What's that of BRUTUS? beft fpeak well of BRUTUS. 2 CITIZEN.
How's this? What does he say, for BRUTUS' fake? 3 CITIZEN.
He fays, for BRUTUS' fake he is beholden to us. 2 CITIZEN.
Oh, very well; go up MARC-ANTONY.
Shall I go up, and will you give me leave?
Friends, countrymen, and Romans, hear me gently;
I come to bury CAESAR, not to praise him.
Lo here the fatal end of all his glory:
The evil that men do, lives after them;
The good is often bury'd in their graves:
So let it be with CAESAR. Noble BRUTUS
Has told you CAESAR was ambitious:
If he was fo, then he was much to blame;
And he has dearly paid for his offence.
I come to do my duty to dead CAESAR.
Here, under leave of BRUTUS and the rest,
He was my friend, faithful and just to me;
But yet it seems he was ambitious.
BRUTUS has faid it, I must say it too;
For BRUTUS is a man of ftrictest honour.
Thousands of captives CAESAR brought to Rome,
Whofe ranfom often fill'd the publick coffers.
Was this ambition? BRUTUS fays it was:
And BRUTUS is an honourable man.
When wretched orphans cry'd, CAESAR Would weep;
So weep
for them, that they have wept no more:
Ambition feldom is fo tender-hearted.
You all have feen how at the publick sports,
Out of a foolish and too forward love,
He was prefented with the kingly crown,
Which he then thrice refus'd; was this ambition?
Yet BRUTUS fays he was ambitious,
And BRUTUS is a man we all must honour.
I speak not to difprove what BRUTUS spoke,
But muft as little wrong this dead, good man.
You all did love him once, not without caufe:
And will you hate him dead, whom you lov'd living?
O juftice, juftice! whither art thou fled?
For men have loft their reafon. Bear with me;
My heart's beneath that mantle there with CAESAR;
And I must paufe a while, 'till it comes back. [Weeps:
I CITIZEN.
Methinks there's much of reason in his sayings,
If you confider rightly of the matter.
CAESAR has had fome wrong.
They will have much ado to make amends to him.
I fear there will a worse come in his place,
Mark'd you his words? he would not take the crown; Therefore 'tis certain he was not ambitious.
If it be found fo, fome fhall pay dear for it.
See, if good ANTONY can fpeak for weeping?
There's not a nobler man in Rome than ANTONY. 2 CITIZEN.
But mark him; he begins again to speak.
But yesterday the word of CAESAR might
Have pass'd through all the world: now he lies there,
And none fo low to do him reverence.
Oh Romans! if I were difpos'd to move
Your hearts and minds to mutiny and rage,
I should do BRUTUS wrong, and CASSIUS wrong,
Who, you all know, are honourable men.
Yet here's a parchment with the feal of CAESAR,
I found 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 run and kifs dead CAESAR'S wounds,
And dip their napkins in his facred blood;
Nay, beg a hair of his for memory,
And dying, mention it within their wills,
Bequeathing it as a rich legacy
The will, the will, we must hear CAESAR'S will.
Have patience, gentle friends; I must not read it; It is not fit you know how CAESAR lov'd you,
You are not wood, you are not stones, but men;
And being men, hearing the will of CAESAR,
It will inflame you, it will make you mad:
'Tis well you know not that you are his heirs;
For if you did, oh! what might come of it?
3 CITIZEN.
Read the will, ANTONY; for we will hear it.
ANTONY.
Will you be patient? will you stay a while?
I have o'erfhot myfelf to tell you of it;
I fear I wrong the honourable men,
Whose daggers stabb'd the undefended CAESAR.
I CITIZEN.
Traytors and rogues! they honourable men?
2 CITIZEN.
Villains and murderers! Come, read the will.
ANTONY.
You will compel me then to read the will.
Then make a ring about the corps of CAESAR.
And let me fhew you him that made the will.
Shall I defcend? and will you give me leave?
Defcend, you shall have leave.
Stand off a while; ftand from the body there.
Make room for ANTONY, most noble ANTONY.
Nay, prefs not fo upon me, gentle friends.
If you have tears, prepare to shed 'em now.
You all have feen this mantle; I remember
The first time ever CAESAR put it on;
'Twas on a Summer's ev'ning in his tent,
After a glorious fight against your foes.
Look! in this place ran CASSIUS' dagger through!
See what a rent the envious CASCA made!
Here, here, the well-belov'd BRUTUS stabb'd;
And as he pluck'd his curfed steel away,
Mark how the blood of CAESAR follow'd it!
As rushing out abroad, to be refolv'd
If it were BRUTUS fo unkindly struck?
For BRUTUS, as you know, was CAESAR's fav'rite;
Judge, O you Gods! how dearly CAESAR lov'd him.
This, this was the unkindeft ftroke of all!
For when undaunted CAESAR faw him stab,
Ingratitude, more strong than traytors arms,
Quite vanquish'd him. Then burst his mighty heart;
Then in his mantle muffling up his face,
Under a croud of villains, CAESAR fell.
Oh! what a fall was there, my countrymen!
Then I, and you, and Rome itself too fell,
While bloody treason flourish'd o'er our heads.
Oh! now you weep, and I perceive you feel
The dint of pity; these are worthy drops.
Kind fouls! what! weep you when you but behold
Our CAESAR's vefture torn? Oh! then look here:
Here is himself, mangled you fee by traytors!
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