William Shakespeare: The Complete Works 2nd Edition (294 page)
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Authors: William Shakespeare
Tags: #Drama, #Literary Criticism, #Shakespeare
BOOK: William Shakespeare: The Complete Works 2nd Edition
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Let each man render me his bloody hand.
He shakes hands with the conspirators
First, Marcus Brutus, will I shake with you.—
Next, Caius Cassius, do I take your hand.—
Now, Decius Brutus, yours;—now yours, Metellus;—
Yours, Cinna;—and my valiant Casca, yours;—
Though last, not least in love, yours, good Trebonius.
Gentlemen all—alas, what shall I say?
My credit now stands on such slippery ground
That one of two bad ways you must conceit me:
Either a coward or a flatterer.
That I did love thee, Caesar, O, ’tis true.
If then thy spirit look upon us now,
Shall it not grieve thee dearer than thy death
To see thy Antony making his peace,
Shaking the bloody fingers of thy foes—
Most noble!—in the presence of thy corpse?
Had I as many eyes as thou hast wounds,
Weeping as fast as they stream forth thy blood,
It would become me better than to close
In terms of friendship with thine enemies.
Pardon me, Julius. Here wast thou bayed, brave hart;
Here didst thou fall, and here thy hunters stand
Signed in thy spoil and crimsoned in thy lethe.
O world, thou wast the forest to this hart;
And this indeed, O world, the heart of thee.
How like a deer strucken by many princes
Dost thou here lie!
He shakes hands with the conspirators
First, Marcus Brutus, will I shake with you.—
Next, Caius Cassius, do I take your hand.—
Now, Decius Brutus, yours;—now yours, Metellus;—
Yours, Cinna;—and my valiant Casca, yours;—
Though last, not least in love, yours, good Trebonius.
Gentlemen all—alas, what shall I say?
My credit now stands on such slippery ground
That one of two bad ways you must conceit me:
Either a coward or a flatterer.
That I did love thee, Caesar, O, ’tis true.
If then thy spirit look upon us now,
Shall it not grieve thee dearer than thy death
To see thy Antony making his peace,
Shaking the bloody fingers of thy foes—
Most noble!—in the presence of thy corpse?
Had I as many eyes as thou hast wounds,
Weeping as fast as they stream forth thy blood,
It would become me better than to close
In terms of friendship with thine enemies.
Pardon me, Julius. Here wast thou bayed, brave hart;
Here didst thou fall, and here thy hunters stand
Signed in thy spoil and crimsoned in thy lethe.
O world, thou wast the forest to this hart;
And this indeed, O world, the heart of thee.
How like a deer strucken by many princes
Dost thou here lie!
CASSIUS Mark Antony.
ANTONY Pardon me, Caius Cassius.
The enemies of Caesar shall say this;
Then in a friend it is cold modesty.
Then in a friend it is cold modesty.
CASSIUS
I blame you not for praising Caesar so;
But what compact mean you to have with us?
Will you be pricked in number of our friends,
Or shall we on, and not depend on you?
But what compact mean you to have with us?
Will you be pricked in number of our friends,
Or shall we on, and not depend on you?
ANTONY
Therefore I took your hands, but was indeed
Swayed from the point by looking down on Caesar.
Friends am I with you all, and love you all
Upon this hope: that you shall give me reasons
Why and wherein Caesar was dangerous.
Swayed from the point by looking down on Caesar.
Friends am I with you all, and love you all
Upon this hope: that you shall give me reasons
Why and wherein Caesar was dangerous.
BRUTUS
Or else were this a savage spectacle.
Our reasons are so full of good regard,
That were you, Antony, the son of Caesar,
You should be satisfied.
Our reasons are so full of good regard,
That were you, Antony, the son of Caesar,
You should be satisfied.
ANTONY That’s all I seek;
And am, moreover, suitor that I may
Produce his body to the market-place,
And in the pulpit, as becomes a friend,
Speak in the order of his funeral.
Produce his body to the market-place,
And in the pulpit, as becomes a friend,
Speak in the order of his funeral.
BRUTUS
You shall, Mark Antony.
CASSIUS Brutus, a word with you.
