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74
The Tragedy of

But Brutus makes mine greater than they are.

Bru. I do not, till you practise them on me.

Cas. You love me not.

Bru. I do not like your faults.88

Cas. A friendly eye could never see such faults.

Bru. A flatterer's would not, though they do appear
As huge as high Olympus.

Cas. Come, Antony, and young Octavius, come,92
Revenge yourselves alone on Cassius,
For Cassius is aweary of the world;
Hated by one he loves; brav'd by his brother;
Check'd like a bondman; all his faults observ'd,96
Set in a note-book, learn'd, and conn'd by rote.
To cast into my teeth. O, I could weep
My spirit from mine eyes. There is my dagger.
And here my naked breast; within, a heart100
Dearer than Pluto's mine, richer than gold:
If that thou be'st a Roman, take it forth;
I, that denied thee gold, will give my heart:
Strike, as thou didst at Cæsar; for, I know,104
When thou didst hate him worst, thou lov'dst him better
Than ever thou lov'dst Cassius.

Bru. Sheathe your dagger:
Be angry when you will, it shall have scope;
Do what you will, dishonour shall be humour.108
O Cassius, you are yoked with a lamb
That carries anger as the flint bears fire,
Who, much enforced, shows a hasty spark,
And straight is cold again.

95 brav'd: blusteringly taunted
96 Check'd: scolded
97 learn'd . . . rote: studied, and learned by heart
101 Dearer: worth more
Pluto's; cf. n.
107 it . . . scope: your anger shall not be opposed
108 dishonour . . . humour: your dishonorable deeds shall be ignored as caprices
109-112 Cf. n.