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CESAR enters the Capitol, the rest following. All the Senators rise.

Pop. I wish your enterprise to-day may thrive. Cas. What enterprise, Popilius?

Pop. Fare you well. [Advances to CESAR. Bru. What said Popilius Lena?

Cas. He wished, to-day, our enterprise might thrive.

I fear our purpose is discovered.

Bru. Look how he makes to Cæsar: mark him.

Cas. Casca, be sudden, for we fear prevention.

Brutus, what shall be done? If this be known,
Cassius or Cæsar never shall turn back,
For I will slay myself.

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Popilius Lena speaks not of our purposes;
For look, he smiles, and Cæsar doth not change.
Cas. Trebonius knows his time; for look you,
Brutus,

He draws Marc Antony out of the way.

[Exeunt ANTONY and TREBONIUS. CÆSAR and the Senators take their seats.

Dec. Where is Metellus Cimber? Let him go, And presently prefer his suit to Cæsar.

Bru. He is addressed: press near, and second him.

Cin. Casca, you are the first that rears your hand.

Cas. Are we all ready? what is now amiss,
That Cæsar and his senate must redress?
Met. Most high, most mighty, and most puis-
sant Cæsar.

Metellus Cimber throws before thy seat
An humble heart :-

[Kneeling.
Cæs. I must prevent thee, Cimber.
These couchings and these lowly courtesies
Might fire the blood of ordinary men,
And turn pre-ordinance and first decree
Into the law of children. Be not fond,
To think that Cæsar bears such rebel blood
That will be thawed from the true quality
With that which melteth fools: I mean, sweet
words,

Low-crooked curt'sies, and base spaniel fawning.
Thy brother by decree is banished;

If thou dost bend and pray and fawn for him,
I spurn thee like a cur out of my way.
Know, Cæsar doth not wrong: nor without

cause

Will he be satisfied.

Met. Is there no voice more worthy than my own,

To sound more sweetly in great Cæsar's ear,
For the repealing of my banished brother?

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But I am constant as the northern star,
Of whose true-fixed and resting quality
There is no fellow in the firmament.
The skies are painted with unnumbered sparks;
They are all fire, and every one doth shine:
But there's but one in all doth hold his place.
So in the world: 't is furnished well with men;
And men are flesh and blood, and apprehensive;
Yet, in the number, I do know but one
That unassailable holds on his rank,
Unshaked of motion: and that I am he
Let me a little shew it, even in this:
That I was constant Cimber should be banished,
And constant do remain to keep him so.
Cin. O Cæsar!-

Cæs. Hence! wilt thou lift up Olympus?
Dec. Great Cæsar!-

Cæs.

Doth not Brutus bootless kneel? Casca. Speak, hands, for me.

[CASCA stabs CESAR in the neck. CESAR catches hold of his arm. He is then stabbed by several other Conspirators, and at last by MARCUS BRUTUS. Cæs. Et tu, Brute ?—Then fall, Cæsar! [Dies. [The Senators and People retire in confusion. Cin. Liberty! Freedom! Tyranny is dead!— Run hence, proclaim, cry it about the streets. Cas. Some to the common pulpits, and cry out, "Liberty, freedom, and enfranchisement!"

Bru. People and senators, be not affrighted; Fly not; stand still :-ambition's debt is paid. Casca. Go to the pulpit, Brutus.

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Bru. Soft, who comes here? A friend of Antony's.

Serv. Thus, Brutus, did my master bid me kneel;
Thus did Marc Antony bid me fall down;
And, being prostrate, thus he bade me say :-
Brutus is noble, wise, valiant, and honest;
Cæsar was mighty, bold, royal, and loving:
Say, I love Brutus, and I honour him;
Say, I feared Cæsar, honoured him, and loved him.
If Brutus will vouchsafe that Antony
May safely come to him, and be resolved
How Cæsar hath deserved to lie in death,
Marc Antony shall not love Cæsar dead
So well as Brutus living; but will follow
The fortunes and affairs of noble Brutus,
Thorough the hazards of this untrod state,
With all true faith.-So says my master Antony.
Bru. Thy master is a wise and valiant Roman:
I never thought him worse.

Tell him, so please him come unto this place,
He shall be satisfied; and, by my honour,
Depart untouched.

Serv.

I'll fetch him presently.

[Exit Servant.

Bru. I know that we shall have him well to friend.

Cas. I wish we may: but yet have I a mind That fears him much; and my misgiving still Falls shrewdly to the purpose.

Bru. But here comes Antony.-Welcome, Marc Antony.

Re-enter ANTONY.

