The Tragedy Of Julius Caesar

1 Enter Brutus and goes into the pulpit, and Cassius, with a throng of
2 Citizens.
3 CITIZENS.
4 We will be satisfied; let us be satisfied.
5 BRUTUS.
6 Then follow me, and give me audience, friends.
7 Cassius, go you into the other street
8 And part the numbers.
9 Those that will hear me speak, let ’em stay here;
10 Those that will follow Cassius, go with him;
11 And public reasons shall be rendered
12 Of Caesar’s death.
13 FIRST CITIZEN.
14 I will hear Brutus speak.
15 SECOND CITIZEN.
16 I will hear Cassius; and compare their reasons,
17 When severally we hear them rendered.
18 [_Exit Cassius, with some of the Citizens. Brutus goes into the
19 rostrum._]
20 THIRD CITIZEN.
21 The noble Brutus is ascended: silence!
22 BRUTUS.
23 Be patient till the last.
24 Romans, countrymen, and lovers, hear me for my cause; and be silent,
25 that you may hear. Believe me for mine honour, and have respect to mine
26 honour, that you may believe. Censure me in your wisdom, and awake your
27 senses, that you may the better judge. If there be any in this
28 assembly, any dear friend of Caesar’s, to him I say that Brutus’ love
29 to Caesar was no less than his. If then that friend demand why Brutus
30 rose against Caesar, this is my answer: Not that I loved Caesar less,
31 but that I loved Rome more. Had you rather Caesar were living, and die
32 all slaves, than that Caesar were dead, to live all free men? As Caesar
33 loved me, I weep for him; as he was fortunate, I rejoice at it; as he
34 was valiant, I honour him; but, as he was ambitious, I slew him. There
35 is tears, for his love; joy for his fortune; honour for his valour; and
36 death, for his ambition. Who is here so base, that would be a bondman?
37 If any, speak; for him have I offended. Who is here so rude, that would
38 not be a Roman? If any, speak; for him have I offended. Who is here so
39 vile, that will not love his country? If any, speak; for him have I
40 offended. I pause for a reply.
41 CITIZENS.
42 None, Brutus, none.
43 BRUTUS.
44 Then none have I offended. I have done no more to Caesar than you shall
45 do to Brutus. The question of his death is enroll’d in the Capitol, his
46 glory not extenuated, wherein he was worthy; nor his offences enforc’d,
47 for which he suffered death.
48 Enter Antony and others, with Caesar’s body.
49 Here comes his body, mourned by Mark Antony, who, though he had no hand
50 in his death, shall receive the benefit of his dying, a place in the
51 commonwealth; as which of you shall not? With this I depart, that, as I
52 slew my best lover for the good of Rome, I have the same dagger for
53 myself, when it shall please my country to need my death.
54 CITIZENS.
55 Live, Brutus! live, live!
56 FIRST CITIZEN.
57 Bring him with triumph home unto his house.
58 SECOND CITIZEN.
59 Give him a statue with his ancestors.
60 THIRD CITIZEN.
61 Let him be Caesar.
62 FOURTH CITIZEN.
63 Caesar’s better parts
64 Shall be crown’d in Brutus.
65 FIRST CITIZEN.
66 We’ll bring him to his house with shouts and clamours.
67 BRUTUS.
68 My countrymen,—
69 SECOND CITIZEN.
70 Peace! Silence! Brutus speaks.
71 FIRST CITIZEN.
72 Peace, ho!
73 BRUTUS.
74 Good countrymen, let me depart alone,
75 And, for my sake, stay here with Antony.
76 Do grace to Caesar’s corpse, and grace his speech
77 Tending to Caesar’s glories, which Mark Antony,
78 By our permission, is allow’d to make.
79 I do entreat you, not a man depart,
80 Save I alone, till Antony have spoke.
81 [_Exit._]
82 FIRST CITIZEN.
83 Stay, ho! and let us hear Mark Antony.
84 THIRD CITIZEN.
85 Let him go up into the public chair.
86 We’ll hear him. Noble Antony, go up.
87 ANTONY.
88 For Brutus’ sake, I am beholding to you.
89 [_Goes up._]
90 FOURTH CITIZEN.
91 What does he say of Brutus?
92 THIRD CITIZEN.
93 He says, for Brutus’ sake
94 He finds himself beholding to us all.
95 FOURTH CITIZEN.
96 ’Twere best he speak no harm of Brutus here!
