me,

that friend demand, why Brutus rose against Cæsar, this is my answer;-Not that I loved Cæsar less, but that I loved Rome more. Had you rather Cæsar were living, and die all slaves, than that Cæsar were dead, to live all freemen? As Cæsar loved 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. 376. Cit. None, Brutus, none.

[Several speaking at once. 377. 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 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 CÆSAR'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.

Cit. Live, Brutus, live! live!
1 Cit. Bring him with triumph home unto his house.
2 Cit. Give him a statue with his ancestors.

3 Cit. Let him be Cæsar.
382. 4 Cit. Cæsar's better parts
Shall now be crowned in Brutus.

1 Cit. We'll bring him to his house with shouts and clamours.
Bru. My countrymen,
2 Cit. Peace; silence! Brutus speaks.

1 Cit. Peace, ho!
387. Bru. Good countrymen, let me depart alone,

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

(Exit. 1 Cit. Stay, ho! and .et us hear Mark Antony.

:

3 Cit. Let him go up into the public chair; We'll hear him :-Noble Antony, go up. 390. Ant. For Brutus' sake, I am beholden to you.

4 Cit. What does he say of Brutus ?

3 Cit. He says, for Brutus' sake, He finds himself beholden to us all.

4 Cit. 'Twere best he speak no harm of Brutus here.

1 Cit. This Cæsar was a tyrant.
395. 3 Cit. Nay, that's certain :
We are blest that Rome is rid of him.

2 Cit. Peace, let us hear what Antony can say.
Ant. You gentle Romans,

Cit. Peace, ho! let us hear him. 399. 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 answered 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.
He hath brought many captives home to Rome,
Whose ransoms did the general coffers fill :
Did this in Cæsar seem ambitious ?
When that the poor have cried, Cæsar 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 Cæsar,
And I must pause till it come back to me.

1 Cit. Methinks, there is much reason in his sayings.

2 Cit. If thou consider rightly of the matter, Cæsar has had great wrong.

3 Cit. Has he not, master ? I fear, there will a worse come in his place. 403. 4 Cit. Marked ye his words ? He would not take the crown;

Therefore, 'tis certain he was not ambitious.
404. 1 Cit. If it be found so, some will dear abide it.

2 Cit. Poor soul! his eyes are red as fire with weeping.
3 Cit. There's not a nobler man in Rome than Antony.

4 Cit. Now mark him, he begins again to speak. 408. Ant. But yesterday, the word of Cæsar might

Have stood against the world : now lies he there,
And none so poor to do him reverence.
Oh 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 Cæsar;
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 Cæsar'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.

4 Cit. We'll hear the will: Read it, Mark Antony.
Cit. The will, the will: we will hear Cæsar's will.

Ant. Have patience, gentle friends; I must not read it;
It is not meet you know how Cæsar loved 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, 0, what would come of it! 412. 4 Cit. Read the will; we will hear it, Antony; you shall read

us the will; Cæsar's will.
413. Ant. Will you be patient? Will you stay a while ?

I have overshot myself, to tell you of it.
I fear, I wrong the honourable men,
Whose daggers have stabbed Cæsar: I do fear it.

Cit. They were traitors : Honourable men !
Cit. The will! the testament!
2 Cit. They were villains, murderers : The will, read the will !

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 ?

Cit. Come down. 419. 2 Cit. Descend.

[He comes down from the pulpit. 3 Cit. You shall have leave.

4 Cit. A ring; stand round.
422. 1 Cit. Stand from the hearse, stand from the body.

2 Cit. Room for Antony ;-most noble Antony.
Ant. Nay, press not so upon me; stand far off.

Cit. Stand back! room! bear back !
426. Ant. If you have tears, prepare to shed them now.

You all do know this mantle: I remember
The first time ever Cæsar put it on;
'Twas on a summer's evening, in his tent,
That day he overcame the Nervi :-
Look! in this place, ran Cassius' dagger through:
See, what a rent the envious Casca made :
Through this, the well-beloved Brutus stabbed;
And, as he plucked his cursed steel away,
Mark how the blood of Cæsar followed it;
As rushing out of doors, to be resolved
If Brutus so unkindly knocked, or no;
For Brutus, as you know, was Cæsar's angel:
Judge, O you gods, how dearly Cæsar loved him !
This was the most unkindest cut of all:
For, when the noble Cæsar saw him stab,
Ingratitude, more strong than traitors' arms,
Quite vanquished him : then burst his mighty heart ;
And, in his mantle muffling up his face,
Even at the base of Pompey's statue,

Which all the while ran blood, great Cæsar fell.
0, what a fall was there, my countrymen !
Then I, and you, and all of us fell down,
Whilst bloody treason flourished over us.
0, 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 Cæsar's vesture wounded ? Look you here,
Here is himself, marred, as you see, with traitors.