Brutus shall lead; and we will grace his heels

With the most boldest and best hearts of Rome. 121

Enter a Servant.

Bru. Soft, who comes here? A friend of Antony's.

Serv. Thus, Brutus, did my master bid me kneel;

Thus did Mark Antony bid me fall down;

124

And, being prostrate, thus he bade me say:
Brutus is noble, wise, valiant, and honest;

Cæsar was mighty, bold, royal, and loving:

Say I love Brutus, and I honour him;

128

Say I fear'd Cæsar, honour'd him, and lov'd him.

If Brutus will vouchsafe that Antony

May safely come to him, and be resolv'd

How Cæsar hath deserv'd to lie in death,

132

Mark Antony shall not love Cæsar dead
So well as Brutus living; but will follow
The fortunes and affairs of noble Brutus
Thorough the hazards of this untrod state
With all true faith. So says my master Antony.
Bru. Thy master is a wise and valiant Roman;
I never thought him worse.

Tell him, so please him come unto this place,
He shall be satisfied; and, by my honour,
Depart untouch'd.

136

141

Serv.

I'll fetch him presently.

Exit Servant.

Bru. I know that we shall have him well to friend.

Cas. I wish we may: but yet have I a mind That fears him much; and my misgiving still Falls shrewdly to the purpose.

131 resolv'd: convinced, satisfied 136 Thorough: throughout

untrod: novel, precarious

140 so please him: if he is willing to 143 well to friend: as a good friend 145, 146 still

purpose: always proves only too well grounded

146

Enter Antony.

Bru. But here comes Antony. Welcome, Mark
Antony.

Ant. O mighty Cæsar! dost thou lie so low?
Are all thy conquests, glories, triumphs, spoils,
Shrunk to this little measure? Fare thee well.
I know not, gentlemen, what you intend,
Who else must be let blood, who else is rank:
If I myself, there is no hour so fit

As Cæsar's death's hour, nor no instrument

Of half that worth as those your swords, made rich With the most noble blood of all this world.

I do beseech ye, if ye bear me hard,

151

156

Now, whilst your purpled hands do reek and smoke,
Fulfil your pleasure. Live a thousand years,
I shall not find myself so apt to die:

No place will please me so, no mean of death,
As here by Cæsar, and by you cut off,
The choice and master spirits of this age.

Bru. O Antony! beg not your death of us.
Though now we must appear bloody and cruel,
As, by our hands and this our present act,
You see we do, yet see you but our hands
And this the bleeding business they have done:
Our hearts you see not; they are pitiful;

160

165

169

And pity to the general wrong of Rome

As fire drives out fire, so pity pity

Hath done this deed on Cæsar. For your part, To you our swords have leaden points, Mark Antony:

Our arms in strength of malice, and our hearts

152 let blood: bled, for medical purposes

feiting

161 mean: means

159 Live: if I live

173

rank: diseased from sur160 apt: ready, fit 162 by Cæsar: beside Casar

174 malice: power (but not wish) to harm; cf. n.

Of brothers' temper, do receive you in

With all kind love, good thoughts, and reverence.
Cas. Your voice shall be as strong as any man's
In the disposing of new dignities.

Bru. Only be patient till we have appeas'd
The multitude, beside themselves with fear,
And then we will deliver you the cause
Why I, that did love Cæsar when I struck him,
Have thus proceeded.

Ant.

176

180

I doubt not of your wisdom.

Let each man render me his bloody hand:
First, Marcus Brutus, will I shake with you;
Next, Caius Cassius, do I take your hand;

184

Now, Decius Brutus, yours; now yours, Metellus; Yours, Cinna; and, my valiant Casca, yours;

188

Though last, not least in love, yours, good Trebonius. Gentlemen all,-alas! what shall I say?

My credit now stands on such slippery ground,

That one of two bad ways you must conceit me, 192 Either a coward or a flatterer.

That I did love thee, Cæsar, O 'tis true:

If then thy spirit look upon us now,

Shall it not grieve thee dearer than thy death,
To see thy Antony making his peace,

196

Shaking the bloody fingers of thy foes,

Most noble, in the presence of thy corse?

Had I as many eyes as thou hast wounds,
Weeping as fast as they stream forth thy blood,

It would become me better than to close

200

In terms of friendship with thine enemies.
Pardon me, Julius. Here wast thou bay'd, brave

hart;

...

204

202 close: unite

178 disposing . . . dignities: distributing . . . offices 199 corse: corpse 204 bay'd: brought to bay hart: stag (an obvious play on words)

Here didst thou fall; and here thy hunters stand,
Sign'd in thy spoil, and crimson'd in thy lethe.
O world, thou wast the forest to this hart,
And this, indeed, O world, the heart of thee.
How like a deer, stricken by many princes,
Dost thou here lie!

Cas. Mark Antony,-
Ant.

208

Pardon me, Caius Cassius:

The enemies of Cæsar shall say this;
Then, in a friend, it is cold modesty.

Cas. I blame you not for praising Cæsar so;
But what compact mean you to have with us?
Will you be prick'd in number of our friends,
Or shall we on, and not depend on you?

212

216

220

Ant. Therefore I took your hands, but was indeed
Sway'd from the point by looking down on Cæsar.
Friends am I with you all, and love you all,
Upon this hope, that you shall give me reasons
Why and wherein Cæsar was dangerous.

Bru. Or else were this a savage spectacle.
Our reasons are so full of good regard
That were you, Antony, the son of Cæsar,
You should be satisfied.

Ant.
That's all I seek:
And am moreover suitor that I may
Produce his body to the market-place,
And in the pulpit, as becomes a friend,
Speak in the order of his funeral.

Bru. You shall, Mark Antony.

Cas.

224

228

Brutus, a word with you.

206 Sign'd... spoil: bearing the bloody mark of thy slaughter

lethe: death (?)

213 modesty: moderation

212 this: all that he has just been saying

216 prick'd in number: marked in the list 224 good regard: what deserves approbation 228 Produce: carry forth

230 order: course

[Aside to Brutus.] You know not what you do; do not

consent

That Antony speak in his funeral:

Know you how much the people may be mov'd

By that which he will utter?

Bru.

By your pardon;

I will myself into the pulpit first,
And show the reason of our Cæsar's death:
What Antony shall speak, I will protest
He speaks by leave and by permission,
And that we are contented Cæsar shall
Have all true rites and lawful ceremonies.
It shall advantage more than do us wrong.
Cas. I know not what may fall; I like it not.
Bru. Mark Antony, here, take you

body.

You shall not in your funeral speech blame us,
But speak all good you can devise of Cæsar,
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.

Ant.

I do desire no more.

Be it so;

232

236

240

Cæsar's

244

248

252

Bru. Prepare the body then, and follow us. Exeunt all but Antony.

Ant. 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!

235 By... pardon: pardon me a moment, and I'll explain

238 protest: announce

257 tide of times: ebb and flow of human existence

256