Shakespeare Portal

Act 2, Scene 4

Another part of the same street, before the house of Brutus.

  1. [Enter Portia and Lucius.]
  2. Portia
  3. 1068 I pr'ythee, boy, run to the Senate-house;
  4. 1069 Stay not to answer me, but get thee gone.
  5. 1070 Why dost thou stay?
  6. Lucius
  7. 1071 To know my errand, madam.
  8. Portia
  9. 1072 I would have had thee there, and here again,
  10. 1073 Ere I can tell thee what thou shouldst do there.—
  11. [Aside.]
  12. Portia
  13. 1074 O constancy, be strong upon my side!
  14. 1075 Set a huge mountain 'tween my heart and tongue!
  15. 1076 I have a man's mind, but a woman's might.
  16. 1077 How hard it is for women to keep counsel!—
  17. 1078 Art thou here yet?
  18. Lucius
  19. 1079 Madam, what should I do?
  20. 1080 Run to the Capitol, and nothing else?
  21. 1081 And so return to you, and nothing else?
  22. Portia
  23. 1082 Yes, bring me word, boy, if thy lord look well,
  24. 1083 For he went sickly forth: and take good note
  25. 1084 What Caesar doth, what suitors press to him.
  26. 1085 Hark, boy! what noise is that?
  27. Lucius
  28. 1086 I hear none, madam.
  29. Portia
  30. 1087 Pr'ythee, listen well:
  31. 1088 I heard a bustling rumour, like a fray,
  32. 1089 And the wind brings it from the Capitol.
  33. Lucius
  34. 1090 Sooth, madam, I hear nothing.
  35. [Enter Artemidorus.]
  36. Portia
  37. 1091 Come hither, fellow:
  38. 1092 Which way hast thou been?
  39. Artemidorus
  40. 1093 At mine own house, good lady.
  41. Portia
  42. 1094 What is't o'clock?
  43. Artemidorus
  44. 1095 About the ninth hour, lady.
  45. Portia
  46. 1096 Is Caesar yet gone to the Capitol?
  47. Artemidorus
  48. 1097 Madam, not yet: I go to take my stand
  49. 1098 To see him pass on to the Capitol.
  50. Portia
  51. 1099 Thou hast some suit to Caesar, hast thou not?
  52. Artemidorus
  53. 1100 That I have, lady: if it will please Caesar
  54. 1101 To be so good to Caesar as to hear me,
  55. 1102 I shall beseech him to befriend himself.
  56. Portia
  57. 1103 Why, know'st thou any harm's intended towards him?
  58. Artemidorus
  59. 1104 None that I know will be, much that I fear may chance.
  60. 1105 Good morrow to you.—Here the street is narrow:
  61. 1106 The throng that follows Caesar at the heels,
  62. 1107 Of Senators, of Praetors, common suitors,
  63. 1108 Will crowd a feeble man almost to death:
  64. 1109 I'll get me to a place more void, and there
  65. 1110 Speak to great Caesar as he comes along.
  66. [Exit.]
  67. Portia
  68. 1111 I must go in.—
  69. [Aside.]
  70. Portia
  71. 1112 Ah me, how weak a thing
  72. 1113 The heart of woman is!—O Brutus,
  73. 1114 The heavens speed thee in thine enterprise!—
  74. 1115 Sure, the boy heard me.—Brutus hath a suit
  75. 1116 That Caesar will not grant.—O, I grow faint.—
  76. 1117 Run, Lucius, and commend me to my lord;
  77. 1118 Say I am merry: come to me again,
  78. 1119 And bring me word what he doth say to thee.
  79. [Exeunt.]