(
Aside to Brutus
) You know not what you do. Do not
consent
That Antony speak in his funeral.
Know you how much the people may be moved
By that which he will utter?
Aside to Brutus
) You know not what you do. Do not
consent
That Antony speak in his funeral.
Know you how much the people may be moved
By that which he will utter?
BRUTUS (
aside to Cassius
) By your pardon,
aside to Cassius
) By your pardon,
I will myself into the pulpit first,
And show the reason of our Caesar’s death.
What Antony shall speak I will protest
He speaks by leave and by permission;
And that we are contented Caesar shall
Have all true rites and lawful ceremonies,
It shall advantage more than do us wrong.
And show the reason of our Caesar’s death.
What Antony shall speak I will protest
He speaks by leave and by permission;
And that we are contented Caesar shall
Have all true rites and lawful ceremonies,
It shall advantage more than do us wrong.
CASSIUS (
aside to Brutus
)
aside to Brutus
)
I know not what may fall. I like it not.
BRUTUS
Mark Antony, here, take you Caesar’s body.
You shall not in your funeral speech blame us;
But speak all good you can devise of Caesar,
And say you do’t by our permission;
Else shall you not have any hand at all
About his funeral. And you shall speak
In the same pulpit whereto I am going,
After my speech is ended.
You shall not in your funeral speech blame us;
But speak all good you can devise of Caesar,
And say you do’t by our permission;
Else shall you not have any hand at all
About his funeral. And you shall speak
In the same pulpit whereto I am going,
After my speech is ended.
ANTONY Be it so;
I do desire no more.
BRUTUS
Prepare the body then, and follow us.
Exeunt all but Antony
ANTONY
O pardon me, thou bleeding piece of earth,
That I am meek and gentle with these butchers.
Thou art the ruins of the noblest man
That ever lived in the tide of times.
Woe to the hand that shed this costly blood!
Over thy wounds now do I prophesy—
Which like dumb mouths do ope their ruby lips
To beg the voice and utterance of my tongue—
A curse shall light upon the limbs of men;
Domestic fury and fierce civil strife
Shall cumber all the parts of Italy;
Blood and destruction shall be so in use,
And dreadful objects so familiar,
That mothers shall but smile when they behold
Their infants quartered with the hands of war,
All pity choked with custom of fell deeds;
And Caesar’s spirit, ranging for revenge,
With Ate by his side come hot from hell,
Shall in these confines with a monarch’s voice
Cry ‘havoc!’ and let slip the dogs of war,
That this foul deed shall smell above the earth
With carrion men, groaning for burial.
Enter Octavius’ Servant
You serve Octavius Caesar, do you not?
That I am meek and gentle with these butchers.
Thou art the ruins of the noblest man
That ever lived in the tide of times.
Woe to the hand that shed this costly blood!
Over thy wounds now do I prophesy—
Which like dumb mouths do ope their ruby lips
To beg the voice and utterance of my tongue—
A curse shall light upon the limbs of men;
Domestic fury and fierce civil strife
Shall cumber all the parts of Italy;
Blood and destruction shall be so in use,
And dreadful objects so familiar,
That mothers shall but smile when they behold
Their infants quartered with the hands of war,
All pity choked with custom of fell deeds;
And Caesar’s spirit, ranging for revenge,
With Ate by his side come hot from hell,
Shall in these confines with a monarch’s voice
Cry ‘havoc!’ and let slip the dogs of war,
That this foul deed shall smell above the earth
With carrion men, groaning for burial.
Enter Octavius’ Servant
You serve Octavius Caesar, do you not?
SERVANT I do, Mark Antony.
ANTONY
Caesar did write for him to come to Rome.
SERVANT
He did receive his letters, and is coming,
And bid me say to you by word of mouth—
(
Seeing the body
) O Caesar!
And bid me say to you by word of mouth—
(
Seeing the body
) O Caesar!
ANTONY
Thy heart is big. Get thee apart and weep.
Passion, I see, is catching, for mine eyes,
Seeing those beads of sorrow stand in thine,
Began to water. Is thy master coming?
Passion, I see, is catching, for mine eyes,
Seeing those beads of sorrow stand in thine,
Began to water. Is thy master coming?
