Caesar’s assassination is just the halfway point of Julius Caesar . The first part of the play leads to his death; the second portrays the consequences. As the action begins, Rome prepares for Caesar’s triumphal entrance. Brutus, Caesar’s friend and ally, fears that Caesar will become king, destroying the republic. Cassius and others convince Brutus to join a conspiracy to kill Caesar.
On the day of the assassination, Caesar plans to stay home at the urging of his wife, Calphurnia. A conspirator, Decius Brutus, persuades him to go to the Senate with the other conspirators and his friend, Mark Antony. At the Senate, the conspirators stab Caesar to death. Antony uses a funeral oration to turn the citizens of Rome against them. Brutus and Cassius escape as Antony joins forces with Octavius Caesar.
Encamped with their armies, Brutus and Cassius quarrel, then agree to march on Antony and Octavius. In the battle which follows, Cassius, misled by erroneous reports of loss, persuades a slave to kill him; Brutus’s army is defeated. Brutus commits suicide, praised by Antony as “the noblest Roman of them all.”
Enter Flavius, Marullus, and certain Commoners,
⌜ including a Carpenter and a Cobbler, ⌝ over the stage.
FLAVIUS
0001 Hence! Home, you idle creatures, get you home!
0002 Is this a holiday? What, know you not,
0003 Being mechanical, you ought not walk
0004 Upon a laboring day without the sign
0005 5 Of your profession?—Speak, what trade art thou?
CARPENTER 0006 Why, sir, a carpenter.
MARULLUS
0007 Where is thy leather apron and thy rule?
0008 What dost thou with thy best apparel on?—
0009 You, sir, what trade are you?
COBBLER 0010 10 Truly, sir, in respect of a fine workman, I am
0011 but, as you would say, a cobbler.
MARULLUS
0012 But what trade art thou? Answer me directly.
COBBLER 0013 A trade, sir, that I hope I may use with a safe
0014 conscience, which is indeed, sir, a mender of bad
0015 15 soles.
FLAVIUS
0016 What trade, thou knave? Thou naughty knave, what
0017 trade?
COBBLER 0018 Nay, I beseech you, sir, be not out with me.
0019 Yet if you be out, sir, I can mend you.
MARULLUS
0020 20 What mean’st thou by that? Mend me, thou saucy
0021 fellow?
COBBLER 0022 Why, sir, cobble you.
FLAVIUS 0023 Thou art a cobbler, art thou?
COBBLER 0024 Truly, sir, all that I live by is with the
0025 25 awl. I meddle with no tradesman’s matters nor
0026 women’s matters, but withal I am indeed, sir, a
0027 surgeon to old shoes: when they are in great danger,
0028 I recover them. As proper men as ever trod upon
0029 neat’s leather have gone upon my handiwork.
FLAVIUS
0030 30 But wherefore art not in thy shop today?
0031 Why dost thou lead these men about the streets?
COBBLER 0032 Truly, sir, to wear out their shoes, to
0033 get myself into more work. But indeed, sir, we
0034 make holiday to see Caesar and to rejoice in his
0035 35 triumph.
MARULLUS
0036 Wherefore rejoice? What conquest brings he home?
0037 What tributaries follow him to Rome
0038 To grace in captive bonds his chariot wheels?
0039 You blocks, you stones, you worse than senseless
0040 40 things!
0041 O you hard hearts, you cruel men of Rome,
0042 Knew you not Pompey? Many a time and oft
0043 Have you climbed up to walls and battlements,
0044 To towers and windows, yea, to chimney tops,
0045 45 Your infants in your arms, and there have sat
0046 The livelong day, with patient expectation,
0047 To see great Pompey pass the streets of Rome.
0048 And when you saw his chariot but appear,
0049 Have you not made an universal shout,
0050 50 That Tiber trembled underneath her banks
0051 To hear the replication of your sounds
0052 Made in her concave shores?
0053 And do you now put on your best attire?
0054 And do you now cull out a holiday?
0055 55 And do you now strew flowers in his way
0056 That comes in triumph over Pompey’s blood?
0057 Be gone!
0058 Run to your houses, fall upon your knees,
0059 Pray to the gods to intermit the plague
0060 60 That needs must light on this ingratitude.
FLAVIUS
0061 Go, go, good countrymen, and for this fault
0062 Assemble all the poor men of your sort,
0063 Draw them to Tiber banks, and weep your tears
0064 Into the channel, till the lowest stream
0065 65 Do kiss the most exalted shores of all.
All the Commoners exit.
0066 See whe’er their basest mettle be not moved.
0067 They vanish tongue-tied in their guiltiness.
0068 Go you down that way towards the Capitol.
0069 This way will I. Disrobe the images
0070 70 If you do find them decked with ceremonies.
MARULLUS 0071 May we do so?
0072 You know it is the feast of Lupercal.
FLAVIUS
0073 It is no matter. Let no images
0074 Be hung with Caesar’s trophies. I’ll about
0075 75 And drive away the vulgar from the streets;
0076 So do you too, where you perceive them thick.
0077 These growing feathers plucked from Caesar’s wing
0078 Will make him fly an ordinary pitch,
0079 Who else would soar above the view of men
0080 80 And keep us all in servile fearfulness.
They exit ⌜ in different directions. ⌝
Enter Caesar, Antony for the course, Calphurnia, Portia,
Decius, Cicero, Brutus, Cassius, Casca, a Soothsayer;
after them Marullus and Flavius ⌜ and Commoners. ⌝
CAESAR
0081 Calphurnia.
CASCA 0082 Peace, ho! Caesar speaks.
CAESAR 0083 Calphurnia.
CALPHURNIA 0084 Here, my lord.
CAESAR
0085 5 Stand you directly in Antonius’ way
0086 When he doth run his course.—Antonius.
ANTONY 0087 Caesar, my lord.
CAESAR
0088 Forget not in your speed, Antonius,
0089 To touch Calphurnia, for our elders say
0090 10 The barren, touchèd in this holy chase,
0091 Shake off their sterile curse.
ANTONY 0092 I shall remember.
0093 When Caesar says “Do this,” it is performed.
CAESAR
0094 Set on and leave no ceremony out. ⌜ Sennet. ⌝
SOOTHSAYER 0095 15 Caesar.
CAESAR 0096 Ha! Who calls?
CASCA
0097 Bid every noise be still. Peace, yet again!
CAESAR
0098 Who is it in the press that calls on me?
0099 I hear a tongue shriller than all the music
0100 20 Cry “Caesar.” Speak. Caesar is turned to hear.
SOOTHSAYER
0101 Beware the ides of March.
CAESAR 0102 What man is that?
BRUTUS
0103 A soothsayer bids you beware the ides of March.
CAESAR
0104 Set him before me. Let me see his face.
CASSIUS
0105 25 Fellow, come from the throng.
⌜ The Soothsayer comes forward. ⌝
0106 Look upon Caesar.
CAESAR
0107 What sayst thou to me now? Speak once again.
SOOTHSAYER 0108 Beware the ides of March.
CAESAR
0109 He is a dreamer. Let us leave him. Pass.
Sennet. All but Brutus and Cassius exit.
CASSIUS
0110 30 Will you go see the order of the course?
BRUTUS 0111 Not I.
CASSIUS 0112 I pray you, do.
BRUTUS
0113 I am not gamesome. I do lack some part
0114 Of that quick spirit that is in Antony.
0115 35 Let me not hinder, Cassius, your desires.
0116 I’ll leave you.
CASSIUS
0117 Brutus, I do observe you now of late.
0118 I have not from your eyes that gentleness
0119 And show of love as I was wont to have.
0120 40 You bear too stubborn and too strange a hand
0121 Over your friend that loves you.
BRUTUS 0122 Cassius,
0123 Be not deceived. If I have veiled my look,
0124 I turn the trouble of my countenance
0125 45 Merely upon myself. Vexèd I am
0126 Of late with passions of some difference,
0127 Conceptions only proper to myself,
0128 Which give some soil, perhaps, to my behaviors.
0129 But let not therefore my good friends be grieved
0130 50 (Among which number, Cassius, be you one)
0131 Nor construe any further my neglect
0132 Than that poor Brutus, with himself at war,
0133 Forgets the shows of love to other men.
CASSIUS
0134 Then, Brutus, I have much mistook your passion,
0135 55 By means whereof this breast of mine hath buried
0136 Thoughts of great value, worthy cogitations.
0137 Tell me, good Brutus, can you see your face?
BRUTUS
0138 No, Cassius, for the eye sees not itself
0139 But by reflection, by some other things.
CASSIUS 0140 60 ’Tis just.
0141 And it is very much lamented, Brutus,
0142 That you have no such mirrors as will turn
0143 Your hidden worthiness into your eye,
0144 That you might see your shadow. I have heard
0145 65 Where many of the best respect in Rome,
0146 Except immortal Caesar, speaking of Brutus
0147 And groaning underneath this age’s yoke,
0148 Have wished that noble Brutus had his eyes.
BRUTUS
0149 Into what dangers would you lead me, Cassius,
0150 70 That you would have me seek into myself
0151 For that which is not in me?
CASSIUS
0152 Therefore, good Brutus, be prepared to hear.
0153 And since you know you cannot see yourself
0154 So well as by reflection, I, your glass,
0155 75 Will modestly discover to yourself
0156 That of yourself which you yet know not of.
0157 And be not jealous on me, gentle Brutus.
0158 Were I a common laughter, or did use
0159 To stale with ordinary oaths my love
0160 80 To every new protester; if you know
0161 That I do fawn on men and hug them hard
0162 And after scandal them, or if you know
0163 That I profess myself in banqueting
0164 To all the rout, then hold me dangerous.
Flourish and shout.
BRUTUS
0165 85 What means this shouting? I do fear the people
0166 Choose Caesar for their king.
CASSIUS 0167 Ay, do you fear it?
0168 Then must I think you would not have it so.
BRUTUS
0169 I would not, Cassius, yet I love him well.
0170 90 But wherefore do you hold me here so long?
0171 What is it that you would impart to me?
0172 If it be aught toward the general good,
0173 Set honor in one eye and death i’ th’ other
0174 And I will look on both indifferently;
0175 95 For let the gods so speed me as I love
0176 The name of honor more than I fear death.
CASSIUS
0177 I know that virtue to be in you, Brutus,
0178 As well as I do know your outward favor.
0179 Well, honor is the subject of my story.
0180 100 I cannot tell what you and other men
0181 Think of this life; but, for my single self,
0182 I had as lief not be as live to be
0183 In awe of such a thing as I myself.
0184 I was born free as Caesar; so were you;
0185 105 We both have fed as well, and we can both
0186 Endure the winter’s cold as well as he.
0187 For once, upon a raw and gusty day,
0188 The troubled Tiber chafing with her shores,
0189 Caesar said to me “Dar’st thou, Cassius, now
0190 110 Leap in with me into this angry flood
0191 And swim to yonder point?” Upon the word,
0192 Accoutered as I was, I plungèd in
0193 And bade him follow; so indeed he did.
0194 The torrent roared, and we did buffet it
0195 115 With lusty sinews, throwing it aside
0196 And stemming it with hearts of controversy.
0197 But ere we could arrive the point proposed,
0198 Caesar cried “Help me, Cassius, or I sink!”
0199 I, as Aeneas, our great ancestor,
0200 120 Did from the flames of Troy upon his shoulder
0201 The old Anchises bear, so from the waves of Tiber
0202 Did I the tired Caesar. And this man
0203 Is now become a god, and Cassius is
0204 A wretched creature and must bend his body
0205 125 If Caesar carelessly but nod on him.
0206 He had a fever when he was in Spain,
0207 And when the fit was on him, I did mark
0208 How he did shake. ’Tis true, this god did shake.
0209 His coward lips did from their color fly,
0210 130 And that same eye whose bend doth awe the world
0211 Did lose his luster. I did hear him groan.
0212 Ay, and that tongue of his that bade the Romans
0213 Mark him and write his speeches in their books,
0214 “Alas,” it cried “Give me some drink, Titinius”
0215 135 As a sick girl. You gods, it doth amaze me
0216 A man of such a feeble temper should
0217 So get the start of the majestic world
0218 And bear the palm alone.
Shout. Flourish.
BRUTUS 0219 Another general shout!
0220 140 I do believe that these applauses are
0221 For some new honors that are heaped on Caesar.
CASSIUS
0222 Why, man, he doth bestride the narrow world
0223 Like a Colossus, and we petty men
0224 Walk under his huge legs and peep about
0225 145 To find ourselves dishonorable graves.
0226 Men at some time are masters of their fates.
0227 The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars,
0228 But in ourselves, that we are underlings.
0229 “Brutus” and “Caesar”—what should be in that
0230 150 “Caesar”?
0231 Why should that name be sounded more than
0232 yours?
0233 Write them together, yours is as fair a name;
0234 Sound them, it doth become the mouth as well;
0235 155 Weigh them, it is as heavy; conjure with ’em,
0236 “Brutus” will start a spirit as soon as “Caesar.”
0237 Now, in the names of all the gods at once,
0238 Upon what meat doth this our Caesar feed
0239 That he is grown so great? Age, thou art shamed!
0240 160 Rome, thou hast lost the breed of noble bloods!
0241 When went there by an age, since the great flood,
0242 But it was famed with more than with one man?
0243 When could they say, till now, that talked of Rome,
0244 That her wide walks encompassed but one man?
0245 165 Now is it Rome indeed, and room enough
0246 When there is in it but one only man.
0247 O, you and I have heard our fathers say
0248 There was a Brutus once that would have brooked
0249 Th’ eternal devil to keep his state in Rome
0250 170 As easily as a king.
BRUTUS
0251 That you do love me, I am nothing jealous.
0252 What you would work me to, I have some aim.
0253 How I have thought of this, and of these times,
0254 I shall recount hereafter. For this present,
0255 175 I would not, so with love I might entreat you,
0256 Be any further moved. What you have said
0257 I will consider; what you have to say
0258 I will with patience hear, and find a time
0259 Both meet to hear and answer such high things.
0260 180 Till then, my noble friend, chew upon this:
0261 Brutus had rather be a villager
0262 Than to repute himself a son of Rome
0263 Under these hard conditions as this time
0264 Is like to lay upon us.
CASSIUS 0265 185 I am glad that my weak words
0266 Have struck but thus much show of fire from
0267 Brutus.
Enter Caesar and his train.
BRUTUS
0268 The games are done, and Caesar is returning.
CASSIUS
0269 As they pass by, pluck Casca by the sleeve,
0270 190 And he will, after his sour fashion, tell you
0271 What hath proceeded worthy note today.
BRUTUS
0272 I will do so. But look you, Cassius,
0273 The angry spot doth glow on Caesar’s brow,
0274 And all the rest look like a chidden train.
0275 195 Calphurnia’s cheek is pale, and Cicero
0276 Looks with such ferret and such fiery eyes
0277 As we have seen him in the Capitol,
0278 Being crossed in conference by some senators.
CASSIUS
0279 Casca will tell us what the matter is.
CAESAR 0280 200 Antonius.
ANTONY 0281 Caesar.
CAESAR
0282 Let me have men about me that are fat,
0283 Sleek-headed men, and such as sleep a-nights.
0284 Yond Cassius has a lean and hungry look.
0285 205 He thinks too much. Such men are dangerous.
ANTONY
0286 Fear him not, Caesar; he’s not dangerous.
0287 He is a noble Roman, and well given.
CAESAR
0288 Would he were fatter! But I fear him not.
0289 Yet if my name were liable to fear,
0290 210 I do not know the man I should avoid
0291 So soon as that spare Cassius. He reads much,
0292 He is a great observer, and he looks
0293 Quite through the deeds of men. He loves no plays,
0294 As thou dost, Antony; he hears no music;
0295 215 Seldom he smiles, and smiles in such a sort
0296 As if he mocked himself and scorned his spirit
0297 That could be moved to smile at anything.
0298 Such men as he be never at heart’s ease
0299 Whiles they behold a greater than themselves,
0300 220 And therefore are they very dangerous.
0301 I rather tell thee what is to be feared
0302 Than what I fear; for always I am Caesar.
0303 Come on my right hand, for this ear is deaf,
0304 And tell me truly what thou think’st of him.
Sennet. Caesar and his train exit
⌜ but Casca remains behind. ⌝
CASCA 0305 225 You pulled me by the cloak. Would you speak
0306 with me?
BRUTUS
0307 Ay, Casca. Tell us what hath chanced today
0308 That Caesar looks so sad.
CASCA 0309 Why, you were with him, were you not?
BRUTUS
0310 230 I should not then ask Casca what had chanced.
CASCA 0311 Why, there was a crown offered him; and, being
0312 offered him, he put it by with the back of his hand,
0313 thus, and then the people fell a-shouting.
BRUTUS 0314 What was the second noise for?
CASCA 0315 235 Why, for that too.
CASSIUS
0316 They shouted thrice. What was the last cry for?
CASCA 0317 Why, for that too.
BRUTUS 0318 Was the crown offered him thrice?
CASCA 0319 Ay, marry, was ’t, and he put it by thrice, every
0320 240 time gentler than other; and at every putting-by,
0321 mine honest neighbors shouted.
CASSIUS 0322 Who offered him the crown?
CASCA 0323 Why, Antony.
BRUTUS
0324 Tell us the manner of it, gentle Casca.
CASCA 0325 245 I can as well be hanged as tell the manner of it.
0326 It was mere foolery; I did not mark it. I saw Mark
0327 Antony offer him a crown (yet ’twas not a crown
0328 neither; ’twas one of these coronets), and, as I told
0329 you, he put it by once; but for all that, to my
0330 250 thinking, he would fain have had it. Then he offered
0331 it to him again; then he put it by again; but to my
0332 thinking, he was very loath to lay his fingers off it.
