Julius Caesar
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.
- Caesar: 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
- --oOo-- -