This is a dark day in Duluth's history. Closing libraries???? These cuts are impacting our young more than anything, they're losing safe places to go, to read, to learn about the world around them. I remember when the city of Salinas, Calif. closed all of their libraries. There was a hue and cry, and people there scraped together the funds to re-open the libraries. A city without libraries in the United States of America? This is sad, to me, that's the beginning of the end, and this kind of action is going to have an impact far into the future.

i don't live in duluth anymore but from an outsider's point of view, ness seemed like a good thing. do duluthians think he's going too far to balance the budget? is he actually a bad thing?

Claire, if you have any ideas for keeping the branches open, count me in.

this is indeed bad...

Yeah, if there's anything to be done, count me in. The library book sale is coming up next week, and I suppose I could buy $50 worth of books instead of my usual ~$30, but I don't think that would make much of an appreciable difference...

letters to the editor, calls to the mayor, calls to the councilors, make a site (savedpl.org) and collect signatures. We need to make as much noise as possible, I have already started my calls.

I've got an idea. How about we make it easier for businesses to open up in Duluth. That way we'll have more revenue for things like libraries.

I know. I'm crazy.

Before Don Ness was mayor he always talked about ways to keep the younger people in the city.The problem was most people got their degree and moved to Minneapolis or somewhere else to get jobs.
It of course would be great to get more businesses in the city. But, closing the libraries and other community services will only be another reason for businesses not to come to Duluth. By Ness taking steps like this, he is going to turn Duluth into a ghost town.

Closing libraries is truly the saddest news of the year. All of this is because of the unions and the health insurance companies. It is horrible that the effects of the health care industry are now effecting us all in this way. Part-time workers and temps everywhere... What a future we are leaving for the next generation and young people of this country. Too bad neither candidate is addressing the real issues.

And... what kind of world do we live in where we have to pay $300 million to close schools and can't afford libraries.

When you contact your councilor/mayor let them know you want to preserve services AND that you are willing to pay for it. They don't often hear the second part.

By a rough calculation, the city needs to take in an extra $20 a month from every Duluth household (not counting very low income households). That would cover the current $6.5 million city budget shortfall. This isn't reaching for the stars, just routine maintenance. Or neglect it, and get the civic equivalent of a thousand dollar car. Either way you pay.

Close down the fucking Aquarium before you close down a LIBRARY! Aquarium, fish and lots of plastic crap. Library, books, newspapers, the world. I just feel like the tourist stuff is left untouched, while the services for the young and the poor is being cut. I'm pretty pissed about this, as you can see, my local library just about saved my life when I was a kid and needed to get away from my much-too-boisterous family and read in peace. I know so many people who tell me the same thing, that libraries saved their lives. I feel a letter to the powers-that-be and to the editor coming on. I urge everyone for whom libraries provided a refuge when they were young and I KNOW you are out there, to write to our city leaders and to the DNT and to express their views. Our kids's futures depend on it. I told my kid Mt Royal is shutting down for the rest of the year. She is devastated. If I'd told her the Aquarium was shutting down, she'd shrug her shoulders, it'd be no big deal.

How long has that library been in Mount Royal?

I was pretty sad to leave Duluth for Superior when I got married, but as I continue to watch the politics in Duluth, I'm actually relieved I don't live there anymore. I actually have a lot of sympathy for Don Ness. The city can't operate on a continuous deficit, the police and fire unions (and retirees) have his hands tied, and he's expected to find a way out of this without cutting jobs and closing services. I agree that it's a sad day when libraries are closed, but I doubt people would be willing to live with tax increases every year to keep things going. Good luck, Duluthians. I think you're going to need it.

That really blows for Duluth--any time a town loses access to an information/community hub like that, it's a shame.

And I don't want to dog on the aquarium, but I do think that attracts less repeat business than the libraries, as far as the locals go, at least...

This makes me want to go into my library over here in Ashland & give it a hug. Or a donation or something. If anything ever happens to our multi-county library system over here, I'll go bonkers.

I love it! exactly what we conservatives have been saying all along is actually happening now. and now even the undecicive liberals cant trust each other. if you want real change with real results, all you stupid voters in Duluth should of voted for Bell. Ness and his Beaners and Pizza Luce' hippy thinking is going to get us in real troble. The library closings will be nothing compared whats coming.

umm, hate to burst your "i told you so" bubble but something tells me that things like this would have happened regardless of who was in office. Bell just would have made the cuts and closing a lot sooner than Ness did. Blaming the voting populace is misdirected as the majority of the problems stem from the ineptitude and corruption of past administrations (Fedo, Doty, et al) that weren't voted in by the people you blame.

umm claire, before you go spewing off about the aquarium you'd better get some facts & numbers straight. maybe do some research. most folks who complain about the aquarium have no clue about what's going on. the $300,00 we get from the city (now $200,00) comes out of the TOURISM TAX. that won't help the library because the library is not a TOURIST ATTRACTION. the revenue generated is around one million and a large chunk of that goes back into the local economy via payroll & local vendors. not to mention all the money that the TOURISTS spend on hotels, resturaunts and other TOURIST ATTRACTIONS. it would also cost about a million dollars and take about a year to close it down. minimal staff would still have to be employed because you can't just euthanize all the animals and fish, shut off the buildings utilites and say good riddance. the state bonding issue would leave a bad mark on duluth and when asking for further bonds and the legislature would probably say fuck off. which is really what i want to say but i'm much more civil than that.

Yeah- the aquarium is an entirely different kettle of fish! I'm willing to pay my fair share for libraries and other city services. Raise my taxes (property taxes, that is) an additional .5 to 2% just for ancillary services like the library and parks. Businesses could step up to the plate and pay an additional 6%. Ever since Reagan, we've destroyed market capitalism by skewing the burden onto the middle class and poor, while letting wealthiest off the hook. For those of you who say I'm fomenting class warfare- sorry, that war is over and the rich people won. Time to bust the myth about who is doing the heavy lifting in our economy. (If you still haven't figured it out, it's the working class!)

my question is if the "i told you so's" were so certain that they were going to tell us so, why didn't they do more to prevent things from happening?

If Bell would've done it better, why didn't you do more to elect him? The "not enough money" argument is a pretty crappy scapegoat excuse. It's true that the DFL holds a majority in this city, but it's a slim majority. Remember the margins by which Bergson won his election. Rather slim, wasn't it? The misstep of the conservative step was not building on that slim difference to sway the populace into Bell's camp. The conservatives have only themselves to blame in this situation. They allowed an opportunity to slip away from them. Nothing like blowing a one run lead by letting your go-ahead batter strike out when the bases are loaded.

wait...by NOT striking out the go-ahead batter when the bases are loaded.

Let's teach the Firefighters the Dewey Decimal System and have them shelve books when their are no fires!

I actually think that's a great idea SF. In fact, this could be used in number of different areas to save some money. Let's get our teachers to run sanding trucks as a start.

Again...does anyone know when the Mount Royal Library opened?

Wel, after Fedo and Doty screwed over the city for 20 years, not much to do about it now.

All Doty seemed interested in was building a golf course - anyone want to speculate how much his kickback was going to be?

This 'employee retirement health care' thing is such a crock. Sorry, the city can't afford it - give it up and renegotiate, or have fun trying to get your health care from the city's bankruptcy administrator.

"All this is because of the unions and the health insurance companies"-Andrew O. Hey Andrew , areas with higher union membership have a higher quality of life and a higher average wage. With more unions we'll have a larger tax base to pay for city employee benefits.I agree that health insurance companies suck. Only single payer insurance for all will solve the health care crisis. And public health programs actually have 1/10th of the administration costs as private plans.One other thing about unions- they're a democratizing force in the workplace. That's why authoritarians hate them.

Danny:

"The Mt. Royal Branch Library opened in 1998 following the closing of two old, small Carnegie buildings: Woodland Branch Library and Lester Park Branch Library."

this from the library website

Sell the aquarium to Red Lobster, let them do what they will with the building and the fishes, and turn yet another library or school (public building) into apartments for low rent, muah, ha, ha ;) Looking forward to a new varied menu at good 'ol Red.

Joking aside, I think zra is right in that Ness' hands are tied. Anyone in office would probably have to do the same thing.

The collective intellectual value of the branch libraries will be sadly missed, but I certainly got by when I was young and forced to go to the main library to read.

I'm not sure why they would sell books, though. They'll eventually just have to buy them again, or continually make use of interlibrary loans.

Also, our public transit system is the envy of many other cities. Maybe, just take a bus downtown if you want to learn.

P.S. I should remind people that ever since I grew up in Duluth, they would, and still continue to, drop schools for living space. Maybe that's the future of the branch library buildings?

Bell lost the election, both times, because, he does not posess the most critical skill to get elected in our current society: The ability to look good on television.
It is pretty sad that our political leaders are chosen this way. One wonders how the great leaders of the past would have done. Would Washington, Jefferson or Lincoln looked good on television?

You forget Benjamin Franklin :)

I forget my history lessons, but wasn't he seen as some stupid backwoods American when he was in France? I have no official record of that, but I seem to recall people of europe viewing him as "unkempt". He refused to where a wig in court sessions, or something.

Not photo friendly, apparently.

Uh, Bell lost the election because not enough mouthbreathers responded to his racist dogwhistle. And his secret plan to improve the city seemed to involve giving business whatever it wanted, which has been tried (and failed) at the national level for the past 8 years, with many of those years having Republicans control all three branches of government, and it just didn't look great enough to vote for, hard as he tried blowing that dogwhistle.

It is pretty childish way to argue to brand anyone who you disagree with as being racist. Race is not the issue here. Besides, race problems in Duluth stem more from a lack of diversity in different races than people actually being truely racist.

The Mayoral office is a Non-Partisam position. So party politics should not be a part of the decision. With that said, we have had a Democrat as the Duluth Mayor for over 30+ years. Using your logic, we should be an island of Utopian bliss.
The extreme end of both ways of thinking does not work. If socialism worked the Soviet Union would still exist and China would be a different place.
Could someone explain to me what good the 4 years of the Bergson administration do for the city?
I actaully like have people from both sides in power to have some balance and keep things running on an even keel. The fact that we have had a democrat as mayor for so long is the biggest issue with me.

Gary Doty was not a Democrat. He used the label, but none of his policies were even close to a Democratic position. He opposed gay rights, and refused to acknowledge the GLBT events in town. He did not embrace diversity. He was a pawn of monied interests. I agree that the office of Mayor should be non partisan. But, don't assume that because Doty called himself a Democrat that he really was one. There is very little in what he did that resembles Democratic policies on any level. Sure, he let the union contracts ride, even when he knew we were running out of money and couldn't afford them. But, he did that to get AFSCME support at election time.

Doty was a democrat in name only. He got the labor endorsement (his dad was a union boss) when the local DFL was trying to figure out what to do with the recently acquitted Fedo. During his entire tenure, Doty worked hand-in-hand with the Chamber of Commerce and greased the wheels for all manner of Republican causes. He's a conservative Baptist for crying out loud! As for Bell being a racist, only he in his heart-of-hearts knows. But during the mayoral campaign it did not help his case to refer to recent arrivals to Duluth (aka- not white) as the reason for increasing crime and other "problems" that the city faced. But back to the issue at hand. Neanderthal governor Ventura wiped out the state's rainy-day fund because he didn't want to pay so much for the license renewal for his Porshe. Republican governor Pawlenty (bought and paid for by the anti-government group called the "taxpayers league.") eliminated almost all of the Local Government Aid the State used to provide to balance the needs of non-metro cities with that of the Twin Cities. In addition, the State changed the way it required individual cities do their accounting, thus forcing the city to add cost projections of retiree health care costs to the annual balance sheet. Yes, we do in fact owe that debt, but it is the way it is reflected in our accounting (think accrual versus cash) that has caused the huge disparity between revenue and expenses. So here we are with a shortfall forcing Mayor Ness to come up with some way to balance the budget. Tragically, all of our leaders need to worship at the anti-tax (aka anti-government) altar of the Chamber of Commerce and the Republicans. Balance my ass. Until we shame and/or deport every stupid fucking republican in this country into oblivion, so-called "balance" will only lead us further down the path of 3rd world status.

Name one country, region or city that has actually prospered by increasing taxes?
The problem with Duluth is that at one time we had 100,000 people in the city and now we have 80,000. With a declining population, people expected to keep the same level of services as before.
It really does not matter if one is a Democrat, Republican or a Neanderthal. We are all in this together and need to work together for what is best for our community.
If you increase taxes too much, businesses will not locate here. They will go someplace where the taxes are lower.
Actually, if you look at things, the USA is winning the global war of success.
Watch the Olympics this week. Do you see very many signs in the background not written in English?
3rd world status? Hardly. We actually have a system of laws that do get followed most of the time.
Look at Africa, most of the countries there are doing poorly because of governmet corruption.

Race, really, seems as good a place to start as any, no?

And Doty was in office for 12 years, lummox.

01110100 01110010 01101111 01101100 01101100

Troll? That's Great.
Highest and best use of the aquarium is to give it to UMD as a research center for fresh water issues and a home for the Blue Heron (I can't wait to see what happens when you all read this).
Duluth could become the Woods Hole of fresh water.

It was pretty childish of Bell to have said a racist thing that I, and the facts, disagreed with.

And what we need are more, and better, Democrats. Count me among those who is thrilled to see the DNC finally lurching into a more progressive era after years of playing to the middle (read: the right) and losing. Conservatism is a degenerate philosophy destined for the ashpit of history. Good riddance.

Tax the rich and give me free health care. That's what I want and it looks like I'm going to get it, too. You can refuse the free health care the Obama administration is about to offer you if you want. But after the Bush administration gave the rich and the corporations everything they wanted, you can only say the USA is currently winning the global war of success if you have no sense of irony whatsoever! Christ!

another armchair quarterback who know's what's best for the aquarium. bone up on yer facts carla. you can't just "give" the aquarium away. it's way more complicated than that. jeebus h christ on a cross i am so sick of this shit. stick to slinging hash why don't you.

Yes. UMD clearly needs more handouts.

The highest and best use of the Aquarium would actually be...an indoor water park for humans. How cool would that be?

It already has the plumbing and infrastructure. People (tourists and locals alike) LOVE indoor waterparks, especially in cold climates.

Sheez, C-Freak, sounds like you've been spending too much time over at DCB or something, jumping down people's throats just b/c many of us think the Aquarium is a boondoggle and you may not. Whatever. Anyway, I admit it, I don't know shit about the aquarium, and I don't care to know about it. I've been there twice, I think. My earlier "spewing" if you will re-read it a little more carefully, has more to do more than anything else with my distress over *essential* services being cut that will have an impact upon this city's poor and its children. I regard the library as an essential service. You may not. And of course, yes, we're comparing apples and oranges here -- essential city services vs. tourist attractions. OK, so we can't close down the Aquarium. Fine. But I will reiterate that it's a sad day in this city when we cannot provide essential services to our youngest and to disenfranchised residents. But years of 'let's throw money at this!' and 'let's throw money at that' will do it. Plus, Tim K has it right, about state aid going to the Cities, while the non-metro areas scramble for crumbs. Ironically, Mlps has a brand spanking new, multi-million Main Library downtown that is the envy of bibliophiles everywhere, while Duluth cuts hours and closes branches.

es·sen·tial
–adjective 1. absolutely necessary; indispensable: Discipline is essential in an army.
2. pertaining to or constituting the essence of a thing.
3. noting or containing an essence of a plant, drug, etc.
4. being such by its very nature or in the highest sense; natural; spontaneous: essential happiness.

Sorry, but, I think you guys are taking my comments out of context. Probably, because I just typed a couple of quick posts and I did not frame them in the right context. Things which are true in Duluth are not true in the rest of the world and vice versa.

The race thing. You have to look at race issues differently in Duluth than in the rest of the country. Why? In Duluth minorities are a smaller percentage than in pretty much the rest of the country. When minorities only make up 10 percent or less of a population the issues of racism are different than someplace where the minorites are 40% or higher. In Duluth it is possible to go through one's entire day and not see a non white person. People are then prone to being racist because they never encounter anyone different from them. That is a lot different that when a society puts down almost half of the population because they are a different color.
Often I go places in Duluth and there are a couple of hundered white people and one or two people who are not white.

Run the numbers, there are not enough rich people to tax and pay for health care.

In regards to this subject's main post, here is the definition of PATRON:
a person who is a customer, client, or paying guest, esp. a regular one, of a store, hotel, or the like.

Sounds to me like somebody is not spending enough time at the library.

There are plenty of rich people and corporations who pay little or no taxes. If the tax code were written in a more progressive manner, I would pay less than say Dow Chemical- which got a freakin' refund last year! The GAO recently concluded that almost 60% of corporate entities paid no taxes in 2004 (year the study was done). And NO, they weren't counting non-profit organizations and institutions that are already exempt. It was for-profit corporations! WTF!!

No, C-Freak - you are wrong. It could be given to UMD

If you are a white person in a white area and blame crime on "people who don't look like us," then you have blown a racist dogwhistle. If it was done "innocently" (i.e. with an old-fashioned ignorance) then it still makes you a prejudiced knee-jerk xenophobe. If you are running for Mayor and stand to gain if your remarks motivate a white majority to turn out and vote their fears of brown people, then you are ipso facto being racist, even if you have black friends. In other words it is the same old conservative baloney no matter what regional white power structure you inhabit. And it's too bad because everyone seems to think he's a nice guy and a great humanitarian but I am so glad we could give the smackdown to that sort of garbage. I don't worship Ness but he was so obviously the most progressive choice and I respect that he has to make some hard decisions.

Did Bell actually say "people who don't look like us"? What was the exact quote?

uhh, carla: c-freak knows a little more about what she's talking about concerning the aquarium than just about everyone here. i'd quit while she's ahead. that's an argument you just can't win.

Danny, what's your problem--you're debating vocabulary now? "Patron" is the commonly accepted term for a person who uses a library. If you click around the Duluth Public Library website, you will see references to "patron account" etc. When I worked at a library in college, "patron" was the term we used there. If you google "library patron" you get 78,800 hits. What do you suggest using instead of "patron"?

If your problem is with the "paying" part of your definition, library patrons *do* pay for services rendered, largely through taxes, and to a smaller extent through overdue fines, donations, etc. I for one would happily pay more taxes or would make a donation directly to the library if it meant keeping the branch libraries open, and I think there's a lot of other people in Duluth who feel the same way. I don't think there's anyone arguing that we should have everything we want without paying for it.

Danny,

Go outside. Turn off your computer. Talk to a real person - face to face.

Love,

Your Mom

Sonya. Lighten up. I was just teasing my lady Claire a bit.

As I recall, Bell said something about gangs composed of minorities moving into Duluth and raising the crime rate.
Bell did not intended to say minorities were the problem, but rather the criminal element of the gangs. The TV soundbite made it sound more like he was blaming the minorities.

It's true that there is no way to save money now with the aquarium. So there is nothing to do about it. But, it should have never been built in the first place. It has not added money than it has taken away. It is just one of the many bad decisions that have led us to this point.

How much of the library's budget is spent on purchasing movies for it's collection? Should a library really be spending money on a copy of a movie that can be rented elsewhere, for a buck or two? I know it is popular service, but libraries are for books. Last time I was up at the Mt. Royal library I saw more people borrowing DVDs than books, quite a sad sight.

Sorry, Danny, your silly "teasing" went over my head, perhaps b/c I find it difficult to take you seriously. I reiterate, libraries provide *essential* services, talk to half the published writers in this world and you might begin to understand the importance of libraries to them. But then again, you might not.

PS -- Sonya is correct. I know a lot of librarians all over the US, they *all* without exception call the people who enter their buildings "patrons." And, yes, Danny, they do provide *essential* services. Danny, you might think you are really clever, but, sorry, you're not. Your mom is so right, you should turn off your computer and take a breather. It'd do you some good to get some fresh air.

Claire...shoot me an email if you've got a chance:

[email protected]

The Aquarium is owned by the State of Minnesota, not the City of Duluth. In exchange for the $16 Mil. to build it, the City had to guarantee an operating subsidy to the GLA. Not the City's call on selling or closing something it doesn't own. If the City refuses to pay the op. subsidy, the City defaults on a $16 mil. loan from the state.

The City cannot file bankruptcy with more than $40 million in the CIT. No bankruptcy Law, or judge would allow such to happen.

The City's share of the property tax levy doesn't begin to cover the City's health care cost for one year. Cost is $16 mil. City takes in about $12 mil. from this rev, source.

The City's economy is defined by it's political culture. The culture has been governed by the majority party, which has been df LLL for a long time.

A simple accounting of the facts and votes cannot be disputed. I am a hardline liberal, but it is nonsense to blame conservatives for the State of the Duluth economy when it has been our party in control.

Let's face it, there has been years and years of terrible financial decision making. The Labor Unions have a great burden to bear. It has been their negotiating and contracts that have put us in the potion we are in.

The State will be coming in to take over Duluth before long-we will be governed from the TC soon.

It is indeed an imperfectduluthday.

The Aquarium is owned by the State of Minnesota, not the City of Duluth. In exchange for the $16 Mil. to build it, the City had to guarantee an operating subsidy to the GLA. Not the City's call on selling or closing something it doesn't own. If the City refuses to pay the op. subsidy, the City defaults on a $16 mil. loan from the state.

The City cannot file bankruptcy with more than $40 million in the CIT. No bankruptcy Law, or judge would allow such to happen.

The City's share of the property tax levy doesn't begin to cover the City's health care cost for one year. Cost is $16 mil. City takes in about $12 mil. from this rev, source.

