2 Pleb. I will hear Caffius; and compare their When feverally we hear them rendered.

2 Pleb. Peace; filence! Brutus fpeaks.
1 Pleb. Peace, ho!

Bru. Good countrymen, let me depart alone, And, for my fake, ftay here with Antony: Do grace to Cæfar's corpfe, and grace his fpeech Tending to Cæfar's glories; which Mark Antony By our permiffion is allow'd to make. I do intreat you, not a man depart, Save I alone, 'till Antony have spoke. [Exit. 1 Pleb. Stay, ho! and let us hear Mark Antony. 3 Pleb. Let him go up into the public chair, We'll hear him :-Noble Antony, go up. Ant. For Brutus' fake, I am beholden to you. 4 Pleb. What does he fay of Brutus ? 3 Pleb. He lays, for Brutus' fake,

He finds himself beholden to us all.

[here.

4 Pleb. 'Twere best he speak no harm of Brutus
1 Pleb. This Cæfar was a tyrant.
Pleb. Nay, that's certain :

We are bleft, that Rome is rid of him.

2 Pleb. Peace; let us hear what Antony can say. Ant. You gentle Romans,

[ears;

[Exit Caffius, with fome of the Plebeians: Brutus goes into the roftrum. 3 Pleb. The noble Brutus is afcended: Silence! Bru. Be patient 'till the last. Romans, countrymen, and lovers! hear me for my cause; and be filent, that you may hear: believe me for mine honour; and have refpect to mine honour, that you may believe: cenfure me in your wifdom; and awake your fenfes, that you may the better judge. If there be any in this affembly, any dear friend of Cæfar's, to him I say, that Brutus' love to Cæfar was no lefs than his. If All. Peace, ho! let us hear him. then that friend demand, why Brutus rofe againft Ant. Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your Cæfar, this is my anfwer,-Not that I lov'd Cæfar I come to bury Cæfar, not to praise him. lefs, but that I lov'd Rome more. Had you ra- The evil, that men do, lives after them; ther Cæfar were living, and dye all flaves; than The good is oft interred with their bones ; that Cæfar were dead, to live all free men? As So let it be with Cæfar! The noble Brutus Cæfar lov'd me, I weep for him; as he was for- Hath told you, Cæfar was ambitious: tunate, I rejoice at it; as he was valiant, I ho- If it were fo, it was a grievous fault; nour him: but, as he was ambitious, I flew him: And grievoutly hath Cæfar answer'd it. There are tears, for his love; joy, for his fortune; Here, under leave of Brutus, and the rest, honour, for his valour; and death, for his ambi- (For Brutus is an honourable man ; tion. Who is here fo bafe, that would be a bond- So are they all, all honourable men) man? If any, speak; for him have I offended. Come 1 to speak in Cæfar's funeral. Who is here fo rude, that would not be a Roman? He was my friend, faithful and just to me: If any, speak; for him have I offended. Who is But Brutus fays, he was ambitious; here fo vile, that will not love his country? If And Brutus is an honourable man. any, fpeak; for him have I offended. I paufe for a reply.

All. None, Brutus, none.

He hath brought many captives home to Rome, Whofe ranfors did the general cofiers fill: Did this in Catar feem ambitious? Br. Then none have I offended. I have done When that the poor have cry'd, Cæfar hath wept: no more to Cæfar, than you fhall do to Brutus. Ambition fhould be made of sterner staff: The queftion of his death is enroll'd in the Capi-Yet Brutus fays, he was ambitious; tol: his glory not extenuated, wherein he was wor-And Brutus is an honourable man. thy; nor his offences enforc'd, for which he fuf-You all did fee, that, on the Lupercal, fered death. I thrice prefented him a kingly crown, Enter Mark Antony, &c. with Crfar's body. Which he did thrice refufe. Was this ambition? Here comes his body, mourn'd by Mark Antony: Yet Brutus fays, he was ambitious; who, though he had no hand in his death, thall re- And, fure, he is an honourable man. ceive the benefit of his dying, a place in the com-1 fpeak not to ditprove what Brutus spoke, monwealth; As which of you fhall not? With But here I am to speak what I do know. this I depart; That, as I flew my beft lover for You all did love him once, not without cause; the good of Rome, I have the fame dagger for my-What caufe with-holds you then to mourn for felf, when it fhall please my country to need my

death.

1 Pleb. Bring him with triumph home unto his

2 Pleb. Give him a ftatue with his anceitors.

3 Pleb. Let him be Cxfar.

4 Pleb. Cæfar's better parts

Shall be crowned in Brutos.

him

O judgement, thou art fled to brutish beafts,
And men have loft their reafon !---Bear with me:
My heart is in the coffin there with Cæfar,
And I must paufe 'till it come back to me.

1 Pleb. Methinks, there is much reafon in his

fayings.

2 Pleb. If thou confider rightly of the matter,

1 Pleb. We'll bring him to his houfe with fhouts Cæfar has had great wrong.

and clamours.

Br. My countrymen,

4 Pieb. Mark'd ye his words? He would not | You all do know this mantle : I remember

take the crown;

Therefore, 'tis certain, he was not ambitious.

I Pleb. If it be found fo, fome will dear abide it. 2 Pleb. Poor foul! his eyes are red as fire with weeping. [Antony. 3 Pleb. There's not a nobler man in Rome, than 4 Pleb. Now mark him, he begins again to speak. Ant. But yesterday the word of Cæfar might Have stood against the world: now lies he there, And none fo poor to do him reverence. O mafters! if I were difpos'd to ftir Your hearts and minds to mutiny and rage, I should do Brutus wrong, and Caffius wrong, Who, you all know, are honourable men: I will not do them wrong; I rather choofe To wrong the dead, to wrong myfelf, and you, Than I will wrong fuch honourable men. But here's a parchment, with the feal of Cafar, I found it in his clofet, 'tis his will: Let but the commons hear this testament, (Which, pardon me, I do not mean to read) And they would go and kits dead Cæfar's wounds, And dip their napkins in his facred blood;

I

Yea, beg a hair of him for memory,
And, dying, mention it within their wills,
Bequeathing it, as a rich legacy,,
Unto their iffue.

[tony.

4 Pleb. We'll hear the will: Read it, Mark Anll. The will, the will; we will hear Cafar's will. Ant. Have patience, gentle friends, I muft not

read it;

It is not meet you know how Cæfar lov'd you.
You are not wood, you are not ftones, but men ;
And, being men, hearing the will of Cæfar,
It will inflame you, it will make you mad:
'Tis good you know not that you are his heirs;
For if you fhould, 0, what would come of it.
4 Pb. Read the will; we will hear it, Antony;
You fhall read us the will; Cæfar's will.

int. Will you be patient Will you stay a while?
I have o'er-thot myfelf, to tell you of it!
I fear, 1 wrong the honourable men,
Whofe daggers have stabb'd Cafar: I do fear it.
4 Pleb. They were traitors: Honourable men
All. The will! the teftament !

The first time ever Cæfar put it on;
'Twas on a fummer's evening, in his tent;
That day he overcame the Nervii :-
Look! in this place, ran Caffius' dagger through:
See, what a rent the envious Cafca made :
Through this, the well-beloved Brutus stabb'd;
And, as he pluck'd his curfed steel away,
Mark how the blood of Cæfar follow'd it;
As ruthing out of dours, to be resolv'd
If Brutus to unkindly knock'd, or no;
For Brutus, as you know, was Cæfar's angel :
Judge, O you gods, how dearly Cæfar lov'd him!
This was the most unkindeft cut of all:
For when the noble Cæfar faw him ftab,
Ingratitude, more strong than traitors' arms,
Quite vanquish'd him: then burft his mighty heart;
And, in his mantle muffling up his face,
Even at the bafe of Pompey's ftatue,
Which all the while ran blood, great Cæfar fell.
O, what a fall was there, my countrymen !
Then I, and you, and all of us fell down,
Whilft bloody treafon flourish'd over us.
O, now you weep; and, I perceive, you feel
The dint of pity 2: thefe are gracious drops.
Kind fouls, what, weep you, when you but behold
Our Cæfar's vefture wounded? Look you here!
Here is himself, marr'd, as you fee, with traitors.
1 Pleb. O piteous spectacle !

Ant. Stay, countrymen.

1 Pleb. Peace there :-Hear the noble Antony. 2 Pleb. We'll hear him, we'll follow him, we'll die with him.

Ant. Good friends, fweet friends, let me not stir you up

To fuch a fudden flood of mutiny.

They, that have done this deed, are honourable;
What private griefs they have, alas, know not,
That made them do it; they are wife, and honour-

2 Pleb. They were villains, murderers: The And will, no doubt, with reafons answer you. [able, will! read the will!

Ant. You will compel me then to read the will? Then make a ring about the corpse of Cæfar, And let me fhew you him that made the will. Shall I defcend? And will you give me leave? All. Come down.

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,

2 Pib. Defcend. [He comes down from the pulpit. Action, nor utterance, nor the power of fpeech,
3 Pleb. You fhall have leave.

To ftir men's blood: I only speak right on;

I tell you that, which you yourselves do know ;
Shew you fweet Cæfar'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

1 i. e. their handkerchiefs. Napery was the ancient term for all kinds of linen. 2 i. e. the impreffion of pity.

I Pleb. We'll burn the house of Brutus.
3 Pleb. Away then, come, feek the confpirators.
Ant. Yet hear me, countrymen; yet hear me
fpeak.
[tony.
All. Peace, ho! Hear Antony, most noble An-
Ant. Why, friends, you go to do you know not

Wherein hath Cæfar thus deferv'd your loves?
Alas, you know not :-I must tell you then :-
You have forgot the will I told you of.

All. Most true;-the will;-let's stay, and
hear the will.

Ant. Here is the will, and under Cæfar's feal.
To every Roman citizen he gives,
To every feveral man, feventy-five drachmas I.
2 Pleb. Moft noble Cæfar!--We'll revenge his
3 Pleb. O royal Cæfar!

Ant. Hear me with patience.
Ali. Peace, ho!

