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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;

264
Blood and destruction shall be so in use,
And dreadful objects so familiar,
That mothers shall but smile when they behold
Their infants quarter'd with the hands of war,-.
All pity chok'd with custom of fell deeds;

269 And Cæsar'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;

278 That this foul deed shall smell above the earth With carrion men, groaning for burial.

Enter Octavius' Servant. You serve Octavius Cæsar, do you

not?

276 Sero. I do, Mark Antony. Ant. Cæsar did write for him to come to Rome.

Sero. He did receive his letters, and is coming; And bid me say to you by word of mouth

[Seeing the body.] O Cæsar!

Ant. 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, 284 Began to water. Is thy master coming?

280

Seru. He lies to-night within seven leagues of

Rome. Ant. Post back with speed, and tell him what hath

chanc'd: Here is a mourning Rome, a dangerous Rome, 288 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 Cæsar's body].

292

296

Scene Two

[The Forum] Enter Brutus and [presently] goes into the Pulpit,

and Cassius, with the Plebeians. Plebeians. We will be satisfied: let us be satisfied. Bru. Then follow me, and give me audience,

friends.
Cassius, go you into the other street,
And part the numbers.
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 Cæsar's death.

First Ple. I will hear Brutus speak. 8 Sec. Ple. I will hear Cassius, and compare their reasons,

12

When severally we hear them rendered.

[Exit Cassius, with some of the Plebeians.] Third Ple. The noble Brutus is ascended: silence ! 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 20 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? As Cæsar 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, 28 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 33 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.

37 All. None, Brutus, none.

Bru. Then none have I offended. I have done no more to Cæsar, than you shall do to

52

in the Capitol; his glory not extenuated, wherein he was worthy, nor his offences enforced, for which he suffered death.

44 Enter Mark Antony, with Cæsar's body. 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. Live, Brutus ! live! live!
First Ple. Bring him with triumph home unto his

house.
Sec. Ple. Give him a statue with his ancestors.
Third Ple. Let him be Cæsar.
Fourth Ple.

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

57 First Ple. We'll bring him to his house with shouts

and clamours. Bru. My countrymen,Sec. Ple.

Peace! silence! Brutus speaks. First Ple. 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,
By our permission, is allow'd to make.
I do entreat you, not a man depart,
Save I alone, till Antony have spoke.

Exit. First Ple. Stay, ho! and let us hear Mark An

tony.

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65

68

Third Ple. Let him go up into the public chair;
We'll hear him. Noble Antony, go up.
Ant. For Brutus' sake, I am beholding to you.

[Goes up.] Fourth Ple. What does he say of Brutus? Third Ple.

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

73 Fourth Ple. 'Twere best he speak no harm of

Brutus here.
First Ple. This Cæsar was a tyrant.
Third Ple.

Nay, that's certain: We are bless'd that Rome is rid of him.

76 Sec. Ple. Peace ! let us hear what Antony can say. Ant. You gentle Romans,All.

Peace, ho! let us hear him. Ant. Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your

ears; I come to bury Cæsar, not to praise him.

80 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;

84 If it were so, it was a grievous fault, And grievously hath Cæsar answer'd it. Here, under leave of Brutus and the rest, For Brutus is an honourable man;

88 So are they all, all honourable men,Come I to speak in Cæsar's funeral. He was my friend, faithful and just to me: But Brutus says he was ambitious;

92 And Brutus is an honourable man. He hath brought many captives home to Rome, Whose ransoms did the general coffers fill: 71 beholding: indebted