Bru. Prepare the body, then, and follow us. That I am meek and gentle with these butchers! (Which, like dumb mouths, do ope their ruby lips To beg the voice and utterance of my tongue), Domestic fury and fierce civil strife That mothers shall but smile when they behold Serv. He lies to-night within seven leagues of Rome. Ant. Post back with speed, and tell him what hath chanced. Here is a mourning Rome, a dangerous Rome, Hie hence, and tell him so. Yet stay awhile: [Exeunt, with CESAR's body. I will hear Brutus speak. 2nd Cit. I will hear Cassius: and compare their reasons, When severally we hear them renderéd. [Exit CASSIUS, with some of the Citizens. BRUTUS goes into the Rostrum. 3rd Cit. The noble Brutus is ascended: si lence! 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 honor; and have respect to mine honor, 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 not less than his. If, then, that friend demand why Brutus rose against Cæsar, this is my answer, I offended. -I pause 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 offenses enforced, for whieh he suffered death. ---- Enter ANTONY and others, with CESAR's body. Here comes his body mourned by Marc 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! 1st Cit. Stay, ho! and let us hear Marc Antony. 3rd Cit. Let him go up into the public chair: We'll hear him, Noble Antony, go up. Ant. For Brutus' sake I am beholden to you. He finds himself beholden to us all. 1st Cit. This Cæsar was a tyrant. Nay that's certain : We are blessed that Rome is rid of him. 2nd Cit. Peace: let us hear what Antony can say. Ant. You gentle Romans, Cit. Ant. Peace, ho! let us hear him. I come to bury Cæsar, not to praise him: He was my friend, faithful and just to me: 1st Cit. Bring him with triumph home unto his But Brutus says he was ambitious; And Brutus is an honorable man. He hath brought many captives home to Rome, And Brutus is an honorable man. You all did see that, on the Lupercal, I thrice presented him a kingly crown; Which he did thrice refuse. Was this ambition? And sure he is an honorable man. 1st Cit. Methinks there is much reason in his 'T is good you know not that you are his heirs : 4th Cit. Marked ye his words? He would not I fear I wrong the honorable men take the crown: Therefore 't is certain he was not ambitious. 1st Cit. If it be found so, some will dear abide it. 2nd Cit. Poor soul! his eyes are red as fire with weeping. 3rd Cit. There's not a nobler man in Rome than Antony. Whose daggers have stabbed Cæsar: I do fear it. 4th Cit. They were traitors. Honorable men! Cit. The will! the testament! 2nd 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, 4th Cit. Now mark him; he begins again to And let me show you him that made the will. 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 honorable men. I will not do them wrong: I rather choose To wrong the dead, to wrong myself, and you, Than I will wrong such honorable men. But here's a parchment, with the seal of Cæsar: I found it in his closet; 't is 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. Shall I descend; and will you give me leave? Cit. Come down. 2nd Cit. Descend. [Ile comes from the pulpit. 3rd Cit. You shall have leave. 4th Cit. A ring; stand round! 1st Cit. Stand from the hearse; stand from the body! 2nd Cit. Room for Antony: most noble Antony! Ant. Nay, press not so upon me: stand far off. Cit. Stand back! room! bear back! Ant. If you have tears, prepare to shed them now, You all do know this mantle: I remember Mark how the blood of Cæsar followed it; And, in his mantle muffling up his face, 4th Cit. O traitors, villains! 1st Cit. O most bloody sight! 2nd Cit. We will be revenged. Revenge! about, — seek, — burn, — fire, — kill, — slay ! — Let not a traitor live! Ant. Stay, countrymen. 1st Cit. Peace there! hear the noble Antony. 2nd Cit. We'll hear him; we'll follow him; we 'll die with him! To stir men's blood. I only speak right on: And bid them speak for me. But were I Brutus, 1st Cit. We'll burn the house of Brutus ! ators! 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. 2nd Cit. Most noble Cæsar! we 'll revenge his death. 3rd Cit. O royal Cæsar! Ant. Hear me with patience. Cit. Peace, ho! Ant. Moreover, he hath left you all his walks, Ant. Good friends, sweet friends, let me not His private arbors and new-planted orchards, stir you up To such a sudden flood of mutiny. They that have done this deed are honorable: And will, no doubt, with reasons answer you. But, as you know me all, a plain blunt man, On this side Tyber: he hath left them you, 1st Cit. Never, never!-Come, away, away! 2nd Cit. Go, fetch fire! 3rd Cit. Pluck down benches! 4th Cit. Pluck down forms, windows, anything! [Exeunt Citizens with the body. Mischief, thou art Ant. Now let it work! afoot; 1st Cit. Ay, and briefly. Serv. Sir, Octavius is already come to Rome. Serv. He and Lepidus are at Cæsar's house. Serv. I heard him say, Brutus and Cassius 4th Cit. Ay, and wisely. 3rd Cit. Ay, and truly; you were best. Cin. 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. 2nd Cit. That's as much as to say they are fools that marry you'll bear me a bang for that, I fear. Proceed; directly. Cin. Directly, I am going to Cæsar's funeral. 1st Cit. As a friend or an enemy? Cin. As a friend. 2nd Cit. That matter is answered directly. Cin. Briefly, I dwell by the Capitol. Cin. Truly, my name is Cinna. 1st Cit. Tear him to pieces! he's a conspirator. Cin. I am Cinna the poet; I am Cinna the poet. 4th Cit. Tear him for his bad verses; tear him for his bad verses ! Cin. I am not Cinna the conspirator. 2nd Cit. It is no matter; his name's Cinna: pluck but his name out of his heart, and turn him going! 3rd Cit. Tear him: tear him!- Come, brands, ho! firebrands. To Brutus', to Cassius': burn all! Some to Decius' house, and some to Casca's; some to Ligarius'. Away, go! ACT IV. SCENE I. Rome. A Room in ANTONY's House. ANTONY, OCTAVIUS, and LEPIDUS, seated at a table. Lep. Upon condition Publius shall not live, Ant. These many, then, shall die: their names But, Lepidus, go you to Cæsar's house: Oct. Your brother, too, must die: consent you, How to cut off some charge in legacies. Lep. What, shall I find you here? [Exit LEPIDUS. |