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Julius Caesar: Act 2, Scene 4

           Enter PORTIA and LUCIUS.

      PORTIA
  1   I prithee, boy, run to the Senate-house;
  2   Stay not to answer me, but get thee gone:
  3   Why dost thou stay?

      LUCIUS
                                    To know my errand, madam.

      PORTIA
  4   I would have had thee there, and here again,
  5   Ere I can tell thee what thou shouldst do there.
  6   O constancy, be strong upon my side,
  7   Set a huge mountain 'tween my heart and tongue!
  8   I have a man's mind, but a woman's might.
  9   How hard it is for women to keep counsel!
 10   Art thou here yet?

      LUCIUS
                                  Madam, what should I do?
 11   Run to the Capitol, and nothing else?
 12   And so return to you, and nothing else?

      PORTIA
 13   Yes, bring me word, boy, if thy lord look well,
 14   For he went sickly forth: and take good note
 15   What Caesar doth, what suitors press to him.
 16   Hark, boy! what noise is that?

      LUCIUS
 17   I hear none, madam.

      PORTIA
                                    Prithee, listen well;
 18   I heard a bustling rumour, like a fray,
 19   And the wind brings it from the Capitol.

      LUCIUS
 20   Sooth, madam, I hear nothing.

           Enter the Soothsayer.

      PORTIA
 21   Come hither, fellow: which way hast thou been?

      Soothsayer
 22   At mine own house, good lady.

      PORTIA
 23   What is't o'clock?

      Soothsayer
                                      About the ninth hour, lady.

      PORTIA
 24   Is Caesar yet gone to the Capitol?

      Soothsayer
 25   Madam, not yet: I go to take my stand,
 26   To see him pass on to the Capitol.

      PORTIA
 27   Thou hast some suit to Caesar, hast thou not?

      Soothsayer
 28   That I have, lady: if it will please Caesar
 29   To be so good to Caesar as to hear me,
 30   I shall beseech him to befriend himself.

      PORTIA
 31   Why, know'st thou any harm's intended towards
      him?

      Soothsayer
 32   None that I know will be, much that I fear may
      chance.
 33   Good morrow to you. Here the street is narrow:
 34   The throng that follows Caesar at the heels,
 35   Of senators, of praetors, common suitors,
 36   Will crowd a feeble man almost to death:
 37   I'll get me to a place more void, and there
 38   Speak to great Caesar as he comes along.

           Exit.

      PORTIA
 39   I must go in. Ay me, how weak a thing
 40   The heart of woman is! O Brutus,
 41   The heavens speed thee in thine enterprise!
 42   Sure, the boy heard me: Brutus hath a suit
 43   That Caesar will not grant. O, I grow faint.
 44   Run, Lucius, and commend me to my lord;
 45   Say I am merry: come to me again,
 46   And bring me word what he doth say to thee.

           Exeunt.