By that which he will utter?
BRUTUS (aside to Cassius) By your pardon,
I will myself into the pulpit first,
And show the reason of our Caesar’s death.
What Antony shall speak I will protest
He speaks by leave and by permission;
And that we are contented Caesar shall
Have all true rites and lawful ceremonies,
It shall advantage more than do us wrong.
CASSIUS (aside to Brutus)
I know not what may fall. I like it not.
BRUTUS
Mark Antony, here, take you Caesar’s body.
You shall not in your funeral speech blame us;
But speak all good you can devise of Caesar,
And say you do’t by our permission;
Else shall you not have any hand at all
About his funeral. And you shall speak
In the same pulpit whereto I am going,
After my speech is ended.
ANTONY Be it so;
I do desire no more.
BRUTUS
Prepare the body then, and follow us.Exeunt all but Antony
ANTONY
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 costly blood!
Over thy wounds now do I prophesy—
Which like dumb mouths do ope their ruby lips
To beg the voice and utterance of my tongue—
A curse shall light upon the limbs of men;
Domestic fury and fierce civil strife
Shall cumber all the parts of Italy;
Blood and destruction shall be so in use,
And dreadful objects so familiar,
That mothers shall but smile when they behold
Their infants quartered with the hands of war,
All pity choked with custom of fell deeds;
And Caesar’s spirit, ranging for revenge,
With Ate by his side come hot from hell,
Shall in these confines with a monarch’s voice
Cry ‘havoc!’ and let slip the dogs of war,
That this foul deed shall smell above the earth
With carrion men, groaning for burial.
Enter Octavius’ Servant
You serve Octavius Caesar, do you not?
SERVANT I do, Mark Antony.
ANTONY
Caesar did write for him to come to Rome.
SERVANT
He did receive his letters, and is coming,
And bid me say to you by word of mouth—
(Seeing the body) O Caesar!
ANTONY
Thy heart is big. Get thee apart and weep.
Passion, I see, is catching, for mine eyes,
Seeing those beads of sorrow stand in thine,
Began to water. Is thy master coming?
SERVANT
He lies tonight within seven leagues of Rome.
ANTONY
Post back with speed and tell him what hath
chanced.
Here is a mourning Rome, a dangerous Rome,
No Rome of safety for Octavius yet.
Hie hence and tell him so.—Yet stay awhile.
Thou shalt not back till I have borne this corpse
Into the market-place. There shall I try
In my oration how the people take
The cruel issue of these bloody men;
According to the which thou shalt discourse
To young Octavius of the state of things.
Lend me your hand.
Exeunt with Caesar’s body
3.2 Enter Brutus and Cassius, with the Plebeians
ALL THE PLEBEIANS
We will be satisfied! Let us be satisfied!
BRUTUS
Then follow me, and give me audience, friends.
(Aside to Cassius) Cassius, go you into the other street,
And part the numbers.
(To the Plebeians)
Those that will hear me speak, let ’em stay here;
Those that will follow Cassius, go with him;
And public reasons shall be rendered
Of Caesar’s death.Brutus ascends to the pulpit
FIRST PLEBEIAN I will hear Brutus speak.
SECOND PLEBEIAN
I will hear Cassius, and compare their reasons
When severally we hear them rendered.Exit Cassius, with some Plebeians Enter⌉ Brutus ⌈above⌉in the pulpit
THIRD PLEBEIAN
The noble Brutus is ascended. Silence.
BRUTUS Be patient till the last.
Romans, countrymen, and lovers, hear me for my
cause, and be silent that you may hear. Believe me for
mine honour, and have respect to mine honour, that
you may believe. Censure me in your wisdom, and
awake your senses, that you may the better judge. If
there be any in this assembly, any dear friend of
Caesar’s, to him I say that Brutus’ love to Caesar was
no less than his. If then that friend demand why Brutus
rose against Caesar, this is my answer: not that I loved
Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more. Had you
rather Caesar were living, and die all slaves, than that
Caesar were dead, to live all free men? As Caesar loved
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 slew him. There is tears for his love, joy
for his fortune, honour for his valour, and death for
his ambition. Who is here so base that would be a
bondman? If any, speak, for him have I offended. Who
is here so rude that would not be a Roman? If any,
speak, for him have I offended. Who is here so vile that
will not love his country? If any, speak, for him have
I offended. I pause for a reply.