0333 And then he offered it the third time. He put it the
0334 third time by, and still as he refused it the rabblement
0335 255 hooted and clapped their chopped hands and
0336 threw up their sweaty nightcaps and uttered such a
0337 deal of stinking breath because Caesar refused the
0338 crown that it had almost choked Caesar, for he
0339 swooned and fell down at it. And for mine own part,
0340 260 I durst not laugh for fear of opening my lips and
0341 receiving the bad air.
CASSIUS
0342 But soft, I pray you. What, did Caesar swoon?
CASCA 0343 He fell down in the marketplace and foamed at
0344 mouth and was speechless.
BRUTUS
0345 265 ’Tis very like; he hath the falling sickness.
CASSIUS
0346 No, Caesar hath it not; but you and I
0347 And honest Casca, we have the falling sickness.
CASCA 0348 I know not what you mean by that, but I am
0349 sure Caesar fell down. If the tag-rag people did not
0350 270 clap him and hiss him, according as he pleased and
0351 displeased them, as they use to do the players in the
0352 theater, I am no true man.
BRUTUS
0353 What said he when he came unto himself?
CASCA 0354 Marry, before he fell down, when he perceived
0355 275 the common herd was glad he refused the crown,
0356 he plucked me ope his doublet and offered them his
0357 throat to cut. An I had been a man of any occupation,
0358 if I would not have taken him at a word, I
0359 would I might go to hell among the rogues. And so
0360 280 he fell. When he came to himself again, he said if he
0361 had done or said anything amiss, he desired their
0362 Worships to think it was his infirmity. Three or four
0363 wenches where I stood cried “Alas, good soul!” and
0364 forgave him with all their hearts. But there’s no
0365 285 heed to be taken of them; if Caesar had stabbed
0366 their mothers, they would have done no less.
BRUTUS
0367 And, after that, he came thus sad away?
CASCA 0368 Ay.
CASSIUS 0369 Did Cicero say anything?
CASCA 0370 290 Ay, he spoke Greek.
CASSIUS 0371 To what effect?
CASCA 0372 Nay, an I tell you that, I’ll ne’er look you i’ th’
0373 face again. But those that understood him smiled at
0374 one another and shook their heads. But for mine
0375 295 own part, it was Greek to me. I could tell you more
0376 news too: Marullus and Flavius, for pulling scarves
0377 off Caesar’s images, are put to silence. Fare you
0378 well. There was more foolery yet, if I could remember
0379 it.
CASSIUS 0380 300 Will you sup with me tonight, Casca?
CASCA 0381 No, I am promised forth.
CASSIUS 0382 Will you dine with me tomorrow?
CASCA 0383 Ay, if I be alive, and your mind hold, and your
0384 dinner worth the eating.
CASSIUS 0385 305 Good. I will expect you.
CASCA 0386 Do so. Farewell both. He exits.
BRUTUS
0387 What a blunt fellow is this grown to be!
0388 He was quick mettle when he went to school.
CASSIUS
0389 So is he now in execution
0390 310 Of any bold or noble enterprise,
0391 However he puts on this tardy form.
0392 This rudeness is a sauce to his good wit,
0393 Which gives men stomach to digest his words
0394 With better appetite.
BRUTUS
0395 315 And so it is. For this time I will leave you.
0396 Tomorrow, if you please to speak with me,
0397 I will come home to you; or, if you will,
0398 Come home to me, and I will wait for you.
CASSIUS
0399 I will do so. Till then, think of the world.
Brutus exits.
0400 320 Well, Brutus, thou art noble. Yet I see
0401 Thy honorable mettle may be wrought
0402 From that it is disposed. Therefore it is meet
0403 That noble minds keep ever with their likes;
0404 For who so firm that cannot be seduced?
0405 325 Caesar doth bear me hard, but he loves Brutus.
0406 If I were Brutus now, and he were Cassius,
0407 He should not humor me. I will this night
0408 In several hands in at his windows throw,
0409 As if they came from several citizens,
0410 330 Writings, all tending to the great opinion
0411 That Rome holds of his name, wherein obscurely
0412 Caesar’s ambition shall be glancèd at
0413 And after this, let Caesar seat him sure,
0414 For we will shake him, or worse days endure.
He exits.
Thunder and lightning. Enter Casca and Cicero.
CICERO
0415 Good even, Casca. Brought you Caesar home?
0416 Why are you breathless? And why stare you so?
CASCA
0417 Are not you moved, when all the sway of earth
0418 Shakes like a thing unfirm? O Cicero,
0419 5 I have seen tempests when the scolding winds
0420 Have rived the knotty oaks, and I have seen
0421 Th’ ambitious ocean swell and rage and foam
0422 To be exalted with the threat’ning clouds;
0423 But never till tonight, never till now,
0424 10 Did I go through a tempest dropping fire.
0425 Either there is a civil strife in heaven,
0426 Or else the world, too saucy with the gods,
0427 Incenses them to send destruction.
CICERO
0428 Why, saw you anything more wonderful?
CASCA
0429 15 A common slave (you know him well by sight)
0430 Held up his left hand, which did flame and burn
0431 Like twenty torches joined; and yet his hand,
0432 Not sensible of fire, remained unscorched.
0433 Besides (I ha’ not since put up my sword),
0434 20 Against the Capitol I met a lion,
0435 Who glazed upon me and went surly by
0436 Without annoying me. And there were drawn
0437 Upon a heap a hundred ghastly women,
0438 Transformèd with their fear, who swore they saw
0439 25 Men all in fire walk up and down the streets.
0440 And yesterday the bird of night did sit
0441 Even at noonday upon the marketplace,
0442 Hooting and shrieking. When these prodigies
0443 Do so conjointly meet, let not men say
0444 30 “These are their reasons, they are natural,”
0445 For I believe they are portentous things
0446 Unto the climate that they point upon.
CICERO
0447 Indeed, it is a strange-disposèd time.
0448 But men may construe things after their fashion,
0449 35 Clean from the purpose of the things themselves.
0450 Comes Caesar to the Capitol tomorrow?
CASCA
0451 He doth, for he did bid Antonius
0452 Send word to you he would be there tomorrow.
CICERO
0453 Good night then, Casca. This disturbèd sky
0454 40 Is not to walk in.
CASCA 0455 Farewell, Cicero Cicero exits.
CASSIUS
0456 Who’s there?
CASCA 0457 A Roman.
CASSIUS 0458 Casca, by your voice.
CASCA
0459 45 Your ear is good. Cassius, what night is this!
CASSIUS
0460 A very pleasing night to honest men.
CASCA
0461 Who ever knew the heavens menace so?
CASSIUS
0462 Those that have known the Earth so full of faults.
0463 For my part, I have walked about the streets,
0464 50 Submitting me unto the perilous night,
0465 And thus unbracèd, Casca, as you see,
0466 Have bared my bosom to the thunder-stone;
0467 And when the cross blue lightning seemed to open
0468 The breast of heaven, I did present myself
0469 55 Even in the aim and very flash of it.
CASCA
0470 But wherefore did you so much tempt the heavens?
0471 It is the part of men to fear and tremble
0472 When the most mighty gods by tokens send
0473 Such dreadful heralds to astonish us.
CASSIUS
0474 60 You are dull, Casca, and those sparks of life
0475 That should be in a Roman you do want,
0476 Or else you use not. You look pale, and gaze,
0477 And put on fear, and cast yourself in wonder,
0478 To see the strange impatience of the heavens.
0479 65 But if you would consider the true cause
0480 Why all these fires, why all these gliding ghosts,
0481 Why birds and beasts from quality and kind,
0482 Why old men, fools, and children calculate,
0483 Why all these things change from their ordinance,
0484 70 Their natures, and preformèd faculties,
0485 To monstrous quality—why, you shall find
0486 That heaven hath infused them with these spirits
0487 To make them instruments of fear and warning
0488 Unto some monstrous state.
0489 75 Now could I, Casca, name to thee a man
0490 Most like this dreadful night,
0491 That thunders, lightens, opens graves, and roars
0492 As doth the lion in the Capitol;
0493 A man no mightier than thyself or me
0494 80 In personal action, yet prodigious grown,
0495 And fearful, as these strange eruptions are.
CASCA
0496 ’Tis Caesar that you mean, is it not, Cassius?
CASSIUS
0497 Let it be who it is. For Romans now
0498 Have thews and limbs like to their ancestors.
0499 85 But, woe the while, our fathers’ minds are dead,
0500 And we are governed with our mothers’ spirits.
0501 Our yoke and sufferance show us womanish.
CASCA
0502 Indeed, they say the Senators tomorrow
0503 Mean to establish Caesar as a king,
0504 90 And he shall wear his crown by sea and land
0505 In every place save here in Italy.
CASSIUS
0506 I know where I will wear this dagger then;
0507 Cassius from bondage will deliver Cassius.
0508 Therein, you gods, you make the weak most strong;
0509 95 Therein, you gods, you tyrants do defeat.
0510 Nor stony tower, nor walls of beaten brass,
0511 Nor airless dungeon, nor strong links of iron,
0512 Can be retentive to the strength of spirit;
0513 But life, being weary of these worldly bars,
0514 100 Never lacks power to dismiss itself.
0515 If I know this, know all the world besides,
0516 That part of tyranny that I do bear
0517 I can shake off at pleasure. Thunder still.
CASCA 0518 So can I.
0519 105 So every bondman in his own hand bears
0520 The power to cancel his captivity.
CASSIUS
0521 And why should Caesar be a tyrant, then?
0522 Poor man, I know he would not be a wolf
0523 But that he sees the Romans are but sheep;
0524 110 He were no lion, were not Romans hinds.
0525 Those that with haste will make a mighty fire
0526 Begin it with weak straws. What trash is Rome,
0527 What rubbish, and what offal when it serves
0528 For the base matter to illuminate
0529 115 So vile a thing as Caesar! But, O grief,
0530 Where hast thou led me? I perhaps speak this
0531 Before a willing bondman; then, I know
0532 My answer must be made. But I am armed,
0533 And dangers are to me indifferent.
CASCA
0534 120 You speak to Casca, and to such a man
0535 That is no fleering telltale. Hold. My hand.
⌜ They shake hands. ⌝
0536 Be factious for redress of all these griefs,
0537 And I will set this foot of mine as far
0538 As who goes farthest.
CASSIUS 0539 125 There’s a bargain made.
0540 Now know you, Casca, I have moved already
0541 Some certain of the noblest-minded Romans
0542 To undergo with me an enterprise
0543 Of honorable-dangerous consequence.
0544 130 And I do know by this they stay for me
0545 In Pompey’s Porch. For now, this fearful night,
0546 There is no stir or walking in the streets;
0547 And the complexion of the element
0548 ⌜ In ⌝ favor ’s like the work we have in hand,
0549 135 Most bloody, fiery, and most terrible.
CASCA
0550 Stand close awhile, for here comes one in haste.
CASSIUS
0551 ’Tis Cinna; I do know him by his gait.
0552 He is a friend.—Cinna, where haste you so?
CINNA
0553 To find out you. Who’s that? Metellus Cimber?
CASSIUS
0554 140 No, it is Casca, one incorporate
0555 To our attempts. Am I not stayed for, Cinna?
CINNA
0556 I am glad on ’t. What a fearful night is this!
0557 There’s two or three of us have seen strange sights.
CASSIUS 0558 Am I not stayed for? Tell me.
CINNA
0559 145 Yes, you are. O Cassius, if you could
0560 But win the noble Brutus to our party—
CASSIUS , ⌜ handing him papers ⌝
0561 Be you content. Good Cinna, take this paper,
0562 And look you lay it in the Praetor’s chair,
0563 Where Brutus may but find it; and throw this
0564 150 In at his window; set this up with wax
0565 Upon old Brutus’ statue. All this done,
0566 Repair to Pompey’s Porch, where you shall find us.
0567 Is Decius Brutus and Trebonius there?
CINNA
0568 All but Metellus Cimber, and he’s gone
0569 155 To seek you at your house. Well, I will hie
0570 And so bestow these papers as you bade me.
CASSIUS
0571 That done, repair to Pompey’s Theater.
Cinna exits.
0572 Come, Casca, you and I will yet ere day
0573 See Brutus at his house. Three parts of him
0574 160 Is ours already, and the man entire
0575 Upon the next encounter yields him ours.
CASCA
0576 O, he sits high in all the people’s hearts,
0577 And that which would appear offense in us
0578 His countenance, like richest alchemy,
0579 165 Will change to virtue and to worthiness.
CASSIUS
0580 Him and his worth and our great need of him
0581 You have right well conceited. Let us go,
0582 For it is after midnight, and ere day
0583 We will awake him and be sure of him.
They exit.
Enter Brutus in his orchard.
BRUTUS 0584 What, Lucius, ho!—
0585 I cannot by the progress of the stars
0586 Give guess how near to day.—Lucius, I say!—
0587 I would it were my fault to sleep so soundly.—
0588 5 When, Lucius, when? Awake, I say! What, Lucius!
LUCIUS 0589 Called you, my lord?
BRUTUS
0590 Get me a taper in my study, Lucius.
0591 When it is lighted, come and call me here.
LUCIUS 0592 I will, my lord. He exits.
BRUTUS
0593 10 It must be by his death. And for my part
0594 I know no personal cause to spurn at him,
0595 But for the general. He would be crowned:
0596 How that might change his nature, there’s the
0597 question.
0598 15 It is the bright day that brings forth the adder,
0599 And that craves wary walking. Crown him that,
0600 And then I grant we put a sting in him
0601 That at his will he may do danger with.
0602 Th’ abuse of greatness is when it disjoins
0603 20 Remorse from power. And, to speak truth of Caesar,
0604 I have not known when his affections swayed
0605 More than his reason. But ’tis a common proof
0606 That lowliness is young ambition’s ladder,
0607 Whereto the ⌜ climber-upward ⌝ turns his face;
0608 25 But, when he once attains the upmost round,
0609 He then unto the ladder turns his back,
0610 Looks in the clouds, scorning the base degrees
0611 By which he did ascend. So Caesar may.
0612 Then, lest he may, prevent. And since the quarrel
0613 30 Will bear no color for the thing he is,
0614 Fashion it thus: that what he is, augmented,
0615 Would run to these and these extremities.
0616 And therefore think him as a serpent’s egg,
0617 Which, hatched, would, as his kind, grow
0618 35 mischievous,
0619 And kill him in the shell.
LUCIUS
0620 The taper burneth in your closet, sir.
0621 Searching the window for a flint, I found
0622 This paper, thus sealed up, and I am sure
0623 40 It did not lie there when I went to bed.
Gives him the letter.
BRUTUS
0624 Get you to bed again. It is not day.
0625 Is not tomorrow, boy, the ⌜ ides ⌝ of March?
LUCIUS 0626 I know not, sir.
BRUTUS
0627 Look in the calendar, and bring me word.
LUCIUS 0628 45 I will, sir. He exits.
BRUTUS
0629 The exhalations, whizzing in the air,
0630 Give so much light that I may read by them.
Opens the letter and reads.
0631 Brutus, thou sleep’st. Awake, and see thyself!
0632 Shall Rome, etc. Speak, strike, redress!
0633 50 “Brutus, thou sleep’st. Awake.”
0634 Such instigations have been often dropped
0635 Where I have took them up.
0636 “Shall Rome, etc.” Thus must I piece it out:
0637 Shall Rome stand under one man’s awe? What,
0638 55 Rome?
0639 My ancestors did from the streets of Rome
0640 The Tarquin drive when he was called a king.
0641 “Speak, strike, redress!” Am I entreated
0642 To speak and strike? O Rome, I make thee promise,
0643 60 If the redress will follow, thou receivest
0644 Thy full petition at the hand of Brutus.
LUCIUS 0645 Sir, March is wasted fifteen days.
Knock within.
BRUTUS
0646 ’Tis good. Go to the gate; somebody knocks.
⌜ Lucius exits. ⌝
0647 Since Cassius first did whet me against Caesar,
0648 65 I have not slept.
0649 Between the acting of a dreadful thing
0650 And the first motion, all the interim is
0651 Like a phantasma or a hideous dream.
0652 The genius and the mortal instruments
0653 70 Are then in council, and the state of man,
0654 Like to a little kingdom, suffers then
0655 The nature of an insurrection.
LUCIUS
0656 Sir, ’tis your brother Cassius at the door,
0657 Who doth desire to see you.
BRUTUS 0658 75 Is he alone?
LUCIUS
0659 No, sir. There are more with him.
BRUTUS 0660 Do you know
0661 them?
LUCIUS
0662 No, sir. Their hats are plucked about their ears,
0663 80 And half their faces buried in their cloaks,
0664 That by no means I may discover them
0665 By any mark of favor.
BRUTUS 0666 Let ’em enter. ⌜ Lucius exits. ⌝
0667 They are the faction. O conspiracy,
0668 85 Sham’st thou to show thy dang’rous brow by night,
0669 When evils are most free? O, then, by day
0670 Where wilt thou find a cavern dark enough
0671 To mask thy monstrous visage? Seek none,
0672 conspiracy.
0673 90 Hide it in smiles and affability;
0674 For if thou path, thy native semblance on,
0675 Not Erebus itself were dim enough
0676 To hide thee from prevention.
Enter the conspirators, Cassius, Casca, Decius, Cinna,
Metellus, and Trebonius.
CASSIUS
0677 I think we are too bold upon your rest.
0678 95 Good morrow, Brutus. Do we trouble you?
