is here so vile, that will not love his country? If any, speak; for him have I offended. I pause for a reply.
Cit. None, Brutus, none. [Several speaking at once.
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. 380. 2 Cit. Give him a statue with his ancestors.
3 Cit. Let him be Cæsar.
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,385. 2 Cit. Peace; silence! Brutus speaks.
1 Cit. Peace, ho!
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 let 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 blessed, 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. 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. 400. 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, masters ? I fear, there will a worse come in his place.
4 Cit. Marked ye his words? He would not take the crown ; Therefore, 'tis certain he was not ambitious.
1 Cit. If it be found so, some will dear abide it. 405. 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. 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.
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 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. 110. 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, O, what would come of it!
4 Cit. Read the will; we will hear it, Antony; you shall read us the will; Cæsar's will.
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.
4 Cit. They were traitors : Honourable men! 415. 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. 2 Cit. Descend.
[He comes down from the pulpit. 420. 3 Cit. You shall have leave.
4 Cit. A ring ; stand round. 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. 425. Cit. Stand back! room! bear back!
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. O, what a fall was there, my countrymen! Then I, and you, and all of us fell down, Whilst bloody treason flourished 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 Cæsar's vesture wounded ? Look you here, Here is himself, marred, as you see, with traitors.
1 Cit. O piteous spectacle ! 2 Cit. O noble Cæsar!
3 Cit. O woeful day! 430. 4 Cit. O traitors, villains !
1 Cit. O most bloody sight!
2 Cit. We will be revenged : revenge; about, --seek,--burn,fire,-kill,---slay !-let not a traitor live.
Ant. Stay, countrymen.
1 Cit. Peace there :-Hear the noble Antony. 435. 2 Cit. We'll hear him, we'll follow him, we'll die with him.
Ant. 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 Cæsar'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 Cæsar, that should move The stones of Rome to rise and mutiny.
Cit. We'll mutiny. 1 Cit. We'll burn the house of Brutus.
3 Cit. Away then, come, seek the conspirators. 440. Ant. Yet hear me, countrymen; yet hear me speak.
Cit. Peace, ho! Hear Antony, most noble Antony.
Ant. Why, friends, you go to do you know not what : Wherein hath Cæsar thus deserved your loves ? Alas, you know not :-I must tell you, then You have forgot the will I told you of.
Cit. Most true ;-—the will;—let's stay, and hear the will.
Ant. Here is the will, and under Cæsar's seal. To every Roman citizen he gives,
To every several man, seventy-five drachmas. 445. 2 Cit. Most noble Cæsar !-we'll revenge his death.
3 Cit. O royal Cæsar! Ant. Hear me with patience, Cit. 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 for ever ; common pleasures, To walk abroad, and recreate yourselves.
Here was a Cæsar : When comes such another ? 450. 1 Cit. 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 Cit. Go, fetch fire. 3 Cit. Pluck down benches. 4 Cit. Pluck down forms, windows, anything.
[Exeunt CITIZENS, with the body. Ant. Now let it work : Mischief, thou art afoot, Take thou what course thou wilt!-How now, fellow ?
Enter a SERVANT. 455. Serv. Sir, Octavius is already come to Rome.
Ant. Where is he? Serv. He and Lepidus are at Cæsar's house.
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