The multitude, beside themselves with fear;
And then we will deliver you the cause,

Why I, that did love Cajar when I ftrook him,
Proceeded thus.

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 Caffius, do I take your hand;
Now, Decius Brutus, yours; now yours, Metellus;
Yours, Cinna; and, my valiant Cafca, yours;
Tho' laft, not least in love, yours, good Trebonius.
Gentlemen all. alas, what fhall I fay?
My credit now ftands on fuch flippery ground,
That one of two bad ways you must conceit me,
Either a coward or a flatterer.

That I did love thee, Cafar, oh, 'tis true;
If then thy fpirit look upon us now,
Shall it not grieve thee, dearer than thy death,
To fee thy Antony making his peace,
Shaking the bloody fingers of thy foes,
Moft Noble! in the prefence of thy corfe?
Had I as many eyes, as thou haft wounds,
Weeping as fast as they ftream forth thy blood,
It would become me better, than to clofe
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 ftand
Sign'd in thy fpoil, (25) and crimfon'd in thy death.
O world! thou waft the foreft to this hart,
And this, indeed, O world, the heart of thee.

(12) And crimson'd in thy Death.] All the old Copies, that I have feen, read, Lethe. The Dictionaries, indeed, acknowledge no fuch Word: and as the L might have miftakingly been form'd from an obfcure D, not taking the Ink equally in all Parts, I have fuffer'd the more known Word to ftand in the Text; tho', indeed, I am not without Sufpicion of our Poet's having either coin'd the other Term, or copied it from fome abfolete Author, who had adopted it from the Lethum of the Latines; which, 'tis well known, was used for Death, as well as Deftruction, Ruin, Havock, &c.

How

How like a deer, ftricken by many Princes,
Doft thou here lie?

Caf. Mark Antony

Ant. Pardon me, Caius Caffius : The enemies of Cæfar fhall say this: Then, in a friend, it is cold modefty.

Caf. I blame you not for praising Cefar so, But what compact mean you to have with us? Will you be prick'd in number of our friends, Or fhall we on, and not depend on you?

Ant. Therefore I took your hands; but was, indeed, Sway'd from the point, by looking down on Cafar. Friends am I with you all, and love you all;

Upon this hope, that you shall give me reasons,
Why, and wherein Cafar was dangerous.
Bru. Or elfe this were a favage fpectacle.
Our reafons are fo full of good regard,
That were you, Antony, the Son of Cæfar,
You should be fatisfied.

Ant. That's all I feek;

And am moreover fuitor, 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.
Bru. You fhall, Mark Antony.
Caf. Brutus, a word with you.
You know not what you

do;

do not confent,

That Antony fpeak in his funeral :

Know you, how much the People may be mov'd
By that which he will utter?

Bru. By your pardon,

I will myself into the Pulpit first,

[Afide.

And fhew the reason of our Cæfar's death.
What Antony shall speak, I will protest
He speaks by leave, and by permission;
And that we are contented, Cafar fhall
Have all due rites, and lawful ceremonies :
It fhall advantage more, than do us wrong.
Caf. I know not what may fall, I like it not.
Bru. Mark Antony, here, take you Cæfar's body:

You

You fhall not in your funeral fpeech blame us,
But fpeak all good you can devife of Cæfar;
And fay, you do't by our permiffion:
Elfe fhall you not have any hand at all
About his funeral. And you shall speak
In the fame Pulpit whereto I am going,
After my speech is ended.

Ant. Be it fo;

I do defire no more.

Bru. Prepare the body then, and follow us.

Manet Antony.

[Exeunt Confpirators.

Ant. 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 prophefy,

(Which, like dumb mouths, do ope their ruby lips,
To beg the voice and utterance of my tongue)
A curfe fhali light upon the limbs of men;
Domestick fury, and fierce civil strife,

Shall cumber all the parts of Italy;
Blood and deftruction shall be so in ufe,
And dreadful objects fo familiar,

That mothers fhall but fmile, when they behold
Their infants quarter'd by the hands of war:
All pity choak'd with custom of fell deeds;
And Cafar's fpirit, ranging for revenge,
With Até by his fide come hot from hell,
Shall in these confines, with a Monarch's voice,
Cry Havock, and let flip the Dogs of war;
That this foul deed shall smell above the earth
With carrion men, groaning for burial.

