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PART II.

SCENE.-The Forum.

Bru. Then none have I offended. I have done no more to Cæsar than you shall Enter BRUTUS and CASSIUS, and a throng do to Brutus. The question of his death is

of Citizens.

enrolled in the Capitol; his glory not ex

Cit. We will be satisfied; let us be satis- tenuated, wherein he was worthy; nor his fied.

offences enforced, for which he suffered

Bru. Then follow me, and give me audi- death. ence, friends.

Cassius, go you into the other street,

And part the numbers.

Enter ANTONY and others, with CÆSAR'S body.

Those that will hear me speak, let 'em Here comes his body, mourned by Mark

stay here;

Those that will follow Cassius, go with him;
And public reasons shall be rendered
Of Cæsar's death.

1st Cit.
I will hear Brutus speak.
2nd Cit. I will hear Cassius; and compare
their reasons,

When severally we hear them rendered.

[Exit CASSIUS, with some of the Citizens. BRUTUS goes into the pulpit.

3rd Cit. The noble Brutus is ascended: silence!

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. Live, Brutus ! live, live!

1st Cit. Bring him with triumph home unto his house.

2nd Cit. Give him a statue with his an

cestors.

3rd Cit. Let him be Cæsar.

4th Cit.

Cæsar's better parts

Shall be crowned in Brutus.

1st Cit.

We'll bring him to his house

With shouts and clamours.
Bru.
My countrymen,—
2nd Cit. Peace, silence! Brutus speaks.
1st Cit.
Peace, ho!

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

Tending to Cæsar's glories; which Mark
Antony,

Bru. 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 Cæsar's, to him I say, that Brutus' love to Cæsar was no less than his. If then that friend demand why Brutus rose against Cæsar, this is my answer: Not that I loved Cæsar less, but that I loved Rome more. Had you rather Cæsar were living, and die all slaves; than that Cæsar were dead, to live all free men? | By our permission, is allowed to make. As Cæsar loved me, I weep for him; as he | I do entreat you, not a man depart, was fortunate, I rejoice at it; as he was Save I alone, till Antony have spoke. [Exit. valiant, I honour him: but, as he was am- 1st Cit. Stay, ho and let us hear Mark bitious, I slew him. There are tears for Antony. 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. None, Brutus, none.

3rd Cit. Let him go up into the public chair;

We'll hear him.

to you.

Noble Antony, go up.

Ant. For Brutus' sake, I am beholding
[Goes into the pulpit.
4th Cit. What does he say of Brutus?
3rd Cit.
He says, for Brutus' sake,

He finds himself beholding to us all.
4th Cit. "Twere best he speak no harm of
Brutus here.

1st Cit. This Cæsar was a tyrant.

3rd Cit.

Nay, that's certain: | Have stood against the world: now lies he

We are bless'd that Rome is rid of him. 2nd 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.
The evil that men do lives after them;
The good is oft interred with their bones;
So let it be with Cæsar. The noble Brutus
Hath told you Cæsar was ambitious:
If it were so, it was a grievous fault,
And grievously hath Cæsar 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 Cæsar's funeral.

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
Cæsar;

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 Cæsar's
wounds,

He was my friend, faithful and just to me: And dip their napkins in his sacred blood;
But Brutus says he was ambitious;
And Brutus is an honourable man.

Yea, beg a hair of him for memory,
And, dying, mention it within their wills,

He hath brought many captives home to Bequeathing it as a rich legacy
Rome,

Whose ransoms did the general coffers fill:
Did this in Cæsar seem ambitious?
When that the poor have cried, Cæsar

hath wept:

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Unto their issue.

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

All. 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 loved

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: 'Tis good you know not that you are his heirs;

For if you should, O, what would come of it!

4th Cit. Read the will; we'll 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 stabbed Cæsar; I do
fear it.

4th Cit. They were traitors: honourable
men!

All. The will! the testament!

2nd 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?

Several Cit. Come down.

2nd Cit. Descend.

3rd Cit. You shall have leave.

[Antony comes down. 4th Cit. A ring; stand round. 1st Cit. Stand from the hearse, stand from the body.

2nd Cit. Room for Antony, most noble Antony.

Ant. Nay, press not so upon me; stand far off.

Several 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; That day he overcame the Nervii :Look! in this place ran Cassius' dagger through:

See what a rent the envious Casca made:

1st Cit. O piteous spectacle!
2nd Cit. O noble Cæsar !
3rd Cit. O woful day!

4th Cit. O traitors, villains!
1st Cit. O most bloody sight!
2nd Cit. We will be revenged.
All. Revenge! About! Seek! Burn!
Fire! Kill! Slay! Let not a traitor
live!

Ant. Stay, countrymen.

1st Cit. Peace there! Hear the noble Antony.

2nd 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 :

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.

Through this the well-beloved Brutus I come not, friends, to steal away your

stabbed;

And as he plucked his cursed steel away,
Mark how the blood of Cæsar followed it,
As rushing out of doors, to be resolved
If Brutus so unkindly knocked, or no;
For Brutus, as you know, was Cæsar's
angel :

Judge, O you gods, how dearly Cæsar loved him!

This was the most unkindest cut of all: For when the noble Cæsar saw him stab, Ingratitude, more strong than traitors' arms,

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;

Quite vanquished him: then burst his Show you sweet Cæsar's wounds, poor,

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Ant. Why, friends, you go to do you Here was a Cæsar! When comes such an. know not what :

Wherein hath Cæsar thus deserved your

loves?