The City's economy is defined by it's political culture. The culture has been governed by the majority party, which has been df LLL for a long time.

A simple accounting of the facts and votes cannot be disputed. I am a hardline liberal, but it is nonsense to blame conservatives for the State of the Duluth economy when it has been our party in control.

Let's face it, there has been years and years of terrible financial decision making. The Labor Unions have a great burden to bear. It has been their negotiating and contracts that have put us in the potion we are in.

The State will be coming in to take over Duluth before long-we will be governed from the TC soon.

It is indeed an imperfectduluthday.

Is it a great burden to require an employer to provide fair wages? Is it a great burden to demand that an employer provide affordable healthcare for all workers? What about ensuring that workers' rights are upheld?

This is what the union is for - to ensure that the workers who take care of you in this city are also taken care of. To state that the unionized city workers - your friends and neighbors - are the sole cause of the economic problems in Duluth is ludicrous, at best.

I don't disagree that the retiree health care caused us to have some major financial difficulties, but to put all the blame on the unions is simply false and a continuation of the anti-union sentiment prevalent in the conservative side.

Before Don Ness and Herb Bergson were ever elected into office, the problem of Duluth's financial solvency was evident. Even 10 years ago, there could have been arrangements made to slow the drain of the budget.

Unfortunately, those days are past and now we are faced with immediacy and hard choices.

I do not belong to AFSCME and I don't always agree with their politics, but I understand their frustration.

To put the burden and the blame of the city's financial debt on the backs of the workers is unfair and unnecessary when there are cuts that could be made elsewhere.

And your city workers - again, your friends and neighbors - are lambasted by people like you, Factcheck, for only trying to ensure that they can support their families.

The last time I looked in the Bible, it still said for us to help our neighbors. This includes, IMHO, supporting them in their fight for fair wages and benefits.

*off soapbox*

AFSCME is responsible for the city's debt...how? Fedo's indicted/acquitted ass set that shit up.

Face it, most of us work jobs where we're not at liberty to negotiate how much our employers pay us or give us in benefits. some of us are lucky in the fact that we get paid according to our skills. Basically, we're stuck with what our employers give us...good or bad.

Like it or not, unions were established for a reason, and those reasons, though they may not always be apparent still exist.

Regardless of Fedo's intentions when he set up the retiree health care situation, it exists. It's the fault of his and subsequent administrations for not ensuring that program was funded. We're left to clean up the mess.

While I'm all for preserving jobs, I'd like to point out that city jobs are paid for through the taxes of Duluth citizens. And, as there are 20,000 fewer citizens now than a few decades ago, those who are left pay more and more to employ the city workers. So preserving their jobs ultimately means greater financial sacrifices for people who don't work on the city payroll. There's going to be a sacrifice one way or another, it's just a question of who will be making it -- and whether or not the choice is sustainable. You may save those union jobs this year, maybe next year, but eventually the city infrastructure will topple if Duluth citizens continue infighting rather than trying to look at the bigger picture -- which I think Don Ness is trying to do.

mary: can we eliminate your job for the same reasons as you gave for Ness' elimination of city jobs?

Seems realistic. The city's got 20,000 less citizens than a few decades ago, therefore there's less responsibility on your employer to provide whatever services it does to residents of the area.

When things slow down at my job, my hours get cut. My hours get cut, It's harder for me to provide for my family.

mary, it's easy to advocate the elimination of what you seem to be defining as "excess workers" when the excess workers aren't you. That's right Christian of ya. Neighbor.

Affordable Health Care? Please. City Employees enjoy the Cadillac of Health Care, I know, I formerly had that Health Care, barely a nickel spent out of pocket, while single families and fixed income folk can barely afford co-pays.

Please save the rhetoric and stick to facts. There is little left that can be cut from the City Budget except employees. Mary makes a very valid point, how can we lose population and not downsize in terms of service.

The walk-up call is here. Duluth cannot expand it's tax base while raising taxes. It is unfortunately time to face some serious problems. Duluth cannot provide core services and continue high union salaries and benefits for he masses.

Again, you can debate the issue as long as you want, but look at what the majority of Duluthians are saying about the issue. There are very few citizens willing to support high salaries and benefits for a select-few. The political pressure on AFSCME, and very soon, the firefighters union will defeat any efforts made by these few and elite. Very few people in this City enjoy the benefits these people receive.

It is sad that Duluth cannot afford this any longer, but mark my words, this round of layoffs is nothing compared to what is coming. In 2009, the City will be laying off many more. The variable taxes, such as tourism and sales is going to continue to dwindle with the economy for the foreseeable future, thus lowering available revenue for the City. Last week's administration bombshell is just the beginning.

finally! someone who takes the time to FACT CHECK before they rant about something! thank you. move along now please....nothing to see here but a bunch of dumb fish and plastic crap......

For some reason, the people who were so creative in getting the aquarium built (lobbying the state, forming authorities, creating legislation) declare themselves to be utterly baffled by the insurmountable problem of closing it. Obviously, they could close it if they wanted to. They (meaning Harold Frederick, Monnie Goldfine, Bruce Stender, Jack LaVoy, etc.) could make a few phone calls and get the state to pass legislation forgiving the debt.

Maybe I'm missing something but the Aquarium hardly seems like the thing putting the city in this bind.

I support unions but I really think the city unions are ruining the place.

I almost wish the city would declare bankruptcy so all union contracts would have to be re-negotiated.

(Just wanted to clarify that I'm not the same Mary as the other one posting in here. Carry on.)

Seriously, should a library have all of the seasons of "Sex in the City" DVDs as a part of it's collection?

"race problems in Duluth stem more from a lack of diversity in different races than people actually being truely racist."

what?

a rather myopic and short sighted view of history, doncha think? are you aware of why our population of blacks in particular is so low?

while your assessment of one of the ways racism is perpetuated is true (more interaction inevitably causes racism to abate intergenerationally), it doesn't take into account the racism and large-scale violence that caused that population abnormality to begin with. Bell talked about being able to tell by looking at people if they "didn't belong here." everyone who saw it knew what he meant, and i was pleasantly surprised to see they didn't take the bait when they visited the ballot box. his comment, as clueless as it might have been rather than thoughtfully malicious, reflected an all-too-large segment of our local population that hasn't changed their rhetoric much in a hundred years.

"If socialism worked the Soviet Union would still exist and China would be a different place."

a whole lotta countries in Europe, esp. France, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Iceland... might disagree with you. that american edumacation is really doin' you fine, eh?

name one country where raising taxes has helped the economy? okay. i'll stick with one i know very well: Norway, where they have just about the highest taxes on the planet. consistently rated high on the happiness scale and with a robust economy. there is always anecdotal discontent, but even the norwegian taxpayer's association couldn't find a solid majority who were dissatisfied with the situation: http://www.aftenposten.no/english/local/article2551432.ece

(one recent cite)

Hbh You are correct. I was only refering to the lack of familiarity with other races that perpetuates the stereotypes and not intending to say that it was the entire scope of racism in Duluth. That one small aspect of racsim explains Bell's "looks different" comment.

Why do we not have more minorites? Simple, our economy has been more or less crappy since the 1920s. No reason for any large group of people to move here after the initial group of western europeans after the latter part of the 19th century.

Norway is not the same as the USA. They have made a huge amount of money from their north sea oil. That income accounts for the services that they are able to provide, which, offset what people pay in taxes. I would gladly pay more in taxes, if I had free education, cheap quality housing, guarantee of employment and free health care. Somehow I suspect, the same would not happen here if we raised taxes.

Raising taxes locally is just going to screw up our local economy. Jobs and people will move to neighboring communities, with cheaper taxes, further reducing the city's tax base.

China and the former Soviet Union are the only fair comparisons to the USA in regards to economic policies as they are the only countries similar to the USA in size, population and distribution of natural resources. Norway has an abnormally high percentage of valuable natural resources compared to the size of their population.

Look throughout history. Capitalism is the only economic system that works.

Ok Claire and all others who keep saying to CLOSE THE AQUARIUM. It's an educational facility!!!! Where else can you see all of the amazing fish that live in our local lakes in their natural habitats? What about otters up close? A bald eagle close enough to see their claws? Have you ever been there Claire? Has your child ever been there? I feel that it is unfair of you to say that children around the area wouldnt care if the aquarium was closed down. I invite you to come talk to one of the thousands of school kids that go to the aquarium every year and send thank you cards about how much fun they had. It's a great facility and I'm getting so upset with some of the people in this city using the aquarium as a scapegoat for the cities money woes. Volunteer operated libraries exist, and that would be a great way for you and your child to enjoy a facility that is a dear part of your childhood. Obviously all that time spent in the library didn't teach you any respect. The aquarium is operated on a very small staff and the education department works extremely hard to produce and execute programs around natural history and freshwater subjects for children and adults to enjoy and experience. Shame on you. I feel awful about the libraries closing as well, but this is a great time to improve the main library downtown and expand their education and youth programs. Don't blame the aquarium for the cities problems...and learn a few more facts before you make such a bold statement. All of you should take this advice if you are bashing facilities, not just the aquarium, without knowing the facts.

Sara K...to answer your first question: In a book. I'm just saying.

Claire: Still waiting for an email from you. I have an "idea".

Danny...wow that's lame! Funny at the same time, but a little bit scary too. You'd rather ONLY see these things in a book an not experience them? Hmmm...

You can also experience those type of things by taking a kayak on the lake, or a zillion other Northland activities which don't require "Paving Paradise and Putting Up a Parking Lot".

The fish tank has been an abomination since day one: Sladegate, the hideous 'architecture', its placement on the bay, the outlandish amounts of money to maintain it (when those who originally planned it 'guaranteed' it would be self sufficient), the constant subsidies which could be used for some of those pesky little things like firefighting and libraries.

Just sayin'.

Sara...I didnt say that you could ONLY see those things in a book. Your first question specifically was "Where else can you see all of the amazing fish that live in our local lakes in their natural habitats?". Well, the answer to that question is "in a book".

So basically your theory is that you need to see these wonderful water-dwellers up-close to really understand them, right? Ok. That's fine. Since this thread has somehow, inexplicably turned into a debate about racism as well, let's use that as an example. Let's say that we want to understand the mindset what led to the Holocaust. Well, using your logic we couldn't ONLY understand that by reading about it in a book. What we would need to do as an educational tool is have all of our little school kids spend a weekend hanging out with a gang of Neo-Nazi skinheads. That way they would truly get an education. I'd love to read some of those thank you cards.

That's right. I went there.

oh, then you've seen a 6' sturgeon face to face while kyaking then. those fresh water stingrays from the amazon must be real good swimmers since you got to touch one on your last trip to the beach. do you even know what a kamloop is?
never mind the long time (8 + years here) employees who put their hearts and souls into keeping the "abomination" alive and running with no pay raises to speak of, living thru "Sladegate" all while being bashed in public not to mention countless blogs & forums by super smart no-it-alls and umpteen lay-offs. nobody seems to care about that - we're expendible. it's just that "fucking aquarium". that "hideous eysore".

just fucking sayin'.

Danny, sorry if I gave the impression that books were not a way of experiencing things. I am a very avid reader and I don't knock libraries at all. They are great. But what the heck??Why are you using the racism discussion to compare these things? And by the way, what is the Holocaust Museum in D.C. then? A waste of money as well since kids can just read about it in a book?? Books are fabulous, again, I love books, but these facilities are to expand education along with books. All of these programs...libraries, aquariums, museums, nature centers...go hand in hand together to educate children. I don't personally have a kayak and can't afford one to go out and see some of these animals up close, so an aquarium is fantastic. I'm just saying.

btw joni mitchell- that "paradise" was a building called the flame and i'm pretty sure it had a parking lot.

There's some stuff about "The Flame" on the News Tribune Attic. I miss it.

Thanks, HBH.

"I know it is popular service, but libraries are for books." lol

"That [North Sea Oil] income accounts for the services that they [Norway] are able to provide, which, offset what people pay in taxes." Wrong, but feel free to keep trolling away.

Sara K -- I apologize if you feel that I insulted the Aquarium, I can tell the place is very near and dear to your heart. I actually *have* visited the Aquarium a few times over the years, and took my kid there with me the first time. It was the weekend it opened, maybe 7 years ago then. My daughter liked the Locks, but didn't really get into the other stuff. She's since gone back with her school, and liked it, though she's visited the Monterey Bay Aquarium several times and *loves* it there.

You may be right that many of us are using the Aquarium as a punching bag, pointing to it as an un-necessary expense that this city can ill afford. And I think the zoo is another un-necessary expense the city can ill afford. But I won't even go there, for fear that some zoo fans will get bent out of shape.

Yes, the aquarium is an educational facility, as is the public library. The point I've been trying to make, though, is a public library is so much more than simply a building housing books, newspapers, and DVDs. I hang out with a bookish crowd and so many of the authors and other booklovers I know have told me how libraries provided them with so much during their childhoods, it was a place of refuge, a safe sanctuary where they could read and learn about the world in peace. I once worked with a very well-known author whose name you would know who told me more than once that she wouldn't have survived her childhood but for the local library in her town, where she could escape from an abusive and impoverished home environment.

So, Sara K, while an aquarium is an educational facility, it's just that. And a library is so much more. And people don't have to pony up $10 or whatever the admission fee is to enter it and take advantage of its resources. Libraries have literally changed people's lives.

And Danny, I have no interest in your "idea" so don't hold your breath waiting for me to "shoot" you an email. It's not going to happen.

I've never been a fan of the Aquarium or some of the other ways we have invested our money as a city . It's not because I dislike the Aquarium it's that I thought there were wiser places to put your assets. To place your equity in something you really didn't need to, instead of placing your money in assets dealing with your susstainability might come back and bite you. That's my problem. I understand bloated gov. I think the fat lady is starting to sing and I'm afraid it's off key. So I don't think the Aquarium is in nature a bad idea just it's presentation to us and money that could have put elsewhere. I also believe that if a policeman wants to stand between me and a bullet with out knowing me he can have a dounut as long as when he gets a call he's there if he can. Same with the fire department and I like water in my faucet. I also think that if goverment employes can have health insurance and now some of them are going where some of us have been or are is the greatest reason for a national health policy that takes care of everybody. These are the people who makes decisions for and are paid by you and they need to do better by us.

My apologies, I did not intend to troll for anything.
I got sucked into this disscussion by commenting on zra's off topic comment about Bell's campaign and as for the other comments, I was foolishly getting sucked in deeper by trying defend my various increasingly off topic viewpoints in the discussion.
So, as I now feel quite silly for falling for the bait. I am through making any further comments on the matter.
Lively political discussion/debate should be done over a pint of beer at the local pub anyway.

Ah yes, before the abomination was built there, the Anchor Inn had a fabulous parking lot too! I loved to paddle past it in my kayak through the crystal clear bay waters and check out their lovely parking lot. As parking lots go, it was abomination-free!
Back then, fire fightin' and library readin' was enjoyed by all. Fish were only in lakes, and on the walls of bars.
Well, off to my log cabin in Ely! ta-ta!

Claire

Thank you very much for your reply. It really made me happy that you apologized and were respectful with your reply. I do agree that paying for a visit to an aquarium is much different than going to visit a library. I am very pro-library. I am a very avid reader and hope that one day my children will be too. It sounds like you definitely do have a soft spot for libraries and I definitely respect that. I really do hope that if Duluth has to get rid of a few libraries that they will work on improving and expanding the main library that is left.

Improvements are being made to the aquarium and I hope that you and your child will be able to visit again some day and really enjoy your visit. It is true that it was horribly mismanaged when it was first opened and the staff is still paying greatly for all of those original mistakes that were made (and they weren't even there to make them!).

Monterray Bay's Aquarium is supposed to be a phenomenal aquarium and GLA can't even be put in the same category with it...anyone would think GLA is tiny and insignificant compared to it! But I'm sure it really did have an impact on your daughter when she visited, and GLA is working very hard to have the same impact on all of the visitors that go there.

Thank you again for your reply, I have a lot more respect for you now. I hope that something can be worked out with the library situation.

Very open-minded of you Claire.

I may no be the sharpest tool in the shed but do Sara and C Freak work at the Aquarium? Or at the very least have family or close friends that work there?

Doesn't matter because both sides in that particular debate are probably a little wrong. Like a lot of issues there's some gray in between the black and white that makes more sense. On one hand the Aquarium has not turned into the cash cow that Mr. Doty and all of the other early supporters claimed it would be. And that has forced the city and the state to sink more money into it than would be ideal.
But on the other hand the city is not currently sinking as much money into it as the Aquarium haters would make you believe. At this point in time I don't think the Mayor had a choice between the aquarium and the libraries. Though I will concede had the aquarium never been built, our financial situation would be better overall. The fact is that ship has sailed, and cutting off the aquarium at this point would not get us out of these financial straits. I also don't agree with those who claim that the aquarium is entirely without merit. It is educational. It is a great place for kids to be educated. With its greatest strength being in education than perhaps those who suggested The U take it over have a valid point.

I wonder how long it will be before the City Administration moves to raid the CIT?

With over $40 million in that account it surprises me that no one in City Hall has made the move to go after that fund.

Danny, let me be brutally honest: I've read a lot of your posts here and elsewhere. I think you get a charge out of messing with people online, trying to play mind games with them, then, when they get angry, you accuse them of not having a sense of humor. I have absolutely no interest in engaging with you, hearing your latest hare-brained "idea."

Sara K. --

Kinda (OK, very) obvious, we're on the same side. I will indeed take the kid to the Aquarium again when we have a chance.

Best,
Claire

Claire,

Untrue, but fair enough. I too have read many of your posts here and elsewhere which is sort of what gave me this idea in the first place. If it's not going to work, then it's not going to work.

Regardless, if that is the opinion you have, it is your opinion.

Thanks for the honesty.

Why do we not have more minorit[i]es? Simple, our economy has been more or less crappy since the 1920s. No reason for any large group of people to move here after the initial group of western europeans after the latter part of the 19th century.

consider it my personal lifelong concern to correct this assumption wherever i find it: http://www.d.umn.edu/~dbeard/CJMM/SundownTownsandMinnesota.doc.

you'll have to delete the . at the end of .doc to download and read this document.

I had no problem with the Flame, which served good food, and used about 1/5 of the footprint of the GLA. Sure, it wasn't the "highest and best use" for the land, but neither is the stupid fish tank.

The original idea was to feature native species, until the managers there figured out that no one would pay upwards of $10 a ticket to see grey and brown fish. Enter the stingrays and other non native species.

Yes, I do know what a kamloops is - and you don't need a kayak to get to places where there are fish; that was merely an example of a way to see species in their native habitat.

I have seen stingrays in the Caribbean, eels in Mexico, whales in Alaska, etc. If I want to go to a world class aquarium, there are fine ones in Chicago, Tampa, and other cities.

What does importing a stingray from elsewhere teach local kids about local fish in their local environment?

I say, gut the thing and turn it into a nominally priced waterpark (with a little space for multi use such as senior center stuff, etc) with free passes for lower income kids (determined through school lunch status or through Boys and Girls Club and other youth groups). Swim on!

"Miss Bakk-Hansen..."

Talk about hot for lecturer.

i'm with adam. hubba hubba.

we gut the aquarium, we owe 16 million to the state.
just sayin'.

yes, gutting the aquarium is the way to go! so cheap & inexpensive! i elect girly from the noth country in charge of the abomination that is aquarium. she's so worldly and what-not. she knows that there is nothing kids can learn about fresh water species from other locals - in relation to freah water species in our area. she's swam with the stugoens fer god's sake! kyaked with the kamloops! and she liked the flame! screw that - girly from the north country should be obama's veep - cause she likes warter parks!

sorry about the typos above. it's hard to type with a cocktail in your hand. you see there's not much involved in taking care of stupid brown & grey fish & a bunch of plastic crap. on that note, fuck it. i'm going golfing.

just sayin'.

Interesting article. I was not aware of the prevalance of sundown town laws in Minnesota.
I actually think it backs up my opinion. Your paper is concurrent to and not contrary to what I stated above. Both the region's slow economy and climate of racism combined to keep minorities from locating in the area.
Why would minorities move to a place where there are few jobs and has a culture of racism?

Joel Sipress gave me permission to copy and paste over here this email he sent to the Progressive Action listserve this morning. I thought he made some excellent points.

I don’t think anyone is saying that there should be absolutely no cuts in city services. I think everyone understands that, at least in the short run and perhaps longer, there will need to be reductions.

What we are concerned about is the total trashing of libraries, parks and rec, and maintenance, particularly when there are certain items that seem to be sacred cows that can’t be touched.

What are these sacred cows?

Well, how about the level of city subsidies to the tourist industry and other business interests. It is my understanding, for instance, that Visit Duluth receives about $1.5 million dollars annually. Even a modest reduction in that level of subsidy to the tourist industry would go a long way to cushion the blow to programs (like libraries and parks and rec) that our kids depend on.

Here’s another one for you—how about planning to retire some of the TIF districts that are no longer needed? A huge proportion of our commercial property taxes are tied up in TIF districts that redirect money out of the city’s general fund (and out of the county and school district coffers, as well) and into a special fund that can only be spent on certain designated “economic development” activities. While many of these TIF districts have served important purposes, Duluth has a habit of keeping them around forever-long after the need for them has expired, and at the expense of the city, county, and school districts’ general funds. So why not incorporate the retirement of some of these TIF districts into the city’s long-term financial planning?

I would be willing to accept some reductions in library hours and parks and rec programs (especially in the short-run) if I knew that everything was truly on the table. To totally shut down library branches and community centers while holding business subsides sacred is simply unacceptable.