Enter Octavius's Servant.

You ferve Octavius Cæfar, do you not?
Serv. I do, Mark Antony.

Ant. Cafar did write for him to come to Rome.

Serv. He did receive his letters, and is coming; And bid me fay to you by word of mouth

O Cæfar!

[Seeing the Body. Ant. Thy heart is big, get thee apart and weep; Paffion I fee is catching; for mine eyes,

Seeing thofe Beads of forrow stand in thine,
Began to water. Is thy mafter coming?

Serv. He lies to-night within feven leagues of Rome.

Ant. Poft back with speed, and tell him what hath chanc'd.

Here is a mourning Rome, a dangerous Rome,

No Rome of fafety for Octavius yet;

Hie hence, and tell him fo. Yet ftay a while;
Thou shalt not back, 'till I have borne this corfe
Into the market-place: there fhall I try
In my Oration, how the people take
The cruel iffue of thefe bloody men;
According to the which, thou fhalt difcourfe
To young Octavius of the ftate of things.
Lend me your hand.

[Exeunt with Cæfar's body.

SCENE changes to the Forum.

Enter Brutus, and mounts the Roftra; Caffius, with the

Pleb.

Plebeians.

E will be fatisfied; let us be fatisfied.

W Bru. Then follow me, and give me audi

ence, friends.

Caffius, go you into the other ftreet,

And part the numbers:

Thofe that will hear me fpeak, let 'em ftay here;
Thofe, that will follow Caffius, go with him;
And publick reafons fhall be rendered

Of Cafar's death.

1 Pleb. I will hear Brutus fpeak.

2. Pleb. I will hear Caffius, and compare their reafons,

When fev'rally we hear them rendered

[Exit Caffius, with fome of the Plebeians.

3 Pleb. The noble Brutus is afcended: filence!

Bru. Be patient 'till the laft.

Romans,

Romans, Countrymen, and Lovers! hear me for my caufe; and be filent, that you may hear. Believe me for mine honour, and have refpect to mine honour, that you may believe. Cenfure me in your wisdom, and awake your fenfes, that you may the better judge. If there be any in this affembly, any dear friend of Cafar's, to him I fay, that Brutus's love to Cafar was no less than his. If then that friend demand, why Brutus rofe against Cæfar, this is my Anfwer: Not that I lov'd Cæfar lefs, but that I lov'd Rome more. Had you rather Cafar were living, and dye all flaves; than that Cæfar were dead, to live all free men? As Cæfar lov'd 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 flew him. There are tears for his love, joy for his fortune, honour for his valour, and death for his ambition. Who's here fo base, that would be a bond-man? if any, fpeak; for him have I offended. Who is here fo rude, that would not be a Roman? if any, fpeak; for him have I offended. Who is here fo vile, that will not love his Country? if any, fpeak; for him have I offended I pause for a Reply

All. None, Brutus, none.

Bru. Then none have I offended. - I have done no more to Cæfar, than you shall do to Brutus, The queftion of his death is inroll'd in the Capitol; his glory not extenuated, wherein he was worthy; nor his offences enforc'd, for which he suffered death.

Enter Mark Antony with Cæfar's body.

Here comes his body, mourn'd by Mark Antony; who, though he had no hand in his death, fhall receive the be-nefit of his dying, a place in the Commonwealth; as which of you fhall not? With this I depart, that as I flew my beit lover for the good of Rome; I have the fame dagger for myself, when it shall please my Country to need my death.

All. Live, Brutus, live! live!

1 Pleb. Bring him with triumph home unto his houfe. VOL. VII.

C

2 Pleb

L