READ STUDY GUIDE: Act II, scenes ii–iv |
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Act II, Scene iv:
Another part of the same street, before the house of
Another part of the same street, before the house of
| Brutus. |
| [Enter Portia and Lucius.] |
| PORTIA: |
| I pr'ythee, 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. |
| PORTIA: |
| I would have had thee there, and here again, |
| Ere I can tell thee what thou shouldst do there.— |
| [Aside.] 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? |
| Run to the Capitol, and nothing else? |
| And so return to you, and nothing else? |
| 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? |
| LUCIUS: |
| I hear none, madam. |
| PORTIA: |
| Pr'ythee, listen well: |
| I heard a bustling rumour, like a fray, |
| And the wind brings it from the Capitol. |
| LUCIUS: |
| Sooth, madam, I hear nothing. |
| [Enter Artemidorus.] |
| PORTIA: |
| Come hither, fellow: |
| Which way hast thou been? |
| ARTEMIDORUS: |
| At mine own house, good lady. |
| PORTIA: |
| What is't o'clock? |
| ARTEMIDORUS: |
| About the ninth hour, lady. |
| PORTIA: |
| Is Caesar yet gone to the Capitol? |
| ARTEMIDORUS: |
| Madam, not yet: I go to take my stand |
| To see him pass on to the Capitol. |
| PORTIA: |
| Thou hast some suit to Caesar, hast thou not? |
| ARTEMIDORUS: |
| 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. |
| PORTIA: |
| Why, know'st thou any harm's intended towards him? |
| ARTEMIDORUS: |
| 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.—[Aside.]Ah me, how weak a thing |
| The heart of woman is!—O Brutus, |
| The heavens speed thee in thine enterprise!— |
| 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.] |
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