And I must paufe 'till it come back to me. I Pleb. Methinks there is much reafon in his fayings. If thou confider rightly of the matter, Cafar has had great wrong. * 3 Pleb. Has he, masters? I fear there will a worse come in his place. 4 Pleb. Mark'd ye his words? he would not take the crown; Therefore 'tis certain, he was not ambitious. 1 Pleb. If it be found fo, fome will dear abide it. *--- has had great wrong. 3 Pleb. Cafar had never wrong, but with juft caafe. If ever there was such a line written by Shakespear, I should fancy it might have its place here, and very humorously in the character of a Plebeian. One might believe Ben Johnson's remark was made upon n better credit than some blunder of an actor in speaking that verse near the beginning of the third act, Know Cafar doth not wrong, nor without caufe Will he be fatisfy'd But the verle as cited by Ben Johnson does not conned with --- Will he be fatisfy'd. Perhaps this play was never printed in Ben Johnfon's time, and fo he had nothing to judge by, but as the actor pleas'd to Speak it. Be Bequeathing it as a rich legacy Unto their iffue. 4 Pleb. We'll hear the Will; read it, Mark Antony. All. The Will, the Will: we will hear Cafar's Will. Ant. Have patience, gentle friends, I must not read it, It is not meet you know how Cæfar lov'd you. You are not wood, you are not ftones, but men : And being men, hearing the Will of Cafar, It will inflame you, it will make you mad. 'Tis good you know not that you are his heirs, For if you fhould O what would come of it? 4 Pleb. Read the Will, we'll hear it, Antony: You fhall read us the Will, Cafar's Will. Ant. Will you be patient? will you stay a while? (I have o'er-fhot my felf to tell you of it.) I fear I wrong the honourable men, Whofe daggers have stabb'd Cæfar- - I do fear it. honourable men! 2 Pleb. They were villains, murderers; the Will! read the Will! Ant. You will compel me then to read the Will? 2 Pleb. Defcend. [He comes down from the pulpit. 3 Pleb. You fhall have leave. 4 Pleb. A ring; ftand round. Pleb. Stand from the hearfe, ftand from the body. 2 Pleb. Room for Antony most noble Antony! Ant. Nay, prefs not fo upon me, ftand far off, All. Stand back room bear back. Ant. If you have tears, prepare to shed them now, The first time ever Cæfar put it on, Look! in this place, ran Caffius' dagger through Through Through this, the well-beloved Brutus ftabb'd; 2 Pleb. O noble Cæfar! 3 Pleb. O woful day! 4 Pleb. O traitors, villains! i Pleb. O moft bloody fight! 2 Pleb. We will be reveng'd: revenge: about-feekburn-fire-kill-flay! let not a traitor live. Ant. Stay, Countrymen 1 Pleb. Peace there, hear the noble Antony. 2 Pleb. We'll hear him, we'll follow him, we'll die with him Ant. Good friends, fweet friends, let me not ftir you up To fuch a fudden flood of mutiny: They that have done this deed, are honourable. What private griefs they have, alas, I know not, I come not, friends, to fteal 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, 1 Pleb. We'll burn the houfe of Brutus. 3 Pleb. Away then, come, feek the confpirators. Ant. Yet hear me, countrymen, yet hear me fpeak. All. Peace, ho, hear Antony, most noble Antony. Ant. Why, friends, you go to do you know not what. Wherein hath Cæfar thus deferv'd your loves? Alas, you know not; I muft tell you then: You have forgot the Will I told you of. All. Moft true-the Will-let's stay and hear the Will, Ant. Here is the Will, and under Cæfar's feal. To ev'ry Roman citizen he gives, To ev'ry feveral man, fev'nty five drachma's. 2 Pleb. Moft noble Cafar! we'll revenge his death, 3 Pleb. O royal Cafar! Ant. Hear me with patience. All. Peace, ho! Ant. Moreover, he hath left you all his walks, 1 Pleb. Never, never; come, away, away;. We'll burn his body in the holy place, And with the brands fire all the traitors houses. T Take Take up the body. 2 Pleb. Go fetch fire. 3 Pleb. Pluck down benches. 4 Pleb. Pluck down forms, windows, any thing. [Exeunt Plebeians with the body. Ant. Now let it work; mischief, thou art afoot; Take thou what courfe thou wilt!-How now, fellow? Enter a Servant. Ser. Octavius is already come to Rome. Ant. Where is he? Ser. He and Lepidus are at Cæfar's house. He comes upon a wish. Fortune is merry, And in this mood will give us any thing. Ser. I heard him fay, Brutus and Caffius Are rid, like madmen, through the gates of Rome. Enter Cinna the Poet, and after him the Plebeians. I have no will to wander forth of doors: 1 Pleb. What is your name? 2 Pleb. Whither are you going? 4 Pleb. Are you a married man, or a batchelor? 1 Pleb. Ay, and briefly. 4 Pleb. Ay, and wifely. 3 Pleb. 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 batchelor? then to answer every man directly and briefly, wifely and truly; wifely, I fay I am a batchelor. 2 Pleb. That's as much as to fay, they are fools that marry; you'll bear me a bang for that, I fear: proceed directly. Cin. Directly, I am going to Cafar's funeral. 1 Pleb. |