JULIUS CAESAR. William Shakespeare
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ANTONY.
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 costly blood!
Over thy wounds now do I prophesy,—
Which, like dumb mouths do ope their ruby lips
To beg the voice and utterance of my tongue,—
A curse shall light upon the limbs of men;
Domestic fury and fierce civil strife
Shall cumber all the parts of Italy;
Blood and destruction shall be so in use,
And dreadful objects so familiar,
That mothers shall but smile when they behold
Their infants quarter’d with the hands of war;
All pity choked with custom of fell deeds:
And Caesar’s spirit, ranging for revenge,
With Ate’ by his side come hot from Hell,
Shall in these confines with a monarch’s voice
Cry “Havoc!” and let slip the dogs of war,
That this foul deed shall smell above the earth
With carrion men, groaning for burial.—
[Enter a Servant].
You serve Octavius Caesar, do you not?
SERVANT.
I do, Mark Antony.
ANTONY.
Caesar did write for him to come to Rome.
SERVANT.
He did receive his letters, and is coming;
And bid me say to you by word of mouth,—
[Seeing the body.] O Caesar!—
ANTONY.
Thy heart is big, get thee apart and weep.
Passion, I see, is catching; for mine eyes,
Seeing those beads of sorrow stand in thine,
Began to water. Is thy master coming?
SERVANT.
He lies tonight within seven leagues of Rome.
ANTONY.
Post back with speed, and tell him what hath chanced.
Here is a mourning Rome, a dangerous Rome,
No Rome of safety for Octavius yet;
Hie hence, and tell him so. Yet stay awhile;
Thou shalt not back till I have borne this corse
Into the marketplace: there shall I try,
In my oration, how the people take
The cruel issue of these bloody men;
According to the which thou shalt discourse
To young Octavius of the state of things.
Lend me your hand.
[Exeunt with Caesar’s body.]
SCENE II. The same. The Forum.
[Enter Brutus and Cassius, with a throng of Citizens.]
CITIZENS.
We will be satisfied; let us be satisfied.
BRUTUS.
Then follow me, and give me audience, friends.—
Cassius, go you into the other street
And part the numbers.—
Those that will hear me speak, let ‘em stay here;
Those that will follow Cassius, go with him;
And public reasons shall be rendered
Of Caesar’s death.
FIRST CITIZEN.
I will hear Brutus speak.
SECOND CITIZEN.
I will hear Cassius; and compare their reasons,
When severally we hear them rendered.
[Exit Cassius, with some of the Citizens. Brutus goes into the rostrum.]
THIRD CITIZEN.
The noble Brutus is ascended: silence!
BRUTUS. Be patient till the last. Romans, countrymen, and lovers! Hear me for my cause; and be silent, that you may hear: believe me for mine honour, and have respect to mine honor, that you may believe: censure me in your wisdom; and awake your senses, that you may the better judge. If there be any in this assembly, any dear friend of Caesar’s, to him I say that Brutus’ love to Caesar was no less than his. If then that friend demand why Brutus rose against Caesar, this is my answer,—Not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more. Had you rather Caesar were living, and die all slaves, than that Caesar were dead, to live all freemen? As Caesar 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.
CITIZENS.
None, Brutus, none.
BRUTUS. Then none have I offended. I have done no more to Caesar than you shall do to Brutus. The question of his death is enroll’d in the Capitol, his glory not extenuated, wherein he was worthy;, nor his offenses enforced, for which he suffered death.
[Enter Antony and others, with Caesar’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.
CITIZENS.
Live, Brutus! live, live!
FIRST CITIZEN.
Bring him with triumph home unto his house.
SECOND CITIZEN.
Give him a statue with his ancestors.
THIRD CITIZEN.
Let him be Caesar.
FOURTH CITIZEN.
Caesar’s better parts
Shall be crown’d in Brutus.
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 Caesar’s corpse, and grace his speech
Tending to Caesar’s glory; 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.