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Julius Caesar - Act 2, scene 4
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Julius Caesar - Act 2, scene 4Act 2, scene 4
⌜Scene 4⌝
Synopsis:
Portia, who has been told of the conspirators’ plan to kill Caesar, waits anxiously for news of their success. She meets the Soothsayer, who still fears for Caesar and wants to warn him.
Enter Portia and Lucius.PORTIA
1100 I prithee, boy, run to the Senate House.
1101 Stay not to answer me, but get thee gone.
1102 Why dost thou stay?
LUCIUS 1103 To know my errand, madam.
PORTIA
1104 5 I would have had thee there and here again
1105 Ere I can tell thee what thou shouldst do there.
1106 ⌜Aside.⌝ O constancy, be strong upon my side;
1107 Set a huge mountain ’tween my heart and tongue.
1108 I have a man’s mind but a woman’s might.
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87
1109
10 How hard it is for women to keep counsel!—1110 Art thou here yet?
LUCIUS 1111 Madam, what should I do?
1112 Run to the Capitol, and nothing else?
1113 And so return to you, and nothing else?
PORTIA
1114 15 Yes, bring me word, boy, if thy lord look well,
1115 For he went sickly forth. And take good note
1116 What Caesar doth, what suitors press to him.
1117 Hark, boy, what noise is that?
LUCIUS 1118 I hear none, madam.
PORTIA 1119 20Prithee, listen well.
1120 I heard a bustling rumor like a fray,
1121 And the wind brings it from the Capitol.
LUCIUS 1122 Sooth, madam, I hear nothing.
Enter the Soothsayer.
PORTIA
1123 Come hither, fellow. Which way hast thou been?
SOOTHSAYER 1124 25At mine own house, good lady.
PORTIA 1125 What is ’t o’clock?
SOOTHSAYER 1126 About the ninth hour, lady.
PORTIA
1127 Is Caesar yet gone to the Capitol?
SOOTHSAYER
1128 Madam, not yet. I go to take my stand
1129 30 To see him pass on to the Capitol.
PORTIA
1130 Thou hast some suit to Caesar, hast thou not?
SOOTHSAYER
1131 That I have, lady. If it will please Caesar
1132 To be so good to Caesar as to hear me,
1133 I shall beseech him to befriend himself.
PORTIA
1134 35 Why, know’st thou any harm’s intended towards
1135 him?
p.
89
SOOTHSAYER 1136 None that I know will be, much that I fear may
1137 chance.
1138 Good morrow to you.—Here the street is narrow.
1139 40 The throng that follows Caesar at the heels,
1140 Of senators, of praetors, common suitors,
1141 Will crowd a feeble man almost to death.
1142 I’ll get me to a place more void, and there
1143 Speak to great Caesar as he comes along.He exits.
PORTIA
1144 45 I must go in. ⌜Aside.⌝ Ay me, how weak a thing
1145 The heart of woman is! O Brutus,
1146 The heavens speed thee in thine enterprise!
1147 Sure the boy heard me. ⌜To Lucius.⌝ Brutus hath a
1148 suit
1149 50 That Caesar will not grant. ⌜Aside.⌝ O, I grow
1150 faint.—
1151 Run, Lucius, and commend me to my lord.
1152 Say I am merry. Come to me again
1153 And bring me word what he doth say to thee.
They exit ⌜separately.⌝