BRUTUS
0679 I have been up this hour, awake all night.
0680 Know I these men that come along with you?
CASSIUS
0681 Yes, every man of them; and no man here
0682 But honors you, and every one doth wish
0683 100 You had but that opinion of yourself
0684 Which every noble Roman bears of you.
0685 This is Trebonius.
BRUTUS 0686 He is welcome hither.
CASSIUS
0687 This, Decius Brutus.
BRUTUS 0688 105 He is welcome too.
CASSIUS
0689 This, Casca; this, Cinna; and this, Metellus Cimber.
BRUTUS 0690 They are all welcome.
0691 What watchful cares do interpose themselves
0692 Betwixt your eyes and night?
CASSIUS 0693 110 Shall I entreat a word?
⌜ Brutus and Cassius ⌝ whisper.
DECIUS
0694 Here lies the east; doth not the day break here?
CASCA 0695 No.
CINNA
0696 O pardon, sir, it doth; and yon gray lines
0697 That fret the clouds are messengers of day.
CASCA
0698 115 You shall confess that you are both deceived.
0699 Here, as I point my sword, the sun arises,
0700 Which is a great way growing on the south,
0701 Weighing the youthful season of the year.
0702 Some two months hence, up higher toward the
0703 120 north
0704 He first presents his fire, and the high east
0705 Stands, as the Capitol, directly here.
BRUTUS , ⌜ coming forward with Cassius ⌝
0706 Give me your hands all over, one by one.
CASSIUS
0707 And let us swear our resolution.
BRUTUS
0708 125 No, not an oath. If not the face of men,
0709 The sufferance of our souls, the time’s abuse—
0710 If these be motives weak, break off betimes,
0711 And every man hence to his idle bed.
0712 So let high-sighted tyranny range on
0713 130 Till each man drop by lottery. But if these—
0714 As I am sure they do—bear fire enough
0715 To kindle cowards and to steel with valor
0716 The melting spirits of women, then, countrymen,
0717 What need we any spur but our own cause
0718 135 To prick us to redress? What other bond
0719 Than secret Romans that have spoke the word
0720 And will not palter? And what other oath
0721 Than honesty to honesty engaged
0722 That this shall be or we will fall for it?
0723 140 Swear priests and cowards and men cautelous,
0724 Old feeble carrions, and such suffering souls
0725 That welcome wrongs; unto bad causes swear
0726 Such creatures as men doubt; but do not stain
0727 The even virtue of our enterprise,
0728 145 Nor th’ insuppressive mettle of our spirits,
0729 To think that or our cause or our performance
0730 Did need an oath, when every drop of blood
0731 That every Roman bears, and nobly bears,
0732 Is guilty of a several bastardy
0733 150 If he do break the smallest particle
0734 Of any promise that hath passed from him.
CASSIUS
0735 But what of Cicero? Shall we sound him?
0736 I think he will stand very strong with us.
CASCA
0737 Let us not leave him out.
CINNA 0738 155 No, by no means.
METELLUS
0739 O, let us have him, for his silver hairs
0740 Will purchase us a good opinion
0741 And buy men’s voices to commend our deeds.
0742 It shall be said his judgment ruled our hands.
0743 160 Our youths and wildness shall no whit appear,
0744 But all be buried in his gravity.
BRUTUS
0745 O, name him not! Let us not break with him,
0746 For he will never follow anything
0747 That other men begin.
CASSIUS 0748 165 Then leave him out.
CASCA 0749 Indeed, he is not fit.
DECIUS
0750 Shall no man else be touched, but only Caesar?
CASSIUS
0751 Decius, well urged. I think it is not meet
0752 Mark Antony, so well beloved of Caesar,
0753 170 Should outlive Caesar. We shall find of him
0754 A shrewd contriver; and, you know, his means,
0755 If he improve them, may well stretch so far
0756 As to annoy us all; which to prevent,
0757 Let Antony and Caesar fall together.
BRUTUS
0758 175 Our course will seem too bloody, Caius Cassius,
0759 To cut the head off and then hack the limbs,
0760 Like wrath in death and envy afterwards;
0761 For Antony is but a limb of Caesar.
0762 Let’s be sacrificers, but not butchers, Caius.
0763 180 We all stand up against the spirit of Caesar,
0764 And in the spirit of men there is no blood.
0765 O, that we then could come by Caesar’s spirit
0766 And not dismember Caesar! But, alas,
0767 Caesar must bleed for it. And, gentle friends,
0768 185 Let’s kill him boldly, but not wrathfully.
0769 Let’s carve him as a dish fit for the gods,
0770 Not hew him as a carcass fit for hounds.
0771 And let our hearts, as subtle masters do,
0772 Stir up their servants to an act of rage
0773 190 And after seem to chide ’em. This shall make
0774 Our purpose necessary and not envious;
0775 Which so appearing to the common eyes,
0776 We shall be called purgers, not murderers.
0777 And for Mark Antony, think not of him,
0778 195 For he can do no more than Caesar’s arm
0779 When Caesar’s head is off.
CASSIUS 0780 Yet I fear him,
0781 For in the engrafted love he bears to Caesar—
BRUTUS
0782 Alas, good Cassius, do not think of him.
0783 200 If he love Caesar, all that he can do
0784 Is to himself: take thought and die for Caesar.
0785 And that were much he should, for he is given
0786 To sports, to wildness, and much company.
TREBONIUS
0787 There is no fear in him. Let him not die,
0788 205 For he will live and laugh at this hereafter.
Clock strikes.
BRUTUS
0789 Peace, count the clock.
CASSIUS 0790 The clock hath stricken
0791 three.
TREBONIUS
0792 ’Tis time to part.
CASSIUS 0793 210 But it is doubtful yet
0794 Whether Caesar will come forth today or no,
0795 For he is superstitious grown of late,
0796 Quite from the main opinion he held once
0797 Of fantasy, of dreams, and ceremonies.
0798 215 It may be these apparent prodigies,
0799 The unaccustomed terror of this night,
0800 And the persuasion of his augurers
0801 May hold him from the Capitol today.
DECIUS
0802 Never fear that. If he be so resolved,
0803 220 I can o’ersway him, for he loves to hear
0804 That unicorns may be betrayed with trees,
0805 And bears with glasses, elephants with holes,
0806 Lions with toils, and men with flatterers.
0807 But when I tell him he hates flatterers,
0808 225 He says he does, being then most flatterèd.
0809 Let me work,
0810 For I can give his humor the true bent,
0811 And I will bring him to the Capitol.
CASSIUS
0812 Nay, we will all of us be there to fetch him.
BRUTUS
0813 230 By the eighth hour, is that the uttermost?
CINNA
0814 Be that the uttermost, and fail not then.
METELLUS
0815 Caius Ligarius doth bear Caesar hard,
0816 Who rated him for speaking well of Pompey.
0817 I wonder none of you have thought of him.
BRUTUS
0818 235 Now, good Metellus, go along by him.
0819 He loves me well, and I have given him reasons.
0820 Send him but hither, and I’ll fashion him.
CASSIUS
0821 The morning comes upon ’s. We’ll leave you,
0822 Brutus.
0823 240 And, friends, disperse yourselves, but all remember
0824 What you have said, and show yourselves true
0825 Romans.
BRUTUS
0826 Good gentlemen, look fresh and merrily.
0827 Let not our looks put on our purposes,
0828 245 But bear it, as our Roman actors do,
0829 With untired spirits and formal constancy.
0830 And so good morrow to you every one.
All but Brutus exit.
0831 Boy! Lucius!—Fast asleep? It is no matter.
0832 Enjoy the honey-heavy dew of slumber.
0833 250 Thou hast no figures nor no fantasies
0834 Which busy care draws in the brains of men.
0835 Therefore thou sleep’st so sound.
PORTIA 0836 Brutus, my lord.
BRUTUS
0837 Portia! What mean you? Wherefore rise you now?
0838 255 It is not for your health thus to commit
0839 Your weak condition to the raw cold morning.
PORTIA
0840 Nor for yours neither. You’ve ungently, Brutus,
0841 Stole from my bed. And yesternight at supper
0842 You suddenly arose and walked about,
0843 260 Musing and sighing, with your arms across,
0844 And when I asked you what the matter was,
0845 You stared upon me with ungentle looks.
0846 I urged you further; then you scratched your head
0847 And too impatiently stamped with your foot.
0848 265 Yet I insisted; yet you answered not,
0849 But with an angry wafture of your hand
0850 Gave sign for me to leave you. So I did,
0851 Fearing to strengthen that impatience
0852 Which seemed too much enkindled, and withal
0853 270 Hoping it was but an effect of humor,
0854 Which sometime hath his hour with every man.
0855 It will not let you eat nor talk nor sleep,
0856 And could it work so much upon your shape
0857 As it hath much prevailed on your condition,
0858 275 I should not know you Brutus. Dear my lord,
0859 Make me acquainted with your cause of grief.
BRUTUS
0860 I am not well in health, and that is all.
PORTIA
0861 Brutus is wise and, were he not in health,
0862 He would embrace the means to come by it.
BRUTUS
0863 280 Why so I do. Good Portia, go to bed.
PORTIA
0864 Is Brutus sick? And is it physical
0865 To walk unbracèd and suck up the humors
0866 Of the dank morning? What, is Brutus sick,
0867 And will he steal out of his wholesome bed
0868 285 To dare the vile contagion of the night
0869 And tempt the rheumy and unpurgèd air
0870 To add unto ⌜ his ⌝ sickness? No, my Brutus,
0871 You have some sick offense within your mind,
0872 Which by the right and virtue of my place
0873 290 I ought to know of. ⌜ She kneels. ⌝ And upon my
0874 knees
0875 I charm you, by my once commended beauty,
0876 By all your vows of love, and that great vow
0877 Which did incorporate and make us one,
0878 295 That you unfold to me, your self, your half,
0879 Why you are heavy, and what men tonight
0880 Have had resort to you; for here have been
0881 Some six or seven who did hide their faces
0882 Even from darkness.
BRUTUS 0883 300 Kneel not, gentle Portia.
⌜ He lifts her up. ⌝
PORTIA
0884 I should not need, if you were gentle Brutus.
0885 Within the bond of marriage, tell me, Brutus,
0886 Is it excepted I should know no secrets
0887 That appertain to you? Am I your self
0888 305 But, as it were, in sort or limitation,
0889 To keep with you at meals, comfort your bed,
0890 And talk to you sometimes? Dwell I but in the
0891 suburbs
0892 Of your good pleasure? If it be no more,
0893 310 Portia is Brutus’ harlot, not his wife.
BRUTUS
0894 You are my true and honorable wife,
0895 As dear to me as are the ruddy drops
0896 That visit my sad heart.
PORTIA
0897 If this were true, then should I know this secret.
0898 315 I grant I am a woman, but withal
0899 A woman that Lord Brutus took to wife.
0900 I grant I am a woman, but withal
0901 A woman well-reputed, Cato’s daughter.
0902 Think you I am no stronger than my sex,
0903 320 Being so fathered and so husbanded?
0904 Tell me your counsels; I will not disclose ’em.
0905 I have made strong proof of my constancy,
0906 Giving myself a voluntary wound
0907 Here, in the thigh. Can I bear that with patience,
0908 325 And not my husband’s secrets?
BRUTUS 0909 O you gods,
0910 Render me worthy of this noble wife! Knock.
0911 Hark, hark, one knocks. Portia, go in awhile,
0912 And by and by thy bosom shall partake
0913 330 The secrets of my heart.
0914 All my engagements I will construe to thee,
0915 All the charactery of my sad brows.
0916 Leave me with haste. Portia exits.
0917 Lucius, who ’s that knocks?
Enter Lucius and Ligarius.
LUCIUS
0918 335 Here is a sick man that would speak with you.
BRUTUS
0919 Caius Ligarius, that Metellus spoke of.—
0920 Boy, stand aside. ⌜ Lucius exits. ⌝
0921 Caius Ligarius, how?
LIGARIUS
0922 Vouchsafe good morrow from a feeble tongue.
BRUTUS
0923 340 O, what a time have you chose out, brave Caius,
0924 To wear a kerchief! Would you were not sick!
LIGARIUS
0925 I am not sick, if Brutus have in hand
0926 Any exploit worthy the name of honor.
BRUTUS
0927 Such an exploit have I in hand, Ligarius,
0928 345 Had you a healthful ear to hear of it.
LIGARIUS
0929 By all the gods that Romans bow before,
0930 I here discard my sickness.
⌜ He takes off his kerchief. ⌝
0931 Soul of Rome,
0932 Brave son derived from honorable loins,
0933 350 Thou like an exorcist hast conjured up
0934 My mortifièd spirit. Now bid me run,
0935 And I will strive with things impossible,
0936 Yea, get the better of them. What’s to do?
BRUTUS
0937 A piece of work that will make sick men whole.
LIGARIUS
0938 355 But are not some whole that we must make sick?
BRUTUS
0939 That must we also. What it is, my Caius,
0940 I shall unfold to thee as we are going
0941 To whom it must be done.
LIGARIUS 0942 Set on your foot,
0943 360 And with a heart new-fired I follow you
0944 To do I know not what; but it sufficeth
0945 That Brutus leads me on. Thunder.
BRUTUS 0946 Follow me then.
They exit.
Thunder and lightning. Enter Julius Caesar in his
nightgown.
CAESAR
0947 Nor heaven nor Earth have been at peace tonight.
0948 Thrice hath Calphurnia in her sleep cried out
0949 “Help ho, they murder Caesar!”—Who’s within?
Enter a Servant.
SERVANT 0950 My lord.
CAESAR
0951 5 Go bid the priests do present sacrifice,
0952 And bring me their opinions of success.
SERVANT 0953 I will, my lord. He exits.
CALPHURNIA
0954 What mean you, Caesar? Think you to walk forth?
0955 You shall not stir out of your house today.
CAESAR
0956 10 Caesar shall forth. The things that threatened me
0957 Ne’er looked but on my back. When they shall see
0958 The face of Caesar, they are vanishèd.
CALPHURNIA
0959 Caesar, I never stood on ceremonies,
0960 Yet now they fright me. There is one within,
0961 15 Besides the things that we have heard and seen,
0962 Recounts most horrid sights seen by the watch.
0963 A lioness hath whelpèd in the streets,
0964 And graves have yawned and yielded up their dead.
0965 Fierce fiery warriors ⌜ fought ⌝ upon the clouds
0966 20 In ranks and squadrons and right form of war,
0967 Which drizzled blood upon the Capitol.
0968 The noise of battle hurtled in the air,
0969 Horses ⌜ did ⌝ neigh, and dying men did groan,
0970 And ghosts did shriek and squeal about the streets.
0971 25 O Caesar, these things are beyond all use,
0972 And I do fear them.
CAESAR 0973 What can be avoided
0974 Whose end is purposed by the mighty gods?
0975 Yet Caesar shall go forth, for these predictions
0976 30 Are to the world in general as to Caesar.
CALPHURNIA
0977 When beggars die there are no comets seen;
0978 The heavens themselves blaze forth the death of
0979 princes.
CAESAR
0980 Cowards die many times before their deaths;
0981 35 The valiant never taste of death but once.
0982 Of all the wonders that I yet have heard,
0983 It seems to me most strange that men should fear,
0984 Seeing that death, a necessary end,
0985 Will come when it will come.
Enter a Servant.
0986 40 What say the augurers?
SERVANT
0987 They would not have you to stir forth today.
0988 Plucking the entrails of an offering forth,
0989 They could not find a heart within the beast.
CAESAR
0990 The gods do this in shame of cowardice.
0991 45 Caesar should be a beast without a heart
0992 If he should stay at home today for fear.
0993 No, Caesar shall not. Danger knows full well
0994 That Caesar is more dangerous than he.
0995 We ⌜ are ⌝ two lions littered in one day,
0996 50 And I the elder and more terrible.
0997 And Caesar shall go forth.
CALPHURNIA 0998 Alas, my lord,
0999 Your wisdom is consumed in confidence.
1000 Do not go forth today. Call it my fear
1001 55 That keeps you in the house, and not your own.
1002 We’ll send Mark Antony to the Senate House,
1003 And he shall say you are not well today.
1004 Let me, upon my knee, prevail in this. ⌜ She kneels. ⌝
CAESAR
1005 Mark Antony shall say I am not well,
1006 60 And for thy humor I will stay at home.
⌜ He lifts her up. ⌝
1007 Here’s Decius Brutus; he shall tell them so.
DECIUS
1008 Caesar, all hail! Good morrow, worthy Caesar.
1009 I come to fetch you to the Senate House.
CAESAR
1010 And you are come in very happy time
1011 65 To bear my greeting to the Senators
1012 And tell them that I will not come today.
1013 Cannot is false, and that I dare not, falser.
1014 I will not come today. Tell them so, Decius.
CALPHURNIA
1015 Say he is sick.
CAESAR 1016 70 Shall Caesar send a lie?
1017 Have I in conquest stretched mine arm so far,
1018 To be afeard to tell graybeards the truth?
1019 Decius, go tell them Caesar will not come.
DECIUS
1020 Most mighty Caesar, let me know some cause,
1021 75 Lest I be laughed at when I tell them so.
CAESAR
1022 The cause is in my will. I will not come.
1023 That is enough to satisfy the Senate.
1024 But for your private satisfaction,
1025 Because I love you, I will let you know.
1026 80 Calphurnia here, my wife, stays me at home.
