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That one of two bad ways you must conceit me,
Either a coward, or a flatterer.

That I did love thee, Cæsar, O, 'tis true:

If then thy spirit look upon us now,

Shall it not grieve thee, dearer than thy death,
To see thy Antony making his peace,
Shaking the bloody fingers of thy foes,
Most noble! in the presence of thy corse?

Had I as many eyes as thou hast wounds,

Weeping as fast as they stream forth thy blood,

It would become me better, than to close

In terms of friendship with thine enemies.

Pardon me, Julius! Here wast thou bayed, brave hart;
Here didst thou fall; and here thy hunters stand,
Signed in thy spoil, and crimsoned in thy lethe.

O world! thou wast the forest to this hart;
And this, indeed, O world, the heart of thee.
How like a deer, stricken by many princes,
Dost thou here lie!

Mark Antony,

Antony

Pardon me, Caius Cassius,

The enemies of Cæsar shall say this;
Then, in a friend, it is cold modesty.
Cassius

I blame you not for praising Cæsar so;
But what compact mean you to have with us?
Will you be pricked in number of our friends;
Or shall we on, and not depend on you?
Antony -

Therefore I took your hands; but was, indeed,
Swayed from the point, by looking down on Cæsar.
Friends am I with you all, and love you all;
Upon this hope, that you shall give me reasons,
Why, and wherein, Cæsar was dangerous.

Brutus

Or else were this a savage spectacle:
Our reasons are so full of good regard,
That were you, Antony, the son of Cæsar,
You should be satisfied.

Antony

That's all I seek:

And am moreover suitor, 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.

Brutus

You shall, Mark Antony.

Cassius

Brutus, a word with you.You know not what you do; Do not consent,

That Antony speak in his funeral:

Know you how much the people may be moved
By that which he will utter?

Brutus

By your pardon;
I will myself into the pulpit first,
And show the reason of our Cæsar's death:
What Antony shall speak, I will protest
He speaks by leave and by permission;
And that we are contented, Cæsar shall
Have all true rites, and lawful ceremonies.
It shall advantage more, than do us wrong.
Cassius-

I know not what may fall; I like it not.
Brutus

Mark Antony, here, take you Cæsar's body.
You shall not in your funeral speech blame us,
But speak all good you can devise of Cæsar;
And say, you do't by our permission;
Else shall you not have any hand at all
About his funeral: And you shall speak
In the same pulpit whereto I am going,
After my speech is ended.

[Aside.

[Exeunt all but 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 quartered with the hands of war;
All pity choked with custom of fell deeds :
And Cæsar's spirit, ranging for revenge,
With Até 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 Cæsar, do you not? Servant

I do, Mark Antony.

Antony

Cæsar 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,
O Cæsar!

Antony

[Seeing the body.

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 to-night 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 a while;
Thou shalt not back, till I have borne this corse
Into the market place: 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 CESAR's body.

Scene II.: The Forum.

Enter BRUTUS and CASSIUS, and 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 them stay here;
Those that will follow Cassius, go with him;

And public reasons shall be rendered

Of Cæsar's death.

1 Citizen

2 Citizen

I will hear Brutus speak.

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

Romans, countrymen, and lovers! hear me for my cause; and be silent that ye may hear; believe me for mine honor; 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 Cæsar's, to him I say, that Brutus' love to Cæsar was no less than his. If then that friend demand, why Brutus rose against Cæsar, this is my answer, Not that I loved Cæsar less, but that I loved Rome more. Had you rather Cæsar were living, and die all slaves; than that Cæsar were Idead to live all free men? As Cæsar loved me, I weep for him; as he was fortunate, I rejoice at it; as he was valiant, I honor him: but, as he was ambitious, I slew him: There is tears, for his love; joy, for his fortune; honor, for his valor; 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.

[Several speaking at once.

Brutus - Then none have I offended, I have done no more to Cæsar, than you should do to Brutus. The question of his death is enrolled 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 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.