JULIUS CAESAR

by William Shakespeare

1599

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

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