Bequeathing it as a rich legacy Unto their issue. 4 Citizen. We'll hear the will. Read it, Mark Antony. All. The will, the will! we will hear Cæsar's will. 140 Antony. 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 Citizen. Read the will! we'll hear it, Antony! You shall read us the will! Cæsar's will! Antony. Will you be patient? Will you stay awhile? 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 Citizen. They were traitors! Honourable men! All. The will! the testament! 150 2 Citizen. They were villains, murtherers! The will! Read the will! Antony. You will compel me, then, to read the will? And let me show you him that made the will. 2 Citizen. Descend. 159 [He comes down from the pulpit. 3 Citizen. You shall have leave. 4 Citizen. A ring; stand round. I Citizen. Stand from the hearse, stand from the body. Antony. If you have tears, prepare to shed them now. The first time ever Cæsar put it on ; 'T was on a summer's evening, in his tent, Look! in this place ran Cassius' dagger through; For, when the noble Cæsar saw him stab, Quite vanquish'd him: then burst his mighty heart; Which all the while ran blood, great Cæsar fell. 2 Citizen. O noble Cæsar! 3 Citizen. O woful day! 4 Citizen. O traitors, villains! I Citizen. O most bloody sight! 2 Citizen. We will be reveng'd! All. Revenge! About! Seek! Burn! Fire! Slay! Let not a traitor live! 170 180 199 200 Kill! Antony. Stay, countrymen. I Citizen. Peace there! Hear the noble Antony. 2 Citizen. We'll hear him, we 'll follow him, we'll die with him. Antony. 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. That made them do it; they are wise and honourable, I come not, friends, to steal away your hearts: But, as you know me all, a plain blunt man, That love my friend; and that they know full well I tell you that which you yourselves do know, Show you sweet Cæsar's wounds, poor, poor dumb mouths, And Brutus Antony, there were an Antony I Citizen. We'll burn the house of Brutus. 3 Citizen. Away, then! come, seek the conspirators. Antony. Yet hear me, countrymen ; yet hear me speak. All. Peace, ho! Hear Antony, most noble Antony. Antony. 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. 210 220 230 Citizen. Most true;—the will!—let's stay, and hear the will. Antony. Here is the will, and under Cæsar's seal. To every Roman citizen he gives, To every several man, seventy-five drachmas. 2 Citizen. Most noble Cæsar !-we 'll revenge his death. 3 Citizen. O royal Cæsar! Antony. Hear me with patience. All. Peace, ho! Antony. Moreover, he hath left you all his walks, I Citizen. Never, never!-Come, away, away! And with the brands fire the traitors' houses. 2 Citizen. Go, fetch fire. 3 Citizen. Pluck down benches. 4 Citizen. Pluck down forms, windows, any thing. 240 250 [Exeunt Citizens, with the body. Antony. Now let it work. Take thou what course thou Enter a Servant. Servant. Sir, Octavius is already come to Rome. Servant. He and Lepidus are at Cæsar's house. Servant. I heard him say Brutus and Cassius 260 Are rid like madmen through the gates of Rome. 269 How I had mov'd them. Bring me to Octavius. [Exeunt. SCENE III. A Street. Enter CINNA the Poet. Cinna. I dream'd to-night that I did feast with Cæsar, I have no will to wander forth of doors, Enter Citizens. I Citizen. What is your name? 2 Citizen. Whither are you going? 3 Citizen. Where do you dwell? 4 Citizen. Are you a married man, or a bachelor? 2 Citizen. Answer every man directly. 1 Citizen. Ay, and briefly. 4 Citizen. Ay, and wisely. 3 Citizen. Ay, and truly, you were best. IO Cinna. 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. Proceed; 2 Citizen. That 's as much as to say, they are fools that marry ;-you'll bear me a bang for that, I fear. directly. Cinna. Directly, I am going to Cæsar's funeral. I Citizen. As a friend, or an enemy? Cinna. As a friend. 2 Citizen. That matter is answered directly. 4 Citizen. For your dwelling,-briefly. Cinna. Briefly, I dwell by the Capitol. 3 Citizen. Your name, sir, truly. Cinna. Truly, my name is Cinna. 1 Citizen. Tear him to pieces, he 's a conspirator. Cinna. I am Cinna the poet, I am Cinna the poet. 20 |