Sec. Cit. Most noble Cæsar! We'll revenge

his death.

Third Cit. O royal Cæsar!

Ant. Hear me with patience.

All. Peace, ho!

Ant. Moreover, 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 for ever, common pleasures,
To walk abroad and recreate yourselves.

Here was a Cæsar! when comes such another?
First Cit. Never, 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.

Sec. Cit. Go fetch fire.

Third Cit. Pluck down benches.

Fourth Cit. Pluck down forms, windows, any

thing. [Exeunt Citizens with the body. Ant. Now let it work. Mischief, thou art afoot, Take thou what course thou wilt!

Enter a Servant.

How now, fellow!

Serv. Sir, Octavius is already come to Rome.
Ant. Where is he?

Serv. He and Lepidus are at Cæsar's house.
Ant. And thither will I straight to visit him :

He comes upon a wish.
And in this mood will give

253. orchards, gardens.

254. On this side Tiber. So North. The gardens were in fact on the opposite (i.e. right) bank, near Janiculum. (Cf. Horace's Trans Tiberim longe cubat is, prope Cæsaris hortos').

Fortune is merry,
us any thing.

250

260

270

Theobald needlessly proposed to read on that side.

255. pleasures, pleasaunces, pleasure-grounds.

256. To walk abroad, to walk about (in).

Serv. I heard him say, Brutus and Cassius Are rid like madmen through the gates of Rome. Ant. Belike they had some notice of the people, How I had moved them. Bring me to Octavius. [Exeunt.

SCENE III. A street.

Enter CINNA the poet.

Cin. I dreamt to-night that I did feast with

Cæsar,

And things unluckily charge my fantasy:
I have no will to wander forth of doors,
Yet something leads me forth.

Enter Citizens.

First Cit. What is your name?
Sec. Cit. Whither are you going?
Third Cit. Where do you dwell?

Fourth Cit. Are you a married man or a bachelor?

Sec. Cit. Answer every man directly.

First Cit. Ay, and briefly.

Fourth Cit. Ay, and wisely.

Third Cit. Ay, and truly, you were best.

I

Cin. What is my name? Whither am going? Where do I dwell? Am I a married man or a bachelor? Then, to answer every man directly and briefly, wisely and truly: wisely I say, I am a bachelor.

Sec. Cit. That's as much as to say, they are

ΤΟ

means that he is conscious his fancies are of ill omen.

G

fools that marry: you'll bear me a bang for that, Proceed; directly.

I fear.

Cin. Directly, I am going to Cæsar's funeral.
First Cit. As a friend or an enemy?

Cin. As a friend.

Sec. Cit. That matter is answered directly.
Fourth Cit. For your dwelling,-briefly.

Cin. Briefly, I dwell by the Capitol.
Third Cit. Your name, sir, truly.

Cin. Truly, my name is Cinna.

20

First Cit. Tear him to pieces; he's a con- 30 spirator.

Cin. I am Cinna the poet, I am Cinna the poet.

Fourth Cit. Tear him for his bad verses, tear him for his bad verses.

Cin. I am not Cinna the conspirator.

Fourth Cit. It is no matter, his name 's Cinna; pluck but his name out of his heart, and turn him going.

Third Cit. Tear him, tear him! Come, 40 brands, ho! fire-brands: to Brutus', to Cassius'; burn all some to Decius' house, and some to

:

Casca's; some to Ligarius': away, go!

[Exeunt.

20. bear me a bang, come in for a blow from me.

ACT IV.

SCENE I. A house in Rome.

ANTONY, OCTAVIUS, and LEPIDUS, seated at a
table.

Ant. These many, then, shall die; their names
are prick'd.

Oct. Your brother too must die; consent you,
Lepidus ?

Lep. I do consent

Oct.

Prick him down, Antony.

Lep. Upon condition Publius shall not live,

Who is your sister's son, Mark Antony.

Ant. He shall not live; look, with a spot I

damn him.

But, Lepidus, go you to Cæsar's house;

Fetch the will hither, and we shall determine

How to cut off some charge in legacies.

Lep. What, shall I find you here?

Oct. Or here, or at the Capitol. [Exit Lepidus.
Ant. This is a slight unmeritable man,

Meet to be sent on errands: is it fit,

The three-fold world divided, he should stand
One of the three to share it?

Oct.
So you thought him,
And took his voice who should be prick'd to die
In our black sentence and proscription.

Ant. Octavius, I have seen more days than you:

Scene 1. A house in Rome. The original stage direction indicates no place. Plutarch describes the meeting of the

ΙΟ

triumvirs as 'in an island environed about with a little river.' But Shakespeare evidently intended it to be in Rome.

And though we lay these honours on this man,
To ease ourselves of divers slanderous loads,
He shall but bear them as the ass bears gold,
To groan and sweat under the business,
Either led or driven, as we point the way;
And having brought our treasure where we will,
Then take we down his load and turn him off,
Like to the empty ass, to shake his ears,
And graze in commons.

Oct.

You may do your will;

But he's a tried and valiant soldier.

Ant. So is my horse, Octavius, and for that

I do appoint him store of provender :

It is a creature that I teach to fight,

To wind, to stop, to run directly on,
His corporal motion govern'd by my spirit.

And, in some taste, is Lepidus but so;

He must be taught, and train'd, and bid go forth;
A barren-spirited fellow; one that feeds

On abject orts and imitations,

Which, out of use and staled by other men,
Begin his fashion: do not talk of him,
But as a property. And now, Octavius,
Listen great things: Brutus and Cassius

Are levying powers: we must straight make head:
Therefore let our alliance be combined,

Our best friends made, our means stretch'd;

32. wind, turn.

ib. directly, straight.

34. in some taste, in some degree.

37. abject orts; cast-away scraps. Theobald's emendation of Ff' objects, arts.' The close connexion of the notions of 'abject' and 'ort,' compared with 'imitations,' makes this preferable to Staunton's 'abjects,

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40