97 FIRST CITIZEN.
98 This Caesar was a tyrant.
99 THIRD CITIZEN.
100 Nay, that’s certain.
101 We are blest that Rome is rid of him.
102 SECOND CITIZEN.
103 Peace! let us hear what Antony can say.
104 ANTONY.
105 You gentle Romans,—
106 CITIZENS.
107 Peace, ho! let us hear him.
108 ANTONY.
109 Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears;
110 I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him.
111 The evil that men do lives after them,
112 The good is oft interred with their bones;
113 So let it be with Caesar. The noble Brutus
114 Hath told you Caesar was ambitious.
115 If it were so, it was a grievous fault,
116 And grievously hath Caesar answer’d it.
117 Here, under leave of Brutus and the rest,
118 For Brutus is an honourable man,
119 So are they all, all honourable men,
120 Come I to speak in Caesar’s funeral.
121 He was my friend, faithful and just to me;
122 But Brutus says he was ambitious,
123 And Brutus is an honourable man.
124 He hath brought many captives home to Rome,
125 Whose ransoms did the general coffers fill:
126 Did this in Caesar seem ambitious?
127 When that the poor have cried, Caesar hath wept;
128 Ambition should be made of sterner stuff:
129 Yet Brutus says he was ambitious;
130 And Brutus is an honourable man.
131 You all did see that on the Lupercal
132 I thrice presented him a kingly crown,
133 Which he did thrice refuse. Was this ambition?
134 Yet Brutus says he was ambitious;
135 And sure he is an honourable man.
136 I speak not to disprove what Brutus spoke,
137 But here I am to speak what I do know.
138 You all did love him once, not without cause;
139 What cause withholds you then to mourn for him?
140 O judgement, thou art fled to brutish beasts,
141 And men have lost their reason. Bear with me.
142 My heart is in the coffin there with Caesar,
143 And I must pause till it come back to me.
144 FIRST CITIZEN.
145 Methinks there is much reason in his sayings.
146 SECOND CITIZEN.
147 If thou consider rightly of the matter,
148 Caesar has had great wrong.
149 THIRD CITIZEN.
150 Has he, masters?
151 I fear there will a worse come in his place.
152 FOURTH CITIZEN.
153 Mark’d ye his words? He would not take the crown;
154 Therefore ’tis certain he was not ambitious.
155 FIRST CITIZEN.
156 If it be found so, some will dear abide it.
157 SECOND CITIZEN.
158 Poor soul, his eyes are red as fire with weeping.
159 THIRD CITIZEN.
160 There’s not a nobler man in Rome than Antony.
161 FOURTH CITIZEN.
162 Now mark him; he begins again to speak.
163 ANTONY.
164 But yesterday the word of Caesar might
165 Have stood against the world; now lies he there,
166 And none so poor to do him reverence.
167 O masters! If I were dispos’d to stir
168 Your hearts and minds to mutiny and rage,
169 I should do Brutus wrong and Cassius wrong,
170 Who, you all know, are honourable men.
171 I will not do them wrong; I rather choose
172 To wrong the dead, to wrong myself and you,
173 Than I will wrong such honourable men.
174 But here’s a parchment with the seal of Caesar,
175 I found it in his closet; ’tis his will:
176 Let but the commons hear this testament,
177 Which, pardon me, I do not mean to read,
178 And they would go and kiss dead Caesar’s wounds,
179 And dip their napkins in his sacred blood;
180 Yea, beg a hair of him for memory,
181 And, dying, mention it within their wills,
182 Bequeathing it as a rich legacy
183 Unto their issue.
184 FOURTH CITIZEN.
185 We’ll hear the will. Read it, Mark Antony.
186 CITIZENS.
187 The will, the will! We will hear Caesar’s will.
188 ANTONY.
189 Have patience, gentle friends, I must not read it.
190 It is not meet you know how Caesar loved you.
191 You are not wood, you are not stones, but men;
192 And being men, hearing the will of Caesar,
193 It will inflame you, it will make you mad.
194 ’Tis good you know not that you are his heirs;
195 For if you should, O, what would come of it?
196 FOURTH CITIZEN.
197 Read the will! We’ll hear it, Antony;
198 You shall read us the will, Caesar’s will!
199 ANTONY.
200 Will you be patient? Will you stay awhile?
201 I have o’ershot myself to tell you of it.
202 I fear I wrong the honourable men
203 Whose daggers have stabb’d Caesar; I do fear it.
204 FOURTH CITIZEN.
205 They were traitors. Honourable men!
206 CITIZENS.
207 The will! The testament!
208 SECOND CITIZEN.
209 They were villains, murderers. The will! Read the will!
210 ANTONY.
211 You will compel me then to read the will?
212 Then make a ring about the corpse of Caesar,
213 And let me show you him that made the will.
214 Shall I descend? and will you give me leave?
215 CITIZENS.
216 Come down.
217 SECOND CITIZEN.
218 Descend.
219 [_He comes down._]
