Why, and wherein, Cæfar was dangerous.
BRU. Or elfe were this a favage spectacle:
Our reasons are fo full of good regard,
That were you, Antony, the fon of Cæfar,
You should be fatisfied.

ANT. That's all I feek:

And am moreover fuitor, 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 fhall, Mark Antony.
CAS. Brutus, a word with you.-

You know not what you do; Do not confent,
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 firft,

[Afide.

And fhow the reason of our Cæfar's death:
What Antony fhall speak, I will protest
He speaks by leave and by permission;
And that we are contented, Cæfar fhall
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 Cæfar's body.
You fhall not in your funeral speech blame us,
But speak all good you can devife of Cæsar;
And say, you do't by our permission;

Elfe fhall

you not have any About his funeral: And you

hand at all

fhall speak In the fame pulpit whereto I am going,

After my speech is ended.

ANT. Be it fo;

I do defire no more.

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 coftly blood!
Over thy wounds now do I prophecy,-

Which, like dumb mouths, do ope their ruby lips,
To beg the voice and utterance of my tongue ;-
A curfe fhall light upon the limbs of men;
Domestick fury, and fierce civil ftrife,

Shall cumber all the parts of Italy :

Blood and deftruction fhall be fo in use,
And dreadful objects fo familiar,

That mothers fhall but smile, when they behold
Their infants quarter'd with the hands of war;
All pity chok'd with custom of fell deeds :
And Cæfar's fpirit, ranging for revenge,
With Até by his fide, come hot from hell,
Shall in these confines, with a monarch's voice,
Cry Havock, and let flip the dogs of war;
That this foul deed fhall fmell above the earth
With carrion men, groaning for burial.

Enter a SERVANT.

You ferve Octavius Cæfar, do you not?

SERV. I do, Mark Antony.

ANT. Cæfar did write for him, to come to Rome.

SERV. He did receive his letters, and is coming:

And bid me fay to you by word of mouth,

O Cæfar!

[Seeing the body

ANT. Thy heart is big; get thee apart and weep.
Paffion, I fee, is catching; for mine eyes,
Seeing those beads of forrow stand in thine,
Began to water. Is thy mafter coming?

SERV. He lies to-night within feven leagues of Rome. ANT. Poft back with speed, and tell him what hath Here is a mourning Rome, a dangerous Rome, [chanc'd: No Rome of fafety for Octavius yet;

Hie hence, and tell him fo. Yet, ftay a while;
Thou shalt not back, till I have borne this corfe
Into the market-place: there fhall I try,
In my oration, how the people take
The cruel iffue of these bloody men ;
According to the which, thou fhalt difcourfe
To young Octavius of the state of things.
Lend me your hand.

[Exeunt, with CESAR'S body.

SCENE II. The fame. The Forum.

Enter BRUTUS, and CASSIUS, and a throng of CITIZENS. CIT. We will be fatisfied; let us be fatisfied.

BRU. Then follow me, and give me audience, friends.Caffius, go you into the other street,

And part the numbers.

Those that will hear me fpeak, let them ftay here;
Those that will follow Caffius, go with him;

And public reafons fhall be rendered

Of Cæfar's death.

I CIT. I will hear Brutus fpeak.

2 CIT. I will hear Caffius; and compare their reasons, When feverally we hear them rendered.

[Exit CASSIUS, with fome of the Citizens.

into the roftrum.

BRUTUS goes

3 GIT. The noble Brutus is afcended: Silence! VOL. V.

R

BRU. Be patient till the last.

Romans, countrymen, and lovers! hear me for my cause; and be filent, that you may hear: believe me for mine honour; and have refpect to mine honour, that you may believe cenfure me in your wifdom; and awake your fenses, that you may the better judge. If there be any in this affembly, any dear friend of Cæfar's, to him I fay, that Brutus' love to Cæfar was no less than his. If then that friend demand, why Brutus rose against Cæsar, this is my answer,-Not that I loved Cæfar lefs, but that I loved Rome more. Had you rather Cæfar were living, and die all flaves; than that Cæfar were dead, to live all free men? As Cæfar 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, I flew 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 fo rude, that would not be a Roman? If any, speak; for him have I offended. Who is here, fo vile, that will not love his country? If any, fpeak; for him have I offended. I pause for a reply.

CIT. None, Brutus, none.

[ feveral speaking at once.

BRU. Then none have I offended. I have done no more to Cæfar, than you fhould do to Brutus. The queftion of his death is enroll'd in the Capitol: his glory not extenuated, wherein he was worthy; nor his offences enforced, for which he fuffer'd death.

Enter ANTONY and Others, with Cæfar's body. Here comes his body, mourn'd by Mark Antony: who, though he had no hand in his death, fhall receive the benefit of his dying, a place in the commonwealth; As

which of you fhall not? With this I depart; That, as I flew my best laver for the good of Rome, I have the fame

dagger for myself, when it shall please my country to need my death.

CIT. Live, Brutus, live! live!

1 CIT. Bring him with triumph home unto his house.

2 CIT. Give him a ftatue with his ancestors.

3

CIT. Let him be Cæfar.

4 CIT, Cæfar's better parts

Shall now be crown'd in Brutus.

[clamours.

1 CIT. We'll bring him to his houfe with fhouts and

BRU. My countrymen,—

2 CIT. Peace; filence! Brutus fpeaks.

I CIT. Peace, ho!

BRU. Good countrymen, let me depart alone,
And, for my fake, ftay here with Antony :

Do grace to Cæfar's corpfe, and grace his speech
Tending to Cæfar's glories; which Mark Antony,
By our permiffion is allow'd to make.

I do entreat you, not a man depart,

Save I alone, till Antony have spoke.

I CIT. Stay, ho! and let us hear Mark Antony. 3 GIT. Let him go up into the public chair; We'll hear him :-Noble Antony, go up. ANT. For Brutus' fake, I am beholden to you. 4 CIT. What does he fay of Brutus ?

3 CIT. He fays, for Brutus' fake,

He finds himself beholden to us all.

[Exit.

4 CIT. 'Twere beft he speak no harm of Brutus here. I CIT. This Cæfar was a tyrant.

3 Cır. Nay, that's certain :

We are blefs'd, that Rome is rid of him.

2 CIT. Peace; let us hear what Antony can fay,