119 Julius Caesar ACT 3. SC.

more to Caesar than you shall do to Brutus. The

question of his death is enrolled in the Capitol, his 40
glory not extenuated wherein he was worthy, nor
his offenses enforced for which he suffered
death.
Enter Mark Antony and others with Caesar '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 45
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.
PLEBEIANS Live, Brutus, live, live!
FIRST PLEBEIAN 50

Bring him with triumph home unto his house.

SECOND PLEBELAN
Give him a statue with his ancestors.
THIRD PLEBEIAN
Let him be Caesar.
FOURTH PLEBEIAN
Caesar's better parts
Shall be crowned in Brutus.
FIRST PLEBEIAN 55

We'll bring him to his house with shouts and

clamors.
BRUTUS
My countrymen
SECOND PLEBELAN
Peace, silence! Brutus speaks.
FIRST PLEBEIAN Peace, ho! 60
BRUTUS
Good countrymen, let me depart alone,
And, for my sake, stay here with Antony.
Do grace to Caesar's corpse, and grace his
speech
Tending to Caesar's glories, which Mark Antony
(By our permission) is allowed to make. 65
 121 ACT 3. SC. 2
Julius Caesar

I do entreat you, not a man depart,

Save I alone, till Antony have spoke.
He Cdescends and exits.
FIRST PLEBEIAN

Stay, ho, and let us hear Mark Antony!

THIRD PLEBEIAN
Let him go up into the public chair.
PLEBEIANS
We'll hear him.-Noble Antony, go up. 70
ANTONY
For Brutus' sake, I am beholding to you.

FOURTH PLEBEIAN
"He goes into the pulpit.
What does he say of Brutus?
THIRD PLEBEIAN He says for Brutus' sake
He finds himself beholding to us all.
FOURTH PLEBEIAN
"Twere best he speak no harm of Brutus here. 75
FIRST PLEBEIAN
This Caesar was a tyrant.
THIRD PLEBEIAN
Nay, that's certain.
We are blest that Rome is rid of him.
SECOND PLEBEIAN
Peace, let us hear what Antony can say.
MNTONY
You gentle Romans 80
LEBEIANs Peace, ho! Let us hear him.
ANTONY

Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears.

I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him.
The evil that men do lives after them;
The good is oft interèd with their bones. 85
So let it be with Caesar. The noble
Brutus
Hath told you Caesar was ambitious.
Ifit were so, it was a grievous fault,
And grievously hath Caesar answered it.
Here, under leave of Brutus and the rest 90
(For Brutus is an honorable man;
 ACT 3. SC. 2
123 Julius Caesar

So are they all, all honorable men),

Come I to speak in Caesar's funeral.
He was my friend, faithful and just to me,
But Brutus says he was ambitious, 95
And Brutus is an honorable man.
He hath brought many captives home to Rome,
Whose ransoms did the general coffers fill.
Did this in Caesar seem ambitious?
When that the poor have cried, Caesar hath wept; 100
Ambition should be made of sterner stuf.
Yet Brutus says he was ambitious,
And Brutus is an honorable man.
You all did see that on the Lupercal
Ithrice presented hima kingly crown, 105
Which he did thrice refuse. Was this ambition?
Yet Brutus says he was ambitious,
And sure he is an honorable man.
Ispeak not to disprove what Brutus spoke,
But here I am to speak what I do know. 110
You all did love him once, not without cause.
What cause withholds you, then, to mourn for
him?
Ojudgment, thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason!-Bear with me; 115
My heart is in the coffin there with Caesar,
And I must pause till it come back to me. He weeps.1
FIRST PLEBEIAN
Methinks there is much reason in his sayings.
SECOND PLEBEIAN
If thou consider rightly of the matter,
Caesar has had great wrong. 120
THIRD PLEBEIAN Has he, masters?
Ifear there will a worse come his place.
FOURTH PLEBEIAN
Marked you his words? He would not take the
crown;
Therefore 'tis certain he was not ambitious. 125
 125 Julius Caesar ACT 3. SC. 2

FIRST PLEBEIAN
If it be found so, some will dear abide it.
SECOND PLEBEIAN
Poor soul, his eyes are red as fire with weeping.
THIRD PLEBEIAN
There's not a nobler man in Rome than Antony.
FOURTH PLEBEIAN
Now mark him. He begins again to
ANTONY
speak.
But yesterday the word of Caesar might 130
Have stood against the world. Now lies he there,
And none so poor to do him reverence.
O masters, if Iwere disposed to stir
Your hearts and minds to mutiny and rage,
Ishould do Brutus wrong and Cassius
Who, you all know, are honorable men.
wrong, 135
I will not do them wrong. I rather choose
To wrong the dead, to wrong myself and you,
Than I willwrong such honorable men.
But here's a parchment with the seal of Caesar.
140
Ifound 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 Caesar's wounds
And dip their napkins in his sacred blood 145
Yea, beg a hair of him for memory
And, dying, mention it within their wills,
Bequeathing it as a rich legacy
Unto their issue.
FOURTH PLEBEIAN
We'll hear the wil. Read it, Mark Antony.
150
PLEBEIANS
The will, the will! We will hear Caesar's will.
ANTONY
Have patience, gentle friends. I must not read it.
 ACT 3. SC. 2
127 Julius Caesar

It is not meet you know how Caesar loved you.

You are not wood, you are not stones, but men.
And, being men, hearing the willof Caesar, 155
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?
FOURTH PLEBEIAN
Read the will! We'll hear it, Antony.
PLEBEIANS?
You shall read us the will, Caesar's will. 160
ANTONY

Will you be patient? Will you stay awhile?

I have o'ershot myself to tell you of it.
Ifear I wrong the honorable men
Whose daggers have stabbed Cacsar. I do fear it.
FOURTH PLEBEIAN They were traitors. Honorable men? 165
PLEBEIANS The will! The testament!
SECOND PLEBEIAN They were villains, murderers. The
will! Read the will.
ANTONY
You will compel me, then, to read the wili1?
Then make a ring about the corpse of Caesar, 170
And let me show you him that made the will.
Shall Idescend? And will you give me leave?
PLEBEIANS Come down.
SECOND PLEBEIAN Descend.
THIRD PLEBEIAN You shall have leave. 175
Antony descends.
FOURTH PLEBEIAN A ring; stand round.
FIRST PLEBEIAN
Stand from the hearse. Stand from the body.
SECOND PLEBEIAN
Room for Antony, most noble Antony.
ANTONY
Nay, press not so upon me. Stand far off.
 129 ACT 3. SC. 2
Julius Caesar

PLEBEIANS Stand back! Room! Bear back! 180

ANTONY

If you have tears, prepare to shed them now.

You all do know this mantle. I remember
The first time ever Caesar put it on.
"Twas on a summer's evening in his tent,
That day he overcame the Nervi. 185
Look, in this place ran Cassius" dagger through.
See whata rent the envious Casca made.
Through this the well-belovèd Brutus stabbed,
And, as he plucked his cursèd steel away,
Mark how the blood of Caesar followed it, 190
As rushing out of doors to be resolved
If Brutus so unkindly knocked or no;
For Brutus, as you know, was Caesar's angel.
Judge, O you gods, how dearly Caesar loved him!
This was the most unkindest cut of all. 195
For when the noble Caesar saw him stab,
Ingratitude, more strong than traitors' arms,
Quite vanquished him. Then burst his mighty heart,
And, in his mantle muffling up his face,
Even at the base of Pompey's statue 200
(Which allthe while ran blood) great Caesar fel.
0, what a fall was there, my countrymen!
Then I and you and all of us fell down,
Whilst bloody treason flourished over us.
0, now you weep, and I perceive you feel 205
The dint of pity. These are gracious drops.
Kind souls, what, weep you when you but behold
Our Caesar's vesture wounded? Look you here,
CAntony lifts Caesar's cloak.
Here is himself, marred as you see with traitors.
FIRST PLEBEIAN O piteous spectacle! 210
SECOND PLEBEIAN O noble Caesar!
THIRD PLEBEIAN O woeful day!
 ACT 3. SC. 2
131 Julius Caesar

FOURTH PLEBEIAN O traitors, villains!

FIRST PLEBEIAN O
most bloody sight!
SECOND PLEBEIAN We will be revenged. 215
PLEBEIANS Revenge! About! Seek! Burn! Fire! Kill!
Slay! Let not a traitor live!
ANTONY Stay, countrymen.
FIRST PLEBEIAN Peace there! Hear the noble Antony.
SECOND PLEBEIAN We'llhear him, we'll follow him, 220
we'll die with him.
ANTONY
Good friends, sweet friends, let me not stir you up
To such a sudden flood of mutiny.
They that have done this deed are honorable.
What private griefs they have, alas, Iknow not, 225
That made them do it. They are wise and honorable
And will no doubt with reasons answer you.
I come not, friends, to steal away your hearts.
Iam no orator, as Brutus is,
But, as you know mne all, a plain blunt man 230
That love my friend, and that they know full well
That gave me public leave to speak of him.
For Ihave neither wit, nor words, nor worth,
Action, nor utterance, nor the power of specch
To stir men's blood. I only speak right on. 235
Itell you that which you yourselves do know,
Show yousweet Caesar's wounds, poor poor dumb
mouths,
And bid them speak for me. But were I Brutus,
And Brutus Antony, there were an Antony 240
Would ruffle up your spirits and put atongue
In every wound of Caesar that should move
The stones of Rome to rise and mutiny.
PLEBEIANS
We'll mutiny.
FIRST PLEBEIAN We'll burn the house of Brutus. 245
 ACT 3.SC. 2
133 Julius Caesar

THIRD PLEBEIAN

Away then. Come, seek the conspirators.

ANTONY
Yet hear me, countrymen; yet hear me speak.
PLEBELANS
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? 250
Alas, you know not. I must tell you then.
You have forgot the will Itold you of.
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, 255
To every several man, seventy-five drachmas.
SECOND PLEBELAN
Most noble Caesar! We'llrevenge his death.
THIRD PLEBEIAN O royal Caesar!
ANTONY Hear me with patience.
PLEBEIANS Peace, ho! 260
ANTONY

Moreover, he hath left you all his walks,

His private arbors, and new-planted orchards,
On this side Tiber. He hath left them you,
And to your heirs forever-common plcasures
To walk abroad and recreate yourselves. 265
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. 270
SECOND PLEBELAN Go fetch fire.
THIRD PLEBEIAN Pluck down benches.
 135 Julius Caesar ACT 3. SC. 3

FOURTH PLEBEIAN Pluck down forms, windows,

anything.
Plebeians exit with Caesar's body.1
ANTONY
Now let it work. Mischief, thou art afoot; 275
Take thou what course thou wilt.

Enter Servant.

How now, fellow?

SERVANT
Sir, Octavius is already come to Romne.
ANTONY Where is he?
SERVANT
He and Lepidus are at Caesar's house. 280
ANTONY
And thither will Istraight to visit him.
He comes upon a wish. Fortune is merry
And in this mood will give us anything.
SERVANT
Iheard him say Brutus and Cassius
Are rid like madmen through the gates of Rome. 285
ANTONY
Belike they had some notice of the people
How Ihad moved them. Bring me to Octavius.
They exit.

fScene 31
Enter Cinna the poet and after him the Plebeians.
CINNA
Idreamt tonight that I did feast with Caesar,
And things unluckily charge my fantasy.
I have no will to wander forth of doors,
Yet something leads me forth.
FIRST PLEBEIAN What is your name?
 ACT 3.SC. 3

137 Julius Caesar

SECOND PLEBEIAN Whither are you going?

THIRD PLEBEIAN Where do you dwell?
FOURTH PLEBEIAN Are you a married man or a
bachelor?
10
SECOND PLEBEIAN Answer every man directly.
FIRST PLEBEIAN Ay, and briefly.
FOURTH PLEBEIAN Ay, and wisely.
THIRD PLEBELAN Ay, and truly, you were best.
CINNA What is my name? Whither am Igoing? Where 15
do Idwell? Am Ia married man orabachelor?
Then to answer every man directly and briefly,
wisely and truly: wisely Isay, I am a bachelor.
SECOND PLEBELAN That's as much as to say they are
fools that marry. You'll bear me a bang for that, I
20
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 PLEBELAN That matter is answered directly.
FOURTH PLEBEIAN For your dwelling -briefly. 25
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! 30
FOURTH PLEBEIAN Tear him for his bad verses, tear him
for his bad verses!
CINNA Iam 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 35
going.
THIRD PLEBEIAN Tear him, tear him! Come, brands, ho,
firebrands! To Brutus, to Cassius', bum all! Some
to Decius' house, and some to Casca's, some to
Ligarius". Away, go! 40
All the Plebeians exit, carrying off Cinna.