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Julius Caesar: Act II, Scene 4

Julius Caesar
Act II, Scene 4

Rome. A street before the house of Brutus.

  1. Enter Portia and Lucius.

Portia

1 - 3
  1. I prithee, boy, run to the Senate-house;
  2. Stay not to answer me, but get thee gone.
  3. Why dost thou stay?

Lucius

4
  1.                     To know my errand, madam.

Portia

5 - 11
  1. I would have had thee there and here again
  2. Ere I can tell thee what thou shouldst do there.—
  3. O constancy, be strong upon my side,
  4. Set a huge mountain ’tween my heart and tongue!
  5. I have a man’s mind, but a woman’s might.
  6. How hard it is for women to keep counsel!—
  7. Art thou here yet?

Lucius

12 - 14
  1.                    Madam, what should I do?
  2. Run to the Capitol, and nothing else?
  3. And so return to you, and nothing else?

Portia

15 - 18
  1. Yes, bring me word, boy, if thy lord look well,
  2. For he went sickly forth; and take good note
  3. What Caesar doth, what suitors press to him.
  4. Hark, boy, what noise is that?

Lucius

19
  1. I hear none, madam.

Portia

20 - 22
  1.                     Prithee listen well;
  2. I heard a bustling rumor, like a fray,
  3. And the wind brings it from the Capitol.

Lucius

23
  1. Sooth, madam, I hear nothing.
  1. Enter the Soothsayer.

Portia

24
  1. Come hither, fellow; which way hast thou been?

Soothsayer

25
  1. At mine own house, good lady.

Portia

26
  1. What is’t a’ clock?

Soothsayer

27
  1.                     About the ninth hour, lady.

Portia

28
  1. Is Caesar yet gone to the Capitol?

Soothsayer

29 - 30
  1. Madam, not yet; I go to take my stand,
  2. To see him pass on to the Capitol.

Portia

31
  1. Thou hast some suit to Caesar, hast thou not?

Soothsayer

32 - 34
  1. That I have, lady, if it will please Caesar
  2. To be so good to Caesar as to hear me:
  3. I shall beseech him to befriend himself.

Portia

35
  1. Why, know’st thou any harm’s intended towards him?

Soothsayer

36 - 42
  1. None that I know will be, much that I fear may chance.
  2. Good morrow to you. Here the street is narrow;
  3. The throng that follows Caesar at the heels,
  4. Of senators, of praetors, common suitors,
  5. Will crowd a feeble man almost to death.
  6. I’ll get me to a place more void, and there
  7. Speak to great Caesar as he comes along.
  1. Exit.

Portia

43 - 50
  1. I must go in. Ay me! How weak a thing
  2. The heart of woman is! O Brutus,
  3. The heavens speed thee in thine enterprise!
  4. Sure the boy heard me.—Brutus hath a suit
  5. That Caesar will not grant.—O, I grow faint.—
  6. Run, Lucius, and commend me to my lord,
  7. Say I am merry. Come to me again,
  8. And bring me word what he doth say to thee.
  1. Exeunt severally.
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