Good-morrow to you. Here the street is narrow: Act Third. SCENE I. -THE CAPITOL; THE SENATE SITTING. A Crowd of People in the Street leading to the Capitol: among them Artemidorus and the Soothsayer. Flourish. Enter Cæsar, Brutus, Cassius, Casca, Decius, Metellus, Trebonius, Cinna, Antony, Lepidus, Popilius, Publius, and others. Cæs. The ides of March are come. Art. Delay not, Cæsar; read it instantly. Sirrah, give place. Cæsar enters the Capitol, the rest following. Pop. I wish your enterprise to-day may thrive. Fare you well. Bru. Cassius, be constant: Popilius Lena speaks not of our purposes; For, look, he smiles, and Cæsar doth not change. Cas. Trebonius knows his time; for look you, Brutus, He draws Mark Antony out of the way. Exeunt Antony and Trebonius. Cæsar and the Senators take their Seats. Dec. Where is Metellus Cimber? Let him go, And presently prefer his suit to Cæsar. B. He is address'd1: press near, and second him. 1 Ready. Cin. Casca, you are the first that rears your hand. Cas. Are we all ready? what is now amiss, That Cæsar, and his senate must redress? Met. Most high, most mighty, and most puissant Cæsar, Metellus Cimber throws before thy seat An humble heart:[Kneeling. Cæs. 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 Cæsar 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 fawn- If thou dost bend, and pray, and fawn for him, M. Is there no voice more worthy than my own, Cas. Pardon, Cæsar; Cæsar, pardon: As low as to thy foot doth Cassius fall, To beg enfranchisement for Publius Cimber. Cæs. I could be well mov'd, if I were as you; Cæs. Hence! Wilt thou lift up Olympus? Cæsar Doth not Brutus bootless 3 kneel? Casca. Speak, hands, for me. [Casca stabs Cæsar in the neck. catches hold of his arm. He is then stabbed by several other Conspirators, and at last by Marcus Brutus. Cæs. Et tu, Brutet?-Then, fall, Cæsar. [Dies. The Senators and People retire in confusion. Cin. Liberty! Freedom! Tyranny is dead! Run hence, proclaim, cry it about the streets. Cas. Some to the common pulpits, and cry out, Liberty, freedom, and enfranchisement! Bru, People, and senators! be not affrighted; Fly not; stand still:-ambition's debt is paid. Casca. Go to the pulpit, Brutus. Dec. And Cassius too. Bru. Where's Publius? Cin. Here, quite confounded with this mutiny. Met. Stand fast together, lest some friend of Cæsar's Should chance B. Talk not of standing;-Publius, good cheer; There is no harm intended to your person, Nor to no Roman else; so tell them, Publius. Cas. And leave us, Publius, lest that the people, Rushing on us, should do your age some mischief. Bru. Do so;-and let no man abide this deed, But we the doers. Re-enter Trebonius. Cas. Where's Antony? Tre. Fled to his house amazed: Men, wives, and children, stare, cry out, and run, As it were doomsday. Bru. Fates! we will know your pleasures :That we shall die, we know; 'tis but the time, And drawing days out, that men stand upon. Cas. Why, he that cuts off twenty years of life, Cuts off so many years of fearing death. Bru. Grant that, and then is death a benefit: So are we Cæsar's friends, that have abridg'd His time of fearing death.-Stoop, Romans, stoop, And let us bathe our hands in Cæsar'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! Cas. Stoop, then, and wash. How many ages hence, Shall this our lofty scene be acted over, B. Soft, who comes here? A friend of Antony's. Serv. 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; Cæsar was mighty, bold, royal, and loving: Say, I love Brutus, and I honour him; Say, I fear'd Cæsar, honour'd him, and lov'd him; If Brutus will vouchsafe, that Antony May safely come to him, and be resolv'd How Cæsar hath deserv'd to lie in death, Mark Antony shall not love Cæsar dead So well as Brutus living; but will follow The fortunes and affairs of noble Brutus 1 (Base of his statue.) Bru. But here comes Antony.