Page 2194 - Shakespeare - Vol. 2

And I the elder and more terrible,
And Caesar shall go forth.

CALPHURNIA
Alas, my lord,
Your wisdom is consumed in confidence.
Do not go forth today. Call it my fear [50]

That keeps you in the house, and not your own.
We’ll send Mark Antony to the Senate House,
And he shall say you are not well today.

Let me upon my knee prevail in this.

CAESAR

Mark Antony shall say I am not well, [55]
And for thy humour I will stay at home.
Enter Decius.
Here’s Decius Brutus, he shall tell them so.

DECIUS
Caesar, all hail! Good morrow, worthy Caesar.

I come to fetch you to the Senate House.

CAESAR
And you are come in very happy time [60]
To bear my greeting to the senators
And tell them that I will not come today.

Cannot, is false; and that I dare not, falser.
I will not come today − tell them so, Decius.

CALPHURNIA
Say he is sick.

CAESAR
Shall Caesar send a lie? [65]
Have I in conquest stretched mine arm so far

To be afeard to tell greybeards the truth?
Decius, go tell them Caesar will not come.