1027 She dreamt tonight she saw my statue,
1028 Which, like a fountain with an hundred spouts,
1029 Did run pure blood; and many lusty Romans
1030 Came smiling and did bathe their hands in it.
1031 85 And these does she apply for warnings and portents
1032 And evils imminent, and on her knee
1033 Hath begged that I will stay at home today.
DECIUS
1034 This dream is all amiss interpreted.
1035 It was a vision fair and fortunate.
1036 90 Your statue spouting blood in many pipes,
1037 In which so many smiling Romans bathed,
1038 Signifies that from you great Rome shall suck
1039 Reviving blood, and that great men shall press
1040 For tinctures, stains, relics, and cognizance.
1041 95 This by Calphurnia’s dream is signified.
CAESAR
1042 And this way have you well expounded it.
DECIUS
1043 I have, when you have heard what I can say.
1044 And know it now: the Senate have concluded
1045 To give this day a crown to mighty Caesar.
1046 100 If you shall send them word you will not come,
1047 Their minds may change. Besides, it were a mock
1048 Apt to be rendered, for someone to say
1049 “Break up the Senate till another time,
1050 When Caesar’s wife shall meet with better dreams.”
1051 105 If Caesar hide himself, shall they not whisper
1052 “Lo, Caesar is afraid”?
1053 Pardon me, Caesar, for my dear dear love
1054 To your proceeding bids me tell you this,
1055 And reason to my love is liable.
CAESAR
1056 110 How foolish do your fears seem now, Calphurnia!
1057 I am ashamèd I did yield to them.
1058 Give me my robe, for I will go.
Enter Brutus, Ligarius, Metellus, Casca, Trebonius,
Cinna, and Publius.
1059 And look where Publius is come to fetch me.
PUBLIUS
1060 Good morrow, Caesar.
CAESAR 1061 115 Welcome, Publius.—
1062 What, Brutus, are you stirred so early too?—
1063 Good morrow, Casca.—Caius Ligarius,
1064 Caesar was ne’er so much your enemy
1065 As that same ague which hath made you lean.—
1066 120 What is ’t o’clock?
BRUTUS 1067 Caesar, ’tis strucken eight.
CAESAR
1068 I thank you for your pains and courtesy.
1069 See, Antony that revels long a-nights
1070 Is notwithstanding up.—Good morrow, Antony.
ANTONY 1071 125 So to most noble Caesar.
CAESAR , ⌜ to Servant ⌝ 1072 Bid them prepare within.—
1073 I am to blame to be thus waited for. ⌜ Servant exits. ⌝
1074 Now, Cinna.—Now, Metellus.—What, Trebonius,
1075 I have an hour’s talk in store for you.
1076 130 Remember that you call on me today;
1077 Be near me that I may remember you.
TREBONIUS
1078 Caesar, I will. ⌜ Aside. ⌝ And so near will I be
1079 That your best friends shall wish I had been further.
CAESAR
1080 Good friends, go in and taste some wine with me,
1081 135 And we, like friends, will straightway go together.
BRUTUS , ⌜ aside ⌝
1082 That every like is not the same, O Caesar,
1083 The heart of Brutus earns to think upon.
They exit.
Enter Artemidorus ⌜ reading a paper. ⌝
ARTEMIDORUS 1084 Caesar, beware of Brutus, take heed of
1085 Cassius, come not near Casca, have an eye to Cinna,
1086 trust not Trebonius, mark well Metellus Cimber.
1087 Decius Brutus loves thee not. Thou hast wronged
1088 5 Caius Ligarius. There is but one mind in all these
1089 men, and it is bent against Caesar. If thou beest not
1090 immortal, look about you. Security gives way to
1091 conspiracy. The mighty gods defend thee!
1092 Thy lover,
1093 10 Artemidorus
1094 Here will I stand till Caesar pass along,
1095 And as a suitor will I give him this.
1096 My heart laments that virtue cannot live
1097 Out of the teeth of emulation.
1098 15 If thou read this, O Caesar, thou mayest live;
1099 If not, the Fates with traitors do contrive.
He exits.
Enter Portia and Lucius.
PORTIA
1100 I prithee, boy, run to the Senate House.
1101 Stay not to answer me, but get thee gone.
1102 Why dost thou stay?
LUCIUS 1103 To know my errand, madam.
PORTIA
1104 5 I would have had thee there and here again
1105 Ere I can tell thee what thou shouldst do there.
1106 ⌜ Aside. ⌝ O constancy, be strong upon my side;
1107 Set a huge mountain ’tween my heart and tongue.
1108 I have a man’s mind but a woman’s might.
1109 10 How hard it is for women to keep counsel!—
1110 Art thou here yet?
LUCIUS 1111 Madam, what should I do?
1112 Run to the Capitol, and nothing else?
1113 And so return to you, and nothing else?
PORTIA
1114 15 Yes, bring me word, boy, if thy lord look well,
1115 For he went sickly forth. And take good note
1116 What Caesar doth, what suitors press to him.
1117 Hark, boy, what noise is that?
LUCIUS 1118 I hear none, madam.
PORTIA 1119 20 Prithee, listen well.
1120 I heard a bustling rumor like a fray,
1121 And the wind brings it from the Capitol.
LUCIUS 1122 Sooth, madam, I hear nothing.
Enter the Soothsayer.
PORTIA
1123 Come hither, fellow. Which way hast thou been?
SOOTHSAYER 1124 25 At mine own house, good lady.
PORTIA 1125 What is ’t o’clock?
SOOTHSAYER 1126 About the ninth hour, lady.
PORTIA
1127 Is Caesar yet gone to the Capitol?
SOOTHSAYER
1128 Madam, not yet. I go to take my stand
1129 30 To see him pass on to the Capitol.
PORTIA
1130 Thou hast some suit to Caesar, hast thou not?
SOOTHSAYER
1131 That I have, lady. If it will please Caesar
1132 To be so good to Caesar as to hear me,
1133 I shall beseech him to befriend himself.
PORTIA
1134 35 Why, know’st thou any harm’s intended towards
1135 him?
SOOTHSAYER
1136 None that I know will be, much that I fear may
1137 chance.
1138 Good morrow to you.—Here the street is narrow.
1139 40 The throng that follows Caesar at the heels,
1140 Of senators, of praetors, common suitors,
1141 Will crowd a feeble man almost to death.
1142 I’ll get me to a place more void, and there
1143 Speak to great Caesar as he comes along. He exits.
PORTIA
1144 45 I must go in. ⌜ Aside. ⌝ Ay me, how weak a thing
1145 The heart of woman is! O Brutus,
1146 The heavens speed thee in thine enterprise!
1147 Sure the boy heard me. ⌜ To Lucius. ⌝ Brutus hath a
1148 suit
1149 50 That Caesar will not grant. ⌜ Aside. ⌝ O, I grow
1150 faint.—
1151 Run, Lucius, and commend me to my lord.
1152 Say I am merry. Come to me again
1153 And bring me word what he doth say to thee.
They exit ⌜ separately. ⌝
Flourish. Enter Caesar, Antony, Lepidus; Brutus, Cassius,
Casca, Decius, Metellus, Trebonius, Cinna; Publius,
⌜ Popilius, ⌝ Artemidorus, the Soothsayer, ⌜ and other
Senators and Petitioners. ⌝
CAESAR 1154 The ides of March are come.
SOOTHSAYER 1155 Ay, Caesar, but not gone.
ARTEMIDORUS 1156 Hail, Caesar. Read this schedule.
DECIUS
1157 Trebonius doth desire you to o’erread,
1158 5 At your best leisure, this his humble suit.
ARTEMIDORUS
1159 O Caesar, read mine first, for mine’s a suit
1160 That touches Caesar nearer. Read it, great Caesar.
CAESAR
1161 What touches us ourself shall be last served.
ARTEMIDORUS
1162 Delay not, Caesar; read it instantly.
CAESAR
1163 10 What, is the fellow mad?
PUBLIUS 1164 Sirrah, give place.
CASSIUS
1165 What, urge you your petitions in the street?
1166 Come to the Capitol.
⌜ Caesar goes forward, the rest following. ⌝
POPILIUS , ⌜ to Cassius ⌝
1167 I wish your enterprise today may thrive.
CASSIUS 1168 15 What enterprise, Popilius?
POPILIUS 1169 Fare you well. ⌜ He walks away. ⌝
BRUTUS 1170 What said Popilius Lena?
CASSIUS
1171 He wished today our enterprise might thrive.
1172 I fear our purpose is discoverèd.
BRUTUS
1173 20 Look how he makes to Caesar. Mark him.
CASSIUS
1174 Casca, be sudden, for we fear prevention.—
1175 Brutus, what shall be done? If this be known,
1176 Cassius or Caesar never shall turn back,
1177 For I will slay myself.
BRUTUS 1178 25 Cassius, be constant.
1179 Popilius Lena speaks not of our purposes,
1180 For look, he smiles, and Caesar doth not change.
CASSIUS
1181 Trebonius knows his time, for look you, Brutus,
1182 He draws Mark Antony out of the way.
⌜ Trebonius and Antony exit. ⌝
DECIUS
1183 30 Where is Metellus Cimber? Let him go
1184 And presently prefer his suit to Caesar.
BRUTUS
1185 He is addressed. Press near and second him.
CINNA
1186 Casca, you are the first that rears your hand.
CAESAR
1187 Are we all ready? What is now amiss
1188 35 That Caesar and his Senate must redress?
METELLUS , ⌜ kneeling ⌝
1189 Most high, most mighty, and most puissant Caesar,
1190 Metellus Cimber throws before thy seat
1191 An humble heart.
CAESAR 1192 I must prevent thee, Cimber.
1193 40 These couchings and these lowly courtesies
1194 Might fire the blood of ordinary men
1195 And turn preordinance and first decree
1196 Into the ⌜ law ⌝ of children. Be not fond
1197 To think that Caesar bears such rebel blood
1198 45 That will be thawed from the true quality
1199 With that which melteth fools—I mean sweet
1200 words,
1201 Low-crookèd curtsies, and base spaniel fawning.
1202 Thy brother by decree is banishèd.
1203 50 If thou dost bend and pray and fawn for him,
1204 I spurn thee like a cur out of my way.
1205 Know: Caesar doth not wrong, nor without cause
1206 Will he be satisfied.
METELLUS
1207 Is there no voice more worthy than my own
1208 55 To sound more sweetly in great Caesar’s ear
1209 For the repealing of my banished brother?
BRUTUS , ⌜ kneeling ⌝
1210 I kiss thy hand, but not in flattery, Caesar,
1211 Desiring thee that Publius Cimber may
1212 Have an immediate freedom of repeal.
CAESAR
1213 60 What, Brutus?
CASSIUS , ⌜ kneeling ⌝
1214 Pardon, Caesar; Caesar, pardon!
1215 As low as to thy foot doth Cassius fall
1216 To beg enfranchisement for Publius Cimber.
CAESAR
1217 I could be well moved, if I were as you.
1218 65 If I could pray to move, prayers would move me.
1219 But I am constant as the Northern Star,
1220 Of whose true fixed and resting quality
1221 There is no fellow in the firmament.
1222 The skies are painted with unnumbered sparks;
1223 70 They are all fire, and every one doth shine.
1224 But there’s but one in all doth hold his place.
1225 So in the world: ’tis furnished well with men,
1226 And men are flesh and blood, and apprehensive.
1227 Yet in the number I do know but one
1228 75 That unassailable holds on his rank,
1229 Unshaked of motion; and that I am he
1230 Let me a little show it, even in this:
1231 That I was constant Cimber should be banished
1232 And constant do remain to keep him so.
CINNA , ⌜ kneeling ⌝
1233 80 O Caesar—
CAESAR 1234 Hence. Wilt thou lift up Olympus?
DECIUS , ⌜ kneeling ⌝
1235 Great Caesar—
CAESAR 1236 Doth not Brutus bootless kneel?
CASCA 1237 Speak, hands, for me!
⌜ As Casca strikes, the others rise up and ⌝ stab Caesar.
CAESAR 1238 85 Et tu, Brutè ?—Then fall, Caesar.
⌜ He ⌝ dies.
CINNA
1239 Liberty! Freedom! Tyranny is dead!
1240 Run hence, proclaim, cry it about the streets.
CASSIUS
1241 Some to the common pulpits and cry out
1242 “Liberty, freedom, and enfranchisement.”
BRUTUS
1243 90 People and Senators, be not affrighted.
1244 Fly not; stand still. Ambition’s debt is paid.
CASCA
1245 Go to the pulpit, Brutus.
DECIUS 1246 And Cassius too.
BRUTUS 1247 Where’s Publius?
CINNA
1248 95 Here, quite confounded with this mutiny.
METELLUS
1249 Stand fast together, lest some friend of Caesar’s
1250 Should chance—
BRUTUS
1251 Talk not of standing.—Publius, good cheer.
1252 There is no harm intended to your person,
1253 100 Nor to no Roman else. So tell them, Publius.
CASSIUS
1254 And leave us, Publius, lest that the people,
1255 Rushing on us, should do your age some mischief.
BRUTUS
1256 Do so, and let no man abide this deed
1257 But we the doers.
⌜ All but the Conspirators exit. ⌝
CASSIUS 1258 105 Where is Antony?
TREBONIUS 1259 Fled to his house amazed.
1260 Men, wives, and children stare, cry out, and run
1261 As it were doomsday.
BRUTUS 1262 Fates, we will know your
1263 110 pleasures.
1264 That we shall die we know; ’tis but the time,
1265 And drawing days out, that men stand upon.
CASCA
1266 Why, he that cuts off twenty years of life
1267 Cuts off so many years of fearing death.
BRUTUS
1268 115 Grant that, and then is death a benefit.
1269 So are we Caesar’s friends, that have abridged
1270 His time of fearing death. Stoop, Romans, stoop,
1271 And let us bathe our hands in Caesar’s blood
1272 Up to the elbows and besmear our swords.
1273 120 Then walk we forth, even to the marketplace,
1274 And, waving our red weapons o’er our heads,
1275 Let’s all cry “Peace, freedom, and liberty!”
CASSIUS
1276 Stoop then, and wash.
⌜ They smear their hands and swords with Caesar’s blood. ⌝
1277 How many ages hence
1278 125 Shall this our lofty scene be acted over
1279 In ⌜ states ⌝ unborn and accents yet unknown!
BRUTUS
1280 How many times shall Caesar bleed in sport,
1281 That now on Pompey’s basis ⌜ lies ⌝ along
1282 No worthier than the dust!
CASSIUS 1283 130 So oft as that shall be,
1284 So often shall the knot of us be called
1285 The men that gave their country liberty.
DECIUS
1286 What, shall we forth?
CASSIUS 1287 Ay, every man away.
1288 135 Brutus shall lead, and we will grace his heels
1289 With the most boldest and best hearts of Rome.
Enter a Servant.
BRUTUS
1290 Soft, who comes here? A friend of Antony’s.
SERVANT , ⌜ kneeling ⌝
1291 Thus, Brutus, did my master bid me kneel.
1292 Thus did Mark Antony bid me fall down,
1293 140 And, being prostrate, thus he bade me say:
1294 Brutus is noble, wise, valiant, and honest;
1295 Caesar was mighty, bold, royal, and loving.
1296 Say, I love Brutus, and I honor him;
1297 Say, I feared Caesar, honored him, and loved him.
1298 145 If Brutus will vouchsafe that Antony
1299 May safely come to him and be resolved
1300 How Caesar hath deserved to lie in death,
1301 Mark Antony shall not love Caesar dead
1302 So well as Brutus living, but will follow
1303 150 The fortunes and affairs of noble Brutus
1304 Thorough the hazards of this untrod state
1305 With all true faith. So says my master Antony.
BRUTUS
1306 Thy master is a wise and valiant Roman.
1307 I never thought him worse.
1308 155 Tell him, so please him come unto this place,
1309 He shall be satisfied and, by my honor,
1310 Depart untouched.
SERVANT 1311 I’ll fetch him presently.
Servant exits.
BRUTUS
1312 I know that we shall have him well to friend.
CASSIUS
1313 160 I wish we may; but yet have I a mind
1314 That fears him much, and my misgiving still
1315 Falls shrewdly to the purpose.
BRUTUS
1316 But here comes Antony.—Welcome, Mark Antony!
ANTONY
1317 O mighty Caesar, dost thou lie so low?
1318 165 Are all thy conquests, glories, triumphs, spoils
1319 Shrunk to this little measure? Fare thee well.—
1320 I know not, gentlemen, what you intend,
1321 Who else must be let blood, who else is rank.
1322 If I myself, there is no hour so fit
1323 170 As Caesar’s death’s hour, nor no instrument
1324 Of half that worth as those your swords made rich
1325 With the most noble blood of all this world.
1326 I do beseech you, if you bear me hard,
1327 Now, whilst your purpled hands do reek and smoke,
1328 175 Fulfill your pleasure. Live a thousand years,
1329 I shall not find myself so apt to die;
1330 No place will please me so, no mean of death,
1331 As here by Caesar, and by you cut off,
1332 The choice and master spirits of this age.
BRUTUS
1333 180 O Antony, beg not your death of us!
1334 Though now we must appear bloody and cruel,
1335 As by our hands and this our present act
1336 You see we do, yet see you but our hands
1337 And this the bleeding business they have done.
1338 185 Our hearts you see not; they are pitiful;
1339 And pity to the general wrong of Rome
1340 (As fire drives out fire, so pity pity)
1341 Hath done this deed on Caesar. For your part,
1342 To you our swords have leaden points, Mark Antony.
1343 190 Our arms in strength of malice, and our hearts
1344 Of brothers’ temper, do receive you in
1345 With all kind love, good thoughts, and reverence.
CASSIUS
1346 Your voice shall be as strong as any man’s
1347 In the disposing of new dignities.
BRUTUS
1348 195 Only be patient till we have appeased
1349 The multitude, beside themselves with fear;
1350 And then we will deliver you the cause
1351 Why I, that did love Caesar when I struck him,
1352 Have thus proceeded.
ANTONY 1353 200 I doubt not of your wisdom.
