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- $Unique_ID{SSP01057}
- $Title{Julius Caesar: Act II, Scene IV}
- $Author{Shakespeare, William}
- $Subject{}
- $Log{Dramatis Personae*01050.txt}
-
- Portions copyright (c) CMC ReSearch, Inc., 1989
-
- The Complete Works of William Shakespeare
-
- JULIUS CAESAR
-
-
- ACT II
- ................................................................................
-
-
- SCENE IV: Another part of the same street, before the house of
- BRUTUS.
- . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
-
- {Enter PORTIA and LUCIUS.}
-
- PORTIA: I prithee, boy, run to the senate-house;
- Stay not to answer me, but get thee gone:
- Why dost thou stay?
-
- LUCIUS: To know my errand, madam.
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- PORTIA: I would have had thee there, and here again,
- Ere I can tell thee what thou shouldst do there.
- O constancy, be strong upon my side,
- Set a huge mountain 'tween my heart and tongue!
- I have a man's mind, but a woman's might.
- How hard it is for women to keep counsel!
- Art thou here yet?
-
- LUCIUS: Madam, what should I do? 10
- Run to the Capitol, and nothing else?
- And so return to you, and nothing else?
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- PORTIA: Yes, bring me word, boy, if thy lord look well,
- For he went sickly forth: and take good note
- What Caesar doth, what suitors press to him.
- Hark, boy! what noise is that?
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- LUCIUS: I hear none, madam.
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- PORTIA: Prithee, listen well;
- I heard a bustling rumor, like a fray,
- And the wind brings it from the Capitol.
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- LUCIUS: Sooth, madam, I hear nothing.
-
- {Enter the Soothsayer.}
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- PORTIA: Come hither, fellow: which way hast thou been? 20
-
- Soothsayer: At mine own house, good lady.
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- PORTIA: What is't o'clock?
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- Soothsayer: About the ninth hour, lady.
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- PORTIA: Is Caesar yet gone to the Capitol?
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- Soothsayer: Madam, not yet: I go to take my stand,
- To see him pass on to the Capitol.
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- PORTIA: Thou hast some suit to Caesar, hast thou not?
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- Soothsayer: That I have, lady: if it will please Caesar
- To be so good to Caesar as to hear me,
- I shall beseech him to befriend himself.
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- PORTIA: Why, know'st thou any harm's intended towards him? 30
-
- Soothsayer: None that I know will be, much that I fear may chance.
- Good morrow to you. Here the street is narrow:
- The throng that follows Caesar at the heels,
- Of senators, of praetors, common suitors,
- Will crowd a feeble man almost to death:
- I'll get me to a place more void, and there
- Speak to great Caesar as he comes along.
-
- [Exit.]
-
- PORTIA: I must go in. Ay me, how weak a thing
- The heart of woman is! O Brutus,
- The heavens speed thee in thine enterprise! 40
- Sure, the boy heard me: Brutus hath a suit
- That Caesar will not grant. O, I grow faint.
- Run, Lucius, and commend me to my lord;
- Say I am merry: come to me again,
- And bring me word what he doth say to thee.
-
- [Exeunt severally.]
-