Ant. O mighty Cæsar! dost thou lie so low? Are all thy conquests, glories, triumphs, spoils, Shrunk to this little measure ?-Fare thee well.— I know not, gentlemen, what you intend; Who else must be let blood, who else is rank:

If I myself, there is no hour so fit
As Cæsar's death's hour; nor no instrument
Of half that worth as those your swords, made rich
With the most noble blood of all this world.
I do beseech ye, if ye bear me hard,
Now, whilst your purpled hands do reek and smoke,
Fulfil your pleasure. Live a thousand years,
I shall not find myself so apt to die:
No place will please me so, no mean of death,
As here by Cæsar, and by you cut off,
The choice and master spirits of this age.

Bru. O Antony! beg not your death of us.
Though now we must appear bloody and cruel,
As, by our hands and this our present act,
You see we do; yet see you but our hands,
And this the bleeding business they have done :
Our hearts you see not: they are pitiful;
And pity to the general wrong of Rome
(As fire drives out fire, so pity, pity)
Hath done this deed on Cæsar. For your part,
To you our swords have leaden points, Marc
Antony:

Our arms, in strength of malice, and our hearts,
Of brothers' temper, do receive you in
With all kind love, good thoughts, and reverence.
Cas. Your voice shall be as strong as any man's
In the disposing of new dignities.

Bru. Only be patient till we have appeased
The multitude, beside themselves with fear,
And then we will deliver you the cause
Why I, that did love Cæsar when I struck him,
Have thus proceeded.

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Ant. I doubt not of your wisdom.
Let each man render me his bloody hand :-
First, Marcus Brutus, will I shake with you:
Next, Caius Cassius, do I take your hand:
Now, Decius Brutus, yours: now yours, Metellus:
Yours, Cinna: and, my valiant Casca, yours:
Though last, not least in love, yours, good Tre-
bonius.

Gentlemen all,-alas! what shall I say?
My credit now stands on such slippery ground,
That one of two bad ways you must conceit me,
Either a coward or a flatterer.-

That I did love thee, Cæsar, O 't is 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,

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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!

Cas. Marc Antony,—

Ant.

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

Cas. 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?

Ant. 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.

Bru. 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.

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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.

Bru. You shall, Marc Antony.

Cas. [aside]. 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?

Bru. By your pardon:

I will myself into the pulpit first,

And shew 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.
Cas. I know not what may fall: I like it not.
Bru. Marc Antony, here, take you Cæsar's
body.

You shall not in your funeral speech blame us,
But speak all good you can devise of Csæar;
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.

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That I am meek and gentle with these butchers!
Thou art the ruins of the noblest man,
That ever livéd 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 choaked 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 "Havock!" and let slip the dogs of war:
That this foil deed shall smell above the earth
With carrion me, groaning for burial.

Enter a Servant.

You serve Octavius Cæsar, do you not?
Serv. I do, Marc Antony.

Ant. Cæsar did write for him to come to Rome.
Serv. He did receive his letters, and is coming:
And bid me say to you by word of mouth,—
O Cæsar!-
[Seeing the body.
Ant. 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?

Serv. He lies to-night within seven leagues

of Rome.

Ant. 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 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 same. The Forum.

Enter BRUTUS and CASSIUS, and a throng of

Citizens.

Cit. We will be satisfied: let us be satisfied! Bru. Then follow me, and give me audience, friends.

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When severally we hear them rendered.

[Exit CASSIUS, with some of the Citizens. BRUTUS goes into the Rostrum.

3rd Cit. The noble Brutus is ascended: silence! Bru. 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 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 Cæsar's, to him I say that Brutus' love to Cæsar was not 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 dead, 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 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.

Cit. None, Brutus, none.

[Several speaking at once. Bru. 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 offences enforced, for which he suffered death.

Enter ANTONY and others, with CESAR's body. Here comes his body, mourned by Marc 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.

Cit. Live, Brutus, live! live!

1st Cit. Bring him with triumph home unto his house.

2nd Cit. Give him a statue with his ancestors. 3rd Cit. Let him be Cæsar.

4th Cit.

Cæsar's better parts

Shall now be crowned in Brutus.

1st Cit. We'll bring him to his house with shouts and clamours.

Bru. My countrymen,

2nd Cit. Peace; silence! Brutus speaks. 1st Cit. Peace, ho!

Bru. 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 Marc Antony,
By our permission, is allowed to make.
I do entreat you not a man depart,
Save I alone, till Antony have spoke.

[Exit.

1st Cit Stay, ho! and let us hear Marc Antony. 3rd Cit. Let him go up into the public chair: We'll hear him.-Noble Antony, go up.

Ant. For Brutus' sake I am beholden to you. 4th Cit. What does he say of Brutus ? 3rd Cit. He says, for Brutus' sake

He finds himself beholden to us all. 4th Cit. "T were best to speak no harm of Brutus here.

1st Cit. This Cæsar was a tyrant. 3rd Cit.

Nay that's certain :

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I come to bury Cæsar, not to praise him:
The evil that men do lives after them;
The good is oft interréd 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 answered 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;

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