1354 Let each man render me his bloody hand.
1355 First, Marcus Brutus, will I shake with you.—
1356 Next, Caius Cassius, do I take your hand.—
1357 Now, Decius Brutus, yours;—now yours,
1358 205 Metellus;—
1359 Yours, Cinna;—and, my valiant Casca, yours;—
1360 Though last, not least in love, yours, good
1361 Trebonius.—
1362 Gentlemen all—alas, what shall I say?
1363 210 My credit now stands on such slippery ground
1364 That one of two bad ways you must conceit me,
1365 Either a coward or a flatterer.—
1366 That I did love thee, Caesar, O, ’tis true!
1367 If then thy spirit look upon us now,
1368 215 Shall it not grieve thee dearer than thy death
1369 To see thy Antony making his peace,
1370 Shaking the bloody fingers of thy foes—
1371 Most noble!—in the presence of thy corpse?
1372 Had I as many eyes as thou hast wounds,
1373 220 Weeping as fast as they stream forth thy blood,
1374 It would become me better than to close
1375 In terms of friendship with thine enemies.
1376 Pardon me, Julius! Here wast thou bayed, brave
1377 hart,
1378 225 Here didst thou fall, and here thy hunters stand
1379 Signed in thy spoil and crimsoned in thy Lethe.
1380 O world, thou wast the forest to this hart,
1381 And this indeed, O world, the heart of thee.
1382 How like a deer strucken by many princes
1383 230 Dost thou here lie!
CASSIUS
1384 Mark Antony—
ANTONY 1385 Pardon me, Caius Cassius.
1386 The enemies of Caesar shall say this;
1387 Then, in a friend, it is cold modesty.
CASSIUS
1388 235 I blame you not for praising Caesar so.
1389 But what compact mean you to have with us?
1390 Will you be pricked in number of our friends,
1391 Or shall we on and not depend on you?
ANTONY
1392 Therefore I took your hands, but was indeed
1393 240 Swayed from the point by looking down on Caesar.
1394 Friends am I with you all and love you all,
1395 Upon this hope, that you shall give me reasons
1396 Why and wherein Caesar was dangerous.
BRUTUS
1397 Or else were this a savage spectacle.
1398 245 Our reasons are so full of good regard
1399 That were you, Antony, the son of Caesar,
1400 You should be satisfied.
ANTONY 1401 That’s all I seek;
1402 And am, moreover, suitor that I may
1403 250 Produce his body to the marketplace,
1404 And in the pulpit, as becomes a friend,
1405 Speak in the order of his funeral.
BRUTUS
1406 You shall, Mark Antony.
CASSIUS 1407 Brutus, a word with you.
1408 255 ⌜ Aside to Brutus. ⌝ You know not what you do. Do
1409 not consent
1410 That Antony speak in his funeral.
1411 Know you how much the people may be moved
1412 By that which he will utter?
BRUTUS , ⌜ aside to Cassius ⌝ 1413 260 By your pardon,
1414 I will myself into the pulpit first
1415 And show the reason of our Caesar’s death.
1416 What Antony shall speak I will protest
1417 He speaks by leave and by permission,
1418 265 And that we are contented Caesar shall
1419 Have all true rites and lawful ceremonies.
1420 It shall advantage more than do us wrong.
CASSIUS , ⌜ aside to Brutus ⌝
1421 I know not what may fall. I like it not.
BRUTUS
1422 Mark Antony, here, take you Caesar’s body.
1423 270 You shall not in your funeral speech blame us
1424 But speak all good you can devise of Caesar
1425 And say you do ’t by our permission,
1426 Else shall you not have any hand at all
1427 About his funeral. And you shall speak
1428 275 In the same pulpit whereto I am going,
1429 After my speech is ended.
ANTONY 1430 Be it so.
1431 I do desire no more.
BRUTUS
1432 Prepare the body, then, and follow us.
All but Antony exit.
ANTONY
1433 280 O pardon me, thou bleeding piece of earth,
1434 That I am meek and gentle with these butchers.
1435 Thou art the ruins of the noblest man
1436 That ever livèd in the tide of times.
1437 Woe to the hand that shed this costly blood!
1438 285 Over thy wounds now do I prophesy
1439 (Which like dumb mouths do ope their ruby lips
1440 To beg the voice and utterance of my tongue)
1441 A curse shall light upon the limbs of men;
1442 Domestic fury and fierce civil strife
1443 290 Shall cumber all the parts of Italy;
1444 Blood and destruction shall be so in use
1445 And dreadful objects so familiar
1446 That mothers shall but smile when they behold
1447 Their infants quartered with the hands of war,
1448 295 All pity choked with custom of fell deeds;
1449 And Caesar’s spirit, ranging for revenge,
1450 With Ate by his side come hot from hell,
1451 Shall in these confines with a monarch’s voice
1452 Cry “Havoc!” and let slip the dogs of war,
1453 300 That this foul deed shall smell above the earth
1454 With carrion men groaning for burial.
Enter Octavius’ Servant.
1455 You serve Octavius Caesar, do you not?
SERVANT 1456 I do, Mark Antony.
ANTONY
1457 Caesar did write for him to come to Rome.
SERVANT
1458 305 He did receive his letters and is coming,
1459 And bid me say to you by word of mouth—
1460 O Caesar!
ANTONY
1461 Thy heart is big. Get thee apart and weep.
1462 Passion, I see, is catching, ⌜ for ⌝ mine eyes,
1463 310 Seeing those beads of sorrow stand in thine,
1464 Began to water. Is thy master coming?
SERVANT
1465 He lies tonight within seven leagues of Rome.
ANTONY
1466 Post back with speed and tell him what hath
1467 chanced.
1468 315 Here is a mourning Rome, a dangerous Rome,
1469 No Rome of safety for Octavius yet.
1470 Hie hence and tell him so.—Yet stay awhile;
1471 Thou shalt not back till I have borne this corpse
1472 Into the marketplace. There shall I try,
1473 320 In my oration, how the people take
1474 The cruel issue of these bloody men,
1475 According to the which thou shalt discourse
1476 To young Octavius of the state of things.
1477 Lend me your hand.
They exit ⌜ with Caesar’s body. ⌝
Enter Brutus and Cassius with the Plebeians.
⌜ PLEBEIANS ⌝
1478 We will be satisfied! Let us be satisfied!
BRUTUS
1479 Then follow me and give me audience, friends.—
1480 Cassius, go you into the other street
1481 And part the numbers.—
1482 5 Those that will hear me speak, let ’em stay here;
1483 Those that will follow Cassius, go with him;
1484 And public reasons shall be renderèd
1485 Of Caesar’s death.
FIRST PLEBEIAN 1486 I will hear Brutus speak.
SECOND PLEBEIAN
1487 10 I will hear Cassius, and compare their reasons
1488 When severally we hear them renderèd.
⌜ Cassius exits with some of the Plebeians.
Brutus goes into the pulpit. ⌝
THIRD PLEBEIAN
1489 The noble Brutus is ascended. Silence.
BRUTUS 1490 Be patient till the last.
1491 Romans, countrymen, and lovers, hear me for my
1492 15 cause, and be silent that you may hear. Believe me
1493 for mine honor, and have respect to mine honor
1494 that you may believe. Censure me in your wisdom,
1495 and awake your senses that you may the better
1496 judge. If there be any in this assembly, any dear
1497 20 friend of Caesar’s, to him I say that Brutus’ love
1498 to Caesar was no less than his. If then that friend
1499 demand why Brutus rose against Caesar, this is my
1500 answer: not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved
1501 Rome more. Had you rather Caesar were living, and
1502 25 die all slaves, than that Caesar were dead, to live all
1503 freemen? As Caesar loved me, I weep for him. As he
1504 was fortunate, I rejoice at it. As he was valiant, I
1505 honor him. But, as he was ambitious, I slew him.
1506 There is tears for his love, joy for his fortune, honor
1507 30 for his valor, and death for his ambition. Who is
1508 here so base that would be a bondman? If any,
1509 speak, for him have I offended. Who is here so rude
1510 that would not be a Roman? If any, speak, for him
1511 have I offended. Who is here so vile that will not
1512 35 love his country? If any, speak, for him have I
1513 offended. I pause for a reply.
PLEBEIANS 1514 None, Brutus, none.
BRUTUS 1515 Then none have I offended. I have done no
1516 more to Caesar than you shall do to Brutus. The
1517 40 question of his death is enrolled in the Capitol, his
1518 glory not extenuated wherein he was worthy, nor
1519 his offenses enforced for which he suffered death.
Enter Mark Antony ⌜ and others ⌝ with Caesar’s body.
1520 Here comes his body, mourned by Mark Antony,
1521 who, though he had no hand in his death, shall
1522 45 receive the benefit of his dying—a place in the
1523 commonwealth—as which of you shall not? With
1524 this I depart: that, as I slew my best lover for the
1525 good of Rome, I have the same dagger for myself
1526 when it shall please my country to need my death.
PLEBEIANS 1527 50 Live, Brutus, live, live!
FIRST PLEBEIAN
1528 Bring him with triumph home unto his house.
SECOND PLEBEIAN
1529 Give him a statue with his ancestors.
THIRD PLEBEIAN
1530 Let him be Caesar.
FOURTH PLEBEIAN 1531 Caesar’s better parts
1532 55 Shall be crowned in Brutus.
FIRST PLEBEIAN
1533 We’ll bring him to his house with shouts and
1534 clamors.
BRUTUS
1535 My countrymen—
SECOND PLEBEIAN 1536 Peace, silence! Brutus speaks.
FIRST PLEBEIAN 1537 60 Peace, ho!
BRUTUS
1538 Good countrymen, let me depart alone,
1539 And, for my sake, stay here with Antony.
1540 Do grace to Caesar’s corpse, and grace his speech
1541 Tending to Caesar’s glories, which Mark Antony
1542 65 (By our permission) is allowed to make.
1543 I do entreat you, not a man depart,
1544 Save I alone, till Antony have spoke.
He ⌜ descends and ⌝ exits.
FIRST PLEBEIAN
1545 Stay, ho, and let us hear Mark Antony!
THIRD PLEBEIAN
1546 Let him go up into the public chair.
⌜ PLEBEIANS ⌝
1547 70 We’ll hear him.—Noble Antony, go up.
ANTONY
1548 For Brutus’ sake, I am beholding to you.
⌜ He goes into the pulpit. ⌝
FOURTH PLEBEIAN 1549 What does he say of Brutus?
THIRD PLEBEIAN 1550 He says for Brutus’ sake
1551 He finds himself beholding to us all.
FOURTH PLEBEIAN
1552 75 ’Twere best he speak no harm of Brutus here.
FIRST PLEBEIAN
1553 This Caesar was a tyrant.
THIRD PLEBEIAN 1554 Nay, that’s certain.
1555 We are blest that Rome is rid of him.
SECOND PLEBEIAN
1556 Peace, let us hear what Antony can say.
ANTONY
1557 80 You gentle Romans—
PLEBEIANS 1558 Peace, ho! Let us hear him.
ANTONY
1559 Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears.
1560 I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him.
1561 The evil that men do lives after them;
1562 85 The good is oft interrèd with their bones.
1563 So let it be with Caesar. The noble Brutus
1564 Hath told you Caesar was ambitious.
1565 If it were so, it was a grievous fault,
1566 And grievously hath Caesar answered it.
1567 90 Here, under leave of Brutus and the rest
1568 (For Brutus is an honorable man;
1569 So are they all, all honorable men),
1570 Come I to speak in Caesar’s funeral.
1571 He was my friend, faithful and just to me,
1572 95 But Brutus says he was ambitious,
1573 And Brutus is an honorable man.
1574 He hath brought many captives home to Rome,
1575 Whose ransoms did the general coffers fill.
1576 Did this in Caesar seem ambitious?
1577 100 When that the poor have cried, Caesar hath wept;
1578 Ambition should be made of sterner stuff.
1579 Yet Brutus says he was ambitious,
1580 And Brutus is an honorable man.
1581 You all did see that on the Lupercal
1582 105 I thrice presented him a kingly crown,
1583 Which he did thrice refuse. Was this ambition?
1584 Yet Brutus says he was ambitious,
1585 And sure he is an honorable man.
1586 I speak not to disprove what Brutus spoke,
1587 110 But here I am to speak what I do know.
1588 You all did love him once, not without cause.
1589 What cause withholds you, then, to mourn for
1590 him?—
1591 O judgment, thou ⌜ art ⌝ fled to brutish beasts,
1592 115 And men have lost their reason!—Bear with me;
1593 My heart is in the coffin there with Caesar,
1594 And I must pause till it come back to me. ⌜ He weeps. ⌝
FIRST PLEBEIAN
1595 Methinks there is much reason in his sayings.
SECOND PLEBEIAN
1596 If thou consider rightly of the matter,
1597 120 Caesar has had great wrong.
THIRD PLEBEIAN 1598 Has he, masters?
1599 I fear there will a worse come in his place.
FOURTH PLEBEIAN
1600 Marked you his words? He would not take the
1601 crown;
1602 125 Therefore ’tis certain he was not ambitious.
FIRST PLEBEIAN
1603 If it be found so, some will dear abide it.
SECOND PLEBEIAN
1604 Poor soul, his eyes are red as fire with weeping.
THIRD PLEBEIAN
1605 There’s not a nobler man in Rome than Antony.
FOURTH PLEBEIAN
1606 Now mark him. He begins again to speak.
ANTONY
1607 130 But yesterday the word of Caesar might
1608 Have stood against the world. Now lies he there,
1609 And none so poor to do him reverence.
1610 O masters, if I were disposed to stir
1611 Your hearts and minds to mutiny and rage,
1612 135 I should do Brutus wrong and Cassius wrong,
1613 Who, you all know, are honorable men.
1614 I will not do them wrong. I rather choose
1615 To wrong the dead, to wrong myself and you,
1616 Than I will wrong such honorable men.
1617 140 But here’s a parchment with the seal of Caesar.
1618 I found it in his closet. ’Tis his will.
1619 Let but the commons hear this testament,
1620 Which, pardon me, I do not mean to read,
1621 And they would go and kiss dead Caesar’s wounds
1622 145 And dip their napkins in his sacred blood—
1623 Yea, beg a hair of him for memory
1624 And, dying, mention it within their wills,
1625 Bequeathing it as a rich legacy
1626 Unto their issue.
FOURTH PLEBEIAN
1627 150 We’ll hear the will. Read it, Mark Antony.
PLEBEIANS
1628 The will, the will! We will hear Caesar’s will.
ANTONY
1629 Have patience, gentle friends. I must not read it.
1630 It is not meet you know how Caesar loved you.
1631 You are not wood, you are not stones, but men.
1632 155 And, being men, hearing the will of Caesar,
1633 It will inflame you; it will make you mad.
1634 ’Tis good you know not that you are his heirs,
1635 For if you should, O, what would come of it?
FOURTH PLEBEIAN
1636 Read the will! We’ll hear it, Antony.
⌜ PLEBEIANS ⌝
1637 160 You shall read us the will, Caesar’s will.
ANTONY
1638 Will you be patient? Will you stay awhile?
1639 I have o’ershot myself to tell you of it.
1640 I fear I wrong the honorable men
1641 Whose daggers have stabbed Caesar. I do fear it.
FOURTH PLEBEIAN 1642 165 They were traitors. Honorable men?
PLEBEIANS 1643 The will! The testament!
SECOND PLEBEIAN 1644 They were villains, murderers. The
1645 will! Read the will.
ANTONY
1646 You will compel me, then, to read the will?
1647 170 Then make a ring about the corpse of Caesar,
1648 And let me show you him that made the will.
1649 Shall I descend? And will you give me leave?
PLEBEIANS 1650 Come down.
SECOND PLEBEIAN 1651 Descend.
THIRD PLEBEIAN 1652 175 You shall have leave.
⌜ Antony descends. ⌝
FOURTH PLEBEIAN 1653 A ring; stand round.
FIRST PLEBEIAN
1654 Stand from the hearse. Stand from the body.
SECOND PLEBEIAN
1655 Room for Antony, most noble Antony.
ANTONY
1656 Nay, press not so upon me. Stand far off.
PLEBEIANS 1657 180 Stand back! Room! Bear back!
ANTONY
1658 If you have tears, prepare to shed them now.
1659 You all do know this mantle. I remember
1660 The first time ever Caesar put it on.
1661 ’Twas on a summer’s evening in his tent,
1662 185 That day he overcame the Nervii.
1663 Look, in this place ran Cassius’ dagger through.
1664 See what a rent the envious Casca made.
1665 Through this the well-belovèd Brutus stabbed,
1666 And, as he plucked his cursèd steel away,
1667 190 Mark how the blood of Caesar followed it,
1668 As rushing out of doors to be resolved
1669 If Brutus so unkindly knocked or no;
1670 For Brutus, as you know, was Caesar’s angel.
1671 Judge, O you gods, how dearly Caesar loved him!
1672 195 This was the most unkindest cut of all.
1673 For when the noble Caesar saw him stab,
1674 Ingratitude, more strong than traitors’ arms,
1675 Quite vanquished him. Then burst his mighty heart,
1676 And, in his mantle muffling up his face,
1677 200 Even at the base of Pompey’s statue
1678 (Which all the while ran blood) great Caesar fell.