ALL THE PLEBEIANS None, Brutus, none.
BRUTUS Then none have I offended. I have done no more to Caesar than you shall do to Brutus. The question of his death is enrolled in the Capitol, his glory not extenuated wherein he was worthy, nor his offences enforced for which he suffered death.Enter Mark Antony, with ⌈others bearing⌉ Caesar’s body ⌈in a coffin⌉
Here comes his body, mourned by Mark Antony, who, though he had no hand in his death, shall receive the benefit of his dying: a place in the commonwealth—as which of you shall not? With this I depart: that as I slew my best lover for the good of Rome, I have the same dagger for myself when it shall please my country to need my death.
ALL THE PLEBEIANS Live, Brutus, live, live!
FIRST PLEBEIAN
Bring him with triumph home unto his house.
⌈FOURTH⌉ PLEBEIAN
Give him a statue with his ancestors.
THIRD PLEBEIAN
Let him be Caesar.
⌈FIFTH⌉ PLEBEIAN Caesar’s better parts
Shall be crowned in Brutus.
FIRST PLEBEIAN
We’ll bring him to his house with shouts and
clamours.
BRUTUS
My countrymen.
⌈FOURTH⌉ PLEBEIAN Peace, silence. Brutus speaks.
FIRST PLEBEIAN Peace, ho!
BRUTUS
Good countrymen, let me depart alone,
And, for my sake, stay here with Antony.
Do grace to Caesar’s corpse, and grace his speech
Tending to Caesar’s glories, which Mark Antony,
By our permission, is allowed to make.
I do entreat you, not a man depart
Save I alone till Antony have spoke. Exit
FIRST PLEBEIAN
Stay, ho, and let us hear Mark Antony.
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sp; THIRD PLEBEIAN
Let him go up into the public chair.
We’ll hear him. Noble Antony, go up.
ANTONY
For Brutus’ sake I am beholden to you.
Antony ascends to the pulpit
⌈FIFTH⌉ PLEBEIAN
What does he say of Brutus?
THIRD PLEBEIAN He says, for Brutus’ sake
He finds himself beholden to us all.
⌈FIFTH⌉ PLEBEIAN
’Twere best he speak no harm of Brutus here!
FIRST PLEBEIAN
This Caesar was a tyrant.
THIRD PLEBEIAN Nay, that’s certain.
We are blessed that Rome is rid of him.⌈Enter⌉ Antony in the pulpit
⌈FOURTH⌉ PLEBEIAN
Peace, let us hear what Antony can say.
ANTONY
You gentle Romans. ALL THE PLEBEIANS Peace, ho! Let us hear him.
ANTONY
Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears.
I come to bury Caesar, 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 Caesar. The noble Brutus
Hath told you Caesar was ambitious.
If it were so, it was a grievous fault,
And grievously hath Caesar answered 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 Caesar’s funeral.
He 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.
Did this in Caesar seem ambitious?
When that the poor have cried, Caesar hath wept.
Ambition should be made of sterner stuff.
Yet Brutus says he was ambitious,
And Brutus is an honourable man.
You all did see that on the Lupercal
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.
I 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 for him?
O judgement, thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason!He weeps Bear with me.
My heart is in the coffin there with Caesar,
And I must pause till it come back to me.
FIRST PLEBEIAN
Methinks there is much reason in his sayings.
⌈FOURTHmlk,⌉ PLEBEIAN
If thou consider rightly of the matter,
Caesar has had great wrong.
THIRD PLEBEIAN Has he not, masters?
I fear there will a worse come in his place.
⌈FIFTH⌉ PLEBEIAN
Marked ye his words? He would not take the crown,
Therefore ’tis certain he was not ambitious.
FIRST PLEBEIAN
If it be found so, some will dear abide it.
⌈FOURTH⌉ PLEBEIAN
Poor soul, his eyes are red as fire with weeping.
THIRD PLEBEIAN
There’s not a nobler man in Rome than Antony.
