Cæsar's better parts 3 Cit. Let him be Cæsar. 4 Cit. Shall now be crown'd in Brutus. 1 Cit. We'll bring him to his house with shouts and clamours. Bru. My countrymen, 2 Cit. 1 Cit. Peace; ho! Peace; silence! Brutus speaks. Bru. Good countrymen, let me depart alone, And, for my sake, stay here with Antony: Do grace to Cæsar's corpse, and grace his speech I do entreat you, not a man depart, [Exit. 1 Cit. Stay, ho! and let us hear Mark Antony. 3 Cit. Let him go up into the publick chair; We'll hear him :-Noble Antony, go up. Ant. For Brutus' sake, I am beholden to you. 3 Cit. He says, for Brutus' sake, He finds himself beholden to us all. i 4 Cit. 'Twere best he speak no harm of Brutus here. 1 Cit. This Cæsar was a tyrant. 3 Cit. Nay, that's certain: We are bless'd, that Rome is rid of him. 2 Cit. Peace; let us hear what Antony can say. Ant. You gentle Romans, Cit. Peace, ho! let us hear him. Ant. Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears; I come to bury Cæsar, not to praise him. (For Brutus is an honourable man; He was my friend, faithful and just to me: And Brutus is an honourable man. He hath brought many captives home to Rome, When that the poor have cried, Cæsar hath wept: Yet Brutus says, he was ambitious; And Brutus is an honourable man. I thrice presented him a kingly crown, Which he did thrice refuse. Was this ambition? I speak not to disprove what Brutus spoke, You all did love him once, not without cause; And I must pause till it come back to me. 1 Cit. Methinks, there is much reason in his say. ings. 2 Cit. If thou consider rightly of the matter, Cæsar has had great wrong. Has he, masters? 3 Cit. I fear, there will a worse come in his place. 4 Cit. Mark'd ye his words? He would not take the crown; Therefore, 'tis certain, he was not ambitious. 1 Cit. If it be found so, some will dear abide it. 2 Cit. Poor soul! his eyes are red as fire with weeping. 3 Cit. There's not a nobler man in Rome, than Antony. 4 Cit. Now mark him, he begins again to speak. Ant. But yesterday, the word of Cæsar might Have stood against the world: now lies he there, And none so poor to do him reverence. O masters! if I were dispos'd to stir Your hearts and minds to mutiny and rage, Let but the commous hear this testament, And, dying, mention it within their wills, Unto their issue. 4 Cit. We'll hear the will: Read it, Mark Antony. 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 lov'd you. 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. The meanest man is now too high to do reverence to Cæsar. + Handkerchiefs. 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 show 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! 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; Look! in this place, rau Cassius' dagger through: For when the noble Cæsar saw him stab, Quite vanquish'd him: then burst his mighty heart; Even at the base of Pompey's statua, Which all the while ran blood, great Cæsar fell. • Statua for statue, is common among the old wri ters. O, what a fall was there, my countrymen! 2 Cit. O noble Cæsar! 3 Cit. O woful day! 4 Cit. O traitors, villains! 1 Cit. O most bloody sight! 2 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. They, that have done this deed, are honourable; But, as you know me all, a plain blunt man, That love my friend; and that they know full well * Was successful. + Impression. |