See you all Monday at the city council meeting!

Joel Sipress

c-freak: Oh, now I understand the tenor of your posts. It's the combination of alcohol and being the kind of person that golfs.

If you work for the fish tank, perhaps you might want to recuse yourself from discussions that relate to it.

Just look what happened to Andrew Slade - and he wasn't even writing about the aquarium itself.

"Ironically, Mlps has a brand spanking new, multi-million Main Library downtown that is the envy of bibliophiles everywhere, while Duluth cuts hours and closes branches."

...that's being paid for after Minneapolis voters approved a $140 million referendum in 2000.

To see how that plays out over the next 30 years click here.

Hey, if these closings and hour slashings are that big of a deal, someone get a library infrastructure referendum on the ballot and y'all can vote for it.

Sounds reasonable enough to me.

But, oh snap! Read this, making sure to linger on 2004, October 25, 2006 and Jan. 9, 2007 for a bit.

Looks sorta familiar, eh?

Girl from the North Country,

Congrats on having the money to go an explore Alaska, swim with stingrays, and kayak the northwood. I on the other hand have zero money to do these things and as a kid my family was very poor and unable to go on vacations to see these things. Chicago is $24 for admission, plus a very long expensive drive. Talk about not thinking about the people who can't do these extravagant things. Think about that. And a water park? Yeah, very educational. Nice try, but that's way lame. And free passes for lower income kids??? That takes money and grants as well. Like the state would approve grant money to give to kids to go to a waterpark.

Again, check your facts. Stingrays from the Amazon are freshwater fish...gee, so is lake superior! What a great way to compare fish that live in freshwater but in completely different environments. how much did all of these trips around the world cost you? How much are these world class aquariums?? Yeah, our aquarium isn't looking so bad after all. Think about others.

For someone who seems to get out in nature a lot and apparently enjoys it I'm very shocked that you are so narrow minded about spreading this education with children...and suggesting a dumb waterpark!!! WOW

'...And Danny, I have no interest in your "idea" so don't hold your breath waiting for me to "shoot" you an email. It's not going to happen....Danny, let me be brutally honest: I've read a lot of your posts here and elsewhere. I think you get a charge out of messing with people online, trying to play mind games with them, then, when they get angry, you accuse them of not having a sense of humor. I have absolutely no interest in engaging with you, hearing your latest hare-brained "idea."'

Smackdown. Now Danny has no one to go to the Troll Prom with.

It occurs to me that if minorities in the olden days were getting their asses kicked after sundown, they couldn't do things like, you know, start businesses.

Concurrent my ass.

"...Bell said something about gangs composed of minorities moving into Duluth and raising the crime rate."

And he was wrong.

Man oh man. the broad generalizations (people who drink...and golf???) are flying.
I am always surprised when people don't understand sarcasm either.
Oh well, everybody's got an opinion.

I may just have to start golfing, I already drink like a fiend.

Good on Sonya - her first post goes over a hundred comments.

Professor -- THAT was a smack down.

Um yeah. In my face, or something. So in otherwords, I say something that you kids disagree with and I am branded a troll, but the two of you give each other virtual high fives over an apparent "smackdown" with your weak little insults and somehow that makes you...not trolls? Or something? I'm confused. I'm not really caught up on the whole troll/not troll guidelines. But whatever. I'm glad you two are happy. I hope you have fun at the "not troll prom". Professor...don't forget to make a stop by the drugstore before you pick Claire up.

And Claire, I really, truly was trying to extend an olive leaf (I discussed the "idea" on last night's DDD, btw). I think that you show your true colors when I sincerely say what I said earlier and you come back with your cheerful support for this idiotic "smackdown".

Also to Professor (if that is indeed your real name), still waiting on that direct quote from Bell. It's conspicuous in it's absence in this thread where it has been discussed (inexplicably) so much.

I just realized that I said "olive LEAF". I really can be a mouthbreather sometimes.

yawn....girly - andrew slade? hmmmm. oh you mean my old co-worker that got thrown under the bus by the original administration & the former head honcho at allete way back when? yeah....been there. i fought for him. lost. what'd you do to help? probably nothing. too busy galavanting all over the planet seein' some nature were ya?
the golf courses are beautiful btw! i'm off for another cocktail now.
toodles!

I found Bell's exact quote.

http://www.duluthnewstribune.com/articles/index.cfm?id=53387

Oh, my. After reading this transcript. I hearby rescind any even slightly pro-Bell comments I may have made.

I am now quite happy that Don Ness won the election.

hey, danny: there's this thing called "GOOGLE," and you search for stuff. it's pretty neat. you type in some words and you get "internet" or "web" pages that contain information relating to the topics you're searching for.

"charlie bell look like us duluth" gets you this:

http://www.perfectduluthday.com/2007/11/charlie_bell_hates_black_peopl.html

it's even a PDD result!

if you don't see the inherent intolerance in what bell said, then go put on "never mind the bollocks" and listen to the track "problems" to find out why. (hint: the problem is you.)

C-freak, I wrote an article about it that almost got me fired from MY job, a job that I trained for, worked hard to get, and make a lot of money at. So yeah, I can afford gas to Chicago, esp since I have family there.

My point is NO ONE is going to come to Duluth with their main intent to see our aquarium, which is how it was pitched to City Fathers: "If you build it, they will come." It's just not that great, and guess what? They didn't come.

My point about seeing animals all over the world was in response to "where else are ya gonna see 'em?" - not to brag, but since the "I'm so Poor" card has been played, I will say that I have bartered for every one of those trips. I guess I could have stayed home - would that have made me more PC?

And don't tell me that a waterpark wouldn't be viable in terms of at least finding a mixed use for the building (educate yourselves on how much $ is spent on "Senior Centers" by the City and County and how FEW people actually use them any more and you'll know why I advocate this) - as well as a hell of a lot of fun.

We could get the state to knock off part of the debt, knowing that poor kids will get to go free - eliminating the 'grants' mentioned.

Just trying to make lemons out of lemonade. I can assure you, when the ballyhoo first was sounded about the fish tank, "education" was low on the list of priorities for the Muckety Mucks - it was all about bringing more tourons to Duluth.

Now that there hasn't been the tide of tourists, the sounding bell of those left at the aquarium is 'education', as if by mentioning that word, ANY amount of taxpayer support is demanded, nay required!

What fish will be the last to die for a mistake?

oh

*snap!*

The Danny Method: Asks people to do stuff for him that he could do himself, acts impatient when they do not comply. Calls Claire "my lady," asks her to email him, acts impatient when she doesn't, chides her when she declines the honor. All in public! That's going to leave a mark.

Could someone explain why the discussion about gutting the GLA is still happening? The City does NOT own it. Getting the state to forgive $16 million? People on this blog seem to love to throw around other people's money as though it were their own.

The $16 million is Minnesota State taxpayer money, not Duluthian's money solely.

Can we move on from the topic and have productive dialogue here? or not?

I, uh, never really intended the post to turn into this. Honest. I thought there'd be some commiserating and maybe a call to action or something. I wasn't thinking about Charlie Bell or the aquarium at all.

3 questions for Professor:

1) How did I chide Claire when she declined my offer? Use your method to explain please.

2) Could you please explain in under 15 words or less why racism is bad?

3) Where does the name "The Professor" come from? I have my own theories, of course so let's make this a multiple choice question. A)You really are a professor of something and therefor you want stick the title in everyone's face in a disturbing act of egotism. B)You are not a professor but you think you're a really smart guy and so you use the moniker in a disturbing act of egotism. C)You are a really big Russell Johnson fan.

Extra credit question: Do you ever laugh at yourself? If so, when was the last time?

Let me answer the first question for the Professor. You admitted to "teasing" me b/c i believe library services are essential and you don't. You then asked me to shoot you an email. I ignored you. In a subsequent email, you wrote "Claire, still waiting for an email from you." I then responded with why I have no interest in exchanging private emails with you. Danny, why must you force yourself on people? Sheez, we're talking about a hot-button issue that a lot of people on PDD feel really, really strongly about, and you sit there and give me shit for calling library services "essential" -- and they are-- and then give Sonya shit for calling people who use libraries "patrons" -- which they are. And then you wonder why The Professor all but calls you a troll. Sheez.

I'd like to urge everyone who cares about our city's quality of life and does not want to see libraries closed and parks and rec gutted to attend Monday evening's city council meeting and speak up.

I would like to add my two cents: blah, blech, blah blah, blech blech, belch, blah, belch, blech, fart noise, fart, blaaaah.

And let that be the final word!

Claire, you are not paying attention. The Prof specifically said: "chides her when she declines the honor". Here is the exact order in which the entire pivitol exchange went down:

You declined with: "Danny, let me be brutally honest: I've read a lot of your posts here and elsewhere. I think you get a charge out of messing with people online, trying to play mind games with them, then, when they get angry, you accuse them of not having a sense of humor. I have absolutely no interest in engaging with you, hearing your latest hare-brained "idea."

Then I replied with "Claire, Untrue, but fair enough. I too have read many of your posts here and elsewhere which is sort of what gave me this idea in the first place. If it's not going to work, then it's not going to work.
Regardless, if that is the opinion you have, it is your opinion.
Thanks for the honesty."

This was followed later with you taking joy in the Prof's "smackdown".

So the question I asked was this...where did I chide you after you declined the offer?

Sidenote...and to bring things back on topic, I too encourage everyone to attend Monday's council meeting. It may be the first time I go to since high school. Although, there's alot of good stuff on TV that night so I might just stay home.

Oh, and vicarious: You're recently deleted post on here was quite-possibly the greatest thing I have ever read on here.

"Very open-minded of you Claire."

(Danny's response to Claire's public refusal to let him have her email address after he called her "my lady")

Ahhh. You know what? I forgot about that exchange. When I saw your theory on "The Danny Method" I was thinking more along the lines of how the conversation ended.

I'm going to give you 3/4 point for your answer on question 1.

Sonya, sorry your first post turned into an epic PDD mutant. Obviously you struck a chord. At least no one posted an entire work of Shakespeare in the comments.

Perhaps Danny is the only one hoisted on his own petard.

Can we all agree that we love danny?

"Troll" is sort of the new "whassup", isnt it?

Ok...I'm embarrassed for myself and everyone else here that this topic has become so insane. So let me attempt to bring it back on point with a question that I have not heard the answer to (although I may have just missed it). What is going to happen to the physical locations of the branch libraries? And what is going to happen to the books in them?

I guess you rump runners are afraid to answer Danny's questions.

Sign the petition to get Danny on local radio!

This would seem to be an appropriate moment to remind the community that the reason Danny lacks credibility is that he routinely sucks farts from the ass of a dog.

"The Last Fish"

When the last aquarium fish has been eaten,

After they burned the books to keep warm.

The water rights sold off to sunnier places,

And a beacon no longer shines in a storm.

I'll meet you in some new town, to do it all over again.

For each step comes easy,

On a track well worn.

(sorry, noticed thread had everything except a poem.)

ACT I
SCENE I. Rome. A street.

Enter FLAVIUS, MARULLUS, and certain Commoners

FLAVIUS

Hence! home, you idle creatures get you home:
Is this a holiday? what! know you not,
Being mechanical, you ought not walk
Upon a labouring day without the sign
Of your profession? Speak, what trade art thou?

First Commoner

Why, sir, a carpenter.

MARULLUS

Where is thy leather apron and thy rule?
What dost thou with thy best apparel on?
You, sir, what trade are you?

Second Commoner

Truly, sir, in respect of a fine workman, I am but,
as you would say, a cobbler.

MARULLUS

But what trade art thou? answer me directly.

Second Commoner

A trade, sir, that, I hope, I may use with a safe
conscience; which is, indeed, sir, a mender of bad soles.

MARULLUS

What trade, thou knave? thou naughty knave, what trade?

Second Commoner

Nay, I beseech you, sir, be not out with me: yet,
if you be out, sir, I can mend you.

MARULLUS

What meanest thou by that? mend me, thou saucy fellow!

Second Commoner

Why, sir, cobble you.

FLAVIUS

Thou art a cobbler, art thou?

Second Commoner

Truly, sir, all that I live by is with the awl: I
meddle with no tradesman's matters, nor women's
matters, but with awl. I am, indeed, sir, a surgeon
to old shoes; when they are in great danger, I
recover them. As proper men as ever trod upon
neat's leather have gone upon my handiwork.

FLAVIUS

But wherefore art not in thy shop today?
Why dost thou lead these men about the streets?

Second Commoner

Truly, sir, to wear out their shoes, to get myself
into more work. But, indeed, sir, we make holiday,
to see Caesar and to rejoice in his triumph.

MARULLUS

Wherefore rejoice? What conquest brings he home?
What tributaries follow him to Rome,
To grace in captive bonds his chariot-wheels?
You blocks, you stones, you worse than senseless things!
O you hard hearts, you cruel men of Rome,
Knew you not Pompey? Many a time and oft
Have you climb'd up to walls and battlements,
To towers and windows, yea, to chimney-tops,
Your infants in your arms, and there have sat
The livelong day, with patient expectation,
To see great Pompey pass the streets of Rome:
And when you saw his chariot but appear,
Have you not made an universal shout,
That Tiber trembled underneath her banks,
To hear the replication of your sounds
Made in her concave shores?
And do you now put on your best attire?
And do you now cull out a holiday?
And do you now strew flowers in his way
That comes in triumph over Pompey's blood? Be gone!
Run to your houses, fall upon your knees,
Pray to the gods to intermit the plague
That needs must light on this ingratitude.

FLAVIUS

Go, go, good countrymen, and, for this fault,
Assemble all the poor men of your sort;
Draw them to Tiber banks, and weep your tears
Into the channel, till the lowest stream
Do kiss the most exalted shores of all.

Exeunt all the Commoners
See whether their basest metal be not moved;
They vanish tongue-tied in their guiltiness.
Go you down that way towards the Capitol;

This way will I

disrobe the images,
If you do find them deck'd with ceremonies.

MARULLUS

May we do so?
You know it is the feast of Lupercal.

FLAVIUS

It is no matter; let no images
Be hung with Caesar's trophies. I'll about,
And drive away the vulgar from the streets:
So do you too, where you perceive them thick.
These growing feathers pluck'd from Caesar's wing
Will make him fly an ordinary pitch,
Who else would soar above the view of men
And keep us all in servile fearfulness.

Exeunt

SCENE II. A public place.

Flourish. Enter CAESAR; ANTONY, for the course; CALPURNIA, PORTIA, DECIUS BRUTUS, CICERO, BRUTUS, CASSIUS, and CASCA; a great crowd following, among them a Soothsayer

CAESAR

Calpurnia!

CASCA

Peace, ho! Caesar speaks.

CAESAR

Calpurnia!

CALPURNIA

Here, my lord.

CAESAR

Stand you directly in Antonius' way,
When he doth run his course. Antonius!

ANTONY

Caesar, my lord?

CAESAR

Forget not, in your speed, Antonius,
To touch Calpurnia; for our elders say,
The barren, touched in this holy chase,
Shake off their sterile curse.

ANTONY

I shall remember:
When Caesar says 'do this,' it is perform'd.

CAESAR

Set on; and leave no ceremony out.

Flourish

Soothsayer

Caesar!

CAESAR

Ha! who calls?

CASCA

Bid every noise be still: peace yet again!

CAESAR

Who is it in the press that calls on me?
I hear a tongue, shriller than all the music,
Cry 'Caesar!' Speak; Caesar is turn'd to hear.

Soothsayer

Beware the ides of March.

CAESAR

What man is that?

BRUTUS

A soothsayer bids you beware the ides of March.

CAESAR

Set him before me; let me see his face.

CASSIUS

Fellow, come from the throng; look upon Caesar.

CAESAR

What say'st thou to me now? speak once again.

Soothsayer

Beware the ides of March.

CAESAR

He is a dreamer; let us leave him: pass.

Sennet. Exeunt all except BRUTUS and CASSIUS

CASSIUS

Will you go see the order of the course?

BRUTUS

Not I.

CASSIUS

I pray you, do.

BRUTUS

I am not gamesome: I do lack some part
Of that quick spirit that is in Antony.
Let me not hinder, Cassius, your desires;
I'll leave you.

CASSIUS

Brutus, I do observe you now of late:
I have not from your eyes that gentleness
And show of love as I was wont to have:
You bear too stubborn and too strange a hand
Over your friend that loves you.

BRUTUS

Cassius,
Be not deceived: if I have veil'd my look,
I turn the trouble of my countenance
Merely upon myself. Vexed I am
Of late with passions of some difference,
Conceptions only proper to myself,
Which give some soil perhaps to my behaviors;
But let not therefore my good friends be grieved--
Among which number, Cassius, be you one--
Nor construe any further my neglect,
Than that poor Brutus, with himself at war,
Forgets the shows of love to other men.

CASSIUS

Then, Brutus, I have much mistook your passion;
By means whereof this breast of mine hath buried
Thoughts of great value, worthy cogitations.
Tell me, good Brutus, can you see your face?

BRUTUS

No, Cassius; for the eye sees not itself,
But by reflection, by some other things.

CASSIUS

'Tis just:
And it is very much lamented, Brutus,
That you have no such mirrors as will turn
Your hidden worthiness into your eye,
That you might see your shadow. I have heard,
Where many of the best respect in Rome,
Except immortal Caesar, speaking of Brutus
And groaning underneath this age's yoke,
Have wish'd that noble Brutus had his eyes.

BRUTUS

Into what dangers would you lead me, Cassius,
That you would have me seek into myself
For that which is not in me?

CASSIUS

Therefore, good Brutus, be prepared to hear:
And since you know you cannot see yourself
So well as by reflection, I, your glass,
Will modestly discover to yourself
That of yourself which you yet know not of.
And be not jealous on me, gentle Brutus:
Were I a common laugher, or did use
To stale with ordinary oaths my love
To every new protester; if you know
That I do fawn on men and hug them hard
And after scandal them, or if you know
That I profess myself in banqueting
To all the rout, then hold me dangerous.

Flourish, and shout

BRUTUS

What means this shouting? I do fear, the people
Choose Caesar for their king.

CASSIUS

Ay, do you fear it?
Then must I think you would not have it so.

BRUTUS

I would not, Cassius; yet I love him well.
But wherefore do you hold me here so long?
What is it that you would impart to me?
If it be aught toward the general good,
Set honour in one eye and death i' the other,
And I will look on both indifferently,
For let the gods so speed me as I love
The name of honour more than I fear death.

CASSIUS

I know that virtue to be in you, Brutus,
As well as I do know your outward favour.
Well, honour is the subject of my story.
I cannot tell what you and other men
Think of this life; but, for my single self,
I had as lief not be as live to be
In awe of such a thing as I myself.
I was born free as Caesar; so were you:
We both have fed as well, and we can both
Endure the winter's cold as well as he:
For once, upon a raw and gusty day,
The troubled Tiber chafing with her shores,
Caesar said to me 'Darest thou, Cassius, now
Leap in with me into this angry flood,
And swim to yonder point?' Upon the word,
Accoutred as I was, I plunged in
And bade him follow; so indeed he did.
The torrent roar'd, and we did buffet it
With lusty sinews, throwing it aside
And stemming it with hearts of controversy;
But ere we could arrive the point proposed,
Caesar cried 'Help me, Cassius, or I sink!'
I, as Aeneas, our great ancestor,
Did from the flames of Troy upon his shoulder
The old Anchises bear, so from the waves of Tiber
Did I the tired Caesar. And this man
Is now become a god, and Cassius is
A wretched creature and must bend his body,
If Caesar carelessly but nod on him.
He had a fever when he was in Spain,
And when the fit was on him, I did mark
How he did shake: 'tis true, this god did shake;
His coward lips did from their colour fly,
And that same eye whose bend doth awe the world
Did lose his lustre: I did hear him groan:
Ay, and that tongue of his that bade the Romans
Mark him and write his speeches in their books,
Alas, it cried 'Give me some drink, Titinius,'
As a sick girl. Ye gods, it doth amaze me
A man of such a feeble temper should
So get the start of the majestic world
And bear the palm alone.

Shout. Flourish

BRUTUS

Another general shout!
I do believe that these applauses are
For some new honours that are heap'd on Caesar.

CASSIUS

Why, man, he doth bestride the narrow world
Like a Colossus, and we petty men
Walk under his huge legs and peep about
To find ourselves dishonourable graves.
Men at some time are masters of their fates:
The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars,
But in ourselves, that we are underlings.
Brutus and Caesar: what should be in that 'Caesar'?
Why should that name be sounded more than yours?
Write them together, yours is as fair a name;
Sound them, it doth become the mouth as well;
Weigh them, it is as heavy; conjure with 'em,
Brutus will start a spirit as soon as Caesar.
Now, in the names of all the gods at once,
Upon what meat doth this our Caesar feed,
That he is grown so great? Age, thou art shamed!
Rome, thou hast lost the breed of noble bloods!
When went there by an age, since the great flood,
But it was famed with more than with one man?
When could they say till now, that talk'd of Rome,
That her wide walls encompass'd but one man?
Now is it Rome indeed and room enough,
When there is in it but one only man.
O, you and I have heard our fathers say,
There was a Brutus once that would have brook'd
The eternal devil to keep his state in Rome
As easily as a king.

BRUTUS

That you do love me, I am nothing jealous;
What you would work me to, I have some aim:
How I have thought of this and of these times,
I shall recount hereafter; for this present,
I would not, so with love I might entreat you,
Be any further moved. What you have said
I will consider; what you have to say
I will with patience hear, and find a time
Both meet to hear and answer such high things.
Till then, my noble friend, chew upon this:
Brutus had rather be a villager
Than to repute himself a son of Rome
Under these hard conditions as this time
Is like to lay upon us.

CASSIUS

I am glad that my weak words
Have struck but thus much show of fire from Brutus.

BRUTUS

The games are done and Caesar is returning.

CASSIUS

As they pass by, pluck Casca by the sleeve;
And he will, after his sour fashion, tell you
What hath proceeded worthy note to-day.

Re-enter CAESAR and his Train

BRUTUS

I will do so. But, look you, Cassius,
The angry spot doth glow on Caesar's brow,
And all the rest look like a chidden train:
Calpurnia's cheek is pale; and Cicero
Looks with such ferret and such fiery eyes
As we have seen him in the Capitol,
Being cross'd in conference by some senators.

CASSIUS

Casca will tell us what the matter is.

CAESAR

Antonius!

ANTONY

Caesar?

CAESAR

Let me have men about me that are fat;
Sleek-headed men and such as sleep o' nights:
Yond Cassius has a lean and hungry look;
He thinks too much: such men are dangerous.

ANTONY

Fear him not, Caesar; he's not dangerous;
He is a noble Roman and well given.

CAESAR

Would he were fatter! But I fear him not:
Yet if my name were liable to fear,
I do not know the man I should avoid
So soon as that spare Cassius. He reads much;
He is a great observer and he looks
Quite through the deeds of men: he loves no plays,
As thou dost, Antony; he hears no music;
Seldom he smiles, and smiles in such a sort
As if he mock'd himself and scorn'd his spirit
That could be moved to smile at any thing.
Such men as he be never at heart's ease
Whiles they behold a greater than themselves,
And therefore are they very dangerous.
I rather tell thee what is to be fear'd
Than what I fear; for always I am Caesar.
Come on my right hand, for this ear is deaf,
And tell me truly what thou think'st of him.

Sennet. Exeunt CAESAR and all his Train, but CASCA

CASCA

You pull'd me by the cloak; would you speak with me?

BRUTUS

Ay, Casca; tell us what hath chanced to-day,
That Caesar looks so sad.

CASCA

Why, you were with him, were you not?

BRUTUS

I should not then ask Casca what had chanced.

CASCA

Why, there was a crown offered him: and being
offered him, he put it by with the back of his hand,
thus; and then the people fell a-shouting.

BRUTUS

What was the second noise for?

CASCA

Why, for that too.

CASSIUS

They shouted thrice: what was the last cry for?

CASCA

Why, for that too.

BRUTUS

Was the crown offered him thrice?

CASCA

Ay, marry, was't, and he put it by thrice, every
time gentler than other, and at every putting-by
mine honest neighbours shouted.

CASSIUS

Who offered him the crown?

CASCA

Why, Antony.

BRUTUS

Tell us the manner of it, gentle Casca.

CASCA

I can as well be hanged as tell the manner of it:
it was mere 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 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 refused the crown that it had almost choked
Caesar; for he swounded 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.

CASSIUS

But, soft, I pray you: what, did Caesar swound?

CASCA

He fell down in the market-place, and foamed at
mouth, and was speechless.

BRUTUS

'Tis very like: he hath the failing sickness.

CASSIUS

No, Caesar hath it not; but you and I,
And honest Casca, we have the falling sickness.

CASCA

I know not what you mean by that; but, I am sure,
Caesar fell down. If the tag-rag people did not
clap him and hiss him, according as he pleased and
displeased them, as they use to do the players in
the theatre, I am no true man.

BRUTUS

What said he when he came unto himself?

CASCA

Marry, before he fell down, when he perceived the
common herd was glad he refused the crown, he
plucked me ope his doublet and offered them his
throat to cut. An I had been a man of any
occupation, if I would not have taken him at a word,
I would I might go to hell among the rogues. And so
he fell. When he came to himself again, he said,
If he had done or said any thing amiss, he desired
their worships to think it was his infirmity. Three
or four wenches, where I stood, cried 'Alas, good
soul!' and forgave him with all their hearts: but
there's no heed to be taken of them; if Caesar had
stabbed their mothers, they would have done no less.

BRUTUS

And after that, he came, thus sad, away?

CASCA

Ay.

CASSIUS

Did Cicero say any thing?

CASCA

Ay, he spoke Greek.

CASSIUS

To what effect?

CASCA

Nay, an I tell you that, Ill ne'er look you i' the
face again: but those that understood him smiled at
one another and shook their heads; but, for mine own
part, it was Greek to me. I could tell you more
news too: Marullus and Flavius, for pulling scarfs
off Caesar's images, are put to silence. Fare you
well. There was more foolery yet, if I could
remember it.

CASSIUS

Will you sup with me to-night, Casca?

CASCA

No, I am promised forth.

CASSIUS

Will you dine with me to-morrow?

CASCA

Ay, if I be alive and your mind hold and your dinner
worth the eating.

CASSIUS

Good: I will expect you.

CASCA

Do so. Farewell, both.

Exit

BRUTUS

What a blunt fellow is this grown to be!
He was quick mettle when he went to school.

CASSIUS

So is he now in execution
Of any bold or noble enterprise,
However he puts on this tardy form.
This rudeness is a sauce to his good wit,
Which gives men stomach to digest his words
With better appetite.

BRUTUS

And so it is. For this time I will leave you:
To-morrow, if you please to speak with me,
I will come home to you; or, if you will,
Come home to me, and I will wait for you.

CASSIUS

I will do so: till then, think of the world.

Exit BRUTUS
Well, Brutus, thou art noble; yet, I see,
Thy honourable metal may be wrought
From that it is disposed: therefore it is meet
That noble minds keep ever with their likes;
For who so firm that cannot be seduced?
Caesar doth bear me hard; but he loves Brutus:
If I were Brutus now and he were Cassius,
He should not humour me. I will this night,
In several hands, in at his windows throw,
As if they came from several citizens,
Writings all tending to the great opinion
That Rome holds of his name; wherein obscurely
Caesar's ambition shall be glanced at:
And after this let Caesar seat him sure;
For we will shake him, or worse days endure.

Exit

SCENE III. The same. A street.

Thunder and lightning. Enter from opposite sides, CASCA, with his sword drawn, and CICERO

CICERO

Good even, Casca: brought you Caesar home?
Why are you breathless? and why stare you so?

CASCA

Are not you moved, when all the sway of earth
Shakes like a thing unfirm? O Cicero,
I have seen tempests, when the scolding winds
Have rived the knotty oaks, and I have seen
The ambitious ocean swell and rage and foam,
To be exalted with the threatening clouds:
But never till to-night, never till now,
Did I go through a tempest dropping fire.
Either there is a civil strife in heaven,
Or else the world, too saucy with the gods,
Incenses them to send destruction.

CICERO

Why, saw you any thing more wonderful?

CASCA

A common slave--you know him well by sight--
Held up his left hand, which did flame and burn
Like twenty torches join'd, and yet his hand,
Not sensible of fire, remain'd unscorch'd.
Besides--I ha' not since put up my sword--
Against the Capitol I met a lion,
Who glared upon me, and went surly by,
Without annoying me: and there were drawn
Upon a heap a hundred ghastly women,
Transformed with their fear; who swore they saw
Men all in fire walk up and down the streets.
And yesterday the bird of night did sit
Even at noon-day upon the market-place,
Hooting and shrieking. When these prodigies
Do so conjointly meet, let not men say
'These are their reasons; they are natural;'
For, I believe, they are portentous things
Unto the climate that they point upon.

CICERO

Indeed, it is a strange-disposed time:
But men may construe things after their fashion,
Clean from the purpose of the things themselves.
Come Caesar to the Capitol to-morrow?

CASCA

He doth; for he did bid Antonius
Send word to you he would be there to-morrow.

CICERO

Good night then, Casca: this disturbed sky
Is not to walk in.

CASCA

Farewell, Cicero.

Exit CICERO

Enter CASSIUS

CASSIUS

Who's there?

CASCA

A Roman.

CASSIUS

Casca, by your voice.

CASCA

Your ear is good. Cassius, what night is this!

CASSIUS

A very pleasing night to honest men.

CASCA

Who ever knew the heavens menace so?

CASSIUS

Those that have known the earth so full of faults.
For my part, I have walk'd about the streets,
Submitting me unto the perilous night,
And, thus unbraced, Casca, as you see,
Have bared my bosom to the thunder-stone;
And when the cross blue lightning seem'd to open
The breast of heaven, I did present myself
Even in the aim and very flash of it.

CASCA

But wherefore did you so much tempt the heavens?
It is the part of men to fear and tremble,
When the most mighty gods by tokens send
Such dreadful heralds to astonish us.

CASSIUS

You are dull, Casca, and those sparks of life
That should be in a Roman you do want,
Or else you use not. You look pale and gaze
And put on fear and cast yourself in wonder,
To see the strange impatience of the heavens:
But if you would consider the true cause
Why all these fires, why all these gliding ghosts,
Why birds and beasts from quality and kind,
Why old men fool and children calculate,
Why all these things change from their ordinance
Their natures and preformed faculties
To monstrous quality,--why, you shall find
That heaven hath infused them with these spirits,
To make them instruments of fear and warning
Unto some monstrous state.
Now could I, Casca, name to thee a man
Most like this dreadful night,
That thunders, lightens, opens graves, and roars
As doth the lion in the Capitol,
A man no mightier than thyself or me
In personal action, yet prodigious grown
And fearful, as these strange eruptions are.

CASCA

'Tis Caesar that you mean; is it not, Cassius?

CASSIUS

Let it be who it is: for Romans now
Have thews and limbs like to their ancestors;
But, woe the while! our fathers' minds are dead,
And we are govern'd with our mothers' spirits;
Our yoke and sufferance show us womanish.

CASCA

Indeed, they say the senators tomorrow
Mean to establish Caesar as a king;
And he shall wear his crown by sea and land,
In every place, save here in Italy.

CASSIUS

I know where I will wear this dagger then;
Cassius from bondage will deliver Cassius:
Therein, ye gods, you make the weak most strong;
Therein, ye gods, you tyrants do defeat:
Nor stony tower, nor walls of beaten brass,
Nor airless dungeon, nor strong links of iron,
Can be retentive to the strength of spirit;
But life, being weary of these worldly bars,
Never lacks power to dismiss itself.
If I know this, know all the world besides,
That part of tyranny that I do bear
I can shake off at pleasure.

Thunder still

CASCA

So can I:
So every bondman in his own hand bears
The power to cancel his captivity.

CASSIUS

And why should Caesar be a tyrant then?
Poor man! I know he would not be a wolf,
But that he sees the Romans are but sheep:
He were no lion, were not Romans hinds.
Those that with haste will make a mighty fire
Begin it with weak straws: what trash is Rome,
What rubbish and what offal, when it serves
For the base matter to illuminate
So vile a thing as Caesar! But, O grief,
Where hast thou led me? I perhaps speak this
Before a willing bondman; then I know
My answer must be made. But I am arm'd,
And dangers are to me indifferent.

CASCA

You speak to Casca, and to such a man
That is no fleering tell-tale. Hold, my hand:
Be factious for redress of all these griefs,
And I will set this foot of mine as far
As who goes farthest.

CASSIUS

There's a bargain made.
Now know you, Casca, I have moved already
Some certain of the noblest-minded Romans
To undergo with me an enterprise
Of honourable-dangerous consequence;
And I do know, by this, they stay for me
In Pompey's porch: for now, this fearful night,
There is no stir or walking in the streets;
And the complexion of the element
In favour's like the work we have in hand,
Most bloody, fiery, and most terrible.

CASCA

Stand close awhile, for here comes one in haste.

CASSIUS

'Tis Cinna; I do know him by his gait;
He is a friend.

Enter CINNA
Cinna, where haste you so?

CINNA

To find out you. Who's that? Metellus Cimber?

CASSIUS

No, it is Casca; one incorporate
To our attempts. Am I not stay'd for, Cinna?

CINNA

I am glad on 't. What a fearful night is this!
There's two or three of us have seen strange sights.

CASSIUS

Am I not stay'd for? tell me.

CINNA

Yes, you are.
O Cassius, if you could
But win the noble Brutus to our party--

CASSIUS

Be you content: good Cinna, take this paper,
And look you lay it in the praetor's chair,
Where Brutus may but find it; and throw this
In at his window; set this up with wax
Upon old Brutus' statue: all this done,
Repair to Pompey's porch, where you shall find us.
Is Decius Brutus and Trebonius there?

CINNA

All but Metellus Cimber; and he's gone
To seek you at your house. Well, I will hie,
And so bestow these papers as you bade me.

CASSIUS

That done, repair to Pompey's theatre.

Exit CINNA
Come, Casca, you and I will yet ere day
See Brutus at his house: three parts of him
Is ours already, and the man entire
Upon the next encounter yields him ours.

CASCA

O, he sits high in all the people's hearts:
And that which would appear offence in us,
His countenance, like richest alchemy,
Will change to virtue and to worthiness.

CASSIUS

Him and his worth and our great need of him
You have right well conceited. Let us go,
For it is after midnight; and ere day
We will awake him and be sure of him.

Exeunt

ACT II
SCENE I. Rome. BRUTUS's orchard.

Enter BRUTUS

BRUTUS

What, Lucius, ho!
I cannot, by the progress of the stars,
Give guess how near to day. Lucius, I say!
I would it were my fault to sleep so soundly.
When, Lucius, when? awake, I say! what, Lucius!

Enter LUCIUS

LUCIUS

Call'd you, my lord?

BRUTUS

Get me a taper in my study, Lucius:
When it is lighted, come and call me here.

LUCIUS

I will, my lord.

Exit

BRUTUS

It must be by his death: and for my part,
I know no personal cause to spurn at him,
But for the general. He would be crown'd:
How that might change his nature, there's the question.
It is the bright day that brings forth the adder;
And that craves wary walking. Crown him?--that;--
And then, I grant, we put a sting in him,
That at his will he may do danger with.
The abuse of greatness is, when it disjoins
Remorse from power: and, to speak truth of Caesar,
I have not known when his affections sway'd
More than his reason. But 'tis a common proof,
That lowliness is young ambition's ladder,
Whereto the climber-upward turns his face;
But when he once attains the upmost round.
He then unto the ladder turns his back,
Looks in the clouds, scorning the base degrees
By which he did ascend. So Caesar may.
Then, lest he may, prevent. And, since the quarrel
Will bear no colour for the thing he is,
Fashion it thus; that what he is, augmented,
Would run to these and these extremities:
And therefore think him as a serpent's egg
Which, hatch'd, would, as his kind, grow mischievous,
And kill him in the shell.

Re-enter LUCIUS

LUCIUS

The taper burneth in your closet, sir.
Searching the window for a flint, I found
This paper, thus seal'd up; and, I am sure,
It did not lie there when I went to bed.

Gives him the letter

BRUTUS

Get you to bed again; it is not day.
Is not to-morrow, boy, the ides of March?

LUCIUS

I know not, sir.

BRUTUS

Look in the calendar, and bring me word.

LUCIUS

I will, sir.

Exit

BRUTUS

The exhalations whizzing in the air
Give so much light that I may read by them.

Opens the letter and reads
'Brutus, thou sleep'st: awake, and see thyself.
Shall Rome, & c. Speak, strike, redress!
Brutus, thou sleep'st: awake!'
Such instigations have been often dropp'd
Where I have took them up.
'Shall Rome, & c.' Thus must I piece it out:
Shall Rome stand under one man's awe? What, Rome?
My ancestors did from the streets of Rome
The Tarquin drive, when he was call'd a king.
'Speak, strike, redress!' Am I entreated
To speak and strike? O Rome, I make thee promise:
If the redress will follow, thou receivest
Thy full petition at the hand of Brutus!

Re-enter LUCIUS

LUCIUS

Sir, March is wasted fourteen days.

Knocking within

BRUTUS

'Tis good. Go to the gate; somebody knocks.

Exit LUCIUS
Since Cassius first did whet me against Caesar,
I have not slept.
Between the acting of a dreadful thing
And the first motion, all the interim is
Like a phantasma, or a hideous dream:
The Genius and the mortal instruments
Are then in council; and the state of man,
Like to a little kingdom, suffers then
The nature of an insurrection.

Re-enter LUCIUS

LUCIUS

Sir, 'tis your brother Cassius at the door,
Who doth desire to see you.

BRUTUS

Is he alone?

LUCIUS

No, sir, there are moe with him.

BRUTUS

Do you know them?

LUCIUS

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.

BRUTUS

Let 'em enter.

Exit LUCIUS
They are the faction. O conspiracy,
Shamest thou to show thy dangerous brow by night,
When evils are most free? O, then by day
Where wilt thou find a cavern dark enough
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 enough
To hide thee from prevention.

Enter the conspirators, CASSIUS, CASCA, DECIUS BRUTUS, CINNA, METELLUS CIMBER, and TREBONIUS

CASSIUS

I think we are too bold upon your rest:
Good morrow, Brutus; do we trouble you?

BRUTUS

I have been up this hour, awake all night.
Know I these men that come along with you?

CASSIUS

Yes, every man of them, and no man here
But honours you; and every one doth wish
You had but that opinion of yourself
Which every noble Roman bears of you.
This is Trebonius.

BRUTUS

He is welcome hither.

CASSIUS

This, Decius Brutus.

BRUTUS

He is welcome too.

CASSIUS

This, Casca; this, Cinna; and this, Metellus Cimber.

BRUTUS

They are all welcome.
What watchful cares do interpose themselves
Betwixt your eyes and night?

CASSIUS

Shall I entreat a word?

BRUTUS and CASSIUS whisper

DECIUS BRUTUS

Here lies the east: doth not the day break here?

CASCA

No.

CINNA

O, pardon, sir, it doth; and yon gray lines
That fret the clouds are messengers of day.

CASCA

You shall confess that you are both deceived.
Here, as I point my sword, the sun arises,
Which is a great way growing on the south,
Weighing the youthful season of the year.
Some two months hence up higher toward the north
He first presents his fire; and the high east
Stands, as the Capitol, directly here.

BRUTUS

Give me your hands all over, one by one.

CASSIUS

And let us swear our resolution.

BRUTUS

No, not an oath: if not the face of men,
The sufferance of our souls, the time's abuse,--
If these be motives weak, break off betimes,
And every man hence to his idle bed;
So let high-sighted tyranny range on,
Till each man drop by lottery. But if these,
As I am sure they do, bear fire enough
To kindle cowards and to steel with valour
The melting spirits of women, then, countrymen,
What need we any spur but our own cause,
To prick us to redress? what other bond
Than secret Romans, that have spoke the word,
And will not palter? and what other oath
Than honesty to honesty engaged,
That this shall be, or we will fall for it?
Swear priests and cowards and men cautelous,
Old feeble carrions and such suffering souls
That welcome wrongs; unto bad causes swear
Such creatures as men doubt; but do not stain
The even virtue of our enterprise,
Nor the insuppressive mettle of our spirits,
To think that or our cause or our performance
Did need an oath; when every drop of blood
That every Roman bears, and nobly bears,
Is guilty of a several bastardy,
If he do break the smallest particle
Of any promise that hath pass'd from him.

CASSIUS

But what of Cicero? shall we sound him?
I think he will stand very strong with us.

CASCA

Let us not leave him out.

CINNA

No, by no means.

METELLUS CIMBER

O, let us have him, for his silver hairs
Will purchase us a good opinion
And buy men's voices to commend our deeds:
It shall be said, his judgment ruled our hands;
Our youths and wildness shall no whit appear,
But all be buried in his gravity.

BRUTUS

O, name him not: let us not break with him;
For he will never follow any thing
That other men begin.

CASSIUS

Then leave him out.

CASCA

Indeed he is not fit.

DECIUS BRUTUS

Shall no man else be touch'd but only Caesar?

CASSIUS

Decius, well urged: I think it is not meet,
Mark Antony, so well beloved of Caesar,
Should outlive Caesar: we shall find of him
A shrewd contriver; and, you know, his means,
If he improve them, may well stretch so far
As to annoy us all: which to prevent,
Let Antony and Caesar fall together.

BRUTUS

Our course will seem too bloody, Caius Cassius,
To cut the head off and then hack the limbs,
Like wrath in death and envy afterwards;
For Antony is but a limb of Caesar:
Let us be sacrificers, but not butchers, Caius.
We all stand up against the spirit of Caesar;
And in the spirit of men there is no blood:
O, that we then could come by Caesar's spirit,
And not dismember Caesar! But, alas,
Caesar must bleed for it! And, gentle friends,
Let's kill him boldly, but not wrathfully;
Let's carve him as a dish fit for the gods,
Not hew him as a carcass fit for hounds:
And let our hearts, as subtle masters do,
Stir up their servants to an act of rage,
And after seem to chide 'em. This shall make
Our purpose necessary and not envious:
Which so appearing to the common eyes,
We shall be call'd purgers, not murderers.
And for Mark Antony, think not of him;
For he can do no more than Caesar's arm
When Caesar's head is off.

CASSIUS

Yet I fear him;
For in the ingrafted love he bears to Caesar--

BRUTUS

Alas, good Cassius, do not think of him:
If he love Caesar, all that he can do
Is to himself, take thought and die for Caesar:
And that were much he should; for he is given
To sports, to wildness and much company.

TREBONIUS

There is no fear in him; let him not die;
For he will live, and laugh at this hereafter.

Clock strikes

BRUTUS

Peace! count the clock.

CASSIUS

The clock hath stricken three.