⌈FIFTH⌉ PLEBEIAN
Now mark him; he begins again to speak.
ANTONY
But yesterday the word of Caesar might
Have stood against the world. Now lies he there,
And none so poor to do him reverence.
O masters, if I were disposed 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.
I 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 Caesar.
I found it in his closet. ’Tis his will.
Let but the commons hear this testament—
Which, pardon me, I do not mean to read—
And they would go and kiss dead Caesar’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.
⌈FIFTH⌉ PLEBEIAN
We’ll hear the will. Read it, Mark Antony.
ALL THE PLEBEIANS
The will, the will! We will hear Caesar’s will.
ANTONY
Have patience, gentle friends, I must not read it.
It is not meet you know how Caesar loved you.
You are not wood, you are not stones, but men;
And, being men, hearing the will of Caesar,
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?
⌈FIFTH⌉ PLEBEIAN
Read the will. We’ll hear it, Antony.
You shall read us the will, Caesar’s will.
ANTONY
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 stabbed Caesar; I do fear it.
⌈FIFTH⌉ PLEBEIAN They were traitors. Honourable men?
ALL THE PLEBEIANS The will, the testament!
⌈FOURTH⌉ PLEBEIAN 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 Caesar,
And let me show you him that made the will.
Shall I descend? And will you give me leave?
ALL THE PLEBEIANS
Come down.
⌈FOURTH⌉ PLEBEIAN Descend.
THIRD PLEBEIAN
You shall have leave.
Antony descends from the pulpit
⌈FIFTH⌉ PLEBEIAN A ring.
Stand round.
FIRST PLEBEIAN
Stand from the hearse. Stand from the body.
⌈FOURTH⌉ PLEBEIAN
Room for Antony, most noble Antony!⌈Enter Antony below⌉
ANTONY
Nay, press not so upon me. Stand farre off.
ALL THE PLEBEIANS Stand back! Room! Bear back!
ANTONY
If you have tears, prepare to shed them now.
You all do know this mantle. I remember
The first time ever Caesar 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 stabbed;
And as he plucked his cursèd steel away,
Mark how the blood of Caesar followed it,
As rushing out of doors to be resolved
If Brutus so unkindly knocked or no—
For Brutus, as you know, was Caesar’s angel.
Judge, O you gods, how dearly Caesar loved him!
This was the most unkindest cut of all.
For when the noble Caesar saw him stab,
Ingratitude, more strong than traitors’ arms,
Quite vanquished him. Then burst his mighty heart,
And in his mantle muffling up his face,
Even at the base of Pompey’s statue,
Which all the while ran blood, great Caesar fell.
O,
what a fall was there, my countrymen!
Then I, and you, and all of us fell down,
Whilst bloody treason flourished over us.
O 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 Caesar’s vesture wounded? Look you here.
Here is himself, marred, as you see, with traitors.
He uncovers Caesar’s body
FIRST PLEBEIAN
O piteous spectacle!
⌈FOURTH⌉ PLEBEIAN O noble Caesar!
THIRD PLEBEIAN O woeful day!
⌈FIFTH⌉ PLEBEIAN
O traitors, villains!
FIRST PLEBEIAN O most bloody sight!
⌈FOURTH⌉ PLEBEIAN We will be revenged.
⌈ALL THE PLEBEIANS⌉
Revenge! About! Seek! Burn! Fire! Kill! Slay!
Let not a traitor live !
ANTONY Stay, countrymen.
FIRST PLEBEIAN Peace there, hear the noble Antony.
⌈FOURTH⌉ PLEBEIAN We’ll hear him, we’ll follow him, we’ll die with him!
ANTONY
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.
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.
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,
Show you sweet Caesar’s wounds, poor poor dumb
mouths,
And bid them 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 Caesar that should move
The stones of Rome to rise and mutiny.
ALL THE PLEBEIANS
We’ll mutiny.
FIRST PLEBEIAN We’ll burn the house of Brutus.
THIRD PLEBEIAN
Away then! Come, seek the conspirators.
ANTONY
Yet hear me, countrymen, yet hear me speak.
ALL THE PLEBEIANS
The Oxford Shakespeare: The Complete Works Page 211
