Julius Caesar, William Shakespeare [top ten books of all time txt] 📗

my brother Cassius. Varro So please you, we will stand and watch your pleasure. Brutus

I will not have it so: lie down, good sirs;
It may be I shall otherwise bethink me.
Look, Lucius, here’s the book I sought for so;
I put it in the pocket of my gown. Varro and Claudius lie down.

Lucius I was sure your lordship did not give it me. Brutus

Bear with me, good boy, I am much forgetful.
Canst thou hold up thy heavy eyes awhile,
And touch thy instrument a strain or two?

Lucius Ay, my lord, an’t please you. Brutus

It does, my boy:
I trouble thee too much, but thou art willing.

Lucius It is my duty, sir. Brutus

I should not urge thy duty past thy might;
I know young bloods look for a time of rest.

Lucius I have slept, my lord, already. Brutus

It was well done; and thou shalt sleep again;
I will not hold thee long: if I do live,
I will be good to thee. Music, and a song.
This is a sleepy tune. O murderous slumber,
Lay’st thou thy leaden mace upon my boy,
That plays thee music? Gentle knave, good night;
I will not do thee so much wrong to wake thee:
If thou dost nod, thou break’st thy instrument;
I’ll take it from thee; and, good boy, good night.
Let me see, let me see; is not the leaf turn’d down
Where I left reading? Here it is, I think.

Enter the Ghost of Caesar.

How ill this taper burns! Ha! who comes here?
I think it is the weakness of mine eyes
That shapes this monstrous apparition.
It comes upon me. Art thou anything?
Art thou some god, some angel, or some devil,
That makest my blood cold and my hair to stare?
Speak to me what thou art.

Ghost Thy evil spirit, Brutus. Brutus Why comest thou? Ghost To tell thee thou shalt see me at Philippi. Brutus Well; then I shall see thee again? Ghost Ay, at Philippi. Brutus

Why, I will see thee at Philippi, then. Exit Ghost.
Now I have taken heart thou vanishest:
Ill spirit, I would hold more talk with thee.
Boy, Lucius! Varro! Claudius! Sirs, awake!
Claudius!

Lucius The strings, my lord, are false. Brutus

He thinks he still is at his instrument.
Lucius, awake!

Lucius My lord? Brutus Didst thou dream, Lucius, that thou so criedst out? Lucius My lord, I do not know that I did cry. Brutus Yes, that thou didst: didst thou see anything? Lucius Nothing, my lord. Brutus

Sleep again, Lucius. Sirrah Claudius!
To Varro. Fellow thou, awake!

Varro My lord? Claudius My lord? Brutus Why did you so cry out, sirs, in your sleep? Varro and Claudius Did we, my lord? Brutus Ay: saw you anything? Varro No, my lord, I saw nothing. Claudius Nor I, my lord. Brutus

Go and commend me to my brother Cassius;
Bid him set on his powers betimes before,
And we will follow.

Varro and Claudius It shall be done, my lord. Exeunt. Act V Scene I

The plains of Philippi.

Enter Octavius, Antony, and their army. Octavius

Now, Antony, our hopes are answered:
You said the enemy would not come down,
But keep the hills and upper regions:
It proves not so: their battles are at hand;
They mean to warn us at Philippi here,
Answering before we do demand of them.

Antony

Tut, I am in their bosoms, and I know
Wherefore they do it: they could be content
To visit other places; and come down
With fearful bravery, thinking by this face
To fasten in our thoughts that they have courage;
But ’tis not so.

Enter a Messenger. Messenger

Prepare you, generals:
The enemy comes on in gallant show;
Their bloody sign of battle is hung out,
And something to be done immediately.

Antony

Octavius, lead your battle softly on,
Upon the left hand of the even field.

Octavius Upon the right hand I; keep thou the left. Antony Why do you cross me in this exigent? Octavius I do not cross you; but I will do so. March. Drum. Enter Brutus, Cassius, and their Army; Lucilius, Titinius, Messala, and others. Brutus They stand, and would have parley. Cassius Stand fast, Titinius: we must out and talk. Octavius Mark Antony, shall we give sign of battle? Antony

No, Caesar, we will answer on their charge.
Make forth; the generals would have some words.

Octavius Stir not until the signal. Brutus Words before blows: is it so, countrymen? Octavius Not that we love words better, as you do. Brutus Good words are better than bad strokes, Octavius. Antony

In your bad strokes, Brutus, you give good words:
Witness the hole you made in Caesar’s heart,
Crying “Long live! hail, Caesar!”

Cassius

Antony,
The posture of your blows are yet unknown;
But for your words, they rob the Hybla bees,
And leave them honeyless.

Antony Not stingless too. Brutus

O, yes, and soundless too;
For you have stol’n their buzzing, Antony,
And very wisely threat before you sting.

Antony

Villains, you did not so, when your vile daggers
Hack’d one another in the sides of Caesar:
You show’d your teeth like apes, and fawn’d like hounds,
And bow’d like bondmen, kissing Caesar’s feet;
Whilst damned Casca, like a cur, behind
Struck Caesar on the neck. O you flatterers!

Cassius

Flatterers! Now, Brutus, thank yourself:
This tongue had not offended so to-day,
If Cassius might have ruled.

Octavius

Come, come, the cause: if arguing make us sweat,
The proof of it will turn to redder drops.
Look;
I draw a sword against conspirators;
When think you that the sword goes up again?
Never, till Caesar’s three and thirty wounds
Be well avenged; or till another Caesar
Have added slaughter to the sword of traitors.

Brutus

Caesar, thou canst not die by traitors’ hands,
Unless thou bring’st them with thee.

Octavius

So I hope;
I was not born to die on Brutus’ sword.

Brutus

O, if thou wert the noblest of thy strain,
Young man, thou couldst not die more honourable.

Cassius

A peevish schoolboy, worthless of such honour,
Join’d with a masker and a reveller!

Antony Old Cassius still! Octavius

Come, Antony, away!
Defiance, traitors, hurl we in your teeth:
If you dare fight to-day, come to the field;
If not, when you have stomachs. Exeunt Octavius, Antony, and their army.

Cassius

Why, now, blow wind, swell billow