| 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. | 5 |
| 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. | 10 |
| | 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? | 15 |
| 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. | 20 |
| PORTIA | Prithee, 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 the Soothsayer | |
| PORTIA | Come hither, fellow: which way hast thou been? | 25 |
| Soothsayer | At mine own house, good lady. | |
| PORTIA | What is't o'clock? | |
| Soothsayer | About the ninth hour, lady. | |
| PORTIA | Is Caesar yet gone to the Capitol? | |
| Soothsayer | Madam, not yet: I go to take my stand, | 30 |
| | To see him pass on to the Capitol. | |
| PORTIA | Thou hast some suit to Caesar, hast thou not? | |
| 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. | 35 |
| PORTIA | Why, know'st thou any harm's intended towards him? | |
| 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, | 40 |
| | 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, | 45 |
| | 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, | 50 |
| | And bring me word what he doth say to thee. | |
| | Exeunt severally | |
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