1679 O, what a fall was there, my countrymen!
1680 Then I and you and all of us fell down,
1681 Whilst bloody treason flourished over us.
1682 205 O, now you weep, and I perceive you feel
1683 The dint of pity. These are gracious drops.
1684 Kind souls, what, weep you when you but behold
1685 Our Caesar’s vesture wounded? Look you here,
⌜ Antony lifts Caesar’s cloak. ⌝
1686 Here is himself, marred as you see with traitors.
FIRST PLEBEIAN 1687 210 O piteous spectacle!
SECOND PLEBEIAN 1688 O noble Caesar!
THIRD PLEBEIAN 1689 O woeful day!
FOURTH PLEBEIAN 1690 O traitors, villains!
FIRST PLEBEIAN 1691 O most bloody sight!
SECOND PLEBEIAN 1692 215 We will be revenged.
⌜ PLEBEIANS ⌝ 1693 Revenge! About! Seek! Burn! Fire! Kill!
1694 Slay! Let not a traitor live!
ANTONY 1695 Stay, countrymen.
FIRST PLEBEIAN 1696 Peace there! Hear the noble Antony.
SECOND PLEBEIAN 1697 220 We’ll hear him, we’ll follow him,
1698 we’ll die with him.
ANTONY
1699 Good friends, sweet friends, let me not stir you up
1700 To such a sudden flood of mutiny.
1701 They that have done this deed are honorable.
1702 225 What private griefs they have, alas, I know not,
1703 That made them do it. They are wise and honorable
1704 And will no doubt with reasons answer you.
1705 I come not, friends, to steal away your hearts.
1706 I am no orator, as Brutus is,
1707 230 But, as you know me all, a plain blunt man
1708 That love my friend, and that they know full well
1709 That gave me public leave to speak of him.
1710 For I have neither ⌜ wit, ⌝ nor words, nor worth,
1711 Action, nor utterance, nor the power of speech
1712 235 To stir men’s blood. I only speak right on.
1713 I tell you that which you yourselves do know,
1714 Show you sweet Caesar’s wounds, poor poor dumb
1715 mouths,
1716 And bid them speak for me. But were I Brutus,
1717 240 And Brutus Antony, there were an Antony
1718 Would ruffle up your spirits and put a tongue
1719 In every wound of Caesar that should move
1720 The stones of Rome to rise and mutiny.
PLEBEIANS
1721 We’ll mutiny.
FIRST PLEBEIAN 1722 245 We’ll burn the house of Brutus.
THIRD PLEBEIAN
1723 Away then. Come, seek the conspirators.
ANTONY
1724 Yet hear me, countrymen; yet hear me speak.
PLEBEIANS
1725 Peace, ho! Hear Antony, most noble Antony!
ANTONY
1726 Why, friends, you go to do you know not what.
1727 250 Wherein hath Caesar thus deserved your loves?
1728 Alas, you know not. I must tell you then.
1729 You have forgot the will I told you of.
PLEBEIANS
1730 Most true. The will! Let’s stay and hear the will.
ANTONY
1731 Here is the will, and under Caesar’s seal:
1732 255 To every Roman citizen he gives,
1733 To every several man, seventy-five drachmas.
SECOND PLEBEIAN
1734 Most noble Caesar! We’ll revenge his death.
THIRD PLEBEIAN 1735 O royal Caesar!
ANTONY 1736 Hear me with patience.
PLEBEIANS 1737 260 Peace, ho!
ANTONY
1738 Moreover, he hath left you all his walks,
1739 His private arbors, and new-planted orchards,
1740 On this side Tiber. He hath left them you,
1741 And to your heirs forever—common pleasures
1742 265 To walk abroad and recreate yourselves.
1743 Here was a Caesar! When comes such another?
FIRST PLEBEIAN
1744 Never, never!—Come, away, away!
1745 We’ll burn his body in the holy place
1746 And with the brands fire the traitors’ houses.
1747 270 Take up the body.
SECOND PLEBEIAN 1748 Go fetch fire.
THIRD PLEBEIAN 1749 Pluck down benches.
FOURTH PLEBEIAN 1750 Pluck down forms, windows,
1751 anything.
Plebeians exit ⌜ with Caesar’s body. ⌝
ANTONY
1752 275 Now let it work. Mischief, thou art afoot;
1753 Take thou what course thou wilt.
1754 How now, fellow?
SERVANT
1755 Sir, Octavius is already come to Rome.
ANTONY 1756 Where is he?
SERVANT
1757 280 He and Lepidus are at Caesar’s house.
ANTONY
1758 And thither will I straight to visit him.
1759 He comes upon a wish. Fortune is merry
1760 And in this mood will give us anything.
SERVANT
1761 I heard him say Brutus and Cassius
1762 285 Are rid like madmen through the gates of Rome.
ANTONY
1763 Belike they had some notice of the people
1764 How I had moved them. Bring me to Octavius.
They exit.
Enter Cinna the poet and after him the Plebeians.
CINNA
1765 I dreamt tonight that I did feast with Caesar,
1766 And things unluckily charge my fantasy.
1767 I have no will to wander forth of doors,
1768 Yet something leads me forth.
FIRST PLEBEIAN 1769 5 What is your name?
SECOND PLEBEIAN 1770 Whither are you going?
THIRD PLEBEIAN 1771 Where do you dwell?
FOURTH PLEBEIAN 1772 Are you a married man or a
1773 bachelor?
SECOND PLEBEIAN 1774 10 Answer every man directly.
FIRST PLEBEIAN 1775 Ay, and briefly.
FOURTH PLEBEIAN 1776 Ay, and wisely.
THIRD PLEBEIAN 1777 Ay, and truly, you were best.
CINNA 1778 What is my name? Whither am I going? Where
1779 15 do I dwell? Am I a married man or a bachelor?
1780 Then to answer every man directly and briefly,
1781 wisely and truly: wisely I say, I am a bachelor.
SECOND PLEBEIAN 1782 That’s as much as to say they are
1783 fools that marry. You’ll bear me a bang for that, I
1784 20 fear. Proceed directly.
CINNA 1785 Directly, I am going to Caesar’s funeral.
FIRST PLEBEIAN 1786 As a friend or an enemy?
CINNA 1787 As a friend.
SECOND PLEBEIAN 1788 That matter is answered directly.
FOURTH PLEBEIAN 1789 25 For your dwelling—briefly.
CINNA 1790 Briefly, I dwell by the Capitol.
THIRD PLEBEIAN 1791 Your name, sir, truly.
CINNA 1792 Truly, my name is Cinna.
FIRST PLEBEIAN 1793 Tear him to pieces! He’s a conspirator.
CINNA 1794 30 I am Cinna the poet, I am Cinna the poet!
FOURTH PLEBEIAN 1795 Tear him for his bad verses, tear him
1796 for his bad verses!
CINNA 1797 I am not Cinna the conspirator.
FOURTH PLEBEIAN 1798 It is no matter. His name’s Cinna.
1799 35 Pluck but his name out of his heart, and turn him
1800 going.
THIRD PLEBEIAN 1801 Tear him, tear him! Come, brands, ho,
1802 firebrands! To Brutus’, to Cassius’, burn all! Some
1803 to Decius’ house, and some to Casca’s, some to
1804 40 Ligarius’. Away, go!
All the Plebeians exit, ⌜ carrying off Cinna. ⌝
Enter Antony, Octavius, and Lepidus.
ANTONY
1805 These many, then, shall die; their names are
1806 pricked.
OCTAVIUS
1807 Your brother too must die. Consent you, Lepidus?
LEPIDUS
1808 I do consent.
OCTAVIUS 1809 5 Prick him down, Antony.
LEPIDUS
1810 Upon condition Publius shall not live,
1811 Who is your sister’s son, Mark Antony.
ANTONY
1812 He shall not live; look, with a spot I damn him.
1813 But, Lepidus, go you to Caesar’s house;
1814 10 Fetch the will hither, and we shall determine
1815 How to cut off some charge in legacies.
LEPIDUS 1816 What, shall I find you here?
OCTAVIUS 1817 Or here, or at the Capitol. Lepidus exits.
ANTONY
1818 This is a slight, unmeritable man,
1819 15 Meet to be sent on errands. Is it fit,
1820 The threefold world divided, he should stand
1821 One of the three to share it?
OCTAVIUS 1822 So you thought him
1823 And took his voice who should be pricked to die
1824 20 In our black sentence and proscription.
ANTONY
1825 Octavius, I have seen more days than you,
1826 And, though we lay these honors on this man
1827 To ease ourselves of diverse sland’rous loads,
1828 He shall but bear them as the ass bears gold,
1829 25 To groan and sweat under the business,
1830 Either led or driven, as we point the way;
1831 And having brought our treasure where we will,
1832 Then take we down his load and turn him off
1833 (Like to the empty ass) to shake his ears
1834 30 And graze in commons.
OCTAVIUS 1835 You may do your will,
1836 But he’s a tried and valiant soldier.
ANTONY
1837 So is my horse, Octavius, and for that
1838 I do appoint him store of provender.
1839 35 It is a creature that I teach to fight,
1840 To wind, to stop, to run directly on,
1841 His corporal motion governed by my spirit;
1842 And, in some taste, is Lepidus but so.
1843 He must be taught and trained and bid go forth—
1844 40 A barren-spirited fellow, one that feeds
1845 On objects, arts, and imitations
1846 Which, out of use and staled by other men,
1847 Begin his fashion. Do not talk of him
1848 But as a property. And now, Octavius,
1849 45 Listen great things. Brutus and Cassius
1850 Are levying powers. We must straight make head.
1851 Therefore let our alliance be combined,
1852 Our best friends made, our means stretched;
1853 And let us presently go sit in council
1854 50 How covert matters may be best disclosed
1855 And open perils surest answerèd.
OCTAVIUS
1856 Let us do so, for we are at the stake
1857 And bayed about with many enemies,
1858 And some that smile have in their hearts, I fear,
1859 55 Millions of mischiefs.
They exit.
Drum. Enter Brutus, Lucilius, ⌜ Lucius, ⌝ and the Army.
Titinius and Pindarus meet them.
BRUTUS 1860 Stand ho!
LUCILIUS 1861 Give the word, ho, and stand!
BRUTUS
1862 What now, Lucilius, is Cassius near?
LUCILIUS
1863 He is at hand, and Pindarus is come
1864 5 To do you salutation from his master.
BRUTUS
1865 He greets me well.—Your master, Pindarus,
1866 In his own change or by ill officers,
1867 Hath given me some worthy cause to wish
1868 Things done undone, but if he be at hand
1869 10 I shall be satisfied.
PINDARUS 1870 I do not doubt
1871 But that my noble master will appear
1872 Such as he is, full of regard and honor.
BRUTUS
1873 He is not doubted. ⌜ Brutus and Lucilius walk aside. ⌝
1874 15 A word, Lucilius,
1875 How he received you. Let me be resolved.
LUCILIUS
1876 With courtesy and with respect enough,
1877 But not with such familiar instances
1878 Nor with such free and friendly conference
1879 20 As he hath used of old.
BRUTUS 1880 Thou hast described
1881 A hot friend cooling. Ever note, Lucilius,
1882 When love begins to sicken and decay
1883 It useth an enforcèd ceremony.
1884 25 There are no tricks in plain and simple faith;
1885 But hollow men, like horses hot at hand,
1886 Make gallant show and promise of their mettle,
Low march within.
1887 But when they should endure the bloody spur,
1888 They fall their crests and, like deceitful jades,
1889 30 Sink in the trial. Comes his army on?
LUCILIUS
1890 They mean this night in Sardis to be quartered.
1891 The greater part, the horse in general,
1892 Are come with Cassius.
Enter Cassius and his powers.
BRUTUS 1893 Hark, he is arrived.
1894 35 March gently on to meet him.
CASSIUS 1895 Stand ho!
BRUTUS 1896 Stand ho! Speak the word along.
⌜ FIRST SOLDIER ⌝ 1897 Stand!
⌜ SECOND SOLDIER ⌝ 1898 Stand!
⌜ THIRD SOLDIER ⌝ 1899 40 Stand!
CASSIUS
1900 Most noble brother, you have done me wrong.
BRUTUS
1901 Judge me, you gods! Wrong I mine enemies?
1902 And if not so, how should I wrong a brother?
CASSIUS
1903 Brutus, this sober form of yours hides wrongs,
1904 45 And when you do them—
BRUTUS 1905 Cassius, be content.
1906 Speak your griefs softly. I do know you well.
1907 Before the eyes of both our armies here
1908 (Which should perceive nothing but love from us),
1909 50 Let us not wrangle. Bid them move away.
1910 Then in my tent, Cassius, enlarge your griefs,
1911 And I will give you audience.
CASSIUS 1912 Pindarus,
1913 Bid our commanders lead their charges off
1914 55 A little from this ground.
BRUTUS
1915 ⌜ Lucius, ⌝ do you the like, and let no man
1916 Come to our tent till we have done our conference.
1917 Let ⌜ Lucilius ⌝ and Titinius guard our door.
All but Brutus and Cassius exit.
CASSIUS
1918 That you have wronged me doth appear in this:
1919 You have condemned and noted Lucius Pella
1920 For taking bribes here of the Sardians,
1921 Wherein my letters, praying on his side
1922 5 Because I knew the man, was slighted off.
BRUTUS
1923 You wronged yourself to write in such a case.
CASSIUS
1924 In such a time as this it is not meet
1925 That every nice offense should bear his comment.
BRUTUS
1926 Let me tell you, Cassius, you yourself
1927 10 Are much condemned to have an itching palm,
1928 To sell and mart your offices for gold
1929 To undeservers.
CASSIUS 1930 I an itching palm?
1931 You know that you are Brutus that speaks this,
1932 15 Or, by the gods, this speech were else your last.
BRUTUS
1933 The name of Cassius honors this corruption,
1934 And chastisement doth therefore hide his head.
CASSIUS 1935 Chastisement?
BRUTUS
1936 Remember March; the ides of March remember.
1937 20 Did not great Julius bleed for justice’ sake?
1938 What villain touched his body that did stab
1939 And not for justice? What, shall one of us
1940 That struck the foremost man of all this world
1941 But for supporting robbers, shall we now
1942 25 Contaminate our fingers with base bribes
1943 And sell the mighty space of our large honors
1944 For so much trash as may be graspèd thus?
1945 I had rather be a dog and bay the moon
1946 Than such a Roman.
CASSIUS 1947 30 Brutus, bait not me.
1948 I’ll not endure it. You forget yourself
1949 To hedge me in. I am a soldier, I,
1950 Older in practice, abler than yourself
1951 To make conditions.
BRUTUS 1952 35 Go to! You are not, Cassius.
CASSIUS 1953 I am.
BRUTUS 1954 I say you are not.
CASSIUS
1955 Urge me no more. I shall forget myself.
1956 Have mind upon your health. Tempt me no farther.
BRUTUS 1957 40 Away, slight man!
CASSIUS
1958 Is ’t possible?
BRUTUS 1959 Hear me, for I will speak.
1960 Must I give way and room to your rash choler?
1961 Shall I be frighted when a madman stares?
CASSIUS
1962 45 O you gods, you gods, must I endure all this?
BRUTUS
1963 All this? Ay, more. Fret till your proud heart break.
1964 Go show your slaves how choleric you are
1965 And make your bondmen tremble. Must I budge?
1966 Must I observe you? Must I stand and crouch
1967 50 Under your testy humor? By the gods,
1968 You shall digest the venom of your spleen
1969 Though it do split you. For, from this day forth,
1970 I’ll use you for my mirth, yea, for my laughter,
1971 When you are waspish.
CASSIUS 1972 55 Is it come to this?
BRUTUS
1973 You say you are a better soldier.
1974 Let it appear so, make your vaunting true,
1975 And it shall please me well. For mine own part,
1976 I shall be glad to learn of noble men.
CASSIUS
1977 60 You wrong me every way, you wrong me, Brutus.
1978 I said an elder soldier, not a better.
1979 Did I say “better”?
BRUTUS 1980 If you did, I care not.
CASSIUS
1981 When Caesar lived he durst not thus have moved
1982 65 me.
BRUTUS
1983 Peace, peace! You durst not so have tempted him.
CASSIUS 1984 I durst not?
BRUTUS 1985 No.
CASSIUS
1986 What? Durst not tempt him?
BRUTUS 1987 70 For your life you durst
1988 not.
CASSIUS
1989 Do not presume too much upon my love.
1990 I may do that I shall be sorry for.
BRUTUS
1991 You have done that you should be sorry for.
1992 75 There is no terror, Cassius, in your threats,
1993 For I am armed so strong in honesty
1994 That they pass by me as the idle wind,
1995 Which I respect not. I did send to you
1996 For certain sums of gold, which you denied me,
1997 80 For I can raise no money by vile means.
1998 By heaven, I had rather coin my heart
1999 And drop my blood for drachmas than to wring
2000 From the hard hands of peasants their vile trash
2001 By any indirection. I did send
2002 85 To you for gold to pay my legions,
2003 Which you denied me. Was that done like Cassius?
2004 Should I have answered Caius Cassius so?
2005 When Marcus Brutus grows so covetous
2006 To lock such rascal counters from his friends,
2007 90 Be ready, gods, with all your thunderbolts;
2008 Dash him to pieces!
CASSIUS 2009 I denied you not.
BRUTUS 2010 You did.
CASSIUS
2011 I did not. He was but a fool that brought
2012 95 My answer back. Brutus hath rived my heart.
2013 A friend should bear his friend’s infirmities,
2014 But Brutus makes mine greater than they are.
BRUTUS
2015 I do not, till you practice them on me.
CASSIUS
2016 You love me not.
BRUTUS 2017 100 I do not like your faults.
