The Tragedy of Julius Caesar. Уильям Шекспир

if he mock'd himself and scorn'd his spirit

          That could be moved to smile at anything.

          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 today

          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 ashouting.

        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, wast, and he put it by thrice, every time

      gentler

          than other, and at every putting by mine honest neighbors

          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 hang'd 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 chopped

      hands

          and threw up their sweaty nightcaps 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 Caesars wound?

        CASCA. He fell down in the marketplace and foamed at mouth and

      was

          speechless.

        BRUTUS. 'Tis very like. He hath the falling 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 tagrag 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 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 anything

      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 anything?

        CASCA. Ay, he spoke Greek.

        CASSIUS. To what effect?

        CASCA. Nay, an I tell you that, I'll 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 could remember it.

        CASSIUS. Will you sup with me tonight, Casca?

        CASCA. No, I am promised forth.

        CASSIUS. Will you dine with me tomorrow?

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

      worth

          the eating.

        CASSIUS. Good, I will expect you.

        CASCA. Do so, farewell, both. Exit.

        BRUTUS. What a blunt fellow is this grown to be!

          He was quick mettle when he went to school.

        CASSIUS. So is he now in execution

          Of any bold or noble enterprise,

          However he puts on this tardy form.

          This rudeness is a sauce to his good wit,

          Which