Peace, ho! Hear Antony, most noble Antony.
ANTONY
Why, friends, you go to do you know not what.
Wherein hath Caesar thus deserved your loves?
Alas, you know not. I must tell you’ then.
You have forgot the will I told you of.
ALL THE PLEBEIANS
Most true. The will. Let’s stay and hear the will.
ANTONY
Here is the will, and under Caesar’s seal.
To every Roman citizen he gives—
To every several man—seventy-five drachmas.
⌈FOURTH⌉ PLEBEIAN
Most noble Caesar! We’ll revenge his death.
THIRD PLEBEIAN
O royal Caesar!
ANTONY Hear me with patience.
ALL THE PLEBEIANS Peace, ho!
ANTONY
Moreover he hath left you all his walks,
His private arbours, and new-planted orchards,
On this side Tiber. He hath left them you,
And to your heirs for ever—common pleasures
To walk abroad and recreate yourselves.
Here was a Caesar. When comes such another?
FIRST PLEBEIAN
Never, never! Come, away, away!
We’ll burn his body in the holy place,
And with the brands fire the traitors’ houses.
Take up the body.
⌈FOURTH⌉ PLEBEIAN Go, fetch fire!
THIRD PLEBEIAN Pluck down benches!
⌈FIFTH⌉ PLEBEIAN Pluck down forms, windows, anything!
Exeunt Plebeians ⌈with Caesar’s body⌉
ANTONY
Now let it work. Mischief, thou art afoot.
Take thou what course thou wilt.
Enter ⌈Octavius’⌉ Servant
How now, fellow?
SERVANT
Sir, Octavius is already come to Rome.
ANTONY Where is he?
SERVANT
He and Lepidus are at Caesar’s house.
ANTONY
And thither will I straight to visit him.
He comes upon a wish. Fortune is merry,
And in this mood will give us anything.
SERVANT
I heard him say Brutus and Cassius
Are rid like madmen through the gates of Rome.
ANTONY
Belike they had some notice of the people,
How I had moved them. Bring me to Octavius.Exeunt
3.3 Enter Cinna the poet
CINNA
I dreamt tonight that I did feast with Caesar,
And things unlucky charge my fantasy.
I have no will to wander forth of doors,
Yet something leads me forth.
Enter the Plebeians
FIRST PLEBEIAN What is your name?
SECOND PLEBEIAN Whither are you going?
THIRD PLEBEIAN Where do you dwell?
FOURTH PLEBEIAN Are you a married man or a bachelor?
SECOND PLEBEIAN Answer every man directly.
FIRST PLEBEIAN Ay, and briefly.
FOURTH PLEBEIAN Ay, and wisely.
THIRD PLEBEIAN Ay, and truly, you were best.
CINNA 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.
SECOND PLEBEIAN That’s as much as to say they are fools that marry. You’ll bear me a bang for that, I fear. Proceed directly.
CINNA Directly I am going to Caesar’s funeral.
FIRST PLEBEIAN As a friend or an enemy?
CINNA As a friend.
SECOND PLEBEIAN That matter is answered directly.
FOURTH PLEBEIAN For your dwelling—briefly.
CINNA Briefly, I dwell by the Capitol.
THIRD PLEBEIAN Your name, sir, truly.
CINNA Truly, my name is Cinna.
FIRST PLEBEIAN Tear him to pieces! He’s a conspirator.
CINNA I am Cinna the poet, I am Cinna the poet.
FOURTH PLEBEIAN Tear him for his bad verses, tear him for his bad verses.
CINNA I am not Cinna the conspirator.
FOURTH PLEBEIAN It is no matter, his name’s Cinna. Pluck but his name out of his heart, and turn him going.
THIRD PLEBEIAN Tear him, tear him!⌈They set upon Cinna⌉
Come, brands, ho! Firebrands! To Brutus’, to Cassius’!
Burn all! Some to Decius’ house, and some to Casca’s;
some to Ligarius‘. Away, go!
Exeunt all the Plebeians, with Cinna
4.1 Enter Antony with papers, Octavius, and Lepidus
ANTONY
These many, then, shall die; their names are pricked.
OCTAVIUS (to Lepidus)
Your brother too must die. Consent you, Lepidus?
LEPIDUS
I do consent.
OCTAVIUS Prick him down, Antony.
LEPIDUS
Upon condition Publius shall not live,
Who is your sister’s son, Mark Antony.
ANTONY
He shall not live. Look, with a spot I damn him.
But Lepidus, go you to Caesar’s house;
Fetch the will hither, and we shall determine
How to cut off some charge in legacies.
LEPIDUS What, shall I find you here?
OCTAVIUS Or here or at the Capitol. Exit Lepidus
ANTONY
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?
OCTAVIUS So you thought him,
And took his voice who should be pricked to die
In our black sentence and proscription.
