ACT III
Sc. II

For, when the noble Cæsar saw him stab,
Ingratitude, more strong than traitors' arms,
Quite vanquish'd him: then burst his mighty heart;
And, in his mantle muffling up his face,
Even at the base of Pompey's statua,

Which all the while ran blood, great Cæsar fell.
O, what a fall was there, my Countrymen!
Then I, and you, and all of us fell down,
Whilst bloody Treason flourish'd over us.
O, now you weep; and, I perceive, you feel
The dint of Pity: these are gracious drops.
Kind Souls, what, weep you when you but behold
Our Cæsar's vesture wounded? Look you here,
Here is himself, marr'd, as you see, with traitors.
FIRST CIT. O piteous spectacle!
SEC. CIT. O noble Cæsar!

THIRD CIT. O woeful day!

FOURTH CIT. O traitors, villains!
FIRST CIT. O most bloody sight!

SEC. CIT. We will be reveng'd.

you up

To such a sudden flood of mutiny.

ALL. Revenge! About! Sack! Burn! Fire! Kill!

Slay! Let not a traitor live!

ANT. Stay, Countrymen.

FIRST CIT. Peace there! hear the noble Antony.

SEC. CIT. We'll hear him, we'll follow him, we'll die with him.

210

ANT. Good Friends, sweet Friends, let me not stir

190

But, as you know me all, a plain blunt man,

That love my friend; and that they know full well

200

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.

I come not, Friends, to steal away your hearts:

I am no orator, as Brutus is;

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,

220

To stir men's blood: I only speak right on;

I tell you that which you yourselves do know;

Shew you sweet Cæsar's wounds, poor poor dumb
mouths,

And bid them speak for me: but were I Brutus,
And Brutus Antony, there were an Antony
Would ruffle up your spirits, and put a tongue
In every wound of Cæsar, that should move
The stones of Rome to rise and mutiny.

ALL. We'll mutiny.

FIRST CIT. We'll burn the house of Brutus.

THIRD CIT. Away, then! come, seek the conspirators.
ANT. Yet hear me, Countrymen; yet hear me speak.
ALL. Peace, ho! hear Antony, most noble Antony!
ANT. Why, Friends, you go to do you know not

230

what.

Wherein hath Cæsar thus deserv'd your loves?

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

240

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 drachmas.

SEC. CIT. Most noble Cæsar! We'll revenge his death.

THIRD 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 pleasures,1
To walk abroad, and recreate yourselves.

Here was a Cæsar! when comes such another?
FIRST 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.

SEC. CIT. Go fetch fire.

THIRD CIT. Pluck down benches.

1 pleasaunces.

250

260

ACT III

Sc. II

ACT III FOURTH CIT. Pluck down forms, windows, any thing.
Sc. II
[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 them say, Brutus and Cassius

Are rid like madmen through the gates of Rome.
ANT. Belike they had some notice of the People
How I had mov'd them. Bring me to Octavius.

Enter Citizens.

FIRST CIT. What is your name?
SEC. CIT. Whither are you going?
THIRD CIT. Where do you dwell?

SCENE III. The Same. A Street.

Enter CINNA the Poet.

CIN. I dreamt to-night that I did feast with Cæsar,
And things unluckily charge my fantasy:
I have no will to wander forth of doors,
Yet something leads me forth.

1.270

[exeunt.

FOURTH CIT. Are you a married man or a bachelor?

SEC. CIT. Answer every man directly.

FIRST CIT. Ay; and briefly.

FOURTH CIT. Ay; and wisely.

THIRD CIT. Ay; and truly; you were best.

CIN. What is my name? Whither am I going? Where do I dwell? Am I a married man or a bachelor? Then, to answer every man directly and briefly, wisely and truly. Wisely I say I am a bachelor.

ΤΟ

SEC. CIT. That's as much as to say, they are fools that ACT III marry you'll bear me a bang for that, I fear. Sc. III ceed; directly.

Pro

CIN. Directly, I am going to Cæsar's funeral.
FIRST CIT. As a friend, or an enemy?

CIN. As a friend.

SEC. CIT. That matter is answer'd directly.
FOURTH CIT. For your dwelling, briefly.
CIN. Briefly, I dwell by the Capitol.
THIRD CIT. Your name, Sir, truly.
CIN. Truly, my name is Cinna.

FIRST CIT. Tear him to pieces! he's a conspirator.

CIN. I am Cinna the poet, I am Cinna the poet.
FOURTH CIT. Tear him for his bad verses, tear him for

his bad verses.

31

CIN. I am not Cinna the conspirator.

FOURTH CIT. It is no matter; his name's Cinna: pluck but his name out of his heart, and turn him going.

THIRD CIT. Tear him, tear him! Come, brands, ho! fire

brands! to Brutus', to Cassius'; burn all. Some to
Decius' house, and some to Casca's; some to Ligarius':
away, go!
[exeunt.

ACT IV

SCENE I. A House in Rome.

20

ANTONY, OCTAVIUS, and LEPIDUS, seated at a table.

ANT. These many, then, shall die; their names are
prick'd.1

Oct. Your brother too must die: consent you, Lepidus?
LEP. I do consent-

Prick him down, Antony

Ост.

LEP. Upon condition Publius shall not live,

Who is your sister's son, Mark Antony.

ANT. He shall not live; look, with a spot I damn

him.

But, Lepidus, go you to Cæsar's house;

1 noted.

ACT IV
Sc. I

Fetch the will hither, and we shall determine
How to cut off some charge in legacies.
LEP. What, shall I find you here?
Ост.

Or here, or at

The Capitol.

ANT. This is a slight unmeritable man,

Meet to be sent on errands: is it fit,

The Threefold World divided, he should stand

One of the Three to share it?

[Exit LEPIDUS.

Ост.
So you thought him;
And took his voice who should be prick'd to die,
In our black sentence and proscription.

ANT. Octavius, I have seen more days than you:
And, though we lay these honours on this man,
To ease ourselves of divers slanderous loads,
He shall but bear them as the ass bears gold,
To groan and sweat under the business,
Either led or driven, as we point the way;
And, having brought our treasure where we will,
Then take we down his load, and turn him off,
Like to the empty ass, to shake his ears,
And graze in commons.

Ост.

will;

You may do your
But he's a tried and valiant soldier.
ANT. So is my horse, Octavius; and for that
I do appoint him store of provender:
It is a creature that I teach to fight,
To wind, to stop, to run directly on,
His corporal motion govern'd by my spirit.
And, in some taste, is Lepidus but so;
He must be taught, and train'd, and bid
A barren-spirited fellow; one that feeds
On abjects, orts, and imitations,
Which, out of use and stal'd by other men,
Begin his fashion: do not talk of him
But as a property.' And now, Octavius,
Listen great things: Brutus and Cassius
Are levying powers: we must straight make head:
Therefore let our alliance be combin'd,

go

Our best friends made secure, our best means stretch'd;

2 armies.

=puppet.

forth:

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