3 Cit.

Has he, masters?

I fear there will a worse come in his place.

4 Cit. Marked ye his words? He would not take the

crown;

Therefore, 'tis certain he was not ambitious.

2 Cit. 3 Cit.

1 Cit. If it be found so, some will dear abide it. Poor soul! his eyes are red as fire with weeping. There's not. a nobler man in Rome than Antony.

4 Cit. Now mark him: he begins again to speak.

7. Ant. But yesterday, the word of Cæsar might Have stood against the world: now lies he there, And none so poor to do him reverence.

O masters! if I were disposed to stir
Your hearts and minds to mutiny and rage,
I should do Brutus wrong, and Cassius wrong,
Who, you all know, are honorable men.

I will not do them wrong. I rather choose
To wrong the dead, to wrong myself, and you,
Than I will wrong such honorable men.

8. But here's a parchment with the seal of Cæsar; I found it in his closