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such a sort

      As if he mock’d himself and scorn’d his spirit

      That could be moved to smile at any thing.

      Such men as he be never at heart’s ease

      Whiles they behold a greater than themselves,

      And therefore are they very dangerous.

      I rather tell thee what is to be fear’d

      Than what I fear; for always I am Caesar.

      Come on my right hand, for this ear is deaf,

      And tell me truly what thou think’st of him.

      Sennet. Exeunt CAESAR and all his Train, but CASCA

      CASCA

      You pull’d me by the cloak; would you speak with me?

      BRUTUS

      Ay, Casca; tell us what hath chanced to-day,

      That Caesar looks so sad.

      CASCA

      Why, you were with him, were you not?

      BRUTUS

      I should not then ask Casca what had chanced.

      CASCA

      Why, there was a crown offered him: and being

      offered him, he put it by with the back of his hand,

      thus; and then the people fell a-shouting.

      BRUTUS

      What was the second noise for?

      CASCA

      Why, for that too.

      CASSIUS

      They shouted thrice: what was the last cry for?

      CASCA

      Why, for that too.

      BRUTUS

      Was the crown offered him thrice?

      CASCA

      Ay, marry, was’t, and he put it by thrice, every

      time gentler than other, and at every putting-by

      mine honest neighbours shouted.

      CASSIUS

      Who offered him the crown?

      CASCA

      Why, Antony.

      BRUTUS

      Tell us the manner of it, gentle Casca.

      CASCA

      I can as well be hanged as tell the manner of it:

      it was mere foolery; I did not mark it. I saw Mark

      Antony offer him a crown;–yet ’twas not a crown

      neither, ’twas one of these coronets;–and, as I told

      you, he put it by once: but, for all that, to my

      thinking, he would fain have had it. Then he

      offered it to him again; then he put it by again:

      but, to my thinking, he was very loath to lay his

      fingers off it. And then he offered it the third

      time; he put it the third time by: and still as he

      refused it, the rabblement hooted and clapped their

      chapped hands and threw up their sweaty night-caps

      and uttered such a deal of stinking breath because

      Caesar refused the crown that it had almost choked

      Caesar; for he swounded and fell down at it: and

      for mine own part, I durst not laugh, for fear of

      opening my lips and receiving the bad air.

      CASSIUS

      But, soft, I pray you: what, did Caesar swound?

      CASCA

      He fell down in the market-place, and foamed at

      mouth, and was speechless.

      BRUTUS

      ’Tis very like: he hath the failing sickness.

      CASSIUS

      No, Caesar hath it not; but you and I,

      And honest Casca, we have the falling sickness.

      CASCA

      I know not what you mean by that; but, I am sure,

      Caesar fell down. If the tag-rag people did not

      clap him and hiss him, according as he pleased and

      displeased them, as they use to do the players in

      the theatre, I am no true man.

      BRUTUS

      What said he when he came unto himself?

      CASCA

      Marry, before he fell down, when he perceived the

      common herd was glad he refused the crown, he

      plucked me ope his doublet and offered them his

      throat to cut. An I had been a man of any

      occupation, if I would not have taken him at a word,

      I would I might go to hell among the rogues. And so

      he fell. When he came to himself again, he said,

      If he had done or said any thing amiss, he desired

      their worships to think it was his infirmity. Three

      or four wenches, where I stood, cried ’Alas, good

      soul!’ and forgave him with all their hearts: but

      there’s no heed to be taken of them; if Caesar had

      stabbed their mothers, they would have done no less.

      BRUTUS

      And after that, he came, thus sad, away?

      CASCA

      Ay.

      CASSIUS

      Did Cicero say any thing?

      CASCA

      Ay, he spoke Greek.

      CASSIUS

      To what effect?

      CASCA

      Nay, an I tell you that, Ill ne’er look you i’ the

      face again: but those that understood him smiled at

      one another and shook their heads; but, for mine own

      part, it was Greek to me. I could tell you more

      news too: Marullus and Flavius, for pulling scarfs

      off Caesar’s images, are put to silence. Fare you

      well. There was more foolery yet, if I could

      remember it.

      CASSIUS

      Will you sup with me to-night, Casca?

      CASCA

      No, I am promised forth.

      CASSIUS

      Will you dine with me to-morrow?

      CASCA

      Ay, if I be alive and your mind hold and your dinner

      worth the eating.

      CASSIUS

      Good:

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