Act 3 — III. 2 Scene II. The Forum[104]

Citizens.[106] We will be satisfied; let us be satisfied.

Brutus. Then follow me, and give me audience, friends. Cassius, go you into the other street, And part the numbers. 5Those that will hear me speak, let 'em stay here; Those that will follow Cassius, go with him; And public reasons shall be rendered[107] Of Cæsar's death.

1 Citizen. I will hear Brutus speak.

2 Citizen. I will hear Cassius; and compare their reasons, 10When severally we hear them rendered.[107]

3 Citizen. The noble Brutus is ascended: silence![109]

1 Citizen.[118] Bring him with triumph home unto his house.

2 Citizen. Give him a statue with his ancestors.

3 Citizen. Let him be Cæsar.

504 Citizen. Cæsar's better parts Shall be crown'd in Brutus.

Brutus. My countrymen,—

2 Citizen. Peace! silence! Brutus speaks.

1 Citizen. Peace, ho!

55Brutus. Good countrymen, let me depart alone, And, for my sake, stay here with Antony: Do grace to Cæsar's corpse, and grace his speech Tending to Cæsar's glories; which Mark Antony, By our permission, is allow'd to make. 60I do entreat you, not a man depart, Save I alone, till Antony have spoke.

1 Citizen. Stay, ho! and let us hear Mark Antony.

3 Citizen. Let him go up into the public chair; We'll hear him. Noble Antony, go up.

65Antony. For Brutus' sake, I am beholding[121] to you.

4 Citizen. What does he say of Brutus?

3 Citizen. He says, for Brutus' sake, He finds himself beholding to us all.

4 Citizen. 'Twere best he speak no harm of Brutus here.

1 Citizen. This Cæsar was a tyrant.

3 Citizen. Nay, that's certain: 70We are blest[122] that Rome is rid of him.

2 Citizen. Peace! let us hear what Antony can say.

Antony.[123] You gentle Romans,—

All. Peace, ho! Let us hear him.

Antony. Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears: I come to bury[124] Cæsar, not to praise him. 75The evil that men do lives after them: The good is oft interred with their bones;[125] So let it be with Cæsar. The noble Brutus Hath told you Cæsar was ambitious: If it were so, it was a grievous fault, 80And grievously hath Cæsar answer'd it. Here, under leave of Brutus and the rest,— For Brutus is an honourable man; So are they all, all honourable men,— Come I to speak in Cæsar's funeral. 85He was my friend, faithful and just to me: But Brutus says he was ambitious; And Brutus is an honourable man. He hath brought many captives home to Rome, Whose ransoms did the general coffers fill:[126] 90Did this in Cæsar seem ambitious? When that the poor have cried, Cæsar hath wept: Ambition should be made of sterner stuff: Yet Brutus says he was ambitious; And Brutus is an honourable man. 95You all did see that on the Lupercal[127] I thrice presented him a kingly crown, Which he did thrice refuse: was this ambition? Yet Brutus says he was ambitious; And, sure, he is an honourable man.[128] 100I speak not to disprove what Brutus spoke, But here I am to speak what I do know. You all did love him once, not without cause: What cause withholds you then to mourn[129] for him? O judgment! thou art[130] fled to brutish[131] beasts, 105And men have lost their reason. Bear with me; My heart is in the coffin there with Cæsar, And I must pause till it come back to me.

1 Citizen. Methinks there is much reason in his sayings.

2 Citizen. If thou consider rightly of the matter, Cæsar has had great wrong.

1103 Citizen.[132] Has he,[133] masters? I fear there will a worse come in his place.

4 Citizen. Mark'd ye his words? He would not take the crown; Therefore 'tis certain he was not ambitious.

1 Citizen. If it be found so, some will dear abide it.[134]

1152 Citizen. Poor soul! his eyes are red as fire with weeping.

3 Citizen. There's not a nobler man in Rome than Antony.

4 Citizen. Now mark him; he begins again to speak.

Antony. But yesterday the word of Cæsar might Have stood against the world: now lies he there, 120And none so poor to do him reverence.[135] O masters, if I were dispos'd to stir Your hearts and minds to mutiny and rage, I should do Brutus wrong and Cassius wrong, Who, you all know, are honourable men: 125I will not do them wrong; I rather choose To wrong the dead, to wrong myself and you, 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: 130Let but the commons hear this testament— Which, pardon me, I do not mean to read— And they would go and kiss dead Cæsar's wounds, And dip their napkins[136] in his sacred blood, Yea, beg a hair of him for memory, 135And, dying, mention it within their wills, Bequeathing it as a rich legacy Unto their issue.

