Of that quick spirit that is in Anthony;
Let me not hinder , Cassius, your desires ;
I'll leave you.

Cas. Brutus, I do observe you now of late :
I have not from your eyes that gentleness
And shew of love as I was wont to have ;
You bear too stubborn and too strange a hand
Over
your

friend that loves you.
Bru. Cassius,
Be not deceived: If I have veild

my

look, I turn the trouble of my countenance Merely upon myself. Vexed I am Of late with passions of some difference, Conceptions only proper to myself; Which give some soil perhaps to my behaviour? But let not therefore my good friends be griev'd, Among which number, Cassius, be you one; Nor construe any farther my neglect, Than that poor Brutus, with himself at war, Forgets the shew of love to other men. Cas. Then, Brutus, I have much mistook your

passion; By means whereof, this breast of mine hath buried Thoughts of great value, worthy cogitations. Tell me, good Brutus can you see your face?

Bru. No, Cassius; for the eye sees not itself, But by reflection from some other thing.

Cas. 'Tis just.
And it is very much lamented , Brutus,
That
you

have no such mirror as will turn
Your hidden worthiness into your eye,
That you might see your shadow. I have heard,
Where

many of the best respect in Rome, (Except immortal Cæsar) speaking of Brutus, And groaning underneath this age's yoke, Have wish'd that noble Brutus had bis

eyes. Bru. Into what dangers would you

lead Cassius, That you

would have me seek into myself For that which is not in me?

Cas.

me ,

Cas. Therefore, good Brutus, be prepar'd to

hear; 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 yet you know not of.
And be not jealous of me gentle Brutus:
Were I a common laugher, or did use
To stale with ordinary oaths my lovo
Το

every new protestor ; if you know,
That I do fawn on men, and hug them hard,
And after scandal them; or if you know,
That I profess myself in banqueting
To all the rout; then hold me dangerous.
Bru. What means this shouting; I do fear the

people
Chuse Cæsar for their king.

Cas. Ay, do you fear it?
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,
Set honour in one eye, and death i' th other
And I will look on death indifferently :
For let the gods so speed me, as I love
The name of honour more than 1 fear death.

Cas. I know that virtue to be in you, Brutus,
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,
I had as lief not be, as live to be
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
The troubled Tyber chafing with his shores ,
Cæsar says to me, Dar'st thou, Cassius, now
Leap in with me into this

angry
lood

K

And swim to yonder point? Upon the word,
Accoutre das I was, I plunged in,
And bid him follow; so indeed he did.
The torrent roard, and we did buffet it
With lusty sinews; throwing it aside,
And stemming it with hearts of controversy.
But ere we could arrive the point propos'd,
Cæsar cry'd help me, Cassius, or I sink!
1, as AEneas , our great ancestor,
Did from the dames of Troy upon his shoulder
The old Anchises bear; so from the waves of Tyber
Did I the tired Cæsar: and this man
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,
And when the fit was on him, I did mark
How he did shake. 'Tis true , this god did shake;
His coward lips did from their colour fly,
And that same eye whose bend does awe the world,
Did lase its lustre; I did hear him groan:
Ay, and that tongue of his, that bade the Romans
Mark him and write his speeches in their books,
Alas! it cry'd-Give me some drink, Titinius
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, And bear the palm alone.

Bru. Another general shout!
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
Like a Colossus! and we petty men
Walk under Iris huge legs, aud peep about
To find ourselves dishonourable

graves. Men, at sometimes,

are masters of their fates : The fault, dear Brutus , is not in our stars, But in ourselves, that we are underlings. Brutus and Cæsar what should be in that

Cæsar ?

Why should that name be sounded more than

yours;
Write them together; yours is as fair a name;
Sound them , it doth becoine the mouth as well;
Weigh them, it is as heavy; conjure with 'em
Brutus will start a spirit as soon as Cæsar.
Now, in the names of all the gods at once,
Upon what meats does this our Cæsar feed
That he is grown so great ? Age, thou art sham'd;
Rome, thou hast lost the breed of noble bloods,
When went there by an age , since the great lood,
But it was fam'd 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 ? Oh! you and I have heard our fathers

say There was a Brutus, one that would have brook'd Th'eternal devil to keep his state in Rome As easily as a king.

Bru. That you do love me, I am nothing jealous; What you

would work me to , I have some aim; How I have thought of this, and of these times, I shall recount hereafter : for this present, I would not, (so with love I might intreat you) Be any further mov'd. What you have said, I will consider ; what you have to say, I will with patience hear; and find a time, Both moet to hear , and answer such high things. Till then, my noble friend, chew upon this; Brutus had rather be a villager, Than to repute himself a son of Rome Under such hard conditions as this time Is like to lay upon us.

Cas. I am glad that my weak words Have struck but thus much show of fire from Brus tus,

SHAKESPEARR.