(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;
And Brutus is an honourable man.
You all did see, that on the Lupercal,

I thrice presented him a kingly crown,

Which he did thrice refuse. Was this ambition?
Yet Brutus says, he was ambitious;
And, sure, he is an honourable man.

I speak not to disprove what Brutus spoke,
But here I am to speak what I do know.
You all did love him once, not without cause:
What cause withholds you then to mourn for him?
O judgment, thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason!-Bear with me;
My heart is in the coffin there with Cæsar,

And I must pause till it come back to me.

1 Citizen. Methinks there is much reason in his sayings. 2 Citizen. If thou consider rightly of the matter, Cæsar has had great wrongs.

3 Citizen.

Has he, masters? I fear there will a worse come in his place.

4 Citizen. Mark'd ye his words? He would not take

the crown;

Therefore, 'tis certain he was not ambitious.

1 Citizen. If it be found so, some will dear abide it. 2 Citizen. Poor soul! his eyes are red as fire with

weeping.

3 Citizen. There's not a nobler man in Rome, than

Antony.

4 Citizen. Now mark him, he begins again to speak. Antony. But yesterday, the word of Cæsar might Have stood against the world: now lies he there, And none so poor to do him reverence.

O masters! if I were dispos'd to stir

Your hearts and minds to mutiny and rage,
I should do Brutus wrong, and Cassius wrong,
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.

4 Citizen. We'll hear the will: Read it, Mark Antony. Citizens. The will, the will; we will hear Cæsar's will. Antony. 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!

4 Citizen. Read the will; we will hear it, Antony; You shall read us the will; Cæsar's will.

Antony. 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 stabb'd Cæsar: I do fear it.

4 Citizen. They were traitors: Honourable men! Citizens. The will! the testament !

2 Citizen. They were villains, murderers: The will! read the will!

Antony. 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?
Citizens. Come down.

2 Citizen. Descend. [He comes down from the Pulpit. 3 Citizen. You shall have leave.

4 Citizen. A ring; stand round.

1 Citizen. Stand from the hearse, stand from the body. 2 Citizen. Room for Antony;-most noble Antony. Antony. Nay, press not so upon me; stand far off. Citizens. Stand back! room! bear back!

Antony. 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 stabb'd:
And, as he pluck'd his cursed steel away,
Mark how the blood of Cæsar follow'd it;
As rushing out of doors, to be resolv'd
If Brutus so unkindly knock'd, or no;
For Brutus, as you know, was Cæsar's angel:
Judge, O you gods, how dearly Cæsar lov'd him!
This was the most unkindest cut of all:

For when the noble Cæsar saw him stab,
Ingratitude, more strong than traitors' arms,

Quite vanquish'd him: then burst his mighty heart;
And, in his mantle muffling up his face,

Even at the base of Pompey's statua,3
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 flourish'd over us.

3 Statua for statue, is common among the old writers.

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, marr'd, as you see, with traitors.
1 Citizen. O piteous spectacle!

2 Citizen. O noble Cæsar!

3 Citizen. O woful day!

4 Citizen. O traitors, villains!

1 Citizen. O most bloody sight!

2 Citizen. We will be revenged: revenge; about, seek,-burn,-fire,—kill,—slay!-let not a traitor live. Antony. Stay, countrymen.

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

Antony. 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 5 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 publick 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;
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.

* Impression.

5 Grievances.

Citizens. We'll mutiny.

1 Citizen. We'll burn the house of Brutus.
3 Citizen. Away then, come, seek the conspirators.
Antony. Yet hear me, countrymen; yet hear me speak.
Citizens. Peace, ho! Hear Antony, most noble Antony.
Antony. Why, friends, you go to do you know not
what:

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

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

Antony. Here is the will, and under Cæsar's seal. To every Roman citizen he gives,

To every several man, seventy-five drachmas."

2 Citizen. Most noble Cæsar!-we'll revenge his death.

3 Citizen. O royal Cæsar!

Antony. Hear me with patience.

Citizens. Peace, ho!

Antony. Moreover, he hath left you all his walks,
His private arbours, and new-planted orchards,
On this side Tyber; 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?

1 Citizen. 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.

2 Citizen. Go, fetch fire.

3 Citizen. Pluck down benches.

4 Citizen. Pluck down forms, windows, any thing. [Exeunt CITIZENS, with the Body. Antony. Now let it work: Mischief, thou art afoot, Take thou what course thou wilt!-How now, fellow?

Near fifty shillings.