Imatges de pàgina
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That one of two bad ways you must conceit me,

Either a coward, or a flatterer.—

That I did love thee, Cæsar, O, 'tis true:

If then thy spirit look upon us now,

Shall it not grieve thee, dearer than thy death,
To see thy Antony making his peace,

Shaking the bloody fingers of thy foes,
Most noble! in the presence of thy corse?
Had I as many eyes as thou hast wounds,
Weeping as fast as they stream forth thy blood,
It would become me better, than to close

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 stand,
Sign'd in thy spoil, and crimson'd in thy lethe 23.
O world! thou wast the forest to this hart;
And this, indeed, O world, the heart of thee.-
How like a deer, stricken by many princes,
Dost thou here lie?

Cas. Mark Antony,—

Ant.

Pardon me, Caius Cassius:

The enemies of Cæsar shall say this;
Then, in a friend, it is cold modesty.

Cas. I blame you not for praising Cæsar so;
But what compáct mean you to have with us?
Will you be prick'd in number of our friends;

Or shall we on, and not depend on you?

Ant. Therefore I took your hands; but was, in

deed,

Sway'd from the point, by looking down on Cæsar.
Friends am I with you all, and love you all;
Upon this hope, that you shall give me reasons,
Why, and wherein, Cæsar was dangerous.

Bru. Or else were this a savage spectacle:
Our reasons are so full of good regard,
That were you, Antony, the son of Cæsar,
You should be satisfied.

Ant.

That's all I seek:

And am moreover suitor, 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 shall, Mark Antony.

Cas.

Brutus, a word with you.

[Aside.

You know not what you do; Do not consent,

That Antony speak 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,

And show the reason of our Cæsar's death:
What Antony shall speak, I will protest
He speaks by leave and by permission;
And that we are contented, Cæsar shall
Have all true rites, and lawful ceremonies.
It shall advantage more, than do us wrong.

Cas. I know not what may fall; I like it not.
Bru. Mark Antony, here, take you Caesar's body.

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You shall not in your funeral speech blame us, But speak all good you can devise of Cæsar; do't by our permission;

And say, you

Else shall you not have any hand at all
About his funeral: And you shall speak

In the same pulpit whereto I am going,
After my speech is ended..

Ant.

I do desire no more.

Be it so;

Bru. Prepare the body then, and follow us.

[Exeunt all but Antony.

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 prophecy,—
Which, like dumb mouths, do ope their ruby lips,
To beg the voice and utterance of my tongue;—
A curse shall light upon the limbs of men ;
Domestic fury, and fierce civil strife,

Shall cumber all the parts of Italy:
Blood and destruction shall be so in use,
And dreadful objects so familiar,

That mothers shall but smile, when they behold
Their infants quarter'd with the hands of war;
All pity chok'd with custom of fell deeds:
And Cæsar's spirit, ranging for revenge,
With Até by his side, come hot from hell,
Shall in these confines, with a monarch's voice,

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