4 Citizen. We'll hear the will: read it, Mark Antony.

All. The will, the will! we will hear Cæsar's will.

140Antony. Have patience, gentle friends, I must not read it; It is not meet you know how Cæsar lov'd 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. 145'T is good you know not that you are his heirs; For if you should, O, what would come of it!

4 Citizen. Read the will; we'll hear it, Antony; You shall read us the will, Cæsar's will.

Antony. Will you be patient? will you stay awhile? 150I have o'ershot myself to tell[137] you of it: I fear I wrong the honourable men Whose daggers have stabb'd Cæsar;[138] I do fear it.

4 Citizen. They were traitors: honourable men!

All. The will! the testament!

1552 Citizen. They were villains, murderers: the will! read the will.

Antony. 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?

160All. Come down.

2 Citizen. Descend.

3 Citizen. You shall have leave.

4 Citizen. A ring, stand round.

1 Citizen. Stand from the hearse, stand from the body.

1652 Citizen. Room for Antony, most noble Antony.

Antony. Nay, press not so upon me: stand far[140] off.

All. Stand back; room; bear back!

Antony. If you have tears, prepare to shed them now. You all do know this mantle: I remember 170The first time ever Cæsar put it on; 'Twas on a summer's evening, in his tent, That day he overcame the Nervii.[141] Look, in this place ran Cassius' dagger through: See what a rent the envious[142] Casca made: 175Through 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 rushing out of doors, to be resolv'd[143] If Brutus so unkindly knock'd, or no; 180For Brutus, as you know, was Cæsar's angel:[144] Judge, O you gods, how dearly Cæsar lov'd him! This was the most unkindest cut of all; For when the noble Cæsar saw him stab, Ingratitude, more strong than traitors' arms, 185Quite vanquish'd him: then burst his mighty heart; And, in his mantle muffling up his face, Even at the base of Pompey's statue,[145] Which all the while ran blood, great Cæsar fell. O, what a fall was there, my countrymen! 190Then I, and you, and all of us fell down, Whilst bloody treason flourish'd over us. O, now you weep; and I perceive you feel The dint[146] of pity: these are gracious drops. Kind souls, what, weep you when you but behold 195Our Cæsar's vesture wounded? Look you here, Here is himself, marr'd, as you see, with traitors.

Antony. Good friends, sweet friends, let me not stir you up To such a sudden flood of mutiny. 210They 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 honourable, And will, no doubt, with reasons answer you. I come not, friends, to steal away your hearts: 215I 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[149] me public leave to speak of him: For I have neither wit,[150][151] nor words, nor worth, 220Action, 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; Show you sweet Cæsar's wounds, poor poor dumb mouths, And bid them speak for me: but were I Brutus, 225And 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.

Antony. Why, friends, you go to do you know not what. 235Wherein hath Cæsar thus deserv'd your loves? Alas, you know not; I must tell you then: You have forgot the will I told you of.

Antony.[152] Here is the will, and under Cæsar's seal. 240To every Roman citizen he gives, To every several man, seventy-five drachmas.[153]

Antony. Moreover, he hath left you all his walks, His private arbours and new-planted orchards, On this side Tiber;[154] he hath left them you, And to your heirs for ever; common pleasures, 250To walk abroad and recreate yourselves. Here was a Cæsar! when comes such another?

1 Citizen.[155] Never, never. Come, away, away! We'll burn his body in the holy place, And with the brands fire[156] the[157] traitors' houses. 255Take up the body.

Antony. Now let it work. Mischief, thou art afoot, Take thou what course thou wilt!

260How now, fellow!

Antony. And thither will I straight to visit him: 265He comes upon a wish.[161] Fortune is merry, And in this mood will give us any thing.

Servant. I heard him say, Brutus and Cassius Are rid[162] like madmen through the gates of Rome.

Antony. Belike they had some notice of the people 270How I had mov'd them. Bring me to Octavius.