I fear, I wrong the honourable men, Whose daggers have stabb'd Cæsar: I do fear it. 4 Cit. They were traitors: honourable men! All. The will! the testament! 2 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. 2 Cit. Descend. 3 Cit. You shall have leave. 4 Cit. A ring: stand round. [He comes down. 1 Cit. Stand from the hearse; stand from the body. 2 Cit. Room for Antony;-most noble Antony! Ant. Nay, press not so upon me; stand far off. All. 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: For when the noble Cæsar saw him stab, Quite vanquish'd him: then burst his mighty heart; Even at the base of Pompey's statue', Which all the while ran blood, great Cæsar fell. Kind souls! what! weep you, when you but behold 2 Cit. O noble Cæsar! 3 Cit. O woful day! 4 Cit. O traitors! villains! 1 Cit. O most bloody sight! 2 Cit. We will be revenged: revenge! about,—seek, -burn,-fire,-kill,-slay!-let not a traitor live. Ant. Stay, countrymen. 1 Cit. Peace there! hear the noble Antony. 2 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 For I have neither writ2, nor words, nor worth, 1 Even at the base of Pompey's STATUE,] "Statue" is here also to be pronounced as a trisyllable, but not therefore to be printed statua, as in many modern editions. See note, p. 39. 2 For I have neither WRIT,] So the folio, 1623; which we feel bound to Action, nor utterance, nor the power of speech, I tell you that, which you yourselves do know, 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 1 Cit. We'll burn the house of Brutus. 3 Cit. Away then! come, seek the conspirators. Wherein hath Cæsar thus deserv'd your loves? 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. 2 Cit. Most noble Cæsar !—we'll revenge his death. 3 Cit. O royal Cæsar! Ant. Hear me with patience. All. Peace, ho! Ant. Moreover, he hath left you all his walks, follow, as the meaning is sufficiently clear; but the folio, 1632, substitutes wit for "writ," with some appearance of propriety. Johnson preferred "writ," and understood it to mean, a penned or premeditated oration. Here was a Cæsar: when comes such another? And with the brands fire the traitors' houses 3. 2 Cit. Go, fetch fire. 3 Cit. Pluck down benches. 4 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!-How now, fellow! Enter a Servant. Serv. Sir, Octavius is already come to Rome. Serv. He and Lepidus are at Cæsar's house. Serv. I heard him say, Brutus and Cassius [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. 3 fire the traitors' houses.] The folio, 1632, reads, "fire all the traitors' houses;" but needlessly, as "fire" was often used as a dissyllable. Enter Citizens. 1 Cit. What is your name? 3 Cit. Where do you dwell? 4 Cit. Are you a married man, or a bachelor? 2 Cit. Answer every man directly. 1 Cit. Ay, and briefly. 4 Cit. Ay, and wisely. 3 Cit. Ay, and truly; you were best. 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. 2 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. 1 Cit. As a friend, or an enemy? Cin. As a friend. 2 Cit. That matter is answered directly. Cin. Truly, my name is Cinna. 1 Cit. Tear him to pieces: he's a conspirator. Cin. I am Cinna the poet; I am Cinna the poet. 4 Cit. Tear him for his bad verses; tear him for his bad verses. Cin. I am not Cinna the conspirator. 2 Cit. It is no matter; his name's Cinna: pluck but his name out of his heart, and turn him going. 3 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. |