"There is not one person in ten thousand who knows what Liberty means, or cares a straw for any happiness but his own." -PEACOCK. "There is one alone, and there is not a second." -ECCLESIASTES IV, 8. "Here we embrace, and I'll unlock my heart. A council's held hard by, where the destruction Of this great empire's hatching: there I'll lead thee. To mix with men Fit to disturb the peace of all the world "That Julius Cæsar was a famous man; -SHAKESPEARE. "Heroes may kill tyrants, but it is wisdom and laws that prevent tyranny and oppression." - ELIZABETH MONTAGU. "A perfect man As ever Nature in one frame did span. JAMES HOWELL. ... "Desiredst thou what truly spurred thee on? -MATTHEW ARNOLD. "We've trod the maze of error round, ! "When went there by an age since the great flood, But it was famed with more than with one man?" “I think it is the weakness of my mine eyes "Why, now, blow wind, swell billow, and swim bark I "Time is come round, And where I did begin, there shall I end; "The sun of Rome is set! Our day is gone! "When you do find him, or alive or dead, "Night hangs upon mine eyes; my bones would rest, "His life was gentle, and the elements So mixed in him that Nature might stand up JULIUS CÆSAR. ACT I. SCENE I. Rome. A Public Place. A Great Tumult without. Enter CASCA, TREBONIUS, and a rabble of Citizens. CASCA. Hence! home, you idle creatures, get you home. Being mechanical, you ought not walk Upon a labouring day without the sign Of your profession? - Speak, what trade art thou? SECOND CITIZEN. Why, sir, a carpenter. TREBONIUS. Where is thy leather apron, and thy rule? You, sir; what trade are you? FIRST CITIZEN. Truly, sir, in respect of a fine workman, I am but, as you would say, a cobbler. TREBONIUS. But what trade art thou? Answer me directly. FIRST CITIZEN. A trade, sir, that I hope I may use with a safe conscience; which is, indeed, sir, a mender of bad soles. CASCA. What trade, thou knave? thou naughty knave, what trade? FIRST CITIZEN. Nay, I beseech you, sir, be not out with me; yet if you be out, sir, I can mend you. CASCA. What mean'st thou by that? Mend me, thou saucy Truly, sir, all that I live by is with the awl. I meddle with no tradesman's matters, nor women's matters: but withal I am, indeed, sir, a surgeon to old shoes; when they are in great danger, I recover them. As proper men as ever trod upon neat's leather have gone upon my handiwork. TREBONIUS. But wherefore art not in thy shop to-day? FIRST CITIZEN. Truly, sir, to wear out their shoes, to get myself into more work. But, indeed, sir, we make holiday to see Cæsar, and to rejoice in his triumph. CASCA. Wherefore rejoice? What conquest brings he home? To grace in captive bonds his chariot wheels? You blocks, you stones, you worse than senseless things! O, you hard hearts, you cruel men of Rome, And do you now cull out a holiday? And do you now strew flowers in his way Run to your houses, fall upon your knees, That needs must light on this ingratitude. TREBONIUS. Go, go, good countrymen, and, for this fault, [March. Enter, in procession with music, CÆSAR; ANTONY, for the course; CALPURNIA, DECIUS, and CASCA, a great crowd following, among them a Soothsayer. CÆSAR. Calpurnia ! ANTONY. Peace, ho! Cæsar speaks. [Music ceases. |