70

CAESAR. The cause is in my will; I will not come;
That is enough to satisfy the senate.
But, for your private satisfaction,
Because I love you, I will let you know:
Calpurnia here, my wife, stays me at home. 75
She dreamt to-night she saw my statue,
Which, like a fountain with an hundred spouts,
Did run pure blood; and many lusty Romans
Came smiling and did bathe their hands in it:
And these does she apply for warnings and portents 80
And evils imminent, and on her knee
Hath begg'd that I will stay at home to-day.

[Note 67: /afeard/ F1 F2 F3 | afraid F4--/truth?/ | truth:
Ff.]

[Note 76: /statue/ Ff | statua Steevens | statue Camb.]

[Note 76: /to-night:/ last night. So in _The Merchant of
Venice_, II, v, 18.--/statue./ In Shakespeare's time 'statue'
was pronounced indifferently as a word of two syllables or
three. Bacon uses it repeatedly as a trisyllable, and spells
it 'statua,' as in his _Advancement of Learning_: "It is not
possible to have the true pictures or statuaes of Cyrus,
Alexander, Caesar, no, nor of the kings or great personages."]

[Page 71]

DECIUS. This dream is all amiss interpreted:
It was a vision fair and fortunate.
Your statue spouting blood in many pipes, 85
In which so many smiling Romans bath'd,
Signifies that from you great Rome shall suck
Reviving blood, and that great men shall press
For tinctures, stains, relics, and cognizance.
This by Calpurnia's dream is signified. 90

CAESAR. And this way have you well expounded it.

DECIUS. I have, when you have heard what I can say;
And know it now: the senate have concluded
To give this day a crown to mighty Caesar.
If you shall send them word you will not come, 95
Their minds may change. Besides, it were a mock
Apt to be render'd, for some one to say
'Break up the senate till another time,
When Caesar's wife shall meet with better dreams.'
If Caesar hide himself, shall they not whisper, 100
'Lo, Caesar is afraid'?
Pardon me, Caesar; for my dear dear love
To your proceeding bids me tell you this;
And reason to my love is liable. 104

[Note 88-89: In ancient times, when martyrs or other
distinguished men were executed, their friends often pressed
to stain handkerchiefs with their blood, or to get some other
reli