TREBONIUS

'Tis time to part.

CASSIUS

But it is doubtful yet,
Whether Caesar will come forth to-day, or no;
For he is superstitious grown of late,
Quite from the main opinion he held once
Of fantasy, of dreams and ceremonies:
It may be, these apparent prodigies,
The unaccustom'd terror of this night,
And the persuasion of his augurers,
May hold him from the Capitol to-day.

DECIUS BRUTUS

Never fear that: if he be so resolved,
I can o'ersway him; for he loves to hear
That unicorns may be betray'd with trees,
And bears with glasses, elephants with holes,
Lions with toils and men with flatterers;
But when I tell him he hates flatterers,
He says he does, being then most flattered.
Let me work;
For I can give his humour the true bent,
And I will bring him to the Capitol.

CASSIUS

Nay, we will all of us be there to fetch him.

BRUTUS

By the eighth hour: is that the uttermost?

CINNA

Be that the uttermost, and fail not then.

METELLUS CIMBER

Caius Ligarius doth bear Caesar hard,
Who rated him for speaking well of Pompey:
I wonder none of you have thought of him.

BRUTUS

Now, good Metellus, go along by him:
He loves me well, and I have given him reasons;
Send him but hither, and I'll fashion him.

CASSIUS

The morning comes upon 's: we'll leave you, Brutus.
And, friends, disperse yourselves; but all remember
What you have said, and show yourselves true Romans.

BRUTUS

Good gentlemen, look fresh and merrily;
Let not our looks put on our purposes,
But bear it as our Roman actors do,
With untired spirits and formal constancy:
And so good morrow to you every one.

Exeunt all but BRUTUS
Boy! Lucius! Fast asleep? It is no matter;
Enjoy the honey-heavy dew of slumber:
Thou hast no figures nor no fantasies,
Which busy care draws in the brains of men;
Therefore thou sleep'st so sound.

Enter PORTIA

PORTIA

Brutus, my lord!

BRUTUS

Portia, what mean you? wherefore rise you now?
It is not for your health thus to commit
Your weak condition to the raw cold morning.

PORTIA

Nor for yours neither. You've ungently, Brutus,
Stole from my bed: and yesternight, at supper,
You suddenly arose, and walk'd about,
Musing and sighing, with your arms across,
And when I ask'd you what the matter was,
You stared upon me with ungentle looks;
I urged you further; then you scratch'd your head,
And too impatiently stamp'd with your foot;
Yet I insisted, yet you answer'd not,
But, with an angry wafture of your hand,
Gave sign for me to leave you: so I did;
Fearing to strengthen that impatience
Which seem'd too much enkindled, and withal
Hoping it was but an effect of humour,
Which sometime hath his hour with every man.
It will not let you eat, nor talk, nor sleep,
And could it work so much upon your shape
As it hath much prevail'd on your condition,
I should not know you, Brutus. Dear my lord,
Make me acquainted with your cause of grief.

BRUTUS

I am not well in health, and that is all.

PORTIA

Brutus is wise, and, were he not in health,
He would embrace the means to come by it.

BRUTUS

Why, so I do. Good Portia, go to bed.

PORTIA

Is Brutus sick? and is it physical
To walk unbraced and suck up the humours
Of the dank morning? What, is Brutus sick,
And will he steal out of his wholesome bed,
To dare the vile contagion of the night
And tempt the rheumy and unpurged air
To add unto his sickness? No, my Brutus;
You have some sick offence within your mind,
Which, by the right and virtue of my place,
I ought to know of: and, upon my knees,
I charm you, by my once-commended beauty,
By all your vows of love and that great vow
Which did incorporate and make us one,
That you unfold to me, yourself, your half,
Why you are heavy, and what men to-night
Have had to resort to you: for here have been
Some six or seven, who did hide their faces
Even from darkness.

BRUTUS

Kneel not, gentle Portia.

PORTIA

I should not need, if you were gentle Brutus.
Within the bond of marriage, tell me, Brutus,
Is it excepted I should know no secrets
That appertain to you? Am I yourself
But, as it were, in sort or limitation,
To keep with you at meals, comfort your bed,
And talk to you sometimes? Dwell I but in the suburbs
Of your good pleasure? If it be no more,
Portia is Brutus' harlot, not his wife.

BRUTUS

You are my true and honourable wife,
As dear to me as are the ruddy drops
That visit my sad heart

PORTIA

If this were true, then should I know this secret.
I grant I am a woman; but withal
A woman that Lord Brutus took to wife:
I grant I am a woman; but withal
A woman well-reputed, Cato's daughter.
Think you I am no stronger than my sex,
Being so father'd and so husbanded?
Tell me your counsels, I will not disclose 'em:
I have made strong proof of my constancy,
Giving myself a voluntary wound
Here, in the thigh: can I bear that with patience.
And not my husband's secrets?

BRUTUS

O ye gods,
Render me worthy of this noble wife!

Knocking within
Hark, hark! one knocks: Portia, go in awhile;
And by and by thy bosom shall partake
The secrets of my heart.
All my engagements I will construe to thee,
All the charactery of my sad brows:
Leave me with haste.

Exit PORTIA
Lucius, who's that knocks?

Re-enter LUCIUS with LIGARIUS

LUCIUS

He is a sick man that would speak with you.

BRUTUS

Caius Ligarius, that Metellus spake of.
Boy, stand aside. Caius Ligarius! how?

LIGARIUS

Vouchsafe good morrow from a feeble tongue.

BRUTUS

O, what a time have you chose out, brave Caius,
To wear a kerchief! Would you were not sick!

LIGARIUS

I am not sick, if Brutus have in hand
Any exploit worthy the name of honour.

BRUTUS

Such an exploit have I in hand, Ligarius,
Had you a healthful ear to hear of it.

LIGARIUS

By all the gods that Romans bow before,
I here discard my sickness! Soul of Rome!
Brave son, derived from honourable loins!
Thou, like an exorcist, hast conjured up
My mortified spirit. Now bid me run,
And I will strive with things impossible;
Yea, get the better of them. What's to do?

BRUTUS

A piece of work that will make sick men whole.

LIGARIUS

But are not some whole that we must make sick?

BRUTUS

That must we also. What it is, my Caius,
I shall unfold to thee, as we are going
To whom it must be done.

LIGARIUS

Set on your foot,
And with a heart new-fired I follow you,
To do I know not what: but it sufficeth
That Brutus leads me on.

BRUTUS

Follow me, then.

Exeunt

SCENE II. CAESAR's house.

Thunder and lightning. Enter CAESAR, in his night-gown

CAESAR

Nor heaven nor earth have been at peace to-night:
Thrice hath Calpurnia in her sleep cried out,
'Help, ho! they murder Caesar!' Who's within?

Enter a Servant

Servant

My lord?

CAESAR

Go bid the priests do present sacrifice
And bring me their opinions of success.

Servant

I will, my lord.

Exit

Enter CALPURNIA

CALPURNIA

What mean you, Caesar? think you to walk forth?
You shall not stir out of your house to-day.

CAESAR

Caesar shall forth: the things that threaten'd me
Ne'er look'd but on my back; when they shall see
The face of Caesar, they are vanished.

CALPURNIA

Caesar, I never stood on ceremonies,
Yet now they fright me. There is one within,
Besides the things that we have heard and seen,
Recounts most horrid sights seen by the watch.
A lioness hath whelped in the streets;
And graves have yawn'd, and yielded up their dead;
Fierce fiery warriors fought upon the clouds,
In ranks and squadrons and right form of war,
Which drizzled blood upon the Capitol;
The noise of battle hurtled in the air,
Horses did neigh, and dying men did groan,
And ghosts did shriek and squeal about the streets.
O Caesar! these things are beyond all use,
And I do fear them.

CAESAR

What can be avoided
Whose end is purposed by the mighty gods?
Yet Caesar shall go forth; for these predictions
Are to the world in general as to Caesar.

CALPURNIA

When beggars die, there are no comets seen;
The heavens themselves blaze forth the death of princes.

CAESAR

Cowards die many times before their deaths;
The valiant never taste of death but once.
Of all the wonders that I yet have heard.
It seems to me most strange that men should fear;
Seeing that death, a necessary end,
Will come when it will come.

Re-enter Servant
What say the augurers?

Servant

They would not have you to stir forth to-day.
Plucking the entrails of an offering forth,
They could not find a heart within the beast.

CAESAR

The gods do this in shame of cowardice:
Caesar should be a beast without a heart,
If he should stay at home to-day for fear.
No, Caesar shall not: danger knows full well
That Caesar is more dangerous than he:
We are two lions litter'd in one day,
And I the elder and more terrible:
And Caesar shall go forth.

CALPURNIA

Alas, my lord,
Your wisdom is consumed in confidence.
Do not go forth to-day: call it my fear
That keeps you in the house, and not your own.
We'll send Mark Antony to the senate-house:
And he shall say you are not well to-day:
Let me, upon my knee, prevail in this.

CAESAR

Mark Antony shall say I am not well,
And, for thy humour, I will stay at home.

Enter DECIUS BRUTUS
Here's Decius Brutus, he shall tell them so.

DECIUS BRUTUS

Caesar, all hail! good morrow, worthy Caesar:
I come to fetch you to the senate-house.

CAESAR

And you are come in very happy time,
To bear my greeting to the senators
And tell them that I will not come to-day:
Cannot, is false, and that I dare not, falser:
I will not come to-day: tell them so, Decius.

CALPURNIA

Say he is sick.

CAESAR

Shall Caesar send a lie?
Have I in conquest stretch'd mine arm so far,
To be afraid to tell graybeards the truth?
Decius, go tell them Caesar will not come.

DECIUS BRUTUS

Most mighty Caesar, let me know some cause,
Lest I be laugh'd at when I tell them so.

CAESAR

The cause is in my will: I will not come;
That is enough to satisfy the senate.
But for your private satisfaction,
Because I love you, I will let you know:
Calpurnia here, my wife, stays me at home:
She dreamt to-night she saw my statua,
Which, like a fountain with an hundred spouts,
Did run pure blood: and many lusty Romans
Came smiling, and did bathe their hands in it:
And these does she apply for warnings, and portents,
And evils imminent; and on her knee
Hath begg'd that I will stay at home to-day.

DECIUS BRUTUS

This dream is all amiss interpreted;
It was a vision fair and fortunate:
Your statue spouting blood in many pipes,
In which so many smiling Romans bathed,
Signifies that from you great Rome shall suck
Reviving blood, and that great men shall press
For tinctures, stains, relics and cognizance.
This by Calpurnia's dream is signified.

CAESAR

And this way have you well expounded it.

DECIUS BRUTUS

I have, when you have heard what I can say:
And know it now: the senate have concluded
To give this day a crown to mighty Caesar.
If you shall send them word you will not come,
Their minds may change. Besides, it were a mock
Apt to be render'd, for some one to say
'Break up the senate till another time,
When Caesar's wife shall meet with better dreams.'
If Caesar hide himself, shall they not whisper
'Lo, Caesar is afraid'?
Pardon me, Caesar; for my dear dear love
To our proceeding bids me tell you this;
And reason to my love is liable.

CAESAR

How foolish do your fears seem now, Calpurnia!
I am ashamed I did yield to them.
Give me my robe, for I will go.

Enter PUBLIUS, BRUTUS, LIGARIUS, METELLUS, CASCA, TREBONIUS, and CINNA
And look where Publius is come to fetch me.

PUBLIUS

Good morrow, Caesar.

CAESAR

Welcome, Publius.
What, Brutus, are you stirr'd so early too?
Good morrow, Casca. Caius Ligarius,
Caesar was ne'er so much your enemy
As that same ague which hath made you lean.
What is 't o'clock?

BRUTUS

Caesar, 'tis strucken eight.

CAESAR

I thank you for your pains and courtesy.

Enter ANTONY
See! Antony, that revels long o' nights,
Is notwithstanding up. Good morrow, Antony.

ANTONY

So to most noble Caesar.

CAESAR

Bid them prepare within:
I am to blame to be thus waited for.
Now, Cinna: now, Metellus: what, Trebonius!
I have an hour's talk in store for you;
Remember that you call on me to-day:
Be near me, that I may remember you.

TREBONIUS

Caesar, I will:

Aside
and so near will I be,
That your best friends shall wish I had been further.

CAESAR

Good friends, go in, and taste some wine with me;
And we, like friends, will straightway go together.

BRUTUS

[Aside] That every like is not the same, O Caesar,
The heart of Brutus yearns to think upon!

Exeunt

SCENE III. A street near the Capitol.

Enter ARTEMIDORUS, reading a paper

ARTEMIDORUS

'Caesar, beware of Brutus; take heed of Cassius;
come not near Casca; have an eye to Cinna, trust not
Trebonius: mark well Metellus Cimber: Decius Brutus
loves thee not: thou hast wronged Caius Ligarius.
There is but one mind in all these men, and it is
bent against Caesar. If thou beest not immortal,
look about you: security gives way to conspiracy.
The mighty gods defend thee! Thy lover,
'ARTEMIDORUS.'
Here will I stand till Caesar pass along,
And as a suitor will I give him this.
My heart laments that virtue cannot live
Out of the teeth of emulation.
If thou read this, O Caesar, thou mayst live;
If not, the Fates with traitors do contrive.

Exit

SCENE IV. Another part of the same street, before the house of BRUTUS.

Enter PORTIA and LUCIUS

PORTIA

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

LUCIUS

To know my errand, madam.

PORTIA

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

LUCIUS

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

PORTIA

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

LUCIUS

I hear none, madam.

PORTIA

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

LUCIUS

Sooth, madam, I hear nothing.

Enter the Soothsayer

PORTIA

Come hither, fellow: which way hast thou been?

Soothsayer

At mine own house, good lady.

PORTIA

What is't o'clock?

Soothsayer

About the ninth hour, lady.

PORTIA

Is Caesar yet gone to the Capitol?

Soothsayer

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

PORTIA

Thou hast some suit to Caesar, hast thou not?

Soothsayer

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

PORTIA

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

Soothsayer

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

Exit

PORTIA

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

Exeunt severally

ACT III
SCENE I. Rome. Before the Capitol; the Senate sitting above.

A crowd of people; among them ARTEMIDORUS and the Soothsayer. Flourish. Enter CAESAR, BRUTUS, CASSIUS, CASCA, DECIUS BRUTUS, METELLUS CIMBER, TREBONIUS, CINNA, ANTONY, LEPIDUS, POPILIUS, PUBLIUS, and others

CAESAR

[To the Soothsayer] The ides of March are come.

Soothsayer

Ay, Caesar; but not gone.

ARTEMIDORUS

Hail, Caesar! read this schedule.

DECIUS BRUTUS

Trebonius doth desire you to o'erread,
At your best leisure, this his humble suit.

ARTEMIDORUS

O Caesar, read mine first; for mine's a suit
That touches Caesar nearer: read it, great Caesar.

CAESAR

What touches us ourself shall be last served.

ARTEMIDORUS

Delay not, Caesar; read it instantly.

CAESAR

What, is the fellow mad?

PUBLIUS

Sirrah, give place.

CASSIUS

What, urge you your petitions in the street?
Come to the Capitol.

CAESAR goes up to the Senate-House, the rest following

POPILIUS

I wish your enterprise to-day may thrive.

CASSIUS

What enterprise, Popilius?

POPILIUS

Fare you well.

Advances to CAESAR

BRUTUS

What said Popilius Lena?

CASSIUS

He wish'd to-day our enterprise might thrive.
I fear our purpose is discovered.

BRUTUS

Look, how he makes to Caesar; mark him.

CASSIUS

Casca, be sudden, for we fear prevention.
Brutus, what shall be done? If this be known,
Cassius or Caesar never shall turn back,
For I will slay myself.

BRUTUS

Cassius, be constant:
Popilius Lena speaks not of our purposes;
For, look, he smiles, and Caesar doth not change.

CASSIUS

Trebonius knows his time; for, look you, Brutus.
He draws Mark Antony out of the way.

Exeunt ANTONY and TREBONIUS

DECIUS BRUTUS

Where is Metellus Cimber? Let him go,
And presently prefer his suit to Caesar.

BRUTUS

He is address'd: press near and second him.

CINNA

Casca, you are the first that rears your hand.

CAESAR

Are we all ready? What is now amiss
That Caesar and his senate must redress?

METELLUS CIMBER

Most high, most mighty, and most puissant Caesar,
Metellus Cimber throws before thy seat
An humble heart,--

Kneeling

CAESAR

I must prevent thee, Cimber.
These couchings and these lowly courtesies
Might fire the blood of ordinary men,
And turn pre-ordinance and first decree
Into the law of children. Be not fond,
To think that Caesar bears such rebel blood
That will be thaw'd from the true quality
With that which melteth fools; I mean, sweet words,
Low-crooked court'sies and base spaniel-fawning.
Thy brother by decree is banished:
If thou dost bend and pray and fawn for him,
I spurn thee like a cur out of my way.
Know, Caesar doth not wrong, nor without cause
Will he be satisfied.

METELLUS CIMBER

Is there no voice more worthy than my own
To sound more sweetly in great Caesar's ear
For the repealing of my banish'd brother?

BRUTUS

I kiss thy hand, but not in flattery, Caesar;
Desiring thee that Publius Cimber may
Have an immediate freedom of repeal.

CAESAR

What, Brutus!

CASSIUS

Pardon, Caesar; Caesar, pardon:
As low as to thy foot doth Cassius fall,
To beg enfranchisement for Publius Cimber.

CASSIUS

I could be well moved, if I were as you:
If I could pray to move, prayers would move me:
But I am constant as the northern star,
Of whose true-fix'd and resting quality
There is no fellow in the firmament.
The skies are painted with unnumber'd sparks,
They are all fire and every one doth shine,
But there's but one in all doth hold his place:
So in the world; 'tis furnish'd well with men,
And men are flesh and blood, and apprehensive;
Yet in the number I do know but one
That unassailable holds on his rank,
Unshaked of motion: and that I am he,
Let me a little show it, even in this;
That I was constant Cimber should be banish'd,
And constant do remain to keep him so.

CINNA

O Caesar,--

CAESAR

Hence! wilt thou lift up Olympus?

DECIUS BRUTUS

Great Caesar,--

CAESAR

Doth not Brutus bootless kneel?

CASCA

Speak, hands for me!

CASCA first, then the other Conspirators and BRUTUS stab CAESAR

CAESAR

Et tu, Brute! Then fall, Caesar.

Dies

CINNA

Liberty! Freedom! Tyranny is dead!
Run hence, proclaim, cry it about the streets.

CASSIUS

Some to the common pulpits, and cry out
'Liberty, freedom, and enfranchisement!'

BRUTUS

People and senators, be not affrighted;
Fly not; stand stiff: ambition's debt is paid.

CASCA

Go to the pulpit, Brutus.

DECIUS BRUTUS

And Cassius too.

BRUTUS

Where's Publius?

CINNA

Here, quite confounded with this mutiny.

METELLUS CIMBER

Stand fast together, lest some friend of Caesar's
Should chance--

BRUTUS

Talk not of standing. Publius, good cheer;
There is no harm intended to your person,
Nor to no Roman else: so tell them, Publius.

CASSIUS

And leave us, Publius; lest that the people,
Rushing on us, should do your age some mischief.

BRUTUS

Do so: and let no man abide this deed,
But we the doers.

Re-enter TREBONIUS

CASSIUS

Where is Antony?

TREBONIUS

Fled to his house amazed:
Men, wives and children stare, cry out and run
As it were doomsday.

BRUTUS

Fates, we will know your pleasures:
That we shall die, we know; 'tis but the time
And drawing days out, that men stand upon.

CASSIUS

Why, he that cuts off twenty years of life
Cuts off so many years of fearing death.

BRUTUS

Grant that, and then is death a benefit:
So are we Caesar's friends, that have abridged
His time of fearing death. Stoop, Romans, stoop,
And let us bathe our hands in Caesar's blood
Up to the elbows, and besmear our swords:
Then walk we forth, even to the market-place,
And, waving our red weapons o'er our heads,
Let's all cry 'Peace, freedom and liberty!'

CASSIUS

Stoop, then, and wash. How many ages hence
Shall this our lofty scene be acted over
In states unborn and accents yet unknown!

BRUTUS

How many times shall Caesar bleed in sport,
That now on Pompey's basis lies along
No worthier than the dust!

CASSIUS

So oft as that shall be,
So often shall the knot of us be call'd
The men that gave their country liberty.

DECIUS BRUTUS

What, shall we forth?

CASSIUS

Ay, every man away:
Brutus shall lead; and we will grace his heels
With the most boldest and best hearts of Rome.

Enter a Servant

BRUTUS

Soft! who comes here? A friend of Antony's.

Servant

Thus, Brutus, did my master bid me kneel:
Thus did Mark Antony bid me fall down;
And, being prostrate, thus he bade me say:
Brutus is noble, wise, valiant, and honest;
Caesar was mighty, bold, royal, and loving:
Say I love Brutus, and I honour him;
Say I fear'd Caesar, honour'd him and loved him.
If Brutus will vouchsafe that Antony
May safely come to him, and be resolved
How Caesar hath deserved to lie in death,
Mark Antony shall not love Caesar dead
So well as Brutus living; but will follow
The fortunes and affairs of noble Brutus
Thorough the hazards of this untrod state
With all true faith. So says my master Antony.

BRUTUS

Thy master is a wise and valiant Roman;
I never thought him worse.
Tell him, so please him come unto this place,
He shall be satisfied; and, by my honour,
Depart untouch'd.

