ARKCODEX
Act III, Scene 2
1The Forum.
2Enter Brutus and Cassius, and a throng of Citizens.
3CitizensWe will be satisfied; let us be satisfied.
4BrutusThen 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.
5First CitizenI will hear Brutus speak.
6Second CitizenI will hear Cassius; and compare their reasons,
When severally we hear them rendered. Exit Cassius, with some of the Citizens. Brutus goes into the pulpit.
7Third CitizenThe noble Brutus is ascended: silence!
8BrutusBe 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 honour, 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 free men? 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.
9AllNone, Brutus, none.
10BrutusThen none have I offended. I have done no more to Caesar 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.
11Enter Antony and others, with Caesar’s body.
12Here 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.
13AllLive, Brutus! live, live!
14First CitizenBring him with triumph home unto his house.
15Second CitizenGive him a statue with his ancestors.
16Third CitizenLet him be Caesar.
17Fourth CitizenCaesar’s better parts
Shall be crown’d in Brutus.
18First CitizenWe’ll bring him to his house
With shouts and clamours.
19BrutusMy countrymen—
20Second CitizenPeace, silence! Brutus speaks.
21First CitizenPeace, ho!
22BrutusGood 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 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. Exit.
23First CitizenStay, ho! and let us hear Mark Antony.
24Third CitizenLet him go up into the public chair;
We’ll hear him. Noble Antony, go up.
25AntonyFor Brutus’ sake, I am beholding to you. Goes into the pulpit.
26Fourth CitizenWhat does he say of Brutus?
27Third CitizenHe says, for Brutus’ sake,
He finds himself beholding to us all.
28Fourth Citizen’Twere best he speak no harm of Brutus here.
29First CitizenThis Caesar was a tyrant.
30Third CitizenNay, that’s certain:
We are blest that Rome is rid of him.
31Second CitizenPeace! let us hear what Antony can say.
32AntonyYou gentle Romans—
33CitizensPeace, ho! let us hear him.
34AntonyFriends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears;
I come to bury Caesar, 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 Caesar. The noble Brutus
Hath told you Caesar was ambitious:
If it were so, it was a grievous fault,
And grievously hath Caesar 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 Caesar’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 Caesar seem ambitious?
When that the poor have cried, Caesar 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 judgment! thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason. Bear with me;
My heart is in the coffin there with Caesar,
And I must pause till it come back to me.
35First CitizenMethinks there is much reason in his sayings.
36Second CitizenIf thou consider rightly of the matter,
Caesar has had great wrong.
37Third CitizenHas he, masters?
I fear there will a worse come in his place.
38Fourth CitizenMark’d ye his words? He would not take the crown;
Therefore ’tis certain he was not ambitious.
39First CitizenIf it be found so, some will dear abide it.
40Second CitizenPoor soul! his eyes are red as fire with weeping.
41Third CitizenThere’s not a nobler man in Rome than Antony.
42Fourth CitizenNow mark him, he begins again to speak.
43AntonyBut yesterday the word of Caesar might
Have stood against the world; now lies he there,
And none so poor to do him reverence.
O masters, if I were disposed 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 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 go and kiss dead Caesar’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.
44Fourth CitizenWe’ll hear the will: read it, Mark Antony.
45AllThe will, the will! we will hear Caesar’s will.
46AntonyHave patience, gentle friends, I must not read it;
It is not meet you know how Caesar loved you.
You are not wood, you are not stones, but men;
And, being men, bearing the will of Caesar,
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!
47Fourth CitizenRead the will; we’ll hear it, Antony;
You shall read us the will, Caesar’s will.
48AntonyWill 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 Caesar; I do fear it.
49Fourth CitizenThey were traitors: honourable men!
50AllThe will! the testament!
51Second CitizenThey were villains, murderers: the will! read the will.
52AntonyYou will compel me, then, to read the will?
Then make a ring about the corpse of Caesar,
And let me show you him that made the will.
Shall I descend? and will you give me leave?
53Several CitizensCome down.
54Second CitizenDescend.
55Third CitizenYou shall have leave. Antony comes down.
56Fourth CitizenA ring; stand round.
57First CitizenStand from the hearse, stand from the body.
58Second CitizenRoom for Antony, most noble Antony.
59AntonyNay, press not so upon me; stand far off.
60Several CitizensStand back; room; bear back.
61AntonyIf you have tears, prepare to shed them now.
