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 Cæsar;
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 Cæsar'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.

130

140

FOURTH CIT. We'll hear the will: read it, Mark Antony. ALL. The will! the will! we will hear Cæsar's will. ANT. Have patience, gentle friends, I must not read it; It is not meet you know how Cæsar loved you.

You are not wood, you are not stones, but men ;
And, being men, hearing the will of Cæsar,
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!

FOURTH CIT. Read the will; we'll hear it, Antony;

You shall read us the will, Cæsar's will.

ANT. Will 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 stabbed Cæsar; I do fear it.

FOURTH CIT. They were traitors: honourable men! ALL. The will! the testament!

150

SEC. CIT. They were villains, murderers: the will! read the will.

ANT. You will compel me, then, to read the will?
Then make a ring about the corpse of Cæsar,
And let me show you him that made the will.
Shall I descend? and will you give me leave?
ALL. Come down.

160

SEC. CIT. Descend. [He comes down from the pulpit. THIRD CIT. You shall have leave.

FOURTH CIT. A ring; stand round.

FIRST CIT. Stand from the hearse, stand from the body. SEC. CIT. Room for Antony, most noble Antony. 170

ANT. Nay, press not so upon me; stand far off. SEVERAL CIT. Stand back. Room! Bear back. ANT. If you have tears, prepare to shed them now. You all do know this mantle : I remember

The first time ever Cæsar 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 stabbed;
And as he plucked his cursed steel away,
Mark how the blood of Cæsar followed it,
As rushing out of doors, to be resolved
If Brutus so unkindly knocked, or no ;
For Brutus, as you know, was Cæsar's angel :
Judge, O you gods, how dearly Cæsar loved him!
This was the most unkindest cut of all;

For when the noble Cæsar saw him stab,

Ingratitude, more strong than traitors' arms,

180

Quite vanquished him: then burst his mighty heart; 190 And, in his mantle muffling up his face,

Even at the base of Pompey's statuë,

Which all the while ran blood, great Cæsar fell.
O, what a fall was there, my countrymen !
Then I, and you, and all of us fell down,
Whilst bloody treason flourished 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 Cæsar's vesture wounded? Look you here,
Here is himself, marred, as you see, with traitors.
FIRST CIT. O piteous spectacle !

SEC. CIT. O noble Cæsar!
THIRD CIT. O woful day!
FOURTH CIT. O traitors, villains!

FIRST CIT. O most bloody sight!

SEC. CIT. We will be revenged.

200

ALL. Revenge! About! Seek! Burn! Fire! Kill! Slay! Let not a traitor live!

ANT. Stay, countrymen.

FIRST CIT. Peace there! hear the noble Antony.

210

SEC. CIT. We'll hear him, we'll follow him, we'll die with him.

ANT. Good 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;

220

230

Show you sweet Cæsar'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 Cæsar that should move
The stones of Rome to rise and mutiny.
ALL. We'll mutiny.

FIRST CIT. We'll burn the house of Brutus.

THIRD CIT. Away, then! come, seek the conspirators. ANT. Yet hear me, countrymen ; yet hear me speak. ALL. Peace ho! Hear Antony. Most noble Antony. ANT. Why, friends, you go to do you know not what : Wherein hath Cæsar thus deserved your loves? Alas, you know not: I must tell you then :

You have forgot the will I told you of.

241

ALL. Most true: the will! Let's stay and hear the will. ANT. Here is the will, and under Cæsar's seal.

To every Roman citizen he gives,

To every several man, seventy-five drachmas.

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.

250

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.

260

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. Fortune is merry,
And in this mood will give us any thing.

270

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. The same. 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.

10

CIN. What is my name? Whither am I 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 fools that marry you'll bear me a bang for that, I fear. Proceed; directly.

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 conspirator. 30 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, brands, ho! firebrands to Brutus', to Cassius'; burn all some to Decius' house, and some to Casca's; some to Ligarius': away, go! [Exeunt.

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

pricked.

OCT. Your brother too must die; consent you, Lepidus? LEP. I do consent

Ост.

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?

E