But here I am to speak what I do know.
You all did love him once, not without cause;
What cause withholds you then to mourn for him?
O judgment, thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason!-Bear with me;
My heart is in the coffin there with Cæsar,
And I must pause till it come back to me.

1 Cit. Methinks, there is much reason in his sayings. 2 Cit. If thou consider rightly of the matter, Cæsar has had great wrong.

3 Cit. Has he, masters? I fear, there will a worse come in his place. 4 Cit. Mark'd ye his words? He would not take the crown;

Therefore, 'tis certain, he was not ambitious.

1 Cit. If it be found so, some will dear abide it.
2 Cit. Poor soul! his eyes are red as fire with
weeping.

3 Cit. There's not a nobler man in Rome, than
Antony.

4 Cit. Now mark him, he begins again to speak.
Ant. But yesterday, the word of Cæsar might
Have stood against the world: now lies he there,
And none so poor to do him reverence. How
O masters! if I were dispos'd 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 od
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
I found it in his closet, 'tis his will:
Let but the commons hear this test
(Which, p

And

And dip their napkins us sacred lood:
Yea, beg a hair of him for memory.
And, dying, mention it within her vis
Bequeathing it, as a ch legacy.
Unto their issue.

Mark Antony.
Lear Cesars vill.

it:

4 Cit. We'll hear the vil: Read Cit. The will. he will: ve v Ant. Have patience. rente bends. I must not read It is not meet you know how Cæsar ovi ou. You are not wood. you are not stones. but nen: And, being men, hearing te vil of Cesar. It will indame you. it will make you nad: 'Tis good you know not that you are his heirs: For if you shonid. O. what would come of it!

4 Cit. Read the will: we will hear it. Antony: You shall read us the will; Caesar's will.

Ant. Will you be patient? Will you stay a while? I have o'ershot myself, to tell you or it. I fear, I wrong the honourable men, Whose daggers have stabb'd Cæsar: I do fear it. 4 Cit. They were traitors: Honourable men! Cit. The will! the testament!

2 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 Caesar, And let me show you him that made the will. Shall I descend! And will you give me leave?

Cit. Come down.

the pulpit.

2 Cit. Descend. [He comes do
3 Cit. You shall have leave.
4 Cit. A ring; stand round
1 Cit. Stand from the hear
2 Cit. Room for Antony:
Ant. Nay, press not so u
Cit. Sta

om

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:
Through this, the well-beloved Brutus stabb'd;
And, as he pluck'd his cursed steel away,
Mark how the blood of Cæsar follow'd it;
As rushing out of doors, to be resolv'd
If Brutus so unkindly knock'd, or no;
For Brutus, as you know, was Cæsar's angel:
Judge, O you gods, how dearly Cæsar lov'd him!
This was the most unkindest cut of all:

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 statue,
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.
1 Cit. O piteous spectacle!

2 Cit. O noble Cæsar!

3 Cit. O woful day!

4 Cit. O traitors, villains!
1 Cit. O most bloody sight!

2 Cit. We will be revenged: revenge: about,seek,-burn,-fire,-kill,-slay!--let not a traitor

live.

Ant. Stay, countrymen.

[J. CES. 50]

The impression of pity.

1 Cit. Peace there:-Hear the noble Antony. 2 Cit. We'll hear him, we'll follow him, we'll die with him.

Ant. Good friends, sweet friends, let me not stir To such a sudden flood of mutiny. [you up 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 :

But, as you know me all, a plain blunt man,
That love my friend; and that they know full well
That gave me publick 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;
Show 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 Cesar, that should move
The stones of Rome to rise and mutiny.

Cit. We'll mutiny.

1 Cit. We'll burn the house of Brutus.

3 Cit. Away then, come, seek the conspirators. Ant. Yet hear me, countrymen; yet hear me speak.

Cit. Peace, ho! Hear Antony, most noble Antony. Ant. Why, friends, you go to do you know not 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.

Cit. Most true;-the will:-let's stay and hear the
will.

Ant. Here is the will, and under Cæsar's seal. [J. CES. 51]

To

every

Roman citizen he gives,

To every several man, seventy-five drachmas.'

2 Cit. Most noble Cæsar!-we'll revenge his death. 3 Cit. O royal Cæsar!

Ant. Hear me with patience.

Cit. Peace, ho!

Ant. Moreover, he hath left you all his walks,
His private arbours, and new-planted orchards,
On this side Tyber; he hath left them you,
And to your heirs for ever; common pleasures,
To walk abroad, and recreate yourselves.
Here was a Cæsar: When comes such another?
1 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.

2 Cit. Go, fetch fire.

3 Cit. Pluck down benches.

4 Cit. Pluck down forms, windows, any thing. [Exeunt Citizens, with the body. Ant. Now let it work: Mischief, thou art afoot, Take thou what course thou wilt!-How now, fellow?

Enter a Servant.

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.
Ant. Belike, they had some notice of the people,
How I had mov'd them. Bring me to Octavius.

[Exeunt.

A drachma was a Greek coin of the value of seven-pence three farthings.

[J. CES. 52]