That every nice offence should bear his comment.8
Bru. Let me tell you, Cassius, you yourself
Are much condemn'd to have an itching palm;
To sell and mart your offices for gold
To undeservers.
Cas. I an itching palm!12
You know that you are Brutus that speaks this,
Or, by the gods, this speech were else your last.
Bru. The name of Cassius honours this corruption,
And chastisement doth therefore hide his head.
Cas. Chastisement!17
Bru. Remember March, the ides of March remember:
Did not great Julius bleed for justice' sake?
What villain touch'd his body, that did stab,20
And not for justice? What! shall one of us,
That struck the foremost man of all this world
But for supporting robbers, shall we now
Contaminate our fingers with base bribes,24
And sell the mighty space of our large honours
For so much trash as may be grasped thus?
I had rather be a dog, and bay the moon,
Than such a Roman.
Cas. Brutus, bay not me;28
I'll not endure it: you forget yourself,
To hedge me in. I am a soldier, I,
Older in practice, abler than yourself
To make conditions.
Bru. Go to; you are not, Cassius.32
8 nice: trivial
bear . . . comment: be censured
10 condemn'd to have: blamed for having
11 mart: market
15 honours . . . corruption: sanctions this corrupt practice
20, 21 What . . . justice; cf. n.
23 robbers: his dishonest favorites
25, 26 Cf. n.
27 bay: bark at
28 Cf. n.
31 practice: experience
32 make conditions: determine the proper treatment of subordinates (referring to lines 1-5)
Go to: Nonsense!
