166

Bru. 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 pityHath done this deed on Cæsar. For your part, To you our swords have leaden points, Mark Antony;

170

Will you be prick'd in number of our friends; Or shall we on, and not depend on you?

Ant. Therefore I took your hands, but was,

indeed,

Sway'd from the point, by looking down on Cæsar.

Friends am I with you all and love you all, 220 Upon this hope, that you shall give me reasons Why and wherein Cæsar was dangerous.

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

Ant.

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.
Bru. You shall, Mark Antony.
Cas.

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230

Brutus, a word with you.

[Aside to Bru.] You know not what you do. Do not consent

That Antony speak in his funeral.
Know you how much the people may be mov'd
By that which he will utter?

Bru.

By your pardon.

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240

I will myself into the pulpit first,
And show the reason of our Cæsar's death.
What Antony shall speak, I will protest
He speaks by leave and by permission,
And that we are contented Cæsar shall
Have all true rites and lawful ceremonies.
It shall advantage more than do us wrong.
Cas. I know not what may fall; I like it not.
Bru. Mark Antony, here, take you Cæsar's

Serv. He lies to-night within seven leagues of Rome.

Ant. Post back with speed and tell him what hath chanc'd.

289

Here is a mourning Rome, a dangerous Rome,
No Rome of safety for Octavius yet;
Hie hence, and tell him so. Yet, stay a while;
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 295
To young Octavius of the state of things.
Lend me your hand.

[Exeunt [with Cæsar's body].

[SCENE II. The Forum.] Enter BRUTUS and CASSIUS, with the PLE

When severally we hear them rendered.

10

[Exit Cassius, with some of the Plebeians.] Brutus goes into the pulpit.

3. Pleb. The noble Brutus is ascended; silence!

Bru. 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; cen- [15 sure 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 Cæsar was no less than his. If then that friend demand (20 why Brutus rose against Cæsar, this is my an swer: Not that I lov'd Cæsar less, but that I lov'd Rome more. Had you rather Cæsar were living and die all slaves, than that Cæsar were dead, to live all freemen? As Cæsar lov'd 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. Nore, Brutus, none.

Bru. Then none have I offended. I have done no more to Cæsar than you shall do to Brutus. The question of his death is enroll'd in the Capitol; his glory not extenuated, wherein he was worthy, nor his offences enfore`d, for which he suffered death.

Enter ANTONY [and others], with Caesar's body. Here comes his body, mourn'd 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!

1. Pleb. Bring him with triumph home unto his house.

2. Pleb. Give him a statue with his ancestors.

3. Pleb. Let him be Cæsar. 4. Pleb.

Shall be crown'd in Brutus.

1. Pleb.

品

Cæsar's better parts

We'll bring him to his house

With shouts and clamours.

Bru. Good countrymen, let me depart alone. And, for my sake, stay here with Antony.

料

Do grace to Cæsar's corpse, and grace his speech

Tending to Cæsar'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.

Erit.

1. Pleb. Stay, ho! and let us hear Mark Antony.

3. Pleb. Let him go up into the public chair; We'll hear him. Noble Antony, go up. Ant. For Brutus' sake, I am beholding_to [Goes into the pulpit.]

you.

4. Pleb. What does he say of Brutus? 3. Pleb. He says, for Brutus' sake. He finds himself beholding to us all.

say.

Ant. You gentle Romans, -
All.

Peace, ho! let us hear him. Ant. Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears!

I come to bury Cæsar, 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 Cæsar. The noble Brutus
Hath told you Cæsar was ambitious;
If it were so, it was a grievous fault,
And grievously hath Cæsar 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 Cæsar's funeral.

He was my friend, faithful and just to me;
But Brutus says he was ambitious,
And Brutus is an honourable man.

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85

90

Have stood against the world; now lies he there,

And none so poor to do him reverence.

125

O masters, if I were dispos'd 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 Cæsar;
I found it in his closet; 't is his will.

Let but the commons hear this testament —

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1535

All. The will, the will! we will hear Cæsar's will.

Ant. Have patience, gentle friends, I must

It is not meet you know how Cæsar lov'd you. You are not wood, you are not stones, but men ; And, being men, hearing the will of Cæsar, 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! 151 4. Pleb. Read the will; we 'll hear it, Antony.

You shall read us the will, Cæsar's will. Ant. Will you be patient? Will you stay a while?

155

I have o'ershot myself to tell you of it.
I fear I wrong the honourable men
Whose daggers have stabb'd Cæsar; I do fear

it.

4. Pleb. They were traitors; honourable men!

All. The will! the testament!

2. Pleb. They were villains, murderers. The will! read the will.

160

Ant. You will compel me, then, to read the will?

Then make a ring about the corpse of Cæsar, And let me show you him that made the will. Shall I descend? and will you give me leave? All. Come down.

2. Pleb. Descend.

3. Pleb. You shall have leave.

165

Antony comes down from the pulpit.]

4. Pleb. A ring; stand round.

1. Pleb. Stand from the hearse, stand from the body.

2. Pleb. Room for Antony, most noble Antony.

170

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

All. Stand back; room; bear back!

Ant. If you have tears, prepare to shed them

now.

You all do know this mantle; I remember

175

The first time ever Cæsar 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 Cæsar followed it,
As rushing out of doors, to be resolv'd
If Brutus so unkindly knock'd, or no;
For Brutus, as you know, was Cæsar's angel.
Judge, O you gods, how dearly Cæsar lov'd
him!

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186

195

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 be-
hold

Our Cæsar's vesture wounded? Look you here: [Lifting Cæsar's mantle.] 200 Here is himself, marr'd, as you see, with traitors.

1. Pleb. O piteous spectacle ! 2. Pleb. O noble Cæsar!

3. Pleb. O woeful day!

4. Pleb. O traitors, villains!

1. Pleb. O most bloody sight! 2. Pleb. We will be reveng'd! [All.]

203

Revenge! About!

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

And Brutus Antony, there were an Antony
Would ruffle up your spirits, and put a tongue
In every wound of Cæsar, that should move
The stones of Rome to rise and mutiny.
All. We'll mutiny.

1. Pleb. We'll burn the house of Brutus.
3. Pleb. Away, then! come, seek the con-
spirators.

Ant. Yet hear me, countrymen; yet hear me speak.

All. Peace, ho! hear Antony, most noble Antony!

Ant. Why, friends, you go to do you know not what.

Wherein hath Cæsar thus deserv'd 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.

Ant. Here is the will, and under Caesar's seal.

To every Roman citizen he gives, To every several man, seventy-five drachmas. 2. Pleb. Most noble Cæsar! We'll revenge his death.

3. Pleb. O royal Cæsar!

Ant. Hear me with patience.
All. Peace, ho!

Ant. 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 forever, common pleasures, To walk abroad, and recreate yourselves. Here was a Cæsar! When comes such another?

1. Pleb. 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.

2. Pleb. Go fetch fire.

3. Pleb. Pluck down benches.

4. Pleb. Pluck down forms, windows, anything. [Exeunt Plebeians [with the body). Ant. Now let it work. Mischief, thou art afoot,

Take thou what course thou wilt!

Enter a SERVANT.