CASSIUS
2018 A friendly eye could never see such faults.
BRUTUS
2019 A flatterer’s would not, though they do appear
2020 As huge as high Olympus.
CASSIUS
2021 Come, Antony, and young Octavius, come!
2022 105 Revenge yourselves alone on Cassius,
2023 For Cassius is aweary of the world—
2024 Hated by one he loves, braved by his brother,
2025 Checked like a bondman, all his faults observed,
2026 Set in a notebook, learned and conned by rote
2027 110 To cast into my teeth. O, I could weep
2028 My spirit from mine eyes! There is my dagger,
⌜ Offering his dagger to Brutus. ⌝
2029 And here my naked breast; within, a heart
2030 Dearer than Pluto’s mine, richer than gold.
2031 If that thou be’st a Roman, take it forth.
2032 115 I that denied thee gold will give my heart.
2033 Strike as thou didst at Caesar, for I know
2034 When thou didst hate him worst, thou lovedst him
2035 better
2036 Than ever thou lovedst Cassius.
BRUTUS 2037 120 Sheathe your
2038 dagger.
2039 Be angry when you will, it shall have scope.
2040 Do what you will, dishonor shall be humor.
2041 O Cassius, you are yokèd with a lamb
2042 125 That carries anger as the flint bears fire,
2043 Who, much enforcèd, shows a hasty spark
2044 And straight is cold again.
CASSIUS 2045 Hath Cassius lived
2046 To be but mirth and laughter to his Brutus
2047 130 When grief and blood ill-tempered vexeth him?
BRUTUS
2048 When I spoke that, I was ill-tempered too.
CASSIUS
2049 Do you confess so much? Give me your hand.
BRUTUS
2050 And my heart too. ⌜ They clasp hands. ⌝
CASSIUS 2051 O Brutus!
BRUTUS 2052 135 What’s the matter?
CASSIUS
2053 Have not you love enough to bear with me
2054 When that rash humor which my mother gave me
2055 Makes me forgetful?
BRUTUS 2056 Yes, Cassius, and from
2057 140 henceforth
2058 When you are over-earnest with your Brutus,
2059 He’ll think your mother chides, and leave you so.
Enter a Poet ⌜ followed by Lucilius, Titinius, and Lucius. ⌝
POET
2060 Let me go in to see the Generals.
2061 There is some grudge between ’em; ’tis not meet
2062 145 They be alone.
LUCILIUS 2063 You shall not come to them.
POET 2064 Nothing but death shall stay me.
CASSIUS 2065 How now, what’s the matter?
POET
2066 For shame, you generals, what do you mean?
2067 150 Love and be friends as two such men should be,
2068 For I have seen more years, I’m sure, than ye.
CASSIUS
2069 Ha, ha, how vilely doth this cynic rhyme!
BRUTUS
2070 Get you hence, sirrah! Saucy fellow, hence!
CASSIUS
2071 Bear with him, Brutus. ’Tis his fashion.
BRUTUS
2072 155 I’ll know his humor when he knows his time.
2073 What should the wars do with these jigging fools?—
2074 Companion, hence!
CASSIUS 2075 Away, away, be gone! Poet exits.
BRUTUS
2076 Lucilius and Titinius, bid the commanders
2077 160 Prepare to lodge their companies tonight.
CASSIUS
2078 And come yourselves, and bring Messala with you
2079 Immediately to us. ⌜ Lucilius and Titinius exit. ⌝
BRUTUS 2080 Lucius, a bowl of wine. ⌜ Lucius exits. ⌝
CASSIUS
2081 I did not think you could have been so angry.
BRUTUS
2082 165 O Cassius, I am sick of many griefs.
CASSIUS
2083 Of your philosophy you make no use
2084 If you give place to accidental evils.
BRUTUS
2085 No man bears sorrow better. Portia is dead.
CASSIUS 2086 Ha? Portia?
BRUTUS 2087 170 She is dead.
CASSIUS
2088 How ’scaped I killing when I crossed you so?
2089 O insupportable and touching loss!
2090 Upon what sickness?
BRUTUS 2091 Impatient of my absence,
2092 175 And grief that young Octavius with Mark Antony
2093 Have made themselves so strong—for with her
2094 death
2095 That tidings came—with this she fell distract
2096 And, her attendants absent, swallowed fire.
CASSIUS 2097 180 And died so?
BRUTUS 2098 Even so.
CASSIUS 2099 O you immortal gods!
Enter ⌜ Lucius ⌝ with wine and tapers.
BRUTUS
2100 Speak no more of her.—Give me a bowl of wine.—
2101 In this I bury all unkindness, Cassius. ⌜ He ⌝ drinks.
CASSIUS
2102 185 My heart is thirsty for that noble pledge.—
2103 Fill, Lucius, till the wine o’erswell the cup;
2104 I cannot drink too much of Brutus’ love. ⌜ He drinks. ⌝
⌜ Lucius exits. ⌝
Enter Titinius and Messala.
BRUTUS
2105 Come in, Titinius. Welcome, good Messala.
2106 Now sit we close about this taper here,
2107 190 And call in question our necessities. ⌜ They sit. ⌝
CASSIUS
2108 Portia, art thou gone?
BRUTUS 2109 No more, I pray you.—
2110 Messala, I have here receivèd letters
2111 That young Octavius and Mark Antony
2112 195 Come down upon us with a mighty power,
2113 Bending their expedition toward Philippi.
MESSALA
2114 Myself have letters of the selfsame tenor.
BRUTUS 2115 With what addition?
MESSALA
2116 That by proscription and bills of outlawry,
2117 200 Octavius, Antony, and Lepidus
2118 Have put to death an hundred senators.
BRUTUS
2119 Therein our letters do not well agree.
2120 Mine speak of seventy senators that died
2121 By their proscriptions, Cicero being one.
CASSIUS
2122 205 Cicero one?
MESSALA 2123 Cicero is dead,
2124 And by that order of proscription.
2125 Had you your letters from your wife, my lord?
BRUTUS 2126 No, Messala.
MESSALA
2127 210 Nor nothing in your letters writ of her?
BRUTUS 2128 Nothing, Messala.
MESSALA 2129 That methinks is strange.
BRUTUS
2130 Why ask you? Hear you aught of her in yours?
MESSALA 2131 No, my lord.
BRUTUS
2132 215 Now, as you are a Roman, tell me true.
MESSALA
2133 Then like a Roman bear the truth I tell,
2134 For certain she is dead, and by strange manner.
BRUTUS
2135 Why, farewell, Portia. We must die, Messala.
2136 With meditating that she must die once,
2137 220 I have the patience to endure it now.
MESSALA
2138 Even so great men great losses should endure.
CASSIUS
2139 I have as much of this in art as you,
2140 But yet my nature could not bear it so.
BRUTUS
2141 Well, to our work alive. What do you think
2142 225 Of marching to Philippi presently?
CASSIUS 2143 I do not think it good.
BRUTUS 2144 Your reason?
CASSIUS 2145 This it is:
2146 ’Tis better that the enemy seek us;
2147 230 So shall he waste his means, weary his soldiers,
2148 Doing himself offense, whilst we, lying still,
2149 Are full of rest, defense, and nimbleness.
BRUTUS
2150 Good reasons must of force give place to better.
2151 The people ’twixt Philippi and this ground
2152 235 Do stand but in a forced affection,
2153 For they have grudged us contribution.
2154 The enemy, marching along by them,
2155 By them shall make a fuller number up,
2156 Come on refreshed, new-added, and encouraged,
2157 240 From which advantage shall we cut him off
2158 If at Philippi we do face him there,
2159 These people at our back.
CASSIUS 2160 Hear me, good brother—
BRUTUS
2161 Under your pardon. You must note besides
2162 245 That we have tried the utmost of our friends,
2163 Our legions are brim full, our cause is ripe.
2164 The enemy increaseth every day;
2165 We, at the height, are ready to decline.
2166 There is a tide in the affairs of men
2167 250 Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune;
2168 Omitted, all the voyage of their life
2169 Is bound in shallows and in miseries.
2170 On such a full sea are we now afloat,
2171 And we must take the current when it serves
2172 255 Or lose our ventures.
CASSIUS 2173 Then, with your will, go on;
2174 We’ll along ourselves and meet them at Philippi.
BRUTUS
2175 The deep of night is crept upon our talk,
2176 And nature must obey necessity,
2177 260 Which we will niggard with a little rest.
2178 There is no more to say.
CASSIUS 2179 No more. Good night.
⌜ They stand. ⌝
2180 Early tomorrow will we rise and hence.
BRUTUS
2181 Lucius.
2182 265 My gown. ⌜ Lucius exits. ⌝
2183 Farewell, good Messala.—
2184 Good night, Titinius.—Noble, noble Cassius,
2185 Good night and good repose.
CASSIUS 2186 O my dear brother,
2187 270 This was an ill beginning of the night.
2188 Never come such division ’tween our souls!
2189 Let it not, Brutus.
Enter Lucius with the gown.
BRUTUS 2190 Everything is well.
CASSIUS 2191 Good night, my lord.
BRUTUS 2192 275 Good night, good brother.
TITINIUS/MESSALA
2193 Good night, Lord Brutus.
BRUTUS 2194 Farewell, everyone.
⌜ All but Brutus and Lucius ⌝ exit.
2195 Give me the gown. Where is thy instrument?
LUCIUS
2196 Here in the tent.
BRUTUS 2197 280 What, thou speak’st drowsily?
2198 Poor knave, I blame thee not; thou art o’erwatched.
2199 Call Claudius and some other of my men;
2200 I’ll have them sleep on cushions in my tent.
LUCIUS 2201 Varro and Claudius.
Enter Varro and Claudius.
VARRO 2202 285 Calls my lord?
BRUTUS
2203 I pray you, sirs, lie in my tent and sleep.
2204 It may be I shall raise you by and by
2205 On business to my brother Cassius.
VARRO
2206 So please you, we will stand and watch your
2207 290 pleasure.
BRUTUS
2208 I will not have it so. Lie down, good sirs.
2209 It may be I shall otherwise bethink me.
⌜ They lie down. ⌝
2210 Look, Lucius, here’s the book I sought for so.
2211 I put it in the pocket of my gown.
LUCIUS
2212 295 I was sure your Lordship did not give it me.
BRUTUS
2213 Bear with me, good boy, I am much forgetful.
2214 Canst thou hold up thy heavy eyes awhile
2215 And touch thy instrument a strain or two?
LUCIUS
2216 Ay, my lord, an ’t please you.
BRUTUS 2217 300 It does, my boy.
2218 I trouble thee too much, but thou art willing.
LUCIUS 2219 It is my duty, sir.
BRUTUS
2220 I should not urge thy duty past thy might.
2221 I know young bloods look for a time of rest.
LUCIUS 2222 305 I have slept, my lord, already.
BRUTUS
2223 It was well done, and thou shalt sleep again.
2224 I will not hold thee long. If I do live,
2225 I will be good to thee.
Music and a song. ⌜ Lucius then falls asleep. ⌝
2226 This is a sleepy tune. O murd’rous ⌜ slumber, ⌝
2227 310 Layest thou thy leaden mace upon my boy,
2228 That plays thee music?—Gentle knave, good night.
2229 I will not do thee so much wrong to wake thee.
2230 If thou dost nod, thou break’st thy instrument.
2231 I’ll take it from thee and, good boy, good night.
⌜ He moves the instrument. ⌝
2232 315 Let me see, let me see; is not the leaf turned down
2233 Where I left reading? Here it is, I think.
2234 How ill this taper burns.
Enter the Ghost of Caesar.
2235 Ha, who comes here?—
2236 I think it is the weakness of mine eyes
2237 320 That shapes this monstrous apparition.
2238 It comes upon me.—Art thou any thing?
2239 Art thou some god, some angel, or some devil,
2240 That mak’st my blood cold and my hair to stare?
2241 Speak to me what thou art.
GHOST
2242 325 Thy evil spirit, Brutus.
BRUTUS 2243 Why com’st thou?
GHOST
2244 To tell thee thou shalt see me at Philippi.
BRUTUS 2245 Well, then I shall see thee again?
GHOST 2246 Ay, at Philippi.
BRUTUS
2247 330 Why, I will see thee at Philippi, then. ⌜ Ghost exits. ⌝
2248 Now I have taken heart, thou vanishest.
2249 Ill spirit, I would hold more talk with thee.—
2250 Boy, Lucius!—Varro, Claudius, sirs, awake!
2251 Claudius!
LUCIUS 2252 335 The strings, my lord, are false.
BRUTUS
2253 He thinks he still is at his instrument.
2254 Lucius, awake!
LUCIUS 2255 My lord?
BRUTUS
2256 Didst thou dream, Lucius, that thou so criedst out?
LUCIUS
2257 340 My lord, I do not know that I did cry.
BRUTUS
2258 Yes, that thou didst. Didst thou see anything?
LUCIUS 2259 Nothing, my lord.
BRUTUS
2260 Sleep again, Lucius.—Sirrah Claudius!
2261 ⌜ To Varro. ⌝ Fellow thou, awake! ⌜ They rise up. ⌝
VARRO 2262 345 My lord?
CLAUDIUS 2263 My lord?
BRUTUS
2264 Why did you so cry out, sirs, in your sleep?
BOTH
2265 Did we, my lord?
BRUTUS 2266 Ay. Saw you anything?
VARRO 2267 350 No, my lord, I saw nothing.
CLAUDIUS 2268 Nor I, my lord.
BRUTUS
2269 Go and commend me to my brother Cassius.
2270 Bid him set on his powers betimes before,
2271 And we will follow.
BOTH 2272 355 It shall be done, my lord.
They exit.
Enter Octavius, Antony, and their army.
OCTAVIUS
2273 Now, Antony, our hopes are answerèd.
2274 You said the enemy would not come down
2275 But keep the hills and upper regions.
2276 It proves not so; their battles are at hand.
2277 5 They mean to warn us at Philippi here,
2278 Answering before we do demand of them.
ANTONY
2279 Tut, I am in their bosoms, and I know
2280 Wherefore they do it. They could be content
2281 To visit other places, and come down
2282 10 With fearful bravery, thinking by this face
2283 To fasten in our thoughts that they have courage.
2284 But ’tis not so.
Enter a Messenger.
MESSENGER 2285 Prepare you, generals.
2286 The enemy comes on in gallant show.
2287 15 Their bloody sign of battle is hung out,
2288 And something to be done immediately.
ANTONY
2289 Octavius, lead your battle softly on
2290 Upon the left hand of the even field.
OCTAVIUS
2291 Upon the right hand, I; keep thou the left.
ANTONY
2292 20 Why do you cross me in this exigent?
OCTAVIUS
2293 I do not cross you, but I will do so. March.
Drum. Enter Brutus, Cassius, and their army ⌜ including
Lucilius, Titinius, and Messala. ⌝
BRUTUS 2294 They stand and would have parley.
CASSIUS
2295 Stand fast, Titinius. We must out and talk.
OCTAVIUS
2296 Mark Antony, shall we give sign of battle?
ANTONY
2297 25 No, Caesar, we will answer on their charge.
2298 Make forth. The Generals would have some words.
OCTAVIUS , ⌜ to his Officers ⌝ 2299 Stir not until the signal.
⌜ The Generals step forward. ⌝
BRUTUS
2300 Words before blows; is it so, countrymen?
OCTAVIUS
2301 Not that we love words better, as you do.
BRUTUS
2302 30 Good words are better than bad strokes, Octavius.
ANTONY
2303 In your bad strokes, Brutus, you give good words.
2304 Witness the hole you made in Caesar’s heart,
2305 Crying “Long live, hail, Caesar!”
CASSIUS 2306 Antony,
2307 35 The posture of your blows are yet unknown,
2308 But, for your words, they rob the Hybla bees
2309 And leave them honeyless.
ANTONY 2310 Not stingless too.
BRUTUS 2311 O yes, and soundless too,
2312 40 For you have stolen their buzzing, Antony,
2313 And very wisely threat before you sting.
ANTONY
2314 Villains, you did not so when your vile daggers
2315 Hacked one another in the sides of Caesar.
2316 You showed your ⌜ teeth ⌝ like apes and fawned like
2317 45 hounds
2318 And bowed like bondmen, kissing Caesar’s feet,
2319 Whilst damnèd Casca, like a cur, behind
2320 Struck Caesar on the neck. O you flatterers!
CASSIUS
2321 Flatterers?—Now, Brutus, thank yourself!
2322 50 This tongue had not offended so today
2323 If Cassius might have ruled.
OCTAVIUS
2324 Come, come, the cause. If arguing make us sweat,
2325 The proof of it will turn to redder drops.
2326 Look, I draw a sword against conspirators;
⌜ He draws. ⌝
2327 55 When think you that the sword goes up again?
2328 Never, till Caesar’s three and thirty wounds
2329 Be well avenged, or till another Caesar
2330 Have added slaughter to the sword of traitors.
BRUTUS
2331 Caesar, thou canst not die by traitors’ hands
2332 60 Unless thou bring’st them with thee.
OCTAVIUS 2333 So I hope.
2334 I was not born to die on Brutus’ sword.
BRUTUS
2335 O, if thou wert the noblest of thy strain,
2336 Young man, thou couldst not die more honorable.
CASSIUS
2337 65 A peevish schoolboy, worthless of such honor,
2338 Joined with a masker and a reveler!
ANTONY
2339 Old Cassius still.
OCTAVIUS 2340 Come, Antony, away!—
2341 Defiance, traitors, hurl we in your teeth.
2342 70 If you dare fight today, come to the field;
2343 If not, when you have stomachs.
Octavius, Antony, and ⌜ their ⌝ army exit.
CASSIUS
2344 Why now, blow wind, swell billow, and swim bark!
2345 The storm is up, and all is on the hazard.
BRUTUS
2346 Ho, Lucilius, hark, a word with you.
Lucilius and Messala stand forth.
