Are then in council; and the state of man,
Like to a little kingdom, suffers then68
The nature of an insurrection.
Enter Lucius.
Luc. Sir, 'tis your brother Cassius at the door,
Who doth desire to see you.
Bru. Is he alone?
Luc. No, sir, there are moe with him.
Bru. Do you know them?72
Luc. No, sir; their hats are pluck'd about their ears,
And half their faces buried in their cloaks,
That by no means I may discover them
By any mark of favour.
Bru. Let 'em enter.76
[Exit Lucius.]
They are the faction. O conspiracy,
Sham'st thou to show thy dangerous brow by night,
When evils are most free? O then by day
Where wilt thou find a cavern dark enough80
To mask thy monstrous visage? Seek none, conspiracy;
Hide it in smiles and affability:
For if thou path, thy native semblance on,
Not Erebus itself were dim enough84
To hide thee from prevention.
Enter the Conspirators, Cassius, Casca, Decius, Cinna, Metellus, and Trebonius.
70 brother: he had married Brutus' sister, Junia
72 moe: more, others
76 mark of favour: trait of countenance
77 faction: band of conspirators
83 path: walk, proceed
native: natural
on: being on
84 Erebus: gloomy region leading to Hades (the name signifies 'darkness')
85 prevention: being forestalled
