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.

All. None, Brutus, none.

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 CESAR'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.

All. Live, Brutus ! live! live!

1 Cit. Bring him with triumph home unto his house. 2 Cit. Give him a statue with his ancestors.

Bru. My countrymen,

2 Cit.

Peace! silence! Brutus speaks.

1 Cit. Peace, ho!
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.

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.

[Exit.

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. 'T were best he speak no harm of Brutus here. 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;
And 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 judgment! 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 sayings. 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, 't is 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, '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.

4 Cit. We'll hear the will. Read it, Mark Antony. All. 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.
'T is 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'll 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.
4 Cit. They were traitors: honourable men!
All. The will! the testament!

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?

1 Cit. Stand from the hearse; stand from the body.

2 Cit. Room for Antony;-most noble Antony! Ant. Nay, press not so upon me; stand far off. All. Stand back! room! bear back!

Ant. If you have tears, prepare to shed them now. You all do know this mantle: I remember The first time ever Cæsar put it on;

'T was on a summer's evening, in his tent,
That day he overcame the Nervii.

Look! in this place, ran Cassius' dagger through:
See, what a rent the envious Casca made:
Through this the well-beloved Brutus stabb'd;
And as he pluck'd his cursed steel away,
Mark how the blood of Cæsar follow'd it,
As rushing out of doors, to be resolv'd

If Brutus so unkindly knock'd, or no;
For Brutus, as you know, was Cæsar's angel:
Judge, O you gods, how dearly Cæsar lov'd him!
This was the most unkindest cut of all;
For when the noble Cæsar saw him stab,
Ingratitude, more strong than traitors' arms,
Quite vanquish'd him: then burst his mighty heart;
And in his mantle muffling up his face,
Even at the base of Pompey's statue,

Which all the while ran blood, great Cæsar fell.
O, what a fall was there, my countrymen!
Then I, and you, and all of us fell down,
Whilst bloody treason flourish'd over us.
O! now you weep; and, I perceive, you feel
The dint of pity: these are gracious drops.
Kind souls! what! weep you, when you but behold
Our Cæsar's vesture wounded? Look you here,
Here is himself, marr'd, as you see, with traitors.
1 Cit. O piteous spectacle!

2 Cit. O noble Cæsar!

3 Cit. O woful day!
4 Cit. O traitors! villains!

1 Cit. O most bloody sight!

All. We will be revenged. Revenge! about,-seek, -burn,-fire,-kill,-slay!-let not a traitor live. Ant. Stay, countrymen. [They are rushing out.1 1 Cit. Peace there! hear the noble Antony.

Ant. Good friends, sweet friends, let me not stir

you up

To such a sudden flood 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 honourable,
And will, no doubt, with reasons answer you.

I come not, friends, to steal away your hearts:
I am no orator, as Brutus is,

But, as you know me all, a plain blunt man,
That love my friend; and that they know full well
That gave me public leave to speak of him.
For I have neither wit,2 nor words, nor worth,
Action, nor utterance, nor the power of speech,
To stir men's blood: I only speak right on;

I tell you that, which you yourselves do know,
Show you sweet Cæsar's wounds, poor, poor dumb
mouths,

And bid them speak for me: but were I Brutus,
And Brutus Antony, there were an Antony
Would ruffle up your spirits, and put a tongue
In every wound of Cæsar, that should move
The stones of Rome to rise and mutiny.
All. We'll mutiny.

1 Cit. We'll burn the house of Brutus.
3 Cit. Away then! come, seek the conspirators.
Ant. Yet hear me, countrymen; yet hear me speak.
All. 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.

All. 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.

All. Peace, ho!

Ant. Moreover, he hath left you all his walks, His private arbours, and new-planted orchards, On this side Tyber: he hath left them you, And to your heirs for ever; common pleasures, To walk abroad, and recreate yourselves. Here was a Cæsar: when comes such another? 1 Cit. Never, never!-Come, away, away! We'll burn his body in the holy place, And with the brands fire the traitors' houses. Take up the body.

2 Cit. Go, fetch fire.

3 Cit. Pluck down benches.

4 Cit. Pluck down forms, windows, any thing. [Exeunt Citizens, with the Body. Ant. Now let it work. Mischief, thou art afoot, Take thou what course thou wilt.-How now, fellow! Enter a Servant.

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 any thing.

Serv. I heard them say, Brutus and Cassius
Are rid like madmen through the gates of Rome.
Ant. Belike, they had some notice of the people,

SCENE III.-The Same. A Street.

Enter CINNA, the Poet.

Cin. I dreamt to-night, that I did feast with Cæsar, And things unlikely' charge my fantasy.

I have no will to wander forth of doors,
Yet something leads me forth.

Enter Citizens.

1 Cit. What is your name?

2 Cit. Whither are you going?

3 Cit. Where do you dwell?

4 Cit. Are you a married man, or a bachelor?

2 Cit. Answer every man directly.

1 Cit. Ay, and briefly.

4 Cit. Ay, and wisely.

3 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. 2 Cit. That's as much as to say, they are fools that

2 Cit. That matter is answered directly.

4 Cit. For your dwelling,-briefly.

Cin. Briefly, I dwell by the Capitol. 3 Cit. Your name, sir, truly.

Cin. Truly, my name is Cinna.

1 Cit. Tear him to pieces: he's a conspirator. Cin. I am Cinna, the poet; I am Cinna, the poet. 4 Cit. Tear him for his bad verses; tear him for his bad verses.

Cin. I am not Cinna the conspirator.

2 Cit. It is no matter; his name 's Cinna: pluck but his name out of his heart, and turn him going.

3 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! [Exeunt, forcing out ČINNA.

2

SCENE I.—The Same. A Room in ANTONY's House. ANTONY, OCTAVIUS, and LEPIDUS, seated at a Table. Ant. These many, then, shall die; their names are prick'd.

Oct. Your brother, too, must die: consent you, Lepidus ?

Lep. I do consent. Oct.

Prick him down, Antony. Lep. Upon condition Publius shall not live, Who is your sister's son, Mark Antony.

Ant. He shall not live; look, with a spot I damn him. But, Lepidus, go you to Cæsar's house; Fetch the will hither, and we will determine How to cut off some charge in legacies. Lep. What, shall I find you here? Oct. Or here, or at the Capitol.

Ant. This is a slight unmeritable man,

Meet to be sent on errands: is it fit,

He must be taught, and train'd, and bid go forth.
And, in some taste, is Lepidus but so;
A barren-spirited fellow; one that feeds
On objects, arts, and imitations,
Which, out of use and staled by other men,
Begin his fashion; do not talk of him,
But as a property. And now, Octavius,
Listen great things. Brutus and Cassius,

Are levying powers: we must straight make head;
Therefore, let our alliance be combin'd,

Our best friends made, and our best means stretch'd out ;3

.3

The threefold world divided, he should stand
One of the three to share it?

Oct.
So you thought him;
And took his voice who should be prick'd to die
In our black sentence and proscription.

Ant. Octavius, I have seen more days than you : And though we lay these honours on this man, To ease ourselves of divers slanderous loads, He shall but bear them as the ass bears gold, To groan and sweat under the business, Either led or driven, as we point the way; And having brought our treasure where we will, Then take we down his load, and turn him off, Like to the empty ass, to shake his ears, And graze on commons. Oct.

You may do your will; But he's a tried and valiant soldier.

Ant. So is my horse, Octavius; and for that

I do appoint him store of provender;

It is a creature that I teach to fight,

To wind, to stop, to run directly on,

His corporal motion govern'd by my spirit:

Drum. Enter BRUTUS, LUCILIUS, LUCIUS, and Soldiers: TITINIUS and PINDARUS meet them..

Bru. Stand, ho!

Luc. Give the word, ho! and stand.

Bru. What now, Lucilius? is Cassius near?
Luc. He is at hand; and Pindarus is come

To do you salutation from his master.

[PINDARUS gives a Letter to BRUtus. Bru. He greets me well.-Your master, Pindarus,

In his own change, or by ill officers,

Hath given me some worthy cause to wish
Things done, undone; but, if he be at hand,
I shall be satisfied.
Pin.

I do not doubt,

But that my noble master will appear
Such as he is, full of regard and honour.

Bru. He is not doubted.-A word, Lucilius:
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 A hot friend cooling. Ever note, Lucilius, When love begins to sicken and decay,

It useth an enforced ceremony.

There are no tricks in plain and simple faith ;
But hollow men, like horses hot at hand,

Make gallant show and promise of their mettle,
But when they should endure the bloody spur,
They fall their crests, and, like deceitful jades,
Sink in the trial. Comes his army on?

Luc. They mean this night in Sardis to be quarter'd:

The greater part, the horse in general,
Are come with Cassius.

Bru.

March gently on to meet him.

[March within.

Hark! he is arriv'd.

Bid our commanders lead their charges off
A little from this ground.

Bru. Lucilius, do you the like; and let no man Come to our tent, till we have done our conference. Let Lucius and Titinius guard our door. [Exeunt.

SCENE III. Within the Tent of BRUTUS.
LUCIUS and TITINIUS at some distance from it.
Enter BRUTUS and CASSIUS.

Cas. That you have wrong'd me doth appear in this:
You have condemn'd and noted Lucius Pella
For taking bribes here of the Sardians;
Wherein my letters, praying on his side,
Because I knew the man, were slighted off.

Bru. You wrong'd yourself to write in such a case. Cas. In such a time as this, it is not meet That every nice2 offence should bear his comment. Bru. Let me tell you, Cassius, you yourself Are much condemn'd to have an itching palm; To sell and mart your offices for gold To undeservers.

Cas.

I an itching palm ?

You know that you are Brutus that speak this,
Or by the gods this speech were else your last.
Bru. The name of Cassius honours this corruption,
And chastisement does therefore, hide his head.
Cas. Chastisement !

Bru. Remember March, the ides of March remember.
Did not great Julius bleed for justice' sake?
What villain touch'd his body, that did stab,
And not for justice? What! shall one of us,

1 Not in f. e. 2 Trifling. 3 noble: in f. e.

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,
And make your bondmen tremble. Must Í budge?
Must I observe you? Must I stand and crouch
Under your testy humour? By the gods,
You shall digest the venom of your spleen,
Though it do split you; for from this day forth,
I'll use you for my mirth, yea, for my laughter,
When you are waspish.

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 abler3 men.

Cas. You wrong me every way; you wrong me,
Brutus ;

I said, an older soldier, not a better :
Did I say, 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.
There is no terror, Cassius, in your threats,
For I am arm'd so strong in honesty,
That they pass by me as the idle wind,
Which I respect not. I did send to you
For certain sums of gold, which you denied me;
For I can raise no money by vile means :

By heaven, I had rather coin my heart,
And drop my blood for drachmas, than to wring
From the hard hands of peasants their vile trash,
By any indirection. I did send

To you for gold to pay my legions,
Which you denied me was that done like Cassius?
Should I have answered Caius Cassius so?
When Marcus Brutus grows so covetous,
To lock such rascal counters from his friends,
Be ready, gods, with all your thunderbolts