Octa. Your brother too muft die; Confent you, But, Lepidus, go you to Cæfar's house;

1 A drachma was a Greek coin of the value of feven-pence farthing. 2 A fmall fland in the little river Rhenus near Bononia, according to Hanmer.

Incant, who was uncle by the mother's fide to Mark Antony.

Ccc3

Fetch the will hither, and we shall determine
How to cut off fome charge in legacies.

Lep. What, fhall I find you here?

Ofa. Or here, or at the Capitol. [Exit Lepidus.
Ant. This is a flight unmeritable man,
Meet to be fent on errands: Is it fit,
The three-fold world divided, he thould ftand
One of the three to fhare it?

Oda. So you thought him;

And took his voice who fhould be prick'd to die,
In our black fentence and profcription.

Ant. Octavius, I have feen more days than you:
And though we lay thefe honours on this man,
To ease ourfelves of divers flanderous loads,
He fhall but bear them as the afs bears gold,
To groan and fweat under the bufinefs,
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 afs, to shake his ears,
And graze in commons.

Octa. You may do your will;

But he's a try'd and valiant foldier.

But that my noble master will appear
Such as he is, full of regard, and honour.

Bru. He is not doubted.-A word, Lucilius;-
How he receiv'd you, let me be refolv'd.

Luc. With courtefy, and with refpect enough;
But not with fuch familiar inftances,
Nor with fuch free and friendly conference,
As he hath us'd of old.

Bru. Thou haft defcrib'd

A hot friend cooling: Ever note, Lucilius,
When love begins to ficken and decay,
It ufeth an enforced ceremony.

There are no tricks in plain and fimple faith:
But hollow men, like horfes hot at hand,
Make gallant fhew and promife of their mettle;
But when they should endure the bloody fpur,
They fall their crefts, and, like deceitful jades,
Sink in the trial. Comes his army on?

Luc. They mean this night in Sardis to bs
quarter'd;

The greater part, the horse in general,
Are come with Caffius.

Bru. Hark, he is arriv'd :

Ant. So is my horfe, Octavius; and, for that, March gently on to meet him.

I do appoint him store of provender.

It is a creature that I teach to fight,

[March within.

Enter Caffius, and Soldiers.

Caf. Stand, ho!

Bru. Stand, ho! Speak the word along.

Within. Stand.

forth:

To wind, to ftop, to run directly on;
His corporal motion govern'd by my spirit.
And, in fome tafte, is Lepidus but fo;
He must be taught, and train'd, and bid go
A barren-fpirited fellow; one that feeds
On objects, arts, and imitations;
Which, out of ufe, and ftal'd by other men,
Begin his fashion: Do not talk of him,
But as a property. And now, Octavius,
Liften great things. Brutus and Caffius
Are levying powers: we must ftraight raake head
Therefore let our alliance be combin'd, [out;
Our best friends made, and our beft means ftretch'd
And let us prefently go fit in council,
How covert matters may be beft difclos'd,
And open perils fureft answered.

:

Octa. Let us do fo: for we are at the ftake,
And bay'd about with many enemies;
And fome, that imile, have in their hearts, I fear,
Millions of mischief.

SCENE II.

[Exeunt.

Within. Stand.

Within. Stand.

Caf. Moft noble brother, you have done me

wrong.

[mies?
Bru. Judge me, you gods! Wrong I mine ene-
And, if not fo, how fhould I wrong a brother?
Caf. Brutus, this fober form of yours hides
And when you do them—
[wrongs;

Bru. Caius, be content,
Speak your griefs foftly, I do know you well :—
Before the eyes of both our armies here,
Which fhould perceive nothing but love from us,
Let us not wrangle: Bid them move away;
Then in my tent, Caffius, enlarge your griefs,
And I will give you audience.

Caf. Pindarus,

Bid our commanders lead their charges off
A little from this ground.

Bru. Lucilius, do you the like; and let no man
Come to our tent, 'till we have done our conference.
Let Lucius and Titinius guard our door. [Exeunt.

i. e. fmall trifling offer.ce.

Br

Go, fhew your flaves how cholerick you are,
And make your bondmen tremble. Must I budge
Muft I obferve you? Muft I ftand and crouch
Under your testy humour? By the gods,
You shall digeft the venom of your spleen,
Though it do split you: for, from this day forth,
I'll ufe you for my mirth, yea, for my laughter,Set in a note-book, learn'd, and conn'd by rote,

1 Warburton comments on this paffage thus: "The poets and common people, who generally think and speak alike, fuppofe the dog bays the moon out of envy to its brightnels; an allusion to this notion makes the beauty of the pallage in queftion: Brutus hereby infinuates a covert acculation against his friend, that it was only envy at Cæfar's glory which fet Caflius on conspiring againft him; and ancient history feems to countenance fuch a charge. Caffius understood him in this fenie, and with much confcious pride retorts the charge by a like infinuation : - -Brutus, bay not me." 2 i. e. to limit my authority by your direction or cenfure. 3 That is, to know on what terms

it is fit to conter the offices which are at my difpofal.