Servant

I'll fetch him presently.

Exit

BRUTUS

I know that we shall have him well to friend.

CASSIUS

I wish we may: but yet have I a mind
That fears him much; and my misgiving still
Falls shrewdly to the purpose.

BRUTUS

But here comes Antony.

Re-enter ANTONY
Welcome, Mark Antony.

ANTONY

O mighty Caesar! dost thou lie so low?
Are all thy conquests, glories, triumphs, spoils,
Shrunk to this little measure? Fare thee well.
I know not, gentlemen, what you intend,
Who else must be let blood, who else is rank:
If I myself, there is no hour so fit
As Caesar's death hour, nor no instrument
Of half that worth as those your swords, made rich
With the most noble blood of all this world.
I do beseech ye, if you bear me hard,
Now, whilst your purpled hands do reek and smoke,
Fulfil your pleasure. Live a thousand years,
I shall not find myself so apt to die:
No place will please me so, no mean of death,
As here by Caesar, and by you cut off,
The choice and master spirits of this age.

BRUTUS

O Antony, beg not your death of us.
Though now we must appear bloody and cruel,
As, by our hands and this our present act,
You see we do, yet see you but our hands
And this the bleeding business they have done:
Our hearts you see not; they are pitiful;
And pity to the general wrong of Rome--
As fire drives out fire, so pity pity--
Hath done this deed on Caesar. For your part,
To you our swords have leaden points, Mark Antony:
Our arms, in strength of malice, and our hearts
Of brothers' temper, do receive you in
With all kind love, good thoughts, and reverence.

CASSIUS

Your voice shall be as strong as any man's
In the disposing of new dignities.

BRUTUS

Only be patient till we have appeased
The multitude, beside themselves with fear,
And then we will deliver you the cause,
Why I, that did love Caesar when I struck him,
Have thus proceeded.

ANTONY

I doubt not of your wisdom.
Let each man render me his bloody hand:
First, Marcus Brutus, will I shake with you;
Next, Caius Cassius, do I take your hand;
Now, Decius Brutus, yours: now yours, Metellus;
Yours, Cinna; and, my valiant Casca, yours;
Though last, not last in love, yours, good Trebonius.
Gentlemen all,--alas, what shall I say?
My credit now stands on such slippery ground,
That one of two bad ways you must conceit me,
Either a coward or a flatterer.
That I did love thee, Caesar, O, 'tis true:
If then thy spirit look upon us now,
Shall it not grieve thee dearer than thy death,
To see thy thy Anthony making his peace,
Shaking the bloody fingers of thy foes,
Most noble! in the presence of thy corse?
Had I as many eyes as thou hast wounds,
Weeping as fast as they stream forth thy blood,
It would become me better than to close
In terms of friendship with thine enemies.
Pardon me, Julius! Here wast thou bay'd, brave hart;
Here didst thou fall; and here thy hunters stand,
Sign'd in thy spoil, and crimson'd in thy lethe.
O world, thou wast the forest to this hart;
And this, indeed, O world, the heart of thee.
How like a deer, strucken by many princes,
Dost thou here lie!

CASSIUS

Mark Antony,--

ANTONY

Pardon me, Caius Cassius:
The enemies of Caesar shall say this;
Then, in a friend, it is cold modesty.

CASSIUS

I blame you not for praising Caesar so;
But what compact mean you to have with us?
Will you be prick'd in number of our friends;
Or shall we on, and not depend on you?

ANTONY

Therefore I took your hands, but was, indeed,
Sway'd from the point, by looking down on Caesar.
Friends am I with you all and love you all,
Upon this hope, that you shall give me reasons
Why and wherein Caesar was dangerous.

BRUTUS

Or else were this a savage spectacle:
Our reasons are so full of good regard
That were you, Antony, the son of Caesar,
You should be satisfied.

ANTONY

That's all I seek:
And am moreover suitor that I may
Produce his body to the market-place;
And in the pulpit, as becomes a friend,
Speak in the order of his funeral.

BRUTUS

You shall, Mark Antony.

CASSIUS

Brutus, a word with you.

Aside to BRUTUS
You know not what you do: do not consent
That Antony speak in his funeral:
Know you how much the people may be moved
By that which he will utter?

BRUTUS

By your pardon;
I will myself into the pulpit first,
And show the reason of our Caesar's death:
What Antony shall speak, I will protest
He speaks by leave and by permission,
And that we are contented Caesar shall
Have all true rites and lawful ceremonies.
It shall advantage more than do us wrong.

CASSIUS

I know not what may fall; I like it not.

BRUTUS

Mark Antony, here, take you Caesar's body.
You shall not in your funeral speech blame us,
But speak all good you can devise of Caesar,
And say you do't by our permission;
Else shall you not have any hand at all
About his funeral: and you shall speak
In the same pulpit whereto I am going,
After my speech is ended.

ANTONY

Be it so.
I do desire no more.

BRUTUS

Prepare the body then, and follow us.

Exeunt all but ANTONY

ANTONY

O, pardon me, thou bleeding piece of earth,
That I am meek and gentle with these butchers!
Thou art the ruins of the noblest man
That ever lived in the tide of times.
Woe to the hand that shed this costly blood!
Over thy wounds now do I prophesy,--
Which, like dumb mouths, do ope their ruby lips,
To beg the voice and utterance of my tongue--
A curse shall light upon the limbs of men;
Domestic fury and fierce civil strife
Shall cumber all the parts of Italy;
Blood and destruction shall be so in use
And dreadful objects so familiar
That mothers shall but smile when they behold
Their infants quarter'd with the hands of war;
All pity choked with custom of fell deeds:
And Caesar's spirit, ranging for revenge,
With Ate by his side come hot from hell,
Shall in these confines with a monarch's voice
Cry 'Havoc,' and let slip the dogs of war;
That this foul deed shall smell above the earth
With carrion men, groaning for burial.

Enter a Servant
You serve Octavius Caesar, do you not?

Servant

I do, Mark Antony.

ANTONY

Caesar did write for him to come to Rome.

Servant

He did receive his letters, and is coming;
And bid me say to you by word of mouth--
O Caesar!--

Seeing the body

ANTONY

Thy heart is big, get thee apart and weep.
Passion, I see, is catching; for mine eyes,
Seeing those beads of sorrow stand in thine,
Began to water. Is thy master coming?

Servant

He lies to-night within seven leagues of Rome.

ANTONY

Post back with speed, and tell him what hath chanced:
Here is a mourning Rome, a dangerous Rome,
No Rome of safety for Octavius yet;
Hie hence, and tell him so. Yet, stay awhile;
Thou shalt not back till I have borne this corse
Into the market-place: there shall I try
In my oration, how the people take
The cruel issue of these bloody men;
According to the which, thou shalt discourse
To young Octavius of the state of things.
Lend me your hand.

Exeunt with CAESAR's body

SCENE II. The Forum.

Enter BRUTUS and CASSIUS, and a throng of Citizens

Citizens

We will be satisfied; let us be satisfied.

BRUTUS

Then follow me, and give me audience, friends.
Cassius, go you into the other street,
And part the numbers.
Those that will hear me speak, let 'em stay here;
Those that will follow Cassius, go with him;
And public reasons shall be rendered
Of Caesar's death.

First Citizen

I will hear Brutus speak.

Second Citizen

I will hear Cassius; and compare their reasons,
When severally we hear them rendered.

Exit CASSIUS, with some of the Citizens. BRUTUS goes into the pulpit

Third Citizen

The noble Brutus is ascended: silence!

BRUTUS

Be patient till the last.
Romans, countrymen, and lovers! hear me for my
cause, and be silent, that you may hear: believe me
for mine honour, and have respect to mine honour, that
you may believe: censure me in your wisdom, and
awake your senses, that you may the better judge.
If there be any in this assembly, any dear friend of
Caesar's, to him I say, that Brutus' love to Caesar
was no less than his. If then that friend demand
why Brutus rose against Caesar, this is my answer:
--Not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved
Rome more. Had you rather Caesar were living and
die all slaves, than that Caesar were dead, to live
all free men? As Caesar loved me, I weep for him;
as he was fortunate, I rejoice at it; as he was
valiant, I honour him: but, as he was ambitious, I
slew him. There is tears for his love; joy for his
fortune; honour for his valour; and death for his
ambition. Who is here so base that would be a
bondman? If any, speak; for him have I offended.
Who is here so rude that would not be a Roman? If
any, speak; for him have I offended. Who is here so
vile that will not love his country? If any, speak;
for him have I offended. I pause for a reply.

All

None, Brutus, none.

BRUTUS

Then none have I offended. I have done no more to
Caesar than you shall do to Brutus. The question of
his death is enrolled in the Capitol; his glory not
extenuated, wherein he was worthy, nor his offences
enforced, for which he suffered death.

Enter ANTONY and others, with CAESAR's body
Here comes his body, mourned by Mark Antony: who,
though he had no hand in his death, shall receive
the benefit of his dying, a place in the
commonwealth; as which of you shall not? With this
I depart,--that, as I slew my best lover for the
good of Rome, I have the same dagger for myself,
when it shall please my country to need my death.

All

Live, Brutus! live, live!

First Citizen

Bring him with triumph home unto his house.

Second Citizen

Give him a statue with his ancestors.

Third Citizen

Let him be Caesar.

Fourth Citizen

Caesar's better parts
Shall be crown'd in Brutus.

First Citizen

We'll bring him to his house
With shouts and clamours.

BRUTUS

My countrymen,--

Second Citizen

Peace, silence! Brutus speaks.

First Citizen

Peace, ho!

BRUTUS

Good countrymen, let me depart alone,
And, for my sake, stay here with Antony:
Do grace to Caesar's corpse, and grace his speech
Tending to Caesar's glories; which Mark Antony,
By our permission, is allow'd to make.
I do entreat you, not a man depart,
Save I alone, till Antony have spoke.

Exit

First Citizen

Stay, ho! and let us hear Mark Antony.

Third Citizen

Let him go up into the public chair;
We'll hear him. Noble Antony, go up.

ANTONY

For Brutus' sake, I am beholding to you.

Goes into the pulpit

Fourth Citizen

What does he say of Brutus?

Third Citizen

He says, for Brutus' sake,
He finds himself beholding to us all.

Fourth Citizen

'Twere best he speak no harm of Brutus here.

First Citizen

This Caesar was a tyrant.

Third Citizen

Nay, that's certain:
We are blest that Rome is rid of him.

Second Citizen

Peace! let us hear what Antony can say.

ANTONY

You gentle Romans,--

Citizens

Peace, ho! let us hear him.

ANTONY

Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears;
I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him.
The evil that men do lives after them;
The good is oft interred with their bones;
So let it be with Caesar. The noble Brutus
Hath told you Caesar was ambitious:
If it were so, it was a grievous fault,
And grievously hath Caesar answer'd it.
Here, under leave of Brutus and the rest--
For Brutus is an honourable man;
So are they all, all honourable men--
Come I to speak in Caesar's funeral.
He was my friend, faithful and just to me:
But Brutus says he was ambitious;
And Brutus is an honourable man.
He hath brought many captives home to Rome
Whose ransoms did the general coffers fill:
Did this in Caesar seem ambitious?
When that the poor have cried, Caesar hath wept:
Ambition should be made of sterner stuff:
Yet Brutus says he was ambitious;
And Brutus is an honourable man.
You all did see that on the Lupercal
I thrice presented him a kingly crown,
Which he did thrice refuse: was this ambition?
Yet Brutus says he was ambitious;
And, sure, he is an honourable man.
I speak not to disprove what Brutus spoke,
But here I am to speak what I do know.
You all did love him once, not without cause:
What cause withholds you then, to mourn for him?
O judgment! thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason. Bear with me;
My heart is in the coffin there with Caesar,
And I must pause till it come back to me.

First Citizen

Methinks there is much reason in his sayings.

Second Citizen

If thou consider rightly of the matter,
Caesar has had great wrong.

Third Citizen

Has he, masters?
I fear there will a worse come in his place.

Fourth Citizen

Mark'd ye his words? He would not take the crown;
Therefore 'tis certain he was not ambitious.

First Citizen

If it be found so, some will dear abide it.

Second Citizen

Poor soul! his eyes are red as fire with weeping.

Third Citizen

There's not a nobler man in Rome than Antony.

Fourth Citizen

Now mark him, he begins again to speak.

ANTONY

But yesterday the word of Caesar might
Have stood against the world; now lies he there.
And none so poor to do him reverence.
O masters, if I were disposed to stir
Your hearts and minds to mutiny and rage,
I should do Brutus wrong, and Cassius wrong,
Who, you all know, are honourable men:
I will not do them wrong; I rather choose
To wrong the dead, to wrong myself and you,
Than I will wrong such honourable men.
But here's a parchment with the seal of Caesar;
I found it in his closet, 'tis his will:
Let but the commons hear this testament--
Which, pardon me, I do not mean to read--
And they would go and kiss dead Caesar's wounds
And dip their napkins in his sacred blood,
Yea, beg a hair of him for memory,
And, dying, mention it within their wills,
Bequeathing it as a rich legacy
Unto their issue.

Fourth Citizen

We'll hear the will: read it, Mark Antony.

All

The will, the will! we will hear Caesar's will.

ANTONY

Have patience, gentle friends, I must not read it;
It is not meet you know how Caesar loved you.
You are not wood, you are not stones, but men;
And, being men, bearing the will of Caesar,
It will inflame you, it will make you mad:
'Tis good you know not that you are his heirs;
For, if you should, O, what would come of it!

Fourth Citizen

Read the will; we'll hear it, Antony;
You shall read us the will, Caesar's will.

ANTONY

Will you be patient? will you stay awhile?
I have o'ershot myself to tell you of it:
I fear I wrong the honourable men
Whose daggers have stabb'd Caesar; I do fear it.

Fourth Citizen

They were traitors: honourable men!

All

The will! the testament!

Second Citizen

They were villains, murderers: the will! read the will.

ANTONY

You will compel me, then, to read the will?
Then make a ring about the corpse of Caesar,
And let me show you him that made the will.
Shall I descend? and will you give me leave?

Several Citizens

Come down.

Second Citizen

Descend.

Third Citizen

You shall have leave.

ANTONY comes down

Fourth Citizen

A ring; stand round.

First Citizen

Stand from the hearse, stand from the body.

Second Citizen

Room for Antony, most noble Antony.

ANTONY

Nay, press not so upon me; stand far off.

Several Citizens

Stand back; room; bear back.

ANTONY

If you have tears, prepare to shed them now.
You all do know this mantle: I remember
The first time ever Caesar put it on;
'Twas on a summer's evening, in his tent,
That day he overcame the Nervii:
Look, in this place ran Cassius' dagger through:
See what a rent the envious Casca made:
Through this the well-beloved Brutus stabb'd;
And as he pluck'd his cursed steel away,
Mark how the blood of Caesar follow'd it,
As rushing out of doors, to be resolved
If Brutus so unkindly knock'd, or no;
For Brutus, as you know, was Caesar's angel:
Judge, O you gods, how dearly Caesar loved him!
This was the most unkindest cut of all;
For when the noble Caesar saw him stab,
Ingratitude, more strong than traitors' arms,
Quite vanquish'd him: then burst his mighty heart;
And, in his mantle muffling up his face,
Even at the base of Pompey's statua,
Which all the while ran blood, great Caesar fell.
O, what a fall was there, my countrymen!
Then I, and you, and all of us fell down,
Whilst bloody treason flourish'd over us.
O, now you weep; and, I perceive, you feel
The dint of pity: these are gracious drops.
Kind souls, what, weep you when you but behold
Our Caesar's vesture wounded? Look you here,
Here is himself, marr'd, as you see, with traitors.

First Citizen

O piteous spectacle!

Second Citizen

O noble Caesar!

Third Citizen

O woful day!

Fourth Citizen

O traitors, villains!

First Citizen

O most bloody sight!

Second Citizen

We will be revenged.

All

Revenge! About! Seek! Burn! Fire! Kill! Slay!
Let not a traitor live!

ANTONY

Stay, countrymen.

First Citizen

Peace there! hear the noble Antony.

Second Citizen

We'll hear him, we'll follow him, we'll die with him.

ANTONY

Good friends, sweet friends, let me not stir you up
To such a sudden flood of mutiny.
They that have done this deed are honourable:
What private griefs they have, alas, I know not,
That made them do it: they are wise and honourable,
And will, no doubt, with reasons answer you.
I come not, friends, to steal away your hearts:
I am no orator, as Brutus is;
But, as you know me all, a plain blunt man,
That love my friend; and that they know full well
That gave me public leave to speak of him:
For I have neither wit, nor words, nor worth,
Action, nor utterance, nor the power of speech,
To stir men's blood: I only speak right on;
I tell you that which you yourselves do know;
Show you sweet Caesar's wounds, poor poor dumb mouths,
And bid them speak for me: but were I Brutus,
And Brutus Antony, there were an Antony
Would ruffle up your spirits and put a tongue
In every wound of Caesar that should move
The stones of Rome to rise and mutiny.

All

We'll mutiny.

First Citizen

We'll burn the house of Brutus.

Third Citizen

Away, then! come, seek the conspirators.

ANTONY

Yet hear me, countrymen; yet hear me speak.

All

Peace, ho! Hear Antony. Most noble Antony!

ANTONY

Why, friends, you go to do you know not what:
Wherein hath Caesar thus deserved your loves?
Alas, you know not: I must tell you then:
You have forgot the will I told you of.

All

Most true. The will! Let's stay and hear the will.

ANTONY

Here is the will, and under Caesar's seal.
To every Roman citizen he gives,
To every several man, seventy-five drachmas.

Second Citizen

Most noble Caesar! We'll revenge his death.

Third Citizen

O royal Caesar!

ANTONY

Hear me with patience.

All

Peace, ho!

ANTONY

Moreover, he hath left you all his walks,
His private arbours and new-planted orchards,
On this side Tiber; he hath left them you,
And to your heirs for ever, common pleasures,
To walk abroad, and recreate yourselves.
Here was a Caesar! when comes such another?

First Citizen

Never, never. Come, away, away!
We'll burn his body in the holy place,
And with the brands fire the traitors' houses.
Take up the body.

Second Citizen

Go fetch fire.

Third Citizen

Pluck down benches.

Fourth Citizen

Pluck down forms, windows, any thing.

Exeunt Citizens with the body

ANTONY

Now let it work. Mischief, thou art afoot,
Take thou what course thou wilt!

Enter a Servant
How now, fellow!

Servant

Sir, Octavius is already come to Rome.

ANTONY

Where is he?

Servant

He and Lepidus are at Caesar's house.

ANTONY

And thither will I straight to visit him:
He comes upon a wish. Fortune is merry,
And in this mood will give us any thing.

Servant

I heard him say, Brutus and Cassius
Are rid like madmen through the gates of Rome.

ANTONY

Belike they had some notice of the people,
How I had moved them. Bring me to Octavius.

Exeunt

SCENE III. A street.

Enter CINNA the poet

CINNA THE POET

I dreamt to-night that I did feast with Caesar,
And things unlucky charge my fantasy:
I have no will to wander forth of doors,
Yet something leads me forth.

Enter Citizens

First Citizen

What is your name?

Second Citizen

Whither are you going?

Third Citizen

Where do you dwell?

Fourth Citizen

Are you a married man or a bachelor?

Second Citizen

Answer every man directly.

First Citizen

Ay, and briefly.

Fourth Citizen

Ay, and wisely.

Third Citizen

Ay, and truly, you were best.

CINNA THE POET

What is my name? Whither am I going? Where do I
dwell? Am I a married man or a bachelor? Then, to
answer every man directly and briefly, wisely and
truly: wisely I say, I am a bachelor.

Second Citizen

That's as much as to say, they are fools that marry:
you'll bear me a bang for that, I fear. Proceed; directly.

CINNA THE POET

Directly, I am going to Caesar's funeral.

First Citizen

As a friend or an enemy?

CINNA THE POET

As a friend.

Second Citizen

That matter is answered directly.

Fourth Citizen

For your dwelling,--briefly.

CINNA THE POET

Briefly, I dwell by the Capitol.

Third Citizen

Your name, sir, truly.

CINNA THE POET

Truly, my name is Cinna.

First Citizen

Tear him to pieces; he's a conspirator.

CINNA THE POET

I am Cinna the poet, I am Cinna the poet.

Fourth Citizen

Tear him for his bad verses, tear him for his bad verses.

CINNA THE POET

I am not Cinna the conspirator.

Fourth Citizen

It is no matter, his name's Cinna; pluck but his
name out of his heart, and turn him going.

Third Citizen

Tear him, tear him! Come, brands ho! fire-brands:
to Brutus', to Cassius'; burn all: some to Decius'
house, and some to Casca's; some to Ligarius': away, go!

Exeunt

ACT IV
SCENE I. A house in Rome.

ANTONY, OCTAVIUS, and LEPIDUS, seated at a table

ANTONY

These many, then, shall die; their names are prick'd.

OCTAVIUS

Your brother too must die; consent you, Lepidus?

LEPIDUS

I do consent--

OCTAVIUS

Prick him down, Antony.

LEPIDUS

Upon condition Publius shall not live,
Who is your sister's son, Mark Antony.

ANTONY

He shall not live; look, with a spot I damn him.
But, Lepidus, go you to Caesar's house;
Fetch the will hither, and we shall determine
How to cut off some charge in legacies.

LEPIDUS

What, shall I find you here?

OCTAVIUS

Or here, or at the Capitol.

