Unit 4: The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, Acts 1–2

And do you now put on your best attire?
And do you now cull out a holiday?

Who else would soar above the view of men,
And keep us all in servile fearfulness.

Fellow, come from the throng, look upon Caesar.

Were I a common laughter, or did use
To stale with ordinary oaths my love
To every new protester; 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.

What is it that you would impart to me?

We both have fed as well, and we can both
Endure the winter’s cold as well as he

For this present,
I would not (so with love I might entreat you)
Be any further mov’d.

Besides—I ha’ not since put up my sword—
Against the Capitol I met a lion,
Who glaz’d upon me, and went surly by,
Without annoying me.

When these prodigies
Do so conjointly meet, let not men say,
"These are their reasons, they are natural”;
For I believe they are portentous things
Unto the climate that they point upon.

Between the acting of a dreadful thing
And the first motion, all the interim is
Like a phantasma or a hideous dream.

O then, by day
Where wilt thou find a cavern dark enough
To mask thy monstrous visage?

What watchful cares do interpose themselves
Betwixt your eyes and night?

O, let us have him, for his silver hairs
Will purchase us a good opinion,
And buy men’s voices to commend our deeds.

I am not sick, if Brutus have in hand
Any exploit worthy the name of honor.

Set on your foot
And with a heart new-fir’d I follow you,
To do I know not what; but it sufficeth
That Brutus leads me on.

And these does she apply for warnings and portents
And evils imminent, and on her knee
Hath begg’d that I will stay at home today.

And these does she apply for warnings and portents
And evils imminent, and on her knee
Hath begg’d that I will stay at home today.

My heart laments that virtue cannot live
Out of the teeth of emulation.