Know you how much the people may be mov'd
By that which he will utter?

Bru. By your pardon,

I will myfelf into the pulpit first,

And fhew the reafon of our Cæfar's death.
What Antony shall speak, I will protest
He fpeaks by leave, and by permiffion;

And that we are contented Cæfar fhall
Have all due rites, and lawful ceremonies.
It fhall advantage more, than do us wrong.
Caf. Mark Antony, here, take you Cæfar's body.
Bru. Mark Antony, here, take you Cæfar's body.
You fhall not in your funeral speech blame us,
But fpeak all good you can devife of Cæfar;
And fay, you do't by our permiffion:
Elfe fhall you not have any hand at all
About his funeral. And you fhall speak
In the fame pulpit whereto I am going,
After my fpeech is ended.

Ant. Be it fo;

I do defire no more.

Bru. Prepare the body then, and follow us.

[Exeunt Confpirators,

SCENE IV. Manet 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 coftly blood!

Over thy wounds now do I prophefy,

(Which, like dumb mouths, do ope their ruby lips, To beg the voice and utterance of my tongue),

A curfe fhall light upon the line of men t;

Domestic fury, and fierce civil ftrife,

Shall cumber all the parts of Italy;
Blood and deftruction fhall be so in use,
And dreadful objects fo familiar,

That mothers shall but fmile, when they behold
Their infants quarter'd by the hands of War:
All pity chok'd with custom of fell deeds;
And Cæfar's fpirit, ranging for revenge,

↑ . . human race.

"With

"With Até by his fide come hot from hell,
"Shall in these confines, with a monarch's voice,
"Cry, Havock, and let flip the dogs of war;
That this foul deed shall smell above the earth
With carrion men, groning for burial.

Enter Octavius's Servant.

You ferve Octavius Cæfar, do you not?

Ser. I do, Mark Antony

Ant. Cæfar did write for him to come to Rome: Ser. He did receive his letters, and is coming; And bid me fay to you by word of mouth

Cæfar!

[Seeing the body Ant. Thy heart is big, get thee apart and weep; Paffion I fee is catching; for mine eyes, Seeing thofe beads of forrow ftand in thine, Begin to water. Is thy mafter coming?

Ser. He lies to-night within feven leagues of Rome. Ant. Poft back with speed, and tell him what hath Here is a mourning Rome, a dangerous Rome, [chanc'd. No Rome of fafety for Octavius yet;

Hie hence, and tell him fo. Yet flay a while;

Thou shalt not back, till I have borne this corfe

Into the market-place: there fhall I try

In my oration, how the people take
The cruel iffue of these bloody men ;
According to the which thou fhalt difcourfe
To young. Octavius of the ftate of things.
Lend me your hand.

[Exeunt with Cafar's body.

SCENE V. Changes to the Forum.

Enter Brutus, and mounts the Roftra; Caffius, with the Plebeians.

Pleb. We will be satisfied; let us be fatisfied.

Bru. Then follow me, and give me audience, friends.

Caffius, go you into the other street,

And part the numbers:

Thofe that will hear me fpeak, let 'em ftay here;

Those that will follow Caffius, go with him;

And public reafons shall be rendered

Of Cæfar's death.

1 Pleb. I will hear Brutus fpeak.

2 Pleb. I will hear Caffius, and compare their reafons, When fev'rally we hear them rendered.

[Exit Caffius, with fome of the Plebeians.

3 Pleb. The Noble Brutus is afcended: filence! Bru. Be patient till the laft.

:

Romans, countrymen, and lovers! hear me for my caufe; and be filent, that you may hear. Believe me for mine honour, and have respect to mine honour, that you may believe. Cenfure me in your wisdom, and awake your fenfes, that you may the better judge. If there be any in this affembly, any dear friend of Cæfar's, to him I fay, that Brutus's love to Cæfar was no lefs than his. If then that friend demand, why Brutus rofe against Cæfar, this is my anfwer Not that I lov'd Cæfar lefs, but that I lov'd Rome 4 more. Had you rather Cæfar were living, and die 'all flaves; than that Cæfar were dead, to live all freemen? As Cæfar lov'd 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 flew him. There are tears for his love, joy for his fortune, honour for his valour, and death for his ambition. Who's here fo bafe, that would be a bond-man? If any, fpeak; for him have I offended. Who's here fo rude, that would not be a Roman? If any, fpeak; for him have I offended. Who's here fo vile, that will not love his country? If any, fpeak; for him have I offended.I paufe for a reply

All. None, Brutus, none.

Bru. Then none have I offended.

-1 have done no

more to Cæfar than you fhall do to Brutus. The queftion of his death is inroll'd in the Capitol; his glory not extenuated, wherein he was worthy; nor his offences inforc'd, for which he fuffered death.

Enter Mark Antony with Cafar's body.

Here comes his body, mourn'd by Mark Antony; who, though he had no hand in his death, fhall receive the benefit of his dying, a place in the commonwealth; as which of you fhall not? With this I depart, that as I flew my best lover for the good of Rome, I have the

fame

fame dagger for myself, when it shall pleafe my country to need my death.

All. Live, Brutus, live! live!

Pleb. Bring him with triumph home unto his houfe. 2 Pleb. Give him a statue with his ancestors,

3 Pleb. Let him be Cæfar.

4 Pleb. Cæfar's better parts

Shall be crown'd in Brutus.

1 Pleb. We'll bring him to his house with shouts and clamours.

Bru. My countrymen

2 Pleb. Peace! filence! Brutus fpeaks..
1 Pleb. Peace, ho!

Bru. Good countrymen, let me depart alone,.
And, for my fake, ftay here with Antony;
Do grace to Cæfar's corpfe, and grace his fpeech
Tending to Cæfar's glories, which Mark Antony.
By our permiffion is allow'd to make.

I do intreat you, not a man depart,
Save I alone, till Antony have spoke.

SCENE VI..

[Exit.

1 Pleb. Stay, ho, and let us hear Mark Antony. 3 Pleb. Let him go up into the public chair, We'll hear him. Noble Antony, go up.

Ant. For Brutus' fake, I am beholden to you.. 4 Pleb. What does he fay of Brutus?

3 Pleb. He fays, for Brutus' fake

He finds himself beholden to us all.

4 Pleb. "Twere best he speak no harm of Brutus here. i Pleb. This Caefar was a tyrant.

3 Pleb. Nay, that's certain ;

We are blefs'd, that Rome is rid of him.

2 Pleb. Peace; let us hear what Antony can fay. Ant. You gentle Romans

All. Peace, ho, let us hear him.

Ant. Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears. I come to bury Cæfar, 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 Cæfar! Noble Brutus Hath told you, Cæfar was ambitious; D 3.

If

If it were fo, it was a grievous fault ;
And grievously hath Cæfar anfwer'd it.
Here, under leave of Brutus, and the reft,
(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 juft to me;
But Brutus fays, he was ambitious;
•And Brutus is an honourable man.

• He hath brought many captives home to Rome,
• Whofe ranfoms did the general coffers fill;
Did this in Cæfar feem ambitious?

When that the poor have cry'd, Cæfar hath wept;
Ambition fhould be made of fterner ftuff.

Yet Brutus fays, he was ambitious;
•And Brutus is an honourable man.
You all did fee, that, on the Lupercal,
I thrice presented him a kingly crown;
Which he did thrice refuse.

Was this ambition?

Yet Brutus fays he was ambitious;
And, fure, he is an honourable man.

I fpeak not to difprove what Brutus fpoke,
• But here I am to speak what I do know.
• You all did love him once, not without caufe:
What cause with-holds you then to mourn for him?
O judgment thou art fled to brutish beafts,
And men have loft their reafon- -Bear with me.
My heart is in the coffin there with Cæfar,
And I muft pause till it come back to me.

1 Pleb. Methinks there is much reafon in his fayings. If thou confider rightly of the matter,

Cæfar has had great wrong.

3 Pleb. Has he, mafters? I fear there will a worfe come in his place.

4 Pleb. Mark'd ye his words? he would not take the Therefore 'tis certain he was not ambitious. [crown; 1 Pleb. If it be found fo, fome will dear abide it.

2 Pleb. Poor foul! his eyes are red as fire with weep

3

ing.

Pleb. There's not a nobler man in Rome than An

tony.

4 Pleb. Now, mark him, he begins to speak.

Ant.