all slaves, than that Cæsar were dead, to live all freemen? As Cæsar 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 slew 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 so rude that would not be a Roman? If any, speak; for him have I offended. Who is here so vile that will not love his country? If any, speak; for him have I offended. I pause for a reply.

ALL. None, Brutus, none.

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BRUTUS. Then none have I offended. I have done no more to Cæsar than you shall do to Brutus. The question of his death is enrolled in the Capitol; his glory not extenuated, wherein he was worthy, nor his offences enforced, for which he suffered death.

Enter ANTONY and others, with CESAR'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 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.

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FIRST CITIZEN. Bring him with triumph home unto his

FIRST CITIZEN. We'll bring him to his house with shouts

and clamours.

BRUTUS. My countrymen,-
SECOND CITIZEN.

Peace, silence! Brutus speaks.

FIRST CITIZEN. Peace, ho!

BRUTUS. Good countrymen, let me depart alone,
And, for my sake, stay here with Antony:

Do grace to Cæsar's corpse, and grace his speech
Tending to Cæsar's glories, which Mark Antony,
By our permission, is allow'd to make.

I do entreat you, not a man depart,
Save I alone, till Antony have spoke.

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[Exit.

FIRST CITIZEN. Stay, ho! and let us hear Mark An

tony.

THIRD CITIZEN. Let him go up into the public chair; We'll hear him. Noble Antony, go up.

ANTONY. For Brutus' sake, I am beholding to you.

[Goes into the pulpit. FOURTH CITIZEN. What does he say of Brutus ? THIRD CITIZEN.

He says, for Brutus' sake,

He finds himself beholding to us all.

FOURTH CITIZEN. "Twere best he speak no harm of

SECOND CITIZEN. Peace! let us hear what Antony can

say.

ANTONY. You gentle Romans,

CITIZENS.

Peace, ho! let us hear him.

ANTONY. Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your

ears;

I come to bury Cæsar, not to praise him.
The evil that men do lives after them;
The good is oft interred with their bones;
So let it be with Cæsar. The noble Brutus
Hath told you Cæsar was ambitious:

If it were so, it was a grievous fault,
And grievously hath Cæsar answer'd it.
Here, under leave of Brutus and the rest,-
For Brutus is an honourable man ;
So are they all, all honourable men—
Come I to speak in Cæsar's funeral.

He was my friend, faithful and just to me :
But Brutus says he was ambitious ;

And Brutus is an honourable man.

He hath brought many captives home to Rome,
Whose ransoms did the general coffers fill:
Did this in Cæsar seem ambitious?

When that the poor have cried, Cæsar hath wept :/

Ambition should be made of sterner stuff:
Yet Brutus says he was ambitious;
And Brutus is an honourable man.
You all did see that on the Lupercal

I thrice presented him a kingly crown,

Which he did thrice refuse was this ambition?
Yet Brutus says he was ambitious;

And, sure, he is an honourable man.

I speak not to disprove what Brutus spoke,
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 judgement! 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.

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90

100

FIRST CITIZEN. Methinks there is much reason in his

sayings.

SECOND CITIZEN. If thou consider rightly of the matter, Cæsar has had great wrong.

THIRD CITIZEN.

Has he, masters ?

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I fear there will a worse come in his place.

FOURTH CITIZEN. Mark'd ye his words? He would not take the crown ;

Therefore 'tis certain he was not ambitious.

FIRST CITIZEN. If it be found so, some will dear abide it. SECOND CITIZEN. Poor soul! his eyes are red as fire with weeping.

THIRD CITIZEN. There's not a nobler man in Rome than

Antony.

FOURTH CITIZEN. Now mark him, he begins again to

speak.

ANTONY. But yesterday the word of Cæsar might

Have stood against the world; now lies he there,
And none so poor to do him reverence.

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

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 Cæsar ;
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 go and kiss dead Cæsar's wounds
And dip their napkins in his sacred blood,
Yea, beg a hair of him for memory,

And, dying, mention it within their wills,
Bequeathing it as a rich legacy

Unto their issue.

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130

FOURTH CITIZEN. We'll hear the will: read it, Mark Antony.

ALL. The will! the will! we will hear Cæsar's will.

ANTONY. Have patience, gentle friends, I must not

read it;

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It is not meet you know how Cæsar lov'd you.
You are not wood, you are not stones, but men ;
And, being men, hearing the will of Cæsar,

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 CITIZEN. Read the will; we'll hear it, Antony;
You shall read us the will, Cæsar's will.

ANTONY. Will you be patient? will you stay awhile? I have o'ershot myself to tell you of it:

I fear I wrong the honourable men

Whose daggers have stabb'd Cæsar; I do fear it.

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FOURTH CITIZEN. They were traitors: honourable men! ALL. The will! the testament!

SECOND CITIZEN. They were villains, murderers: the will! read the will.

ANTONY. You will compel me, then, to read the will?
Then make a ring about the corpse of Cæsar,
And let me show you him that made the will.
Shall I descend? and will you give me leave?
ALL. Come down.
SECOND CITIZEN.

THIRD CITIZEN.

FOURTH CITIZEN. FIRST CITIZEN. body.

Descend.

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[He comes down from the pulpit.

You shall have leave.

A ring; stand round.

Stand from the hearse, stand from the

SECOND CITIZEN. Room for Antony, most noble Antony. ANTONY. Nay, press not so upon me; stand far off. SEVERAL CITIZENS. Stand back. Room! Bear back. ANTONY. If you have tears, prepare to shed them

now.

You all do know this mantle : I remember
The first time ever Cæsar put it on ;

'T was on a summer's evening, in his tent,

170