220 THIRD CITIZEN.
221 You shall have leave.
222 FOURTH CITIZEN.
223 A ring! Stand round.
224 FIRST CITIZEN.
225 Stand from the hearse, stand from the body.
226 SECOND CITIZEN.
227 Room for Antony, most noble Antony!
228 ANTONY.
229 Nay, press not so upon me; stand far off.
230 CITIZENS.
231 Stand back; room! bear back.
232 ANTONY.
233 If you have tears, prepare to shed them now.
234 You all do know this mantle. I remember
235 The first time ever Caesar put it on;
236 ’Twas on a Summer’s evening, in his tent,
237 That day he overcame the Nervii.
238 Look, in this place ran Cassius’ dagger through:
239 See what a rent the envious Casca made:
240 Through this the well-beloved Brutus stabb’d;
241 And as he pluck’d his cursed steel away,
242 Mark how the blood of Caesar follow’d it,
243 As rushing out of doors, to be resolv’d
244 If Brutus so unkindly knock’d, or no;
245 For Brutus, as you know, was Caesar’s angel.
246 Judge, O you gods, how dearly Caesar lov’d him.
247 This was the most unkindest cut of all;
248 For when the noble Caesar saw him stab,
249 Ingratitude, more strong than traitors’ arms,
250 Quite vanquish’d him: then burst his mighty heart;
251 And in his mantle muffling up his face,
252 Even at the base of Pompey’s statue
253 Which all the while ran blood, great Caesar fell.
254 O, what a fall was there, my countrymen!
255 Then I, and you, and all of us fell down,
256 Whilst bloody treason flourish’d over us.
257 O, now you weep; and I perceive you feel
258 The dint of pity. These are gracious drops.
259 Kind souls, what weep you when you but behold
260 Our Caesar’s vesture wounded? Look you here,
261 Here is himself, marr’d, as you see, with traitors.
262 FIRST CITIZEN.
263 O piteous spectacle!
264 SECOND CITIZEN.
265 O noble Caesar!
266 THIRD CITIZEN.
267 O woeful day!
268 FOURTH CITIZEN.
269 O traitors, villains!
270 FIRST CITIZEN.
271 O most bloody sight!
272 SECOND CITIZEN.
273 We will be revenged.
274 CITIZENS.
275 Revenge,—about,—seek,—burn,—fire,—kill,—slay,—let not a traitor live!
276 ANTONY.
277 Stay, countrymen.
278 FIRST CITIZEN.
279 Peace there! Hear the noble Antony.
280 SECOND CITIZEN.
281 We’ll hear him, we’ll follow him, we’ll die with him.
282 ANTONY.
283 Good friends, sweet friends, let me not stir you up
284 To such a sudden flood of mutiny.
285 They that have done this deed are honourable.
286 What private griefs they have, alas, I know not,
287 That made them do it. They’re wise and honourable,
288 And will, no doubt, with reasons answer you.
289 I come not, friends, to steal away your hearts.
290 I am no orator, as Brutus is;
291 But, as you know me all, a plain blunt man,
292 That love my friend; and that they know full well