Exit LEPIDUS

ANTONY

This is a slight unmeritable man,
Meet to be sent on errands: is it fit,
The three-fold world divided, he should stand
One of the three to share it?

OCTAVIUS

So you thought him;
And took his voice who should be prick'd to die,
In our black sentence and proscription.

ANTONY

Octavius, I have seen more days than you:
And though we lay these honours on this man,
To ease ourselves of divers slanderous loads,
He shall but bear them as the ass bears gold,
To groan and sweat under the business,
Either led or driven, as we point the way;
And having brought our treasure where we will,
Then take we down his load, and turn him off,
Like to the empty ass, to shake his ears,
And graze in commons.

OCTAVIUS

You may do your will;
But he's a tried and valiant soldier.

ANTONY

So is my horse, Octavius; and for that
I do appoint him store of provender:
It is a creature that I teach to fight,
To wind, to stop, to run directly on,
His corporal motion govern'd by my spirit.
And, in some taste, is Lepidus but so;
He must be taught and train'd and bid go forth;
A barren-spirited fellow; one that feeds
On abjects, orts and imitations,
Which, out of use and staled by other men,
Begin his fashion: do not talk of him,
But as a property. And now, Octavius,
Listen great things:--Brutus and Cassius
Are levying powers: we must straight make head:
Therefore let our alliance be combined,
Our best friends made, our means stretch'd
And let us presently go sit in council,
How covert matters may be best disclosed,
And open perils surest answered.

OCTAVIUS

Let us do so: for we are at the stake,
And bay'd about with many enemies;
And some that smile have in their hearts, I fear,
Millions of mischiefs.

Exeunt

SCENE II. Camp near Sardis. Before BRUTUS's tent.

Drum. Enter BRUTUS, LUCILIUS, LUCIUS, and Soldiers; TITINIUS and PINDARUS meeting them

BRUTUS

Stand, ho!

LUCILIUS

Give the word, ho! and stand.

BRUTUS

What now, Lucilius! is Cassius near?

LUCILIUS

He is at hand; and Pindarus is come
To do you salutation from his master.

BRUTUS

He greets me well. Your master, Pindarus,
In his own change, or by ill officers,
Hath given me some worthy cause to wish
Things done, undone: but, if he be at hand,
I shall be satisfied.

PINDARUS

I do not doubt
But that my noble master will appear
Such as he is, full of regard and honour.

BRUTUS

He is not doubted. A word, Lucilius;
How he received you, let me be resolved.

LUCILIUS

With courtesy and with respect enough;
But not with such familiar instances,
Nor with such free and friendly conference,
As he hath used of old.

BRUTUS

Thou hast described
A hot friend cooling: ever note, Lucilius,
When love begins to sicken and decay,
It useth an enforced ceremony.
There are no tricks in plain and simple faith;
But hollow men, like horses hot at hand,
Make gallant show and promise of their mettle;
But when they should endure the bloody spur,
They fall their crests, and, like deceitful jades,
Sink in the trial. Comes his army on?

LUCILIUS

They mean this night in Sardis to be quarter'd;
The greater part, the horse in general,
Are come with Cassius.

BRUTUS

Hark! he is arrived.

Low march within
March gently on to meet him.

Enter CASSIUS and his powers

CASSIUS

Stand, ho!

BRUTUS

Stand, ho! Speak the word along.

First Soldier

Stand!

Second Soldier

Stand!

Third Soldier

Stand!

CASSIUS

Most noble brother, you have done me wrong.

BRUTUS

Judge me, you gods! wrong I mine enemies?
And, if not so, how should I wrong a brother?

CASSIUS

Brutus, this sober form of yours hides wrongs;
And when you do them--

BRUTUS

Cassius, be content.
Speak your griefs softly: I do know you well.
Before the eyes of both our armies here,
Which should perceive nothing but love from us,
Let us not wrangle: bid them move away;
Then in my tent, Cassius, enlarge your griefs,
And I will give you audience.

CASSIUS

Pindarus,
Bid our commanders lead their charges off
A little from this ground.

BRUTUS

Lucilius, do you the like; and let no man
Come to our tent till we have done our conference.
Let Lucius and Titinius guard our door.

Exeunt

SCENE III. Brutus's tent.

Enter BRUTUS and CASSIUS

CASSIUS

That you have wrong'd me doth appear in this:
You have condemn'd and noted Lucius Pella
For taking bribes here of the Sardians;
Wherein my letters, praying on his side,
Because I knew the man, were slighted off.

BRUTUS

You wronged yourself to write in such a case.

CASSIUS

In such a time as this it is not meet
That every nice offence should bear his comment.

BRUTUS

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.

CASSIUS

I an itching palm!
You know that you are Brutus that speak this,
Or, by the gods, this speech were else your last.

BRUTUS

The name of Cassius honours this corruption,
And chastisement doth therefore hide his head.

CASSIUS

Chastisement!

BRUTUS

Remember March, the ides of March remember:
Did not great Julius bleed for justice' sake?
What villain touch'd his body, that did stab,
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,
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.

CASSIUS

Brutus, bay not me;
I'll not endure it: you forget yourself,
To hedge me in; I am a soldier, I,
Older in practise, abler than yourself
To make conditions.

BRUTUS

Go to; you are not, Cassius.

CASSIUS

I am.

BRUTUS

I say you are not.

CASSIUS

Urge me no more, I shall forget myself;
Have mind upon your health, tempt me no further.

BRUTUS

Away, slight man!

CASSIUS

Is't possible?

BRUTUS

Hear me, for I will speak.
Must I give way and room to your rash choler?
Shall I be frighted when a madman stares?

CASSIUS

O ye gods, ye gods! must I endure all this?

BRUTUS

All this! ay, more: fret till your proud heart break;
Go show your slaves how choleric you are,
And make your bondmen tremble. Must I budge?
Must I observe you? must I stand and crouch
Under your testy humour? By the gods
You shall digest the venom of your spleen,
Though it do split you; for, from this day forth,
I'll use you for my mirth, yea, for my laughter,
When you are waspish.

CASSIUS

Is it come to this?

BRUTUS

You say you are a better soldier:
Let it appear so; make your vaunting true,
And it shall please me well: for mine own part,
I shall be glad to learn of noble men.

CASSIUS

You wrong me every way; you wrong me, Brutus;
I said, an elder soldier, not a better:
Did I say 'better'?

BRUTUS

If you did, I care not.

CASSIUS

When Caesar lived, he durst not thus have moved me.

BRUTUS

Peace, peace! you durst not so have tempted him.

CASSIUS

I durst not!

BRUTUS

No.

CASSIUS

What, durst not tempt him!

BRUTUS

For your life you durst not!

CASSIUS

Do not presume too much upon my love;
I may do that I shall be sorry for.

BRUTUS

You have done that you should be sorry for.
There is no terror, Cassius, in your threats,
For I am arm'd so strong in honesty
That they pass by me as the idle wind,
Which I respect not. I did send to you
For certain sums of gold, which you denied me:
For I can raise no money by vile means:
By heaven, I had rather coin my heart,
And drop my blood for drachmas, than to wring
From the hard hands of peasants their vile trash
By any indirection: I did send
To you for gold to pay my legions,
Which you denied me: was that done like Cassius?
Should I have answer'd Caius Cassius so?
When Marcus Brutus grows so covetous,
To lock such rascal counters from his friends,
Be ready, gods, with all your thunderbolts;
Dash him to pieces!

CASSIUS

I denied you not.

BRUTUS

You did.

CASSIUS

I did not: he was but a fool that brought
My answer back. Brutus hath rived my heart:
A friend should bear his friend's infirmities,
But Brutus makes mine greater than they are.

BRUTUS

I do not, till you practise them on me.

CASSIUS

You love me not.

BRUTUS

I do not like your faults.

CASSIUS

A friendly eye could never see such faults.

BRUTUS

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

CASSIUS

Come, Antony, and young Octavius, come,
Revenge yourselves alone on Cassius,
For Cassius is aweary of the world;
Hated by one he loves; braved by his brother;
Cheque'd like a bondman; all his faults observed,
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 heart
Dearer than Plutus' 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 Caesar; for, I know,
When thou didst hate him worst, thou lovedst him better
Than ever thou lovedst Cassius.

BRUTUS

Sheathe your dagger:
Be angry when you will, it shall have scope;
Do what you will, dishonour shall be humour.
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.

CASSIUS

Hath Cassius lived
To be but mirth and laughter to his Brutus,
When grief, and blood ill-temper'd, vexeth him?

BRUTUS

When I spoke that, I was ill-temper'd too.

CASSIUS

Do you confess so much? Give me your hand.

BRUTUS

And my heart too.

CASSIUS

O Brutus!

BRUTUS

What's the matter?

CASSIUS

Have not you love enough to bear with me,
When that rash humour which my mother gave me
Makes me forgetful?

BRUTUS

Yes, Cassius; and, from henceforth,
When you are over-earnest with your Brutus,
He'll think your mother chides, and leave you so.

Poet

[Within] Let me go in to see the generals;
There is some grudge between 'em, 'tis not meet
They be alone.

LUCILIUS

[Within] You shall not come to them.

Poet

[Within] Nothing but death shall stay me.

Enter Poet, followed by LUCILIUS, TITINIUS, and LUCIUS

CASSIUS

How now! what's the matter?

Poet

For shame, you generals! what do you mean?
Love, and be friends, as two such men should be;
For I have seen more years, I'm sure, than ye.

CASSIUS

Ha, ha! how vilely doth this cynic rhyme!

BRUTUS

Get you hence, sirrah; saucy fellow, hence!

CASSIUS

Bear with him, Brutus; 'tis his fashion.

BRUTUS

I'll know his humour, when he knows his time:
What should the wars do with these jigging fools?
Companion, hence!

CASSIUS

Away, away, be gone.

Exit Poet

BRUTUS

Lucilius and Titinius, bid the commanders
Prepare to lodge their companies to-night.

CASSIUS

And come yourselves, and bring Messala with you
Immediately to us.

Exeunt LUCILIUS and TITINIUS

BRUTUS

Lucius, a bowl of wine!

Exit LUCIUS

CASSIUS

I did not think you could have been so angry.

BRUTUS

O Cassius, I am sick of many griefs.

CASSIUS

Of your philosophy you make no use,
If you give place to accidental evils.

BRUTUS

No man bears sorrow better. Portia is dead.

CASSIUS

Ha! Portia!

BRUTUS

She is dead.

CASSIUS

How 'scaped I killing when I cross'd you so?
O insupportable and touching loss!
Upon what sickness?

BRUTUS

Impatient of my absence,
And grief that young Octavius with Mark Antony
Have made themselves so strong:--for with her death
That tidings came;--with this she fell distract,
And, her attendants absent, swallow'd fire.

CASSIUS

And died so?

BRUTUS

Even so.

CASSIUS

O ye immortal gods!

Re-enter LUCIUS, with wine and taper

BRUTUS

Speak no more of her. Give me a bowl of wine.
In this I bury all unkindness, Cassius.

CASSIUS

My heart is thirsty for that noble pledge.
Fill, Lucius, till the wine o'erswell the cup;
I cannot drink too much of Brutus' love.

BRUTUS

Come in, Titinius!

Exit LUCIUS

Re-enter TITINIUS, with MESSALA
Welcome, good Messala.
Now sit we close about this taper here,
And call in question our necessities.

CASSIUS

Portia, art thou gone?

BRUTUS

No more, I pray you.
Messala, I have here received letters,
That young Octavius and Mark Antony
Come down upon us with a mighty power,
Bending their expedition toward Philippi.

MESSALA

Myself have letters of the selfsame tenor.

BRUTUS

With what addition?

MESSALA

That by proscription and bills of outlawry,
Octavius, Antony, and Lepidus,
Have put to death an hundred senators.

BRUTUS

Therein our letters do not well agree;
Mine speak of seventy senators that died
By their proscriptions, Cicero being one.

CASSIUS

Cicero one!

MESSALA

Cicero is dead,
And by that order of proscription.
Had you your letters from your wife, my lord?

BRUTUS

No, Messala.

MESSALA

Nor nothing in your letters writ of her?

BRUTUS

Nothing, Messala.

MESSALA

That, methinks, is strange.

BRUTUS

Why ask you? hear you aught of her in yours?

MESSALA

No, my lord.

BRUTUS

Now, as you are a Roman, tell me true.

MESSALA

Then like a Roman bear the truth I tell:
For certain she is dead, and by strange manner.

BRUTUS

Why, farewell, Portia. We must die, Messala:
With meditating that she must die once,
I have the patience to endure it now.

MESSALA

Even so great men great losses should endure.

CASSIUS

I have as much of this in art as you,
But yet my nature could not bear it so.

BRUTUS

Well, to our work alive. What do you think
Of marching to Philippi presently?

CASSIUS

I do not think it good.

BRUTUS

Your reason?

CASSIUS

This it is:
'Tis better that the enemy seek us:
So shall he waste his means, weary his soldiers,
Doing himself offence; whilst we, lying still,
Are full of rest, defense, and nimbleness.

BRUTUS

Good reasons must, of force, give place to better.
The people 'twixt Philippi and this ground
Do stand but in a forced affection;
For they have grudged us contribution:
The enemy, marching along by them,
By them shall make a fuller number up,
Come on refresh'd, new-added, and encouraged;
From which advantage shall we cut him off,
If at Philippi we do face him there,
These people at our back.

CASSIUS

Hear me, good brother.

BRUTUS

Under your pardon. You must note beside,
That we have tried the utmost of our friends,
Our legions are brim-full, our cause is ripe:
The enemy increaseth every day;
We, at the height, are ready to decline.
There is a tide in the affairs of men,
Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune;
Omitted, all the voyage of their life
Is bound in shallows and in miseries.
On such a full sea are we now afloat;
And we must take the current when it serves,
Or lose our ventures.

CASSIUS

Then, with your will, go on;
We'll along ourselves, and meet them at Philippi.

BRUTUS

The deep of night is crept upon our talk,
And nature must obey necessity;
Which we will niggard with a little rest.
There is no more to say?

CASSIUS

No more. Good night:
Early to-morrow will we rise, and hence.

BRUTUS

Lucius!

Enter LUCIUS
My gown.

Exit LUCIUS
Farewell, good Messala:
Good night, Titinius. Noble, noble Cassius,
Good night, and good repose.

CASSIUS

O my dear brother!
This was an ill beginning of the night:
Never come such division 'tween our souls!
Let it not, Brutus.

BRUTUS

Every thing is well.

CASSIUS

Good night, my lord.

BRUTUS

Good night, good brother.

TITINIUS MESSALA

Good night, Lord Brutus.

BRUTUS

Farewell, every one.

Exeunt all but BRUTUS

Re-enter LUCIUS, with the gown
Give me the gown. Where is thy instrument?

LUCIUS

Here in the tent.

BRUTUS

What, thou speak'st drowsily?
Poor knave, I blame thee not; thou art o'er-watch'd.
Call Claudius and some other of my men:
I'll have them sleep on cushions in my tent.

LUCIUS

Varro and Claudius!

Enter VARRO and CLAUDIUS

VARRO

Calls my lord?

BRUTUS

I pray you, sirs, lie in my tent and sleep;
It may be I shall raise you by and by
On business to my brother Cassius.

VARRO

So please you, we will stand and watch your pleasure.

BRUTUS

I will not have it so: lie down, good sirs;
It may be I shall otherwise bethink me.
Look, Lucius, here's the book I sought for so;
I put it in the pocket of my gown.

VARRO and CLAUDIUS lie down

LUCIUS

I was sure your lordship did not give it me.

BRUTUS

Bear with me, good boy, I am much forgetful.
Canst thou hold up thy heavy eyes awhile,
And touch thy instrument a strain or two?

LUCIUS

Ay, my lord, an't please you.

BRUTUS

It does, my boy:
I trouble thee too much, but thou art willing.

LUCIUS

It is my duty, sir.

BRUTUS

I should not urge thy duty past thy might;
I know young bloods look for a time of rest.

LUCIUS

I have slept, my lord, already.

BRUTUS

It was well done; and thou shalt sleep again;
I will not hold thee long: if I do live,
I will be good to thee.

Music, and a song
This is a sleepy tune. O murderous slumber,
Lay'st thou thy leaden mace upon my boy,
That plays thee music? Gentle knave, good night;
I will not do thee so much wrong to wake thee:
If thou dost nod, thou break'st thy instrument;
I'll take it from thee; and, good boy, good night.
Let me see, let me see; is not the leaf turn'd down
Where I left reading? Here it is, I think.

Enter the Ghost of CAESAR
How ill this taper burns! Ha! who comes here?
I think it is the weakness of mine eyes
That shapes this monstrous apparition.
It comes upon me. Art thou any thing?
Art thou some god, some angel, or some devil,
That makest my blood cold and my hair to stare?
Speak to me what thou art.

GHOST

Thy evil spirit, Brutus.

BRUTUS

Why comest thou?

GHOST

To tell thee thou shalt see me at Philippi.

BRUTUS

Well; then I shall see thee again?

GHOST

Ay, at Philippi.

BRUTUS

Why, I will see thee at Philippi, then.

Exit Ghost
Now I have taken heart thou vanishest:
Ill spirit, I would hold more talk with thee.
Boy, Lucius! Varro! Claudius! Sirs, awake! Claudius!

LUCIUS

The strings, my lord, are false.

BRUTUS

He thinks he still is at his instrument.
Lucius, awake!

LUCIUS

My lord?

BRUTUS

Didst thou dream, Lucius, that thou so criedst out?

LUCIUS

My lord, I do not know that I did cry.

BRUTUS

Yes, that thou didst: didst thou see any thing?

LUCIUS

Nothing, my lord.

BRUTUS

Sleep again, Lucius. Sirrah Claudius!

To VARRO
Fellow thou, awake!

VARRO

My lord?

CLAUDIUS

My lord?

BRUTUS

Why did you so cry out, sirs, in your sleep?

VARRO CLAUDIUS

Did we, my lord?

BRUTUS

Ay: saw you any thing?

VARRO

No, my lord, I saw nothing.

CLAUDIUS

Nor I, my lord.

BRUTUS

Go and commend me to my brother Cassius;
Bid him set on his powers betimes before,
And we will follow.

VARRO CLAUDIUS

It shall be done, my lord.

Exeunt

ACT V
SCENE I. The plains of Philippi.

Enter OCTAVIUS, ANTONY, and their army

OCTAVIUS

Now, Antony, our hopes are answered:
You said the enemy would not come down,
But keep the hills and upper regions;
It proves not so: their battles are at hand;
They mean to warn us at Philippi here,
Answering before we do demand of them.

ANTONY

Tut, I am in their bosoms, and I know
Wherefore they do it: they could be content
To visit other places; and come down
With fearful bravery, thinking by this face
To fasten in our thoughts that they have courage;
But 'tis not so.

Enter a Messenger

Messenger

Prepare you, generals:
The enemy comes on in gallant show;
Their bloody sign of battle is hung out,
And something to be done immediately.

ANTONY

Octavius, lead your battle softly on,
Upon the left hand of the even field.

OCTAVIUS

Upon the right hand I; keep thou the left.

ANTONY

Why do you cross me in this exigent?

OCTAVIUS

I do not cross you; but I will do so.

March

Drum. Enter BRUTUS, CASSIUS, and their Army; LUCILIUS, TITINIUS, MESSALA, and others

BRUTUS

They stand, and would have parley.

CASSIUS

Stand fast, Titinius: we must out and talk.

OCTAVIUS

Mark Antony, shall we give sign of battle?

ANTONY

No, Caesar, we will answer on their charge.
Make forth; the generals would have some words.

OCTAVIUS

Stir not until the signal.

BRUTUS

Words before blows: is it so, countrymen?

OCTAVIUS

Not that we love words better, as you do.

BRUTUS

Good words are better than bad strokes, Octavius.

ANTONY

In your bad strokes, Brutus, you give good words:
Witness the hole you made in Caesar's heart,
Crying 'Long live! hail, Caesar!'

CASSIUS

Antony,
The posture of your blows are yet unknown;
But for your words, they rob the Hybla bees,
And leave them honeyless.

ANTONY

Not stingless too.

BRUTUS

O, yes, and soundless too;
For you have stol'n their buzzing, Antony,
And very wisely threat before you sting.

ANTONY

Villains, you did not so, when your vile daggers
Hack'd one another in the sides of Caesar:
You show'd your teeth like apes, and fawn'd like hounds,
And bow'd like bondmen, kissing Caesar's feet;
Whilst damned Casca, like a cur, behind
Struck Caesar on the neck. O you flatterers!

CASSIUS

Flatterers! Now, Brutus, thank yourself:
This tongue had not offended so to-day,
If Cassius might have ruled.

OCTAVIUS

Come, come, the cause: if arguing make us sweat,
The proof of it will turn to redder drops. Look;
I draw a sword against conspirators;
When think you that the sword goes up again?
Never, till Caesar's three and thirty wounds
Be well avenged; or till another Caesar
Have added slaughter to the sword of traitors.

BRUTUS

Caesar, thou canst not die by traitors' hands,
Unless thou bring'st them with thee.

OCTAVIUS

So I hope;
I was not born to die on Brutus' sword.

BRUTUS

O, if thou wert the noblest of thy strain,
Young man, thou couldst not die more honourable.

CASSIUS

A peevish schoolboy, worthless of such honour,
Join'd with a masker and a reveller!

ANTONY

Old Cassius still!

OCTAVIUS

Come, Antony, away!
Defiance, traitors, hurl we in your teeth:
If you dare fight to-day, come to the field;
If not, when you have stomachs.