SERVANT
He lies tonight within seven leagues of Rome.
ANTONY
Post back with speed and tell him what hath
chanced.
Here is a mourning Rome, a dangerous Rome,
No Rome of safety for Octavius yet.
Hie hence and tell him so.—Yet stay awhile.
Thou shalt not back till I have borne this corpse
Into the market-place. There shall I try
In my oration how the people take
The cruel issue of these bloody men;
According to the which thou shalt discourse
To young Octavius of the state of things.
Lend me your hand.
chanced.
Here is a mourning Rome, a dangerous Rome,
No Rome of safety for Octavius yet.
Hie hence and tell him so.—Yet stay awhile.
Thou shalt not back till I have borne this corpse
Into the market-place. There shall I try
In my oration how the people take
The cruel issue of these bloody men;
According to the which thou shalt discourse
To young Octavius of the state of things.
Lend me your hand.
Exeunt with Caesar’s body
Enter Brutus and Cassius
,
with the Plebeians
ALL THE PLEBEIANS
We will be satisfied! Let us be satisfied!
BRUTUS
Then follow me, and give me audience, friends.
(
Aside to Cassius
) Cassius, go you into the other street,
And part the numbers.
(
To the Plebeians
)
Those that will hear me speak, let ’em stay here;
Those that will follow Cassius, go with him;
And public reasons shall be rendered
Of Caesar’s death.
(
Aside to Cassius
) Cassius, go you into the other street,
And part the numbers.
(
To the Plebeians
)
Those that will hear me speak, let ’em stay here;
Those that will follow Cassius, go with him;
And public reasons shall be rendered
Of Caesar’s death.
Brutus ascends to the pulpit
FIRST PLEBEIAN I will hear Brutus speak.
SECOND PLEBEIAN
I will hear Cassius, and compare their reasons
When severally we hear them rendered.
When severally we hear them rendered.
Exit Cassius, with some PlebeiansEnter
⌉
Brutus
⌈
above
⌉
in the pulpit
THIRD PLEBEIAN
The noble Brutus is ascended. Silence.
BRUTUS Be patient till the last.
Romans, countrymen, and lovers, hear me for my
cause, and be silent that you may hear. Believe me for
mine honour, and have respect to mine honour, that
you may believe. Censure me in your wisdom, and
awake your senses, that you may the better judge. If
there be any in this assembly, any dear friend of
Caesar’s, to him I say that Brutus’ love to Caesar was
no less than his. If then that friend demand why Brutus
rose against Caesar, this is my answer: not that I loved
Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more. Had you
rather Caesar were living, and die all slaves, than that
Caesar were dead, to live all free men? As Caesar loved
me, I weep for him. As he was fortunate, I rejoice at
it. As he was valiant, I honour him. But as he was
ambitious, I slew him. There is tears for his love, joy
for his fortune, honour for his valour, and death for
his ambition. Who is here so base that would be a
bondman? If any, speak, for him have I offended. Who
is here so rude that would not be a Roman? If any,
speak, for him have I offended. Who is here so vile that
will not love his country? If any, speak, for him have
I offended. I pause for a reply.
cause, and be silent that you may hear. Believe me for
mine honour, and have respect to mine honour, that
you may believe. Censure me in your wisdom, and
awake your senses, that you may the better judge. If
there be any in this assembly, any dear friend of
Caesar’s, to him I say that Brutus’ love to Caesar was
no less than his. If then that friend demand why Brutus
rose against Caesar, this is my answer: not that I loved
Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more. Had you
rather Caesar were living, and die all slaves, than that
Caesar were dead, to live all free men? As Caesar loved
me, I weep for him. As he was fortunate, I rejoice at
it. As he was valiant, I honour him. But as he was
ambitious, I slew him. There is tears for his love, joy
for his fortune, honour for his valour, and death for
his ambition. Who is here so base that would be a
bondman? If any, speak, for him have I offended. Who
is here so rude that would not be a Roman? If any,
speak, for him have I offended. Who is here so vile that
will not love his country? If any, speak, for him have
I offended. I pause for a reply.
ALL THE PLEBEIANS None, Brutus, none.