- Welcome, Mark Antony. Ant. O mighty Cæsar! Dost thou lie so low? With the most noble blood of all this world. Bru. O Antony! beg not your death of us. Our arms, in strength of malice, and our hearts, ence. Cas. Your voice shall be as strong as any man's, In the disposing of new dignities. Bru. Only be patient, till we have appeas'd The multitude, beside themselves with fear, And then we will deliver you the cause, Why I, that did love Cæsar when I struck him, Have thus proceeded. Ant. 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 least in love, yours, good Trebonius. Gentlemen all,-alas! what shall I say? 1 Too great. That I did love thee, Cæsar, O, 'tis true: Shall it not grieve thee, dearer than thy death, Here didst thou fall; and here thy hunters stand, Cas. Mark Antony, Ant. Pardon me, Caius Cassius: Cas. I blame you not for praising Cæsar so; Ant. Therefore I took your hands; but was, Sway'd from thepoint, by looking down on Cæsar. Bru. Or else were this a savage spectacle: Ant. Brutus, a word with you. That Antony speak in his funeral: Bru. Bru. Prepare the body then, and follow us. Ant. O, pardon me, thou bleeding piece of That I am meek and gentle with these butchers! To beg the voice and utterance of my tongue;- Enter a Servant. You serve Octavius Cæsar, do you not? Ant. Cæsar did write for him to come to Rome. Serv. He lies to-night within seven leagues Ant. Post back with speed, and tell him Here is a mourning Rome, a dangerous Rome, Hie hence, and tell him so. Yet, stay a while; By your pardon; Ant. I do desire no more. Be it so; 1 Death. [Exeunt, with Cæsar's Body. SCENE II.-THE FORUM. Enter Brutus and Cassius, and a Throng of Cit. We will be satisfied; let us be satisfied. Those that will hear me speak, let them stay here; 2 Cit. I will hear Cassius, and compare their When severallywe hear them rendered. [reasons, [Exit Cassius, with some of the Citizens. Brutus goes into the Rostrum. 3 Cit. The noble Brutus is ascended: Silence! Bru. Be patient till the last. Romans, countrymen, and lovers 1! hear me for my cause; and be silent that ye 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 Cæsar's, to him I say, that Brutus' love to Cæsar was no less than his. If then 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 free men? As Cæsar 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. Cit. None, Brutus, none. [Several speaking at once. Bru. Then none have I offended. I have done no more to Cæsar, than you should 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,2 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. 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. [Exit. I do entreat you not a man depart, Save I alone, till Antony have spoke. 1 Cit. Stay, ho! and let us hear Mark Antony. 3 Cit. Let him go up into the publick chair; We'll hear him:-Noble Antony, go up. 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. 3 Cit. Nay, that's certain: Cit. I come to bury Cæsar, not to praise him. You all did see, that on the Lupercal, 1 Cit. Methinks there is much reason in his sayings. 3 Cit. 2 Cit. If thou consider rightly of the matter, Cæsar has had great wrongs. Has he, masters? I fear, there will a worse come in his place. 4 Cit. Mark'd 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. 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 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, '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 lov'd you, 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 1 Cit. Stand from the hearse, stand from the 2 Cit. Room for Antony:-Most noble Antony. Ant. Nay, press not so upon me; stand far off. Cit. Stand back! room! bear back! A. If you have tears, prepare to shed them now. You all do know this mantle: I remember This was the most unkindest cut of all: And, in his mantle muffling up his face, 2 Cit. O noble Cæsar! 4 Cit. O traitors, villains! 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. 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. And will, no doubt, with reasons answer you. But, as you know me all, a plain blunt man, And bid them speak for me: But were I Brutus, 1 Cit. We'll burn the house of Brutus. 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 deserv'd 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. 1 Statue. 2 Impression. 3 Grievances. |