SERV. He lies to-night within seven leagues of Rome.

ANT. Post back with speed, and tell him what hath chanc'd:

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.

Rome more. Had rather Cæsar were living,

you

and die all slaves; than that Cæsar were dead, to live all freemen? 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 I pause for a reply.(3) CITIZENS. None, Brutus, none.

BRU. Then none have I offended. I have done no more to Cæsar than you shall do to Brutus. The question of his death is enrolled in the Capitol; his glory not extenuated, wherein

When severally we hear them rendered.

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

3 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 no 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

(*) Old text, co: rse.

a No Rome of safety-] We have the same quibble on Rome, the city, and room, an old word for place, in Act I. Sc. 2, and it appears to have been a familiar one of the time. Prime, in his Commentary on the Galatians, p. 122, 1587, has the expression, "Rome is too narrow a Room for the church of God."

b The question of his death-] Question here means, the motives or reasons which led to his death.

The evil that men do lives after them;
The good is oft interred 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 answer'd 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;
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

Το 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, 't is 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 CIT. We'll hear the will! read it, Mark Antony.

CITIZENS. The will, the will! we will hear [read it:

Cæsar's will!

ANT. Have patience, gentle friends; I must not It is not meet you know how Cæsar lov'd 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 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 a

while?

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 CIT. They were traitors! honourable men!
CITIZENS. The will! the testament!

2 Cir. They were villains, murderers! the will! read the will! [will? ANT. You will compel me then, to read the 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.

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,*
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.
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

(*) Old text, statue.

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;
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.
CITIZENS. We'll mutiny!

1 CIT. We'll burn the house of Brutus !
3 CIT. Away, then! come, seek the con-
spirators!

ANT. Yet hear me, countrymen; yet hear me speak.

CITIZENS. Peace, ho! hear Antony, most noble Antony.

ANT. 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.

Το

CITIZENS. Most true;-the will!- let's stay and hear the will!

ANT. Here is the will; and, under Cæsar's seal, Roman citizen he gives,― every

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.

CITIZENS. 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.
Here was a Cæsar! when comes such another?
1 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.

a For I have neither wit,-] The folio 1623 has,-"neyther writ," &c.; an obvious error, which the second folio set right. See "Measure for Measure," Act V. Sc. 1,

"Hast thou or word, or wit, or impudence,
That yet can do thee office?'

b And things unlucky-] The old text has, "unluckily;" which Warburton corrected to unlucky, the reading generally adopted. Mr. Collier's annotator, however, sugests unlikely, a change Mr. Craik approves, but which we believe to be certa.nly wrong. To dream of feasting, as Steevens showed, was

2 CIT. Go fetch fire.

3 CIT. Pluck down benches.

4 CIT. Pluck down forms, windows, anything!(4) [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 anything.

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 mov'd them. Bring me to Octavius. [Exeunt.

inauspicious; and in North's Plutarch (Life of Brutus) we
have the restored word "unlucky" used precisely as here:-
"The first and chiefest, was Cæsars long tarying, who came very
late to the Senate: for, because the signes of the sacrifices ap-
peared unluckie, his wite Calphurnia kept him at home." &c.
c I have no will to wander forth, &c.] I have no inclination to
wander out, &c.: so Shylock, in "The Merchant of Venice," Act
II. Sc. 5,-

"I have no mind of feasting forth to-night:
But I will go."

I