They shouted three times. What was the last cry for?
CASCA
Why, for that too.
CASCA
For the same thing.
BRUTUS
Was the crown offered him thrice?
BRUTUS
The crown was offered to him three times?
CASCA
Ay, marry, was 't, and he put it by thrice, every time
gentler
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than other, and at every putting-by mine honest neighbors
shouted.
CASCA
Yes, indeed, it was, and he pushed it away three times, each time
more gently than the last; and at each refusal my countrymen
shouted.
CASSIUS
Who offered him the crown?
CASSIUS
Who offered him the crown?
CASCA
Why,
Antony.
CASCA
Antony.
BRUTUS
Tell us the manner of it, gentle Casca.
BRUTUS
Tell us how it happened, noble Casca.
CASCA
I can as well be hanged as tell the manner of it. It was mere
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foolery. I did not mark it. I saw Mark Antony offer him a
crown (yet 'twas not a crown neither, 'twas one
of these
coronets) and, as I told you, he put it by once—but,
for all
that, to my thinking, he would fain have had it. Then he
offered it to him again, then he put it by again—but,
to my
240
thinking, he was very loath to lay his fingers off it. And then
he offered it the third time. He put it the third time by. And
still, as he refused it, the rabblement hooted and clapped
their chapped hands and threw up their sweaty night-caps
and uttered such a deal of stinking breath because Caesar
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refused the crown that it had almost choked Caesar—for
he
swooned and fell down at it. And for mine own part, I durst
not laugh for fear of opening my lips and receiving the bad
air.
CASCA
I can't explain it. It was all silly and so I paid no
attention. I saw Mark Antony offer him a crown—though it
wasn't a real crown, just a small circlet—and,
as I told you, he refused it once—though in my opinion
he would've liked to have it. Then Antony offered it to him
again, and he refused it again (though, in my opinion, he was
reluctant to take his hand off it). Then Antony offered it the third
time. He refused it the third time, and as he refused it the
commoners hooted and clapped their chapped hands, and threw up their
sweaty hats, and let loose such a great deal of stinking breath
because Caesar refused the crown that it nearly choked Caesar,
because he fainted and fell down. As for myself, I didn't
dare laugh, for fear of opening my lips and inhaling the stinking
air.