ANTONY
Octavius, I have seen more days than you,
And though we lay these honours on this man
To ease ourselves of divers sland’rous loads,
He shall but bear them as the ass bears gold,
To groan and sweat under the business,
Either led or driven as we point the way;
And having brought our treasure where we will,
Then take we down his load, and turn him off,
Like to the empty ass, to shake his ears
And graze in commons.
OCTAVIUS You may do your will;
But he’s a tried and valiant soldier.
ANTONY
So is my horse, Octavius, and for that
I do appoint him store of provender.
It is a creature that I teach to fight,
To wind, to stop, to run directly on,
His corporal motion governed by my spirit;
And in some taste is Lepidus but so.
He must be taught, and trained, and bid go forth—
A barren-spirited fellow, one that feeds
On objects, arts, and imitations,
Which, out of use and staled by other men,
Begin his fashion. Do not talk of him
But as a property. And now, Octavius,
Listen great things. Brutus and Cassius
Are levying powers. We must straight make head.
Therefore let our alliance be combined,
Our best friends made, our meinies stretched,
And let us presently go sit in council,
How covert matters may be best disclosed,
And open perils surest answered.
OCTAVIUS
Let us do so, for we are at the stake
And bayed about with many enemies;
And some that smile have in their hearts, I fear,
Millions of mischiefs. Exeunt
4.2 Drum. Enter Brutus, Lucius, and the army. ⌈Lucillius,⌉ Titinius, and Pindarus meet them
BRUTUS Stand, ho!
⌈SOLDIER⌉ Give the word ‘ho’, and stand.
BRUTUS
What now, Lucillius: is Cassius near?
LUCILLIUS
He is at hand, and Pindarus is come
To do you salutation from his master.
BRUTUS
He greets me well. Your master, Pindarus,
In his own change or by ill officers,
Hath given me some worthy cause to wish
Things done undone. But if he be at hand,
I shall be satisfied.
PINDARUS I do not doubt
But that my noble master will appear
Such as he is, full of regard and honour.
BRUTUS
He is not doubted.—A word, Lucillius.
Brutus and Lucillius speak apart
How he received you let me be resolved.
LUCILLIUS
With courtesy and with respect enough,
But not with such familiar instances,
Nor with such free and friendly conference,
As he hath used of old.
BRUTUS Thou hast described
A hot friend cooling. Ever note, Lucillius:
When love begins to sicken and decay
It useth an enforced ceremony.
There are no tricks in plain and simple faith;
But hollow men, like horses hot at hand,
Make gallant show and promise of their mettle;Low march within
But when they should endure the bloody spur,
They fall their crests and, like deceitful jades,
Sink in the trial. Comes his army on?
LUCILLIUS
They mean this night in Sardis to be quartered.
The greater part, the horse in general,
Are come with Cassius.
Enter Cassius and his powers
BRUTUS Hark, he is arrived.
March gently on to meet him.The armies march
CASSIUS Stand, ho!
BRUTUS Stand, ho! Speak the word along.
⌈FIRST SOLDIER⌉ Stand!
⌈second SOLDIER⌉ Stand!
⌈THIRD SOLDIER⌉ Standl
CASSIUS
Most noble brother, you have done me wrong.
BRUTUS
Judge me, you gods: wrong I mine enemies?
And if not so, how should I wrong a brother?
CASSIUS
Brutus, this sober form of yours hides wrongs,
And when you do them—
BRUTUS Cassius, be content.
Speak your griefs softly. I do know you well.
Before the eyes of both our armies here,
Which should perceive nothing but love from us,
Let us not wrangle. Bid them move away,
Then in my tent, Cassius, enlarge your griefs,
And I will give you audience.
CASSIUS Pindarus,
Bid our commanders lead their charges off
A little from this ground.
BRUTUS
Lucillius, do you the like; and let no man
Come to our tent till we have done our conference.
Let Lucius and Titinius guard our door.Exeunt the armies Brutus and Cassius remain, ⌈with Titinius, and Lucius guarding the door⌉
CASSIUS
That you have wronged me doth appear in this:
You have condemned and noted Lucius Pella
For taking bribes here of the Sardians,
Wherein my letters praying on his side,
Because I knew the man, was slighted off.
BRUTUS
You wronged yourself to write in such a case.
CASSIUS
In such a time as this it is not meet
That every nice offence should bear his comment.
BRUTUS
Let me tell you, Cassius, you yourself
Are much condemned to have an itching palm,
To sell and mart your offices for gold
To undeservers.
CASSIUS I, an itching palm?
You know that you are Brutus that speaks this, 65
Or, by the gods, this speech were else your last.
BRUTUS
The name of Cassius honours this corruption,
And chastisement doth therefore hide his head.
CASSIUS Chastisement?
BRUTUS
Remember March, the ides of March, remember.
Did not great Julius bleed for justice’ sake?
What villain touched his body, that did stab,
And not for justice? What, shall one of us,
That struck the foremost man of all this world
But for supporting robbers, shall we now
Contaminate our fingers with base bribes,
And sell the mighty space of our large honours
For so much trash as may be grasped thus?
I had rather be a dog and bay the moon
Than such a Roman.
CASSIUS Brutus, bay not me.
I’ll not endure it. You forget yourself
To hedge me in. I am a soldier, I,
Older in practice, abler than yourself
To make conditions.
BRUTUS Go to, you are not, Cassius.
CASSIUS I am.
BRUTUS I say you are not.
CASSIUS
Urge me no more, I shall forget myself.
Have mind upon your health. Tempt me no farther.
BRUTUS Away, slight man.
CASSIUS Is’t possible?
BRUTUS Hear me, for I will speak.
Must I give way and room to your rash choler?
Shall I be frighted when a madman stares?
CASSIUS
O ye gods, ye gods! Must I endure all this?
BRUTUS
All this? Ay, more. Fret till your proud heart break.
Go show your slaves how choleric you are,
And make your bondmen tremble. Must I budge?
Must I observe you? Must I stand and crouch
Under your testy humour? By the gods,
You shall digest the venom of your spleen,
Though it do split you. For from this day forth
I’ll use you for my mirth, yea for my laughter,
When you are waspish.
CASSIUS Is it come to this?
BRUTUS
You say you are a better soldier.
Let it appear so, make your vaunting true,
And it shall please me well. For mine own part,
I shall be glad to learn of noble men.
CASSIUS
You wrong me every way, you wrong me, Brutus.
I said an elder soldier, not a better.
Did I say better?
BRUTUS If you did, I care not.
CASSIUS
When Caesar lived he durst not thus have moved me.
BRUTUS
Peace, peace; you durst not so have tempted him.
CASSIUS I durst not?
BRUTUS No.
CASSIUS What, durst not tempt him?
BRUTUS For your life you durst not.
CASSIUS
Do not presume too much upon my love.
I may do that I shall be sorry for.
BRUTUS
You have done that you should be sorry for.
There is no terror, Cassius, in your threats,
For I am armed so strong in honesty
That they pass by me as the idle wind,
Which I respect not. I did send to you
For certain sums of gold, which you denied me;
For I can raise no money by vile means.
By heaven, I had rather coin my heart
And drop my blood for drachmas than to wring
From the hard hands of peasants their vile trash
By any indirection. I did send
To you for gold to pay my legions,
Which you denied me. Was that done like Cassius?
Should I have answered Caius Cassius so?
When Marcus Brutus grows so covetous
To lock such rascal counters from his friends,
Be ready, gods, with all your thunderbolts;
Dash him to pi
eces.
CASSIUS I denied you not.
BRUTUS
You did.
CASSIUS I did not. He was but a fool
That brought my answer back. Brutus hath rived my
heart.
A friend should bear his friend’s infirmities,
But Brutus makes mine greater than they are.
BRUTUS
I do not, till you practise them on me.
CASSIUS
You love me not.
BRUTUS I do not like your faults.
CASSIUS
A friendly eye could never see such faults.
BRUTUS
A flatterer’s would not, though they do appear
As huge as high Olympus.
CASSIUS
Come, Antony and young Octavius, come,
Revenge yourselves alone on Cassius;
For Cassius is aweary of the world,
Hated by one he loves, braved by his brother,
Checked like a bondman; all his faults observed,
Set in a notebook, learned and conned by rote,
To cast into my teeth. O, I could weep
My spirit from mine eyes! There is my dagger,
And here my naked breast; within, a heart
Dearer than Pluto’s mine, richer than gold.
If that thou beest a Roman, take it forth.
I that denied thee gold will give my heart.
Strike as thou didst at Caesar; for I know
When thou didst hate him worst, thou loved‘st him
better
Than ever thou loved’st Cassius.
BRUTUS Sheathe your dagger.
Be angry when you will; it shall have scope.
Do what you will; dishonour shall be humour.
O Cassius, you are yoked with a lamb
That carries anger as the flint bears fire,
Who, much enforced, shows a hasty spark
And straight is cold again.
CASSIUS Hath Cassius lived
To be but mirth and laughter to his Brutus
When grief and blood ill-tempered vexeth him?
BRUTUS
When I spoke that, I was ill-tempered too.
CASSIUS
Do you confess so much? Give me your hand.
BRUTES
And my heart too.⌈They embrace⌉
CASSIUS O Brutus!
BRUTUS What’s the matter?
CASSIUS
Have not you love enough to bear with me
When that rash humour which my mother gave me
Makes me forgetful?
BRUTUS Yes, Cassius, and from henceforth,
When you are over-earnest with your Brutus,
He’ll think your mother chides, and leave you so.
The Oxford Shakespeare: The Complete Works Page 212
