Imagens das páginas
PDF
ePub

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 Cæsar's body.

SCENE II.

The same. The Forum.

Enter Brutus and Cassius, and a throng of Citi

zens.

Cit. We will be satisfied; let us be satisfied. Bru. Then follow me, and give me audience, friends.

Cassius, go you into the other street,

Aud part the numbers.

Those that will hear me speak, let them stay here; Those that will follow Cassius, go with him;

And publick reasons shall be rendered

Of Cæsar's death.

1 Cit.

I will hear Brutus speak.

2 Cit. 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 rostrum.

3 Cit. The noble Brutus is ascended: Silence! Bru. 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

[blocks in formation]

friend of Cæsar's, to him I say, that Brutus' love to Cæsar was no less than his. If then that friend de. mand 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, 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.

• Friend.

Cæsar's better parts

3 Cit. Let him be Cæsar.

4 Cit.

Shall now be crown'd in Brutus.

1 Cit. We'll bring him to his house with shouts and clamours.

Bru. My countrymen,

2 Cit.

1 Cit. Peace; ho!

Peace; silence! Brutus speaks.

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 allow'd 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 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

bere.

1 Cit. This Cæsar was a tyrant.

3 Cit.

Nay, that's certain:

We are bless'd, 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 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 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;

Aud 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 judgement, 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 say. ings.

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

3 Cit.

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

Autony.

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 peor* to do him reverence.

O masters! if I were dispos'd to stir

Your bearts 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.
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 o'ershot myself, to tell you of it.

I fear, I wrong the honourable men,

Whose daggers have stabb'd Cæsar: I do fear it.

The meanest man is now too high to do reve rence to Cæsar.

+ Handkerchiefs.

« AnteriorContinuar »