BRUTUS Then none have I offended. I have done no more to Caesar than you shall do to Brutus. The question of his death is enrolled in the Capitol, his glory not extenuated wherein he was worthy, nor his offences enforced for which he suffered death.
Here comes his body, mourned by Mark Antony, who, though he had no hand in his death, shall receive the benefit of his dying: a place in the commonwealth—as which of you shall not? With this I depart: that as I slew my best lover for the good of Rome, I have the same dagger for myself when it shall please my country
to need my death.
Enter Mark Antony, with
⌈
others
bearing
⌉
Caesar’s
body ⌈in
a coffin
⌉
to need my death.
ALL THE PLEBEIANS Live, Brutus, live, live!
FIRST PLEBEIAN
Bring him with triumph home unto his house.
⌈FOURTH⌉ PLEBEIAN
Give him a statue with his ancestors.
THIRD PLEBEIAN
Let him be Caesar.
⌈FIFTH⌉ PLEBEIAN Caesar’s better parts
Shall be crowned in Brutus.
FIRST PLEBEIAN
We’ll bring him to his house with shouts and
clamours.
clamours.
BRUTUS
My countrymen.
⌈FOURTH⌉ PLEBEIAN Peace, silence. Brutus speaks.
FIRST PLEBEIAN Peace, ho!
BRUTUS
Good countrymen, let me depart alone,
And, for my sake, stay here with Antony.
Do grace to Caesar’s corpse, and grace his speech
Tending to Caesar’s glories, which Mark Antony,
By our permission, is allowed to make.
I do entreat you, not a man depart
Save I alone till Antony have spoke. Exit
And, for my sake, stay here with Antony.
Do grace to Caesar’s corpse, and grace his speech
Tending to Caesar’s glories, which Mark Antony,
By our permission, is allowed to make.
I do entreat you, not a man depart
Save I alone till Antony have spoke. Exit
FIRST PLEBEIAN
Stay, ho, and let us hear Mark Antony.
THIRD PLEBEIAN
Let him go up into the public chair.
We’ll hear him. Noble Antony, go up.
We’ll hear him. Noble Antony, go up.
ANTONY
For Brutus’ sake I am beholden to you.
Antony ascends to the pulpit
Antony ascends to the pulpit
⌈FIFTH⌉ PLEBEIAN
What does he say of Brutus?
THIRD PLEBEIAN He says, for Brutus’ sake
He finds himself beholden to us all.
⌈FIFTH⌉ PLEBEIAN
’Twere best he speak no harm of Brutus here!
FIRST PLEBEIAN
This Caesar was a tyrant.
THIRD PLEBEIAN Nay, that’s certain.
We are blessed that Rome is rid of him.
⌈
Enter
⌉
Antony in the pulpit
⌈FOURTH⌉ PLEBEIAN
Peace, let us hear what Antony can say.
ANTONY
You gentle Romans. ALL THE PLEBEIANS Peace, ho! Let us hear him.
ANTONY
Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears.
I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him.
The evil that men do lives after them;
The good is oft interred with their bones.
So let it be with Caesar. The noble Brutus
Hath told you Caesar was ambitious.
If it were so, it was a grievous fault,
And grievously hath Caesar answered it.
Here, under leave of Brutus and the rest—
For Brutus is an honourable man,
So are they all, all honourable men—
Come I to speak in Caesar’s funeral.
He was my friend, faithful and just to me.
But Brutus says he was ambitious,
And Brutus is an honourable man.
He hath brought many captives home to Rome,
Whose ransoms did the general coffers fill.
Did this in Caesar seem ambitious?
When that the poor have cried, Caesar hath wept.
Ambition should be made of sterner stuff.
Yet Brutus says he was ambitious,
And Brutus is an honourable man.
You all did see that on the Lupercal
I thrice presented him a kingly crown,
Which he did thrice refuse. Was this ambition?
Yet Brutus says he was ambitious,
And sure he is an honourable man.
I speak not to disprove what Brutus spoke,
But here I am to speak what I do know.
You all did love him once, not without cause.
What cause withholds you then to mourn for him?
O judgement, thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason!My heart is in the coffin there with Caesar,He weeps
Bear with me.
And I must pause till it come back to me.
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