Met. Is there no voice more worthy than my own, To sound more sweetly in great Cæsar's ear, Cas. Cæs. I could be well mov'd 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-fixed 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, Unshak'd 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. Cin. O Cæsar, Cæs. Hence! wilt thou lift up Olympus? Dec. Great Cæsar,Cæs. Doth not Brutus bootless kneel? Casca. Speak, hands, for me. [CASCA stabs CESAR in the neck. CESAR catches hold of his arm. He is then stabbed by several other Conspirators, and at last by MARCUS BRUTUS. Cæs. Et tu Brute ?-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. Casc. Go to the pulpit, Brutus. Dec. And Cassius too. Bru. Where's Publius? Cæsar's Bru. Grant that, and then is death a benefit: Shall this our lofty scene be acted over, Cas. So oft as that shall be, Bru. But here comes Antony.-Welcome, Mark Ant. O mighty Cæsar! dost thou lie so low? As Cæsar's death's hour; nor no instrument Bru. O Antony! beg not your death of us. Our arms, in strength of malice, and our hearts, Bru. Only be patient till we have appeas'd 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? My credit now stands on slippery ground, *Grown too high. That one of two bad ways you must conceit me, That I did love thee, Cæsar, O, 'tis true: Here didst thou fall; and here thy hunters stand, Cas. Mark Antony,- > Cas. I blame you not for praising Cæsar so; Ant. Therefore I took your hands: but was Sway'd from the point, by looking down on Cæsar. Bru. Or else were this a savage spectacle. Ant. Brutus, a word with you.- You know not what you do: Do not consent By your pardon; — Cas. I know not what may fall; I like it not. Bru. Mark Antony, here take you Cæsar's body. You shall not in your funeral speech blame us, But speak all good you can devise of Cæsar; And say you do't by our permission; Else shall you not have any hand at all About his funeral. That ever lived in the tide of times. That mothers shall but smile when they behold [Exit with Citizens bearing the body. 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, Those that will hear me speak, let them stay here; 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 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 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 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. 3 Cit. Let him be Cæsar. 4 Cit. Cæsar's better parts 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. Peace; silence! Brutus speaks. [Exit. 1 Cit. Stay, ho! and let us hear Mark Antony. 3 Cit. Let him go up into the public chair; We'll hear him: Noble Antony, go up. Ant. For Brutus' sake, I am beholding to you. 4 Cit. What does he say of Brutus? 3 Cit. He says for Brutus' sake, He finds himself beholding to us all. 4 Cit. "Twere best he speak no harm of Brutus here. 1 Cit. This Caesar was a tyrant. I come to bury Cæsar, not to praise him. He was my friend, faithful and just to me: He hath brought many captives home to Rome, Yet Brutus says, he was ambitious; 1 Cit. Methinks there is much reason in his 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. Now mark him, he begins again to speak. O masters! if I were disposed to stir Let but the commons hear this testament 4 Cit. We'll hear the will: Read it, Mark Ant. Have patience, gentle friends, I must not It is not meet you know how Cæsar lov'd you. Ant. You will compel me then to read the will? 2 Cit. Descend. [He comes down from the pulpit. Ant. If you have tears, prepare to shed them now. Look! in this place ran Cassius' dagger through: When that the poor have cried, Cæsar hath wept : See, what a rent the envious Casca made: Yet Brutus says, he was ambitious; Through this, the well-belov'd Brutus stabb'd; *Handkerchief. And, as he pluck'd his cursed steel away, 2 Cit. O noble Cæsar! 3 Cit. O woful day! 4 Cit. O traitors, villains! 2 Cit. We will be revenged: revenge; about, seek,-burn,-fire,-kill,-slay !—- let not a traitor live. Ant. Good friends, sweet friends, let me not stir you up To such a sudden flow 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 honour able, 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, Wherein hath Cæsar thus deserv'd your loves? 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. 2 Cit. Most noble Cæsar! we'll revenge his death. 3 Cit. O royal Cæsar! Ant. Hear me with patience. Cit. Peace, ho! Serv. Sir, Octavius is already come to Rome. Ant. Where is he? Serv. He and Lepidus are at Cæsar's house. Ant And thither will I straight to visit him: He comes upon a wish. Fortune is merry, And in this mood will give us anything. Serv. I heard him say, Brutus and Cassius Are rid like madmen through the gates of Rome. Ant. Belike they had some notice of the peo, le, How I had mov'd them. Bring me to Octavius. [Exeunt. ACT IV. SCENE.-Before Brutus' Tent, in the Camp near Sardis. Drum. Enter BRUTUS, LUCILIUS, LUCIUS, and Soldiers: TITINIUS and PINDARUS meeting them. Bru. Stand, ho! Luc. Give the word, ho! and stand. Bru. What now, Lucilius! is Cassius near? To do you salutation from his master. Bru. He greets me well.-Your master, Pindarus, In his own change, or by ill officers, Pin. I do not doubt But that my noble master will appear Bru. He is not doubted.-A word, Lucilius; [PINDARUS gives a letter to BRUTUS. How he receiv'd you, let me be resolv'd. Luc. With courtesy, and with respect enough, But not with such familiar instances, Nor with such free and friendly conference, As he hath used of old. Bru. Thou hast describ'd There are no tricks in plain and simple faith: Luc. They mean this night in Sardis to be quarter'd. The greater part, the horse in general, [March within. Hark, he is arriv'd : [Exit PINDARUs. Enter CASSIUS hastily. I an itching palm ? Cas. And chastisement doth therefore hide his head. Bru. Remember March, the ides of March remember! Did not great Julius bleed for justice' sake? Cas. Brutus, baitt not me; I'll not endure it: you forget yourself, To hedge me in; I am a soldier, I, Older in practice, abler than yourself To make conditions. Bru. Cas. I am. Bru. Away, slight man! Cas. Is't possible? Bru. Hear me, for I will speak. Must I give way and room to your rash choler? Shall I be frighted when a madman stares? Cas. O ye gods! ye gods! Must I endure all this? Bru. All this? ay, more: Fret, till your proud heart break; Go, show your slaves how choleric you are, Cas. Is it come to this? Bru. You say you are a better soldier: Let it appear so; make your vaunting true, And it shall please me well: For mine own part, I shall be glad to learn of noble men. Cas. You wrong me every way; you wrong me, Brutus; I said an elder soldier, not a better: Bru. If you did, I care not. Cas. When Cæsar liv'd he durst not thus have mov'd me. Bru. Peace, peace! you durst not so have tempted him. Cas. I durst not? Bru. No. Cas. What? durst not tempt him? Bru. For your life you durst not. Cas. Do not presume too much upon my love; I may do that I shall be sorry for. Bru. You have done that you should be sorry for. To you for gold to pay my legions, A friend should bear his friend's infirmities, Go to; you are not, Cassius. But Brutus makes mine greater than they are. Bru. I do not, till you practise them on me. Bru. appear Drachmas means coins, |