Hath told you, Cæsar was ambitious; So are they all; all honourable men), He hath brought many captives home to Rome, When that the poor have cried, Cæsar hath wept: Yet Brutus says, he was ambitious; Was this ambition? Yet Brutus says, he was ambitious; I speak not to disprove what Brutus spoke, 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, 'tis 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 poor3 to do him reverence. O masters! if I were dispos'd to stir Your hearts and minds to mutiny and rage, Let but the commons hear his testament And, dying, mention it within their wills, Unto their issue. 4 Cit. We'll hear the will: Read it, Mark Antony. Cit. The will, the will; we will hear Cæsar's will. Ant. Have patience, gentle friends, I must not read it; 3 The meanest man is now too high to do reverence to Cæsar.' 4 Handkerchiefs. See vol. iii. p. 194, note 25. It is not meet you know how Cæsar lov'd you. 4 Cit. Read the will; we will 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! Cit. 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? Cit. Come down. 2 Cit. Descend. [He comes down from the Pulpit. 3 Cit. You shall have leave. 4 Cit. A ring; stand round. 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. Cit. 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; "Twas 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; For Brutus, as you know, was Cæsar's angel 5: For when the noble Cæsar saw him stab, 2 Cit. O noble Cæsar! 3 Cit. O woful day! 4 Cit. O traitors, villains! 5 i. e. his guardian angel, or the being in whom he put most trust. 6 See Act ii. Sc. 2, p. 315, note 10. Beaumont in his Masque writes this word statua, and its plural statuaes. Even is generally used as a dissyllable by Shakspeare. 7 The image seems to be that the blood flowing from Cæsar's wounds appeared to run from the statue; the words are from North's Plutarch: Against the very base whereon Pompey's image stood, which ran all a gore of blood, till he was slain.' 8 Dint anciently written dent; a stroke, and the impression which it makes on any thing.' 9 Marr'd is defaced, destroyed. It is often, for the sake of the jingle, opposed to make. 1 Cit. O most bloody sight! 2 Cit. We will be revenged: revenge: about,— seek,—burn,—fire,—kill,—slay !—let not a traitor live. Ant. Stay, countrymen. 1 Cit. Peace there;-Hear the noble Antony. 2 Cit. We'll hear him, we'll follow him, we'll die with him. 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; But, as you know me all, a plain blunt man, I tell you that, which you yourselves do know ; mouths, And bid them speak for me: But were I Brutus, 10 Grievances. See vol. i. p. 161, note 4. 11 The first folio reads, ' For I have neither writ.' The second folio corrects it to wit, which Johnson supposed might mean a penned and premeditated oration.' Malone perversely adheres to the erroneous reading. The context, I think, fully calls for the emendation, which Steevens has well defended. H H VOL. VIII. |