293 That gave me public leave to speak of him.
294 For I have neither wit, nor words, nor worth,
295 Action, nor utterance, nor the power of speech,
296 To stir men’s blood. I only speak right on.
297 I tell you that which you yourselves do know,
298 Show you sweet Caesar’s wounds, poor poor dumb mouths,
299 And bid them speak for me. But were I Brutus,
300 And Brutus Antony, there were an Antony
301 Would ruffle up your spirits, and put a tongue
302 In every wound of Caesar, that should move
303 The stones of Rome to rise and mutiny.
304 CITIZENS.
305 We’ll mutiny.
306 FIRST CITIZEN.
307 We’ll burn the house of Brutus.
308 THIRD CITIZEN.
309 Away, then! come, seek the conspirators.
310 ANTONY.
311 Yet hear me, countrymen; yet hear me speak.
312 CITIZENS.
313 Peace, ho! Hear Antony; most noble Antony.
314 ANTONY.
315 Why, friends, you go to do you know not what.
316 Wherein hath Caesar thus deserved your loves?
317 Alas, you know not; I must tell you then.
318 You have forgot the will I told you of.
319 CITIZENS.
320 Most true; the will!—let’s stay, and hear the will.
321 ANTONY.
322 Here is the will, and under Caesar’s seal.
323 To every Roman citizen he gives,
324 To every several man, seventy-five drachmas.
325 SECOND CITIZEN.
326 Most noble Caesar! We’ll revenge his death.
327 THIRD CITIZEN.
328 O, royal Caesar!
329 ANTONY.
330 Hear me with patience.
331 CITIZENS.
332 Peace, ho!
333 ANTONY.
334 Moreover, he hath left you all his walks,
335 His private arbors, and new-planted orchards,
336 On this side Tiber; he hath left them you,
337 And to your heirs forever; common pleasures,
338 To walk abroad, and recreate yourselves.
339 Here was a Caesar! when comes such another?
340 FIRST CITIZEN.
341 Never, never. Come, away, away!
342 We’ll burn his body in the holy place,
343 And with the brands fire the traitors’ houses.
344 Take up the body.
345 SECOND CITIZEN.
346 Go, fetch fire.
347 THIRD CITIZEN.
348 Pluck down benches.
349 FOURTH CITIZEN.
350 Pluck down forms, windows, anything.
351 [_Exeunt Citizens, with the body._]
352 ANTONY.
353 Now let it work. Mischief, thou art afoot,
354 Take thou what course thou wilt!
355 Enter a Servant.
356 How now, fellow?
357 SERVANT.
358 Sir, Octavius is already come to Rome.
359 ANTONY.
360 Where is he?
361 SERVANT.
362 He and Lepidus are at Caesar’s house.
363 ANTONY.
364 And thither will I straight to visit him.
365 He comes upon a wish. Fortune is merry,
366 And in this mood will give us anything.
367 SERVANT.
368 I heard him say Brutus and Cassius
369 Are rid like madmen through the gates of Rome.
370 ANTONY.
371 Belike they had some notice of the people,
372 How I had moved them. Bring me to Octavius.
373 [_Exeunt._]