Exeunt OCTAVIUS, ANTONY, and their army

CASSIUS

Why, now, blow wind, swell billow and swim bark!
The storm is up, and all is on the hazard.

BRUTUS

Ho, Lucilius! hark, a word with you.

LUCILIUS

[Standing forth] My lord?

BRUTUS and LUCILIUS converse apart

CASSIUS

Messala!

MESSALA

[Standing forth] What says my general?

CASSIUS

Messala,
This is my birth-day; as this very day
Was Cassius born. Give me thy hand, Messala:
Be thou my witness that against my will,
As Pompey was, am I compell'd to set
Upon one battle all our liberties.
You know that I held Epicurus strong
And his opinion: now I change my mind,
And partly credit things that do presage.
Coming from Sardis, on our former ensign
Two mighty eagles fell, and there they perch'd,
Gorging and feeding from our soldiers' hands;
Who to Philippi here consorted us:
This morning are they fled away and gone;
And in their steads do ravens, crows and kites,
Fly o'er our heads and downward look on us,
As we were sickly prey: their shadows seem
A canopy most fatal, under which
Our army lies, ready to give up the ghost.

MESSALA

Believe not so.

CASSIUS

I but believe it partly;
For I am fresh of spirit and resolved
To meet all perils very constantly.

BRUTUS

Even so, Lucilius.

CASSIUS

Now, most noble Brutus,
The gods to-day stand friendly, that we may,
Lovers in peace, lead on our days to age!
But since the affairs of men rest still incertain,
Let's reason with the worst that may befall.
If we do lose this battle, then is this
The very last time we shall speak together:
What are you then determined to do?

BRUTUS

Even by the rule of that philosophy
By which I did blame Cato for the death
Which he did give himself, I know not how,
But I do find it cowardly and vile,
For fear of what might fall, so to prevent
The time of life: arming myself with patience
To stay the providence of some high powers
That govern us below.

CASSIUS

Then, if we lose this battle,
You are contented to be led in triumph
Thorough the streets of Rome?

BRUTUS

No, Cassius, no: think not, thou noble Roman,
That ever Brutus will go bound to Rome;
He bears too great a mind. But this same day
Must end that work the ides of March begun;
And whether we shall meet again I know not.
Therefore our everlasting farewell take:
For ever, and for ever, farewell, Cassius!
If we do meet again, why, we shall smile;
If not, why then, this parting was well made.

CASSIUS

For ever, and for ever, farewell, Brutus!
If we do meet again, we'll smile indeed;
If not, 'tis true this parting was well made.

BRUTUS

Why, then, lead on. O, that a man might know
The end of this day's business ere it come!
But it sufficeth that the day will end,
And then the end is known. Come, ho! away!

Exeunt

SCENE II. The same. The field of battle.

Alarum. Enter BRUTUS and MESSALA

BRUTUS

Ride, ride, Messala, ride, and give these bills
Unto the legions on the other side.

Loud alarum
Let them set on at once; for I perceive
But cold demeanor in Octavius' wing,
And sudden push gives them the overthrow.
Ride, ride, Messala: let them all come down.

Exeunt

SCENE III. Another part of the field.

Alarums. Enter CASSIUS and TITINIUS

CASSIUS

O, look, Titinius, look, the villains fly!
Myself have to mine own turn'd enemy:
This ensign here of mine was turning back;
I slew the coward, and did take it from him.

TITINIUS

O Cassius, Brutus gave the word too early;
Who, having some advantage on Octavius,
Took it too eagerly: his soldiers fell to spoil,
Whilst we by Antony are all enclosed.

Enter PINDARUS

PINDARUS

Fly further off, my lord, fly further off;
Mark Antony is in your tents, my lord
Fly, therefore, noble Cassius, fly far off.

CASSIUS

This hill is far enough. Look, look, Titinius;
Are those my tents where I perceive the fire?

TITINIUS

They are, my lord.

CASSIUS

Titinius, if thou lovest me,
Mount thou my horse, and hide thy spurs in him,
Till he have brought thee up to yonder troops,
And here again; that I may rest assured
Whether yond troops are friend or enemy.

TITINIUS

I will be here again, even with a thought.

Exit

CASSIUS

Go, Pindarus, get higher on that hill;
My sight was ever thick; regard Titinius,
And tell me what thou notest about the field.

PINDARUS ascends the hill
This day I breathed first: time is come round,
And where I did begin, there shall I end;
My life is run his compass. Sirrah, what news?

PINDARUS

[Above] O my lord!

CASSIUS

What news?

PINDARUS

[Above] Titinius is enclosed round about
With horsemen, that make to him on the spur;
Yet he spurs on. Now they are almost on him.
Now, Titinius! Now some light. O, he lights too.
He's ta'en.

Shout
And, hark! they shout for joy.

CASSIUS

Come down, behold no more.
O, coward that I am, to live so long,
To see my best friend ta'en before my face!

PINDARUS descends
Come hither, sirrah:
In Parthia did I take thee prisoner;
And then I swore thee, saving of thy life,
That whatsoever I did bid thee do,
Thou shouldst attempt it. Come now, keep thine oath;
Now be a freeman: and with this good sword,
That ran through Caesar's bowels, search this bosom.
Stand not to answer: here, take thou the hilts;
And, when my face is cover'd, as 'tis now,
Guide thou the sword.

PINDARUS stabs him
Caesar, thou art revenged,
Even with the sword that kill'd thee.

Dies

PINDARUS

So, I am free; yet would not so have been,
Durst I have done my will. O Cassius,
Far from this country Pindarus shall run,
Where never Roman shall take note of him.

Exit

Re-enter TITINIUS with MESSALA

MESSALA

It is but change, Titinius; for Octavius
Is overthrown by noble Brutus' power,
As Cassius' legions are by Antony.

TITINIUS

These tidings will well comfort Cassius.

MESSALA

Where did you leave him?

TITINIUS

All disconsolate,
With Pindarus his bondman, on this hill.

MESSALA

Is not that he t hat lies upon the ground?

TITINIUS

He lies not like the living. O my heart!

MESSALA

Is not that he?

TITINIUS

No, this was he, Messala,
But Cassius is no more. O setting sun,
As in thy red rays thou dost sink to-night,
So in his red blood Cassius' day is set;
The sun of Rome is set! Our day is gone;
Clouds, dews, and dangers come; our deeds are done!
Mistrust of my success hath done this deed.

MESSALA

Mistrust of good success hath done this deed.
O hateful error, melancholy's child,
Why dost thou show to the apt thoughts of men
The things that are not? O error, soon conceived,
Thou never comest unto a happy birth,
But kill'st the mother that engender'd thee!

TITINIUS

What, Pindarus! where art thou, Pindarus?

MESSALA

Seek him, Titinius, whilst I go to meet
The noble Brutus, thrusting this report
Into his ears; I may say, thrusting it;
For piercing steel and darts envenomed
Shall be as welcome to the ears of Brutus
As tidings of this sight.

TITINIUS

Hie you, Messala,
And I will seek for Pindarus the while.

Exit MESSALA
Why didst thou send me forth, brave Cassius?
Did I not meet thy friends? and did not they
Put on my brows this wreath of victory,
And bid me give it thee? Didst thou not hear their shouts?
Alas, thou hast misconstrued every thing!
But, hold thee, take this garland on thy brow;
Thy Brutus bid me give it thee, and I
Will do his bidding. Brutus, come apace,
And see how I regarded Caius Cassius.
By your leave, gods:--this is a Roman's part
Come, Cassius' sword, and find Titinius' heart.

Kills himself

Alarum. Re-enter MESSALA, with BRUTUS, CATO, STRATO, VOLUMNIUS, and LUCILIUS

BRUTUS

Where, where, Messala, doth his body lie?

MESSALA

Lo, yonder, and Titinius mourning it.

BRUTUS

Titinius' face is upward.

CATO

He is slain.

BRUTUS

O Julius Caesar, thou art mighty yet!
Thy spirit walks abroad and turns our swords
In our own proper entrails.

Low alarums

CATO

Brave Titinius!
Look, whether he have not crown'd dead Cassius!

BRUTUS

Are yet two Romans living such as these?
The last of all the Romans, fare thee well!
It is impossible that ever Rome
Should breed thy fellow. Friends, I owe more tears
To this dead man than you shall see me pay.
I shall find time, Cassius, I shall find time.
Come, therefore, and to Thasos send his body:
His funerals shall not be in our camp,
Lest it discomfort us. Lucilius, come;
And come, young Cato; let us to the field.
Labeo and Flavius, set our battles on:
'Tis three o'clock; and, Romans, yet ere night
We shall try fortune in a second fight.

Exeunt

SCENE IV. Another part of the field.

Alarum. Enter fighting, Soldiers of both armies; then BRUTUS, CATO, LUCILIUS, and others

BRUTUS

Yet, countrymen, O, yet hold up your heads!

CATO

What bastard doth not? Who will go with me?
I will proclaim my name about the field:
I am the son of Marcus Cato, ho!
A foe to tyrants, and my country's friend;
I am the son of Marcus Cato, ho!

BRUTUS

And I am Brutus, Marcus Brutus, I;
Brutus, my country's friend; know me for Brutus!

Exit

LUCILIUS

O young and noble Cato, art thou down?
Why, now thou diest as bravely as Titinius;
And mayst be honour'd, being Cato's son.

First Soldier

Yield, or thou diest.

LUCILIUS

Only I yield to die:
There is so much that thou wilt kill me straight;

Offering money
Kill Brutus, and be honour'd in his death.

First Soldier

We must not. A noble prisoner!

Second Soldier

Room, ho! Tell Antony, Brutus is ta'en.

First Soldier

I'll tell the news. Here comes the general.

Enter ANTONY
Brutus is ta'en, Brutus is ta'en, my lord.

ANTONY

Where is he?

LUCILIUS

Safe, Antony; Brutus is safe enough:
I dare assure thee that no enemy
Shall ever take alive the noble Brutus:
The gods defend him from so great a shame!
When you do find him, or alive or dead,
He will be found like Brutus, like himself.

ANTONY

This is not Brutus, friend; but, I assure you,
A prize no less in worth: keep this man safe;
Give him all kindness: I had rather have
Such men my friends than enemies. Go on,
And see whether Brutus be alive or dead;
And bring us word unto Octavius' tent
How every thing is chanced.

Exeunt

SCENE V. Another part of the field.

Enter BRUTUS, DARDANIUS, CLITUS, STRATO, and VOLUMNIUS

BRUTUS

Come, poor remains of friends, rest on this rock.

CLITUS

Statilius show'd the torch-light, but, my lord,
He came not back: he is or ta'en or slain.

BRUTUS

Sit thee down, Clitus: slaying is the word;
It is a deed in fashion. Hark thee, Clitus.

Whispers

CLITUS

What, I, my lord? No, not for all the world.

BRUTUS

Peace then! no words.

CLITUS

I'll rather kill myself.

BRUTUS

Hark thee, Dardanius.

Whispers

DARDANIUS

Shall I do such a deed?

CLITUS

O Dardanius!

DARDANIUS

O Clitus!

CLITUS

What ill request did Brutus make to thee?

DARDANIUS

To kill him, Clitus. Look, he meditates.

CLITUS

Now is that noble vessel full of grief,
That it runs over even at his eyes.

BRUTUS

Come hither, good Volumnius; list a word.

VOLUMNIUS

What says my lord?

BRUTUS

Why, this, Volumnius:
The ghost of Caesar hath appear'd to me
Two several times by night; at Sardis once,
And, this last night, here in Philippi fields:
I know my hour is come.

VOLUMNIUS

Not so, my lord.

BRUTUS

Nay, I am sure it is, Volumnius.
Thou seest the world, Volumnius, how it goes;
Our enemies have beat us to the pit:

Low alarums
It is more worthy to leap in ourselves,
Than tarry till they push us. Good Volumnius,
Thou know'st that we two went to school together:
Even for that our love of old, I prithee,
Hold thou my sword-hilts, whilst I run on it.

VOLUMNIUS

That's not an office for a friend, my lord.

Alarum still

CLITUS

Fly, fly, my lord; there is no tarrying here.

BRUTUS

Farewell to you; and you; and you, Volumnius.
Strato, thou hast been all this while asleep;
Farewell to thee too, Strato. Countrymen,
My heart doth joy that yet in all my life
I found no man but he was true to me.
I shall have glory by this losing day
More than Octavius and Mark Antony
By this vile conquest shall attain unto.
So fare you well at once; for Brutus' tongue
Hath almost ended his life's history:
Night hangs upon mine eyes; my bones would rest,
That have but labour'd to attain this hour.

Alarum. Cry within, 'Fly, fly, fly!'

CLITUS

Fly, my lord, fly.

BRUTUS

Hence! I will follow.

Exeunt CLITUS, DARDANIUS, and VOLUMNIUS
I prithee, Strato, stay thou by thy lord:
Thou art a fellow of a good respect;
Thy life hath had some smatch of honour in it:
Hold then my sword, and turn away thy face,
While I do run upon it. Wilt thou, Strato?

STRATO

Give me your hand first. Fare you well, my lord.

BRUTUS

Farewell, good Strato.

Runs on his sword
Caesar, now be still:
I kill'd not thee with half so good a will.

Dies

Alarum. Retreat. Enter OCTAVIUS, ANTONY, MESSALA, LUCILIUS, and the army

OCTAVIUS

What man is that?

MESSALA

My master's man. Strato, where is thy master?

STRATO

Free from the bondage you are in, Messala:
The conquerors can but make a fire of him;
For Brutus only overcame himself,
And no man else hath honour by his death.

LUCILIUS

So Brutus should be found. I thank thee, Brutus,
That thou hast proved Lucilius' saying true.

OCTAVIUS

All that served Brutus, I will entertain them.
Fellow, wilt thou bestow thy time with me?

STRATO

Ay, if Messala will prefer me to you.

OCTAVIUS

Do so, good Messala.

MESSALA

How died my master, Strato?

STRATO

I held the sword, and he did run on it.

MESSALA

Octavius, then take him to follow thee,
That did the latest service to my master.

ANTONY

This was the noblest Roman of them all:
All the conspirators save only he
Did that they did in envy of great Caesar;
He only, in a general honest thought
And common good to all, made one of them.
His life was gentle, and the elements
So mix'd in him that Nature might stand up
And say to all the world 'This was a man!'

OCTAVIUS

According to his virtue let us use him,
With all respect and rites of burial.
Within my tent his bones to-night shall lie,
Most like a soldier, order'd honourably.
So call the field to rest; and let's away,
To part the glories of this happy day.

Exeunt

Girl From North Country-
Sounds like you're having a hard time letting go of the past. Move on!! Stop bitching about the promises that were made in the beginning when the aquarium was built and take advantage of the fact that we have moved on and the aquarium is being used more for education than was originally planned. Call me crazy, but I would much prefer my children to go to an aquarium to get an education than swim in some waterpark that wastes water anyways.

"My point about seeing animals all over the world was in response to "where else are ya gonna see 'em?" - not to brag, but since the "I'm so Poor" card has been played, I will say that I have bartered for every one of those trips. I guess I could have stayed home - would that have made me more PC?" It's great that you've been able to barter your way to go on these trips, but again, FAMILIES are a different story. And no, I don't expect people to come from around the country to go to the aquarium, like I've said before, it's not even in the same category as the Shedd or Monterrey, but it's still a great place for local/regional families to go to. And how dare you make fun of the fact that I apprently played the "poor card." What a jerk!!! Yeah, my family had ZERO money when I was growing up, and I had 2 sick parents. I'm not trying to get sympathy, so don't even try to go down that route, I'm just trying to point out that you need to think about others who can't "barter" like you've been able to do.
This is a lost cause with you. Obviously you're too selfish and self-absorbed to think about the less fortunate families and kids around the area....and a waterpark is bullshit and you're just saying it so that you don't give in on the aquarium. How would a waterpark be educational??? What a bunch of crap. Way to go.

How would a waterpark be educational?

http://www.noahsarkwaterpark.com/attractions/educational-opportunities/

Either way, why does everything aimed at kids have to be educational? Whatever happened to providing a little fun for kids?

And by the way...I'm starting to move to the side of keeping the branch libraries open. I havnt been able to find an answer on what will happen to the physica locations when they are closed. That just leads me to assume that they will be left empty and we'll still be paying for the space. If that's the case, there is very little point to closing them down.

I used to think Danny was just a self-centered irritant. Now I really dislike him. I've noticed him essentially destroying the Duluth Solutions forum with his endless spam and is equally as reviled on DCB.

I long for the days when we could discuss issues with some humor and not have an attention whore leaving a brown cloud wherever he goes.

"Just Saying"

Can't wait for the uber-wit's reply. You know it's coming.

As yet, there is no talk of closing the branch libraries down permanently, just until "at least" the end of the year. But, if it does become permanent, books would have to be moved to the main library, with books also sold off at their annual book sale, maybe others simply being pulped as I doubt there'd be room at the Main for such an influx of books. I've only been to the W. Duluth branch once, it's a nice building. The Mt Royal branch is in a shopping center. I imagine that the library leases that space, I really don't know, I'd be very surprised if the city owns that building. If it closed permanently, a retail business could move into the space, I doubt that it would sit empty. It'd have to be something that could anchor that part of the shopping center, though, it's by far the biggest space in that building, which has about a 1/2 dozen small businesses in it right now.

Here's the uber-wit's reply:

WHAT THE HELL?!?

Seriously. What did I say?

Does he troll for chicks on those sites too?

I can only comment on Mt Royal branch since it's the only one I'm familiar with. I take the boy for his haircuts there.

The more I think about this, the more it's starting to look like Don Donny DIDNT think about it. I'm more upset by the "not sure" attitude and the lack of information. It really says something that nobody knows if it's leased space that will sit empty even for a few months or not...or if we'll be paying for unused prime space for any length of time.

Troll for chicks? Wow Prof. For somebody who hates prejudism so much you sure do make alot of assumptions.

And I thought the definition of "troll" had something to do with posting something controversial just to get a reaction.

Whatever. Just another example of where I'm trying to bring this topic back on point and you guys try to make it about little old me.

zra, i'm going to kick your ass when i get home from Montreal. What did we say about posting entire Shakespeare plays in the comments? Hmm? Hmm? Can't leave you alone for a minute. :)

Sara,
My point was: I grew up poor, I still don't have a lot of money, I barter to go on trips with my kids. You are free to use your own creative skills to find fun, educational stuff for your kids to do, too.

If you work at the aquarium, and stil are low.mod income, that is another telling thing about its management.

I think it's GOOD the aquarium focuses more on education, but the point is that those who sold the city a bill of goods were crooks, and those who believed their outlandish claims and indebted us to the state are also at fault. The aquarium-to-be was touted as equalling the Shedd, and the first ad campaigns (which were generously funded) were aimed at people in Chicago!!!

Wrong, wrong, wrong, in every move from inception to now.

I don't give a rat's tiny bum whether it ends up as a waterpark or something wonderful, I don't want it to end up as another Grandma's restuarant or something.

And all this drum beating about 'education/education/education' - The Children's Museum, the Art Institute, the Train Museum, the Symphony, the Ballet, to name but a few, all educate kids and their stipend from the city is miniscule at best. (Given more to help with the building, not as direct grants to entities therein)

So why should the aquarium, which is much newer than any of those august agencies, and has had a much spottier record, receive zillions of $ in support every year, when they don't? It can't merely be because the fish tank 'educates', because all they do, too.

This thread was about the libraries closing, and only got onto the aquarium because people are tired of seeing huge chunks of $ going into a sinking ship, when other EDUCATIONAL things like branch libraries were threatened with closing.

OK! I'm done! Guess I'll go off and feel ashamed that I managed to take my kids on adventures, even without cash! Foie Gras for the tykes!

Don't forget the poop!

Most people don't cleanse themselves sufficiently after bowel movements, which can add up to 2 to 3 pounds of feces a day in the average water park."

Get over yourself. I'm done with arguing about why the aquarium is a good place and deserves for people to back off and give it another chance (yes, it was a bad pitch in the beginning, but we have it now and need to move on.). I have never disagreed that it wasn't a good idea in the beginning, especially the way it was pitched. It's not comparable to the Shedd, so again don't even try that. The symphony, ballet, children's museum, all of them are great places! You don't see them bringing in millions of dollars a year either, and people still enjoy them and they cost money to enjoy as well. It is a shame that we are losing our libraries and once again I am hoping that something can be done to either improve the remaining library or to save the once that are to close.

Oh yeah, and YES i do work at the aquarium, extremely hard thank you very much. I like it there. And no I don't get paid a lot but I knew that getting into my chosen field. I enjoy what I'm doing and I love sharing science and nature with children and adults. Especially if I can inspire a child to appreciate some of the amazing things that our area has to offer...and they can't afford to experience these things with their families (for lack of money or uninvolved parents.). I give you kudos for being able to bring your kids on these vacations, but don't be naive enough to believe that it's possible for all families to do what you've been able to do. It's NOT always possible. Just be a little open minded about this and just understand that there are people who appreciate the aquarium and enjoy going their with their families.

OH yeah, and ZILLIONS of dollars are spent on the aquarium? Yeah, ok. Nice fact checking.

I'm done with this. It's ridiculous and you're just obviously looking to make the aquarium look like it's pointless and no one likes it (which is most definitely NOT TRUE and has been pointed out many times.) If you used this passion that you have against the aquarium in other parts of the city, say for example in taking over some of the parks that the city are dropping and making them a community maintained venue, I'm sure you would really do a lot of good.

Well, I DO use my powers for good too, and not only evil! *blush*