Alas, you know not: I must tell you, then :
You have forgot the will I told you of.

All. Most true. The will! Let's stay
and hear the will.

Ant. Here is the will, and under Cæsar's seal.

To every Roman citizen he gives,

To every several man, seventy-five drach

mas.

2nd Cit. Most noble Cæsar!-we'll revenge his death.

3rd Cit. O royal Cæsar !

Ant. Hear me with patience.
All. Peace, ho!

Ant. 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 plea

sures,

To walk abroad, and recreate yourselves.

other?

1st Cit. 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...

[Exeunt Citizens with the body. Ant. Now let it work. Mischief, thou

art afoot,

Take thou what course thou wilt!
Enter a Servant.

How now, fellow?

Serv. Sir, Octavius is already come to
Rome.

Ant. Where is he?

Serv. He and Lepidus are at Cæsar's house.

Ant. And thither will I straight to visit
him:

He comes upon a wish. Fortune is merry,
And in this mood will give us any thing.

Serv. I heard him say, Brutus and Cassius
Are rid like madmen through the gates of
Rome.....

PART III.

Antony, Octavius, and Lepidus, assume the government of Rome. They are opposed by Brutus and Cassius, who levy powers to make war on the triumvirate.

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Bru. Under your pardon. You must
note beside,

That we have tried the utmost of our friends,
Our legions are brim-full, our cause is ripe :
The enemy increaseth every day;

We, at the height, are ready to decline.
This it is: There is a tide in the affairs of men,
Which, taken at the flood, leads on to
fortune;

"Tis better that the enemy seek us:
So shall he waste his means, weary his
soldiers,

Doing himself offence; whilst we, lying still,
Are full of rest, defence, and nimbleness.
Bru. Good reasons must, of force, give
place to better.

The people 'twixt Philippi and this ground
Do stand but in a forced affection;
For they have grudged us contribution:
The enemy, marching along by them,
By them shall make a fuller number up,
Come on refreshed, new-added, and en-
couraged;

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Omitted, all the voyage of their life
Is bound in shallows and in miseries.
On such a full sea are we now afloat;
And we must take the current when it
serves,
Or lose our ventures.

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From which advantage shall we cut him off, Which we will niggard with a little rest.

If at Philippi we do face him there,
These people at our back.

Cas.

There is no more to say?
Cas.

No more.

Good night: Hear me, good brother. Early to-morrow will we rise, and hence....

Enter VARRO and CLAUDIUS.

Var. Calls my lord?

That shapes this monstrous apparition.
It comes upon me. Art thou any thing?

Bru. I pray you, sirs, lie in my tent and Art thou some god, some angel, or some

steep;

It may be I shall raise you by and by
On business to my brother Cassius.

Var. So please you, we will stand and

watch your pleasure.

Bru. I will not have it so: lie down, good sirs;

It may be I shall otherwise bethink me. Look, Lucius, here's the book I sought for so;

I put it in the pocket of my gown.

[Var. and Clau. lie down.

devil,

That mak'st my blood cold and my hair to stare?

Speak to me what thou art.

Ghost. Thy evil spirit, Brutus.
Bru. Why comest thou?

Ghost. To tell thee thou shalt see me at
Philippi.

Bru. Well; then I shall see thee again? Ghost. Ay, at Philippi.

Bru. Why, I will see thee at Philippi, then. [Exit Ghost. Now I have taken heart thou vanishest:

Luc. I was sure your lordship did not Ill spirit, I would hold more talk with

give it me.

Bru. Bear with me, good boy, I am much forgetful.

Canst thou hold up thy heavy eyes

awhile,

And touch thy instrument a strain or two?
Luc. Ay, my lord, an't please you.
Bru.
It does, my boy:
I trouble thee too much, but thou art will-
ing.

Luc. It is my duty, sir.

Bru. I should not urge thy duty past thy might;

I know young bloods look for a time of rest.

Luc. I have slept, my lord, already. Bru. It was well done; and thou shalt sleep again;

I will not hold thee long: if I do live,

I will be good to thee. [Music, and a song. This is a sleepy tune. O murderous slumber!

Lay'st thou thy leaden mace upon my

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thee. Boy, Lucius ! awake! Luc. My lord? Var. My lord? Clau. My lord?

Varro! Claudius! Sirs,

Bru. Why did you so cry out, sirs, in your sleep?

Var., Clau. Did we, my lord?
Bru.

Ay: saw you any thing?
Var. No, my lord, I saw nothing.
Clau.
Nor I, my lord.
Bru. Go and commend me to my brother
Cassius;

Bid him set on his powers betimes before, And we will follow.

Var., Clau. It shall be done, my lord.

[Exeunt.

[BRUTUS and CASSIUS are defeated at the battle of Philippi. They perish by their own hands. The drama ends with the following eulogium on BRUTUS by ANTONY and OCTAVIUS:] Ant. This was the noblest Roman of them all:

Did that they did in envy of great Cæsar;
All the conspirators save only he
He only, in a general honest thought
And common good to all, made one of them.
So mixed in him that Nature might stand up
His life was gentle, and the elements
And say to all the world "This was a man!"
Oct. According to his virtue let us use

him,

With all respect and rites of burial.
Within my tent his bones to-night shall lie,
Most like a soldier, ordered honourably.
So call the field to rest; and let's away,
To part the glories of this happy day.

SHAKSPEARE.

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