You all do know this mantle: I remember
The first time ever Caesar put it on;
’Twas on a summer’s evening, in his tent,
That day he overcame the Nervii:
Look, in this place ran Cassius’ dagger through:
See what a rent the envious Casca made:
Through this the well-beloved Brutus stabb’d;
And as he pluck’d his cursed steel away,
Mark how the blood of Caesar follow’d it,
As rushing out of doors, to be resolved
If Brutus so unkindly knock’d, or no;
For Brutus, as you know, was Caesar’s angel:
Judge, O you gods, how dearly Caesar loved him!
This was the most unkindest cut of all;
For when the noble Caesar saw him stab,
Ingratitude, more strong than traitors’ arms,
Quite vanquish’d him: then burst his mighty heart;
And, in his mantle muffling up his face,
Even at the base of Pompey’s statua,
Which all the while ran blood, great Caesar fell.
O, what a fall was there, my countrymen!
Then I, and you, and all of us fell down,
Whilst bloody treason flourish’d over us.
O, now you weep; and, I perceive, you feel
The dint of pity: these are gracious drops.
Kind souls, what, weep you when you but behold
Our Caesar’s vesture wounded? Look you here,
Here is himself, marr’d, as you see, with traitors.
62First CitizenO piteous spectacle!
63Second CitizenO noble Caesar!
64Third CitizenO woeful day!
65Fourth CitizenO traitors, villains!
66First CitizenO most bloody sight!
67Second CitizenWe will be revenged.
68AllRevenge! About! Seek! Burn! Fire! Kill! Slay! Let not a traitor live!
69AntonyStay, countrymen.
70First CitizenPeace there! hear the noble Antony.
71Second CitizenWe’ll hear him, we’ll follow him, we’ll die with him.
72AntonyGood friends, sweet friends, let me not stir you up
To such a sudden flood of mutiny.
They that have done this deed are honourable:
What private griefs they have, alas, I know not,
That made them do it: they are wise and honourable,
And will, no doubt, with reasons answer you.
I come not, friends, to steal away your hearts:
I am no orator, as Brutus is;
But, as you know me all, a plain blunt man,
That love my friend; and that they know full well
That gave me public leave to speak of him:
For I have neither wit, nor words, nor worth,
Action, nor utterance, nor the power of speech,
To stir men’s blood: I only speak right on;
I tell you that which you yourselves do know;
Show you sweet Caesar’s wounds, poor poor dumb mouths,
And bid them speak for me: but were I Brutus,
And Brutus Antony, there were an Antony
Would ruffle up your spirits and put a tongue
In every wound of Caesar that should move
The stones of Rome to rise and mutiny.
73AllWe’ll mutiny.
74First CitizenWe’ll burn the house of Brutus.
75Third CitizenAway, then! come, seek the conspirators.
76AntonyYet hear me, countrymen; yet hear me speak.
77AllPeace, ho! Hear Antony. Most noble Antony!
78AntonyWhy, friends, you go to do you know not what:
Wherein hath Caesar thus deserved your loves?
Alas, you know not: I must tell you then:
You have forgot the will I told you of.
79AllMost true. The will! Let’s stay and hear the will.
80AntonyHere is the will, and under Caesar’s seal.
To every Roman citizen he gives,
To every several man, seventy-five drachmas.
81Second CitizenMost noble Caesar! We’ll revenge his death.
82Third CitizenO royal Caesar!
83AntonyHear me with patience.
84AllPeace, ho!
85AntonyMoreover, he hath left you all his walks,
His private arbours and new-planted orchards,
On this side Tiber; he hath left them you,
And to your heirs forever, common pleasures,
To walk abroad, and recreate yourselves.
Here was a Caesar! when comes such another?
86First CitizenNever, never. Come, away, away!
We’ll burn his body in the holy place,
And with the brands fire the traitors’ houses.
Take up the body.
87Second CitizenGo fetch fire.
88Third CitizenPluck down benches.
89Fourth CitizenPluck down forms, windows, anything. Exeunt Citizens with the body.
90AntonyNow let it work. Mischief, thou art afoot,
Take thou what course thou wilt!
91Enter a Servant.
92How now, fellow!
93ServantSir, Octavius is already come to Rome.
94AntonyWhere is he?
95ServantHe and Lepidus are at Caesar’s house.
96AntonyAnd thither will I straight to visit him:
He comes upon a wish. Fortune is merry,
And in this mood will give us anything.
97ServantI heard him say, Brutus and Cassius
Are rid like madmen through the gates of Rome.
98AntonyBelike they had some notice of the people,
How I had moved them. Bring me to Octavius. Exeunt.