1

Than I will wrong such honourable men.
But here's a parchment, with the seal of Cæsar,
I found it in his closet, 'tis his will:

Let but the commons hear this testainent,
(Which, pardon me, I do not mean to read,)
And they would go and kiss dead Cæsar's wounds,
And dip their napkins + in his sacred blood;
Yea, beg a hair of him for memory,
And, dying, mention it within their wills,
Bequeathing it, as a rich legacy,

Unto their issue.

4.Cit. We'll hear the will read it, Mark An tony.

Cit. The will, the will; we will hear Cæsar's
will.
Ant. Have patience, gentle friends, I must not
read it;

It is not meet you know how Cæsar loved 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:
''Tis good you know not that you are his heirs;
For if you should, O, what would come of it!

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 shew 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!

Handkerchiefs.

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, rau Cassius' dagger through":
See, what a rent the envious Casca made:
Through this, the well-beloved Brutus stabb'd;
And, as he pluck'd his cursed steel away,
Mark how the blood of Cæsar follow'd it;
As tushing out of doors, to be resolved
If Brutus so unkindly knock'd, or no;
For Brutus, as you know, was Cæsar's angel:
Judge, O you gods, how dearly Cæsar loved him!
This was the most unkindest cut of all:
For when the noble Cæsar saw him stab,
Ingratitude, more strong than traitors' arms,
Quite vanquish'd him: then burst his mighty heart;
And, in bis mantle muffling up his face,
Even at the base of Pompey's statua*,
Which all the while ran blood, great Cæsar fell.
0, what a fall was there, my countrymen!

Then I, and you, and all of us fell down,
Whilst bloody treason flourish'd over us t.
0, now you weep; and, I perceive, you feel
The dint of pity: these are gracious drops,
Kind souls, what, weep you, when you but behold
Our Cæsar's vesture wounded? Look you here,
Here is himself, marr'd, as you see, with traitors.

1 Cit. O piteous spectacle!

2 Cit. O noble Cæsar!

3 Cit. O woful day!

4 Cit. O traitors, villains!

1 Cit. O most bloody sight!

12 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.

Statua for statue, is common among the old

+ Was successful.

They, that have done this deed, are honourable;
What private griefs they have, alas, I know not,
That made them do it; they are wise and honour-i
able,

And will, no doubt, with reasons answer you.
I come not, friends, to steal 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
That gave me public leave to speak of him.
For I have neither wit, nor words, nor worth,
Action, nor utterance, nor the power of speech,
To stir men's blood: I only speak right on;

I tell you that, which you yourselves do know; Shew you sweet Cæsar's wounds, poor, poor dumb mouths,

And bid then speak for me: but were I Brutus,
And Brutus Antony, there were an Antony
Would ruffle up your spirits, and put a tongue
In every wound of Cæsar, that should move
The stones of Rome to rise and mutiny.
Cit. We'l. mutiny.

1 Cit. We'll burn the house of Brutus.

Cir. Away then, come, seek the conspirators. Ant,, Yet hear me, countrymen; yet hear me speak

Cit. Peace, ho! Hear Antony, most noble Antony. Ant. Why, friends you go to do you know not what:

Wherein hath Cæsar thus deserved your loves t
Alas, you know not-I must tell you then :-
You have forgot the will I told you of.

Cit. Most true;-the will;-let's stay, and hear the will.

Ant. Here is the will, and under Cæsar's seal. To every Roman citizen he gives,

To every several man, seventy-five drachmas +. 2 Cit. Most noble Cæsar !-We'll revenge his death.

3 Cit. O royal Cæsar!

Ant. Hear me with patience.

Cit. Peace, ho!

Ant. Moreover, he hath left you all his walks,
His private arbours, and new-planted orchards,
On this side Tyber; he hath left them you,
And to your heirs for ever; common pleasures,
To walk abroad, and recreate yourselves.

Here was a Cæsar: When comes such another?
- 1 Cit. Never, never:-come, away, away:
We'll burn his body in the holy place,
And with the brands fire the traitor's houses.

Take up the body.

2 Cit. Go, fetch fire.
3 Cit. Pluck down benches.

4 Cit. Pluck down forms, windows, any thing.
[Exeunt Citizens, with the Body.

Ant. Now let it work: mischief, thou art afoot, Take thou what course thou wilt!-How now, fel

low ?

Enter a SERVANT.

Serv. Sir, Octavius is already come to Rome.
Ant. Where is he?

Serv. He and Lepidus are at Cæsar's house.
Ant. And thither will I straight to visit him:
He comes upon a wish. Fortune is merry,
And in this mood will give us any thing.
7 Serv. I heard him say, Brutus and Cassius
Are rid like madmen through the gates of Rome.
Ant. Belike, they had some notice of the people,
How I had moved them. Bring me to Octavius.
[Exeunt.

SCENE III.-The same. -A Street.

Enter CINNA, the Poet.

Cin. I dreamt to-night, that I did feast with Cæsar, And things unluckily charge my fantasy: I have no will to wander forth of doors, Yet something leads me forth.

Enter CITIZENS.

1 Cit. What is your name?

2 Cit. Whither are you going?

3 Cit. Where do you dwell?

4 Cit. Are you a married man, or a bachelor?

2 Cit. Answer every man directly.

1 Cit. Ay, and briefly.

4 Cit. Ay, and wisely.

3 Cit. 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 bachelor? Then to answer every man directly, and briefly, wisely, and truly. Wisely I say, I am a

bachelor.

2 Cit. That's as much as to say, they are fools that marry:-You'll bear me a bang for that, I fear. Proceed; directly.

Cin. Directly, I am going to Cæsar's funeral. 1 Cit. As a friend, or an enemy ?

Cin. As a friend.

2 Cit. That matter is answered directly.

4 Cit. For your dwelling,-briefly.

Cin. Briefly, I dwell by the Capitol.

3 Cit. Your name, Sír, truly.

Cin. Truly, my name is Cinna.

1 Cit. Tear him to pieces, he's a conspirator. Cin. I am Cinna the poet, I am Cinna the poet, 4 Cit. Tear him for his bad verses, tear him for

his bad verses.

2 Cit. It is no matter, his name's Cinna; pluck but his name out of his heart, and turn him going.

3 Cit. Tear him, tear him. Come, brands, ho! Fire-brands. To Brutus', to Cassius'; burn all. Some to Decius' house, and some to Casca's; some to Ligarius': away; go. [Exeunt.

ACT IV.

SCENE I-The same. A Room in Antony's House. ANTONY, OCTAVIUS, and LEPIDUS, seated at a Table. Ant. These many then shall die; their names are

prick'd.

Oct. Your brother too must die: Consent you,

Lepidus ?

Lep. I do consent.

Oct. Prick him down, Antony.

Lep. Upon condition Publius shall not live,

Who is your sister's son, Mark Antony.

Ant. He shall not live; look, with a spot I damn +

him!

But, Lepidus, go you to Cæsar's house;

Fetch the will hither, and we will determine

How to cut off some charge in legacies.

Lep. What, shall I find you here?

Oct. Or here, or at

The Capitol.

[Exit Lepidus.

Ant. This is a slight unmeritable man,

Meet to be sent on errands: Is it fit,

The three-fold world divided, he should stand
One of the three to share it?

Oct. So you thought him;

And took his voice who should be prick'd to die,
In our black sentence and proscription.

• Set, mark.

† Condemn.