LUCILIUS 2347 75 My lord?
⌜ Brutus and Lucilius step aside together. ⌝
CASSIUS
2348 Messala.
MESSALA 2349 What says my general?
CASSIUS 2350 Messala,
2351 This is my birthday, as this very day
2352 80 Was Cassius born. Give me thy hand, Messala.
2353 Be thou my witness that against my will
2354 (As Pompey was) am I compelled to set
2355 Upon one battle all our liberties.
2356 You know that I held Epicurus strong
2357 85 And his opinion. Now I change my mind
2358 And partly credit things that do presage.
2359 Coming from Sardis, on our former ensign
2360 Two mighty eagles fell, and there they perched,
2361 Gorging and feeding from our soldiers’ hands,
2362 90 Who to Philippi here consorted us.
2363 This morning are they fled away and gone,
2364 And in their steads do ravens, crows, and kites
2365 Fly o’er our heads and downward look on us
2366 As we were sickly prey. Their shadows seem
2367 95 A canopy most fatal, under which
2368 Our army lies, ready to give up the ghost.
MESSALA
2369 Believe not so.
CASSIUS 2370 I but believe it partly,
2371 For I am fresh of spirit and resolved
2372 100 To meet all perils very constantly.
BRUTUS
2373 Even so, Lucilius. ⌜ Brutus returns to Cassius. ⌝
CASSIUS 2374 Now, most noble Brutus,
2375 The gods today stand friendly that we may,
2376 Lovers in peace, lead on our days to age.
2377 105 But since the affairs of men rests still incertain,
2378 Let’s reason with the worst that may befall.
2379 If we do lose this battle, then is this
2380 The very last time we shall speak together.
2381 What are you then determinèd to do?
BRUTUS
2382 110 Even by the rule of that philosophy
2383 By which I did blame Cato for the death
2384 Which he did give himself (I know not how,
2385 But I do find it cowardly and vile,
2386 For fear of what might fall, so to prevent
2387 115 The time of life), arming myself with patience
2388 To stay the providence of some high powers
2389 That govern us below.
CASSIUS 2390 Then, if we lose this battle,
2391 You are contented to be led in triumph
2392 120 Thorough the streets of Rome?
BRUTUS
2393 No, Cassius, no. Think not, thou noble Roman,
2394 That ever Brutus will go bound to Rome.
2395 He bears too great a mind. But this same day
2396 Must end that work the ides of March begun.
2397 125 And whether we shall meet again, I know not.
2398 Therefore our everlasting farewell take.
2399 Forever and forever farewell, Cassius.
2400 If we do meet again, why we shall smile;
2401 If not, why then this parting was well made.
CASSIUS
2402 130 Forever and forever farewell, Brutus.
2403 If we do meet again, we’ll smile indeed;
2404 If not, ’tis true this parting was well made.
BRUTUS
2405 Why then, lead on.—O, that a man might know
2406 The end of this day’s business ere it come!
2407 135 But it sufficeth that the day will end,
2408 And then the end is known.—Come ho, away!
They exit.
Alarum. Enter Brutus and Messala.
BRUTUS
2409 Ride, ride, Messala, ride, and give these bills
2410 Unto the legions on the other side!
⌜ He hands Messala papers. ⌝
Loud alarum.
2411 Let them set on at once, for I perceive
2412 But cold demeanor in Octavius’ wing,
2413 5 And sudden push gives them the overthrow.
2414 Ride, ride, Messala! Let them all come down.
They exit.
Alarums. Enter Cassius ⌜ carrying a standard ⌝ and
Titinius.
CASSIUS
2415 O, look, Titinius, look, the villains fly!
2416 Myself have to mine own turned enemy.
2417 This ensign here of mine was turning back;
2418 I slew the coward and did take it from him.
TITINIUS
2419 5 O Cassius, Brutus gave the word too early,
2420 Who, having some advantage on Octavius,
2421 Took it too eagerly. His soldiers fell to spoil,
2422 Whilst we by Antony are all enclosed.
PINDARUS
2423 Fly further off, my lord, fly further off!
2424 10 Mark Antony is in your tents, my lord.
2425 Fly therefore, noble Cassius, fly far off.
CASSIUS
2426 This hill is far enough.—Look, look, Titinius,
2427 Are those my tents where I perceive the fire?
TITINIUS
2428 They are, my lord.
CASSIUS 2429 15 Titinius, if thou lovest me,
2430 Mount thou my horse and hide thy spurs in him
2431 Till he have brought thee up to yonder troops
2432 And here again, that I may rest assured
2433 Whether yond troops are friend or enemy.
TITINIUS
2434 20 I will be here again even with a thought. He exits.
CASSIUS
2435 Go, Pindarus, get higher on that hill.
2436 My sight was ever thick. Regard Titinius
2437 And tell me what thou not’st about the field.
⌜ Pindarus goes up. ⌝
2438 This day I breathèd first. Time is come round,
2439 25 And where I did begin, there shall I end;
2440 My life is run his compass.—Sirrah, what news?
PINDARUS , above. 2441 O my lord!
CASSIUS 2442 What news?
PINDARUS
2443 Titinius is enclosèd round about
2444 30 With horsemen that make to him on the spur,
2445 Yet he spurs on. Now they are almost on him.
2446 Now Titinius! Now some light. O, he lights too.
2447 He’s ta’en. Shout.
2448 And hark, they shout for joy.
CASSIUS 2449 35 Come down, behold no more.—
2450 O, coward that I am to live so long
2451 To see my best friend ta’en before my face!
Pindarus ⌜ comes down. ⌝
2452 Come hither, sirrah.
2453 In Parthia did I take thee prisoner,
2454 40 And then I swore thee, saving of thy life,
2455 That whatsoever I did bid thee do
2456 Thou shouldst attempt it. Come now, keep thine
2457 oath.
2458 Now be a freeman, and with this good sword,
2459 45 That ran through Caesar’s bowels, search this
2460 bosom.
2461 Stand not to answer. Here, take thou the hilts,
2462 And, when my face is covered, as ’tis now,
2463 Guide thou the sword. ⌜ Pindarus stabs him. ⌝
2464 50 Caesar, thou art revenged
2465 Even with the sword that killed thee. ⌜ He dies. ⌝
PINDARUS
2466 So I am free, yet would not so have been,
2467 Durst I have done my will.—O Cassius!—
2468 Far from this country Pindarus shall run,
2469 55 Where never Roman shall take note of him.
⌜ He exits. ⌝
Enter Titinius and Messala.
MESSALA
2470 It is but change, Titinius, for Octavius
2471 Is overthrown by noble Brutus’ power,
2472 As Cassius’ legions are by Antony.
TITINIUS
2473 These tidings will well comfort Cassius.
MESSALA
2474 60 Where did you leave him?
TITINIUS 2475 All disconsolate,
2476 With Pindarus his bondman, on this hill.
MESSALA
2477 Is not that he that lies upon the ground?
TITINIUS
2478 He lies not like the living. O my heart!
MESSALA
2479 65 Is not that he?
TITINIUS 2480 No, this was he, Messala,
2481 But Cassius is no more. O setting sun,
2482 As in thy red rays thou dost sink to night,
2483 So in his red blood Cassius’ day is set.
2484 70 The sun of Rome is set. Our day is gone;
2485 Clouds, dews, and dangers come. Our deeds are
2486 done.
2487 Mistrust of my success hath done this deed.
MESSALA
2488 Mistrust of good success hath done this deed.
2489 75 O hateful error, melancholy’s child,
2490 Why dost thou show to the apt thoughts of men
2491 The things that are not? O error, soon conceived,
2492 Thou never com’st unto a happy birth
2493 But kill’st the mother that engendered thee!
TITINIUS
2494 80 What, Pindarus! Where art thou, Pindarus?
MESSALA
2495 Seek him, Titinius, whilst I go to meet
2496 The noble Brutus, thrusting this report
2497 Into his ears. I may say “thrusting it,”
2498 For piercing steel and darts envenomèd
2499 85 Shall be as welcome to the ears of Brutus
2500 As tidings of this sight.
TITINIUS 2501 Hie you, Messala,
2502 And I will seek for Pindarus the while.
⌜ Messala exits. ⌝
2503 Why didst thou send me forth, brave Cassius?
2504 90 Did I not meet thy friends, and did not they
2505 Put on my brows this wreath of victory
2506 And bid me give it thee? Didst thou not hear their
2507 shouts?
2508 Alas, thou hast misconstrued everything.
2509 95 But hold thee, take this garland on thy brow.
⌜ Laying the garland on Cassius’ brow. ⌝
2510 Thy Brutus bid me give it thee, and I
2511 Will do his bidding.—Brutus, come apace,
2512 And see how I regarded Caius Cassius.—
2513 By your leave, gods, this is a Roman’s part.
2514 100 Come, Cassius’ sword, and find Titinius’ heart!
⌜ He ⌝ dies ⌜ on Cassius’ sword. ⌝
Alarum. Enter Brutus, Messala, young Cato, Strato,
Volumnius, and Lucilius, ⌜ Labeo, and Flavius. ⌝
BRUTUS
2515 Where, where, Messala, doth his body lie?
MESSALA
2516 Lo, yonder, and Titinius mourning it.
BRUTUS
2517 Titinius’ face is upward.
CATO 2518 He is slain.
BRUTUS
2519 105 O Julius Caesar, thou art mighty yet;
2520 Thy spirit walks abroad and turns our swords
2521 In our own proper entrails. Low alarums.
CATO 2522 Brave Titinius!—
2523 Look whe’er he have not crowned dead Cassius.
BRUTUS
2524 110 Are yet two Romans living such as these?—
2525 The last of all the Romans, fare thee well.
2526 It is impossible that ever Rome
2527 Should breed thy fellow.—Friends, I owe more
2528 tears
2529 115 To this dead man than you shall see me pay.—
2530 I shall find time, Cassius; I shall find time.—
2531 Come, therefore, and to ⌜ Thasos ⌝ send his body.
2532 His funerals shall not be in our camp,
2533 Lest it discomfort us.—Lucilius, come.—
2534 120 And come, young Cato. Let us to the field.—
2535 Labeo and Flavius, set our battles on.
2536 ’Tis three o’clock, and, Romans, yet ere night
2537 We shall try fortune in a second fight.
They exit.
Alarum. Enter Brutus, Messala, Cato, Lucilius, and
Flavius.
BRUTUS
2538 Yet, countrymen, O, yet hold up your heads!
⌜ Brutus, Messala, and Flavius exit. ⌝
CATO
2539 What bastard doth not? Who will go with me?
2540 I will proclaim my name about the field.
2541 I am the son of Marcus Cato, ho!
2542 5 A foe to tyrants and my country’s friend.
2543 I am the son of Marcus Cato, ho!
Enter Soldiers and fight.
⌜ LUCILIUS ⌝
2544 And I am Brutus, Marcus Brutus, I!
2545 Brutus, my country’s friend! Know me for Brutus.
⌜ Cato is killed. ⌝
2546 O young and noble Cato, art thou down?
2547 10 Why, now thou diest as bravely as Titinius
2548 And mayst be honored, being Cato’s son.
⌜ FIRST ⌝ SOLDIER , ⌜ seizing Lucilius ⌝
2549 Yield, or thou diest.
LUCILIUS 2550 Only I yield to die.
2551 There is so much that thou wilt kill me straight.
⌜ Offering money. ⌝
2552 15 Kill Brutus and be honored in his death.
⌜ FIRST ⌝ SOLDIER
2553 We must not. A noble prisoner!
SECOND SOLDIER
2554 Room, ho! Tell Antony Brutus is ta’en.
FIRST SOLDIER
2555 I’ll tell ⌜ the ⌝ news. Here comes the General.—
2556 Brutus is ta’en, Brutus is ta’en, my lord.
ANTONY 2557 20 Where is he?
LUCILIUS
2558 Safe, Antony, Brutus is safe enough.
2559 I dare assure thee that no enemy
2560 Shall ever take alive the noble Brutus.
2561 The gods defend him from so great a shame!
2562 25 When you do find him, or alive or dead,
2563 He will be found like Brutus, like himself.
ANTONY
2564 This is not Brutus, friend, but I assure you,
2565 A prize no less in worth. Keep this man safe.
2566 Give him all kindness. I had rather have
2567 30 Such men my friends than enemies. Go on,
2568 And see whe’er Brutus be alive or dead,
2569 And bring us word unto Octavius’ tent
2570 How everything is chanced.
They exit ⌜ in different directions. ⌝
Enter Brutus, Dardanus, Clitus, Strato, and Volumnius.
BRUTUS
2571 Come, poor remains of friends, rest on this rock.
⌜ He sits down. ⌝
CLITUS
2572 Statilius showed the torchlight, but, my lord,
2573 He came not back. He is or ta’en or slain.
BRUTUS
2574 Sit thee down, Clitus. Slaying is the word;
2575 5 It is a deed in fashion. Hark thee, Clitus.
⌜ He whispers to Clitus. ⌝
CLITUS
2576 What, I, my lord? No, not for all the world.
BRUTUS
2577 Peace, then, no words.
CLITUS 2578 I’ll rather kill myself.
BRUTUS
2579 Hark thee, Dardanus. ⌜ He whispers to Dardanus. ⌝
DARDANUS 2580 10 Shall I do such a deed?
CLITUS 2581 O Dardanus!
DARDANUS 2582 O Clitus!
⌜ Dardanus and Clitus step aside. ⌝
CLITUS
2583 What ill request did Brutus make to thee?
DARDANUS
2584 To kill him, Clitus. Look, he meditates.
CLITUS
2585 15 Now is that noble vessel full of grief,
2586 That it runs over even at his eyes.
BRUTUS
2587 Come hither, good Volumnius. List a word.
VOLUMNIUS
2588 What says my lord?
BRUTUS 2589 Why this, Volumnius:
2590 20 The ghost of Caesar hath appeared to me
2591 Two several times by night—at Sardis once
2592 And this last night here in Philippi fields.
2593 I know my hour is come.
VOLUMNIUS 2594 Not so, my lord.
BRUTUS
2595 25 Nay, I am sure it is, Volumnius.
2596 Thou seest the world, Volumnius, how it goes.
2597 Our enemies have beat us to the pit. Low alarums.
2598 It is more worthy to leap in ourselves
2599 Than tarry till they push us. Good Volumnius,
2600 30 Thou know’st that we two went to school together;
2601 Even for that our love of old, I prithee,
2602 Hold thou my sword hilts whilst I run on it.
VOLUMNIUS
2603 That’s not an office for a friend, my lord.
Alarum ⌜ continues. ⌝
CLITUS
2604 Fly, fly, my lord! There is no tarrying here.
BRUTUS
2605 35 Farewell to you—and you—and you, Volumnius.—
2606 Strato, thou hast been all this while asleep.
2607 Farewell to thee, too, Strato.—Countrymen,
2608 My heart doth joy that yet in all my life
2609 I found no man but he was true to me.
2610 40 I shall have glory by this losing day
2611 More than Octavius and Mark Antony
2612 By this vile conquest shall attain unto.
2613 So fare you well at once, for Brutus’ tongue
2614 Hath almost ended his life’s history.
2615 45 Night hangs upon mine eyes; my bones would rest,
2616 That have but labored to attain this hour.
Alarum. Cry within “Fly, fly, fly!”
CLITUS
2617 Fly, my lord, fly!
BRUTUS 2618 Hence. I will follow.
⌜ All exit but Brutus and Strato. ⌝
2619 I prithee, Strato, stay thou by thy lord.
2620 50 Thou art a fellow of a good respect;
2621 Thy life hath had some smatch of honor in it.
2622 Hold, then, my sword, and turn away thy face
2623 While I do run upon it. Wilt thou, Strato?
STRATO
2624 Give me your hand first. Fare you well, my lord.
BRUTUS
2625 55 Farewell, good Strato.
⌜ Brutus runs on his sword. ⌝
2626 Caesar, now be still.
2627 I killed not thee with half so good a will. ⌜ He ⌝ dies.
Alarum. Retreat. Enter Antony, Octavius, Messala,
Lucilius, and the army.
OCTAVIUS 2628 What man is that?
MESSALA
2629 My master’s man.—Strato, where is thy master?
STRATO
2630 60 Free from the bondage you are in, Messala.
2631 The conquerors can but make a fire of him,
2632 For Brutus only overcame himself,
2633 And no man else hath honor by his death.
LUCILIUS
2634 So Brutus should be found.—I thank thee, Brutus,
2635 65 That thou hast proved Lucilius’ saying true.
OCTAVIUS
2636 All that served Brutus, I will entertain them.—
2637 Fellow, wilt thou bestow thy time with me?
STRATO
2638 Ay, if Messala will prefer me to you.
OCTAVIUS
2639 Do so, good Messala.
MESSALA 2640 70 How died my master, Strato?
STRATO
2641 I held the sword, and he did run on it.
MESSALA
2642 Octavius, then take him to follow thee,
2643 That did the latest service to my master.
ANTONY
2644 This was the noblest Roman of them all.
2645 75 All the conspirators save only he
2646 Did that they did in envy of great Caesar.
2647 He only in a general honest thought
2648 And common good to all made one of them.
2649 His life was gentle and the elements
2650 80 So mixed in him that nature might stand up
2651 And say to all the world “This was a man.”
OCTAVIUS
2652 According to his virtue, let us use him
2653 With all respect and rites of burial.
2654 Within my tent his bones tonight shall lie,
2655 85 Most like a soldier, ordered honorably.
2656 So call the field to rest, and let’s away
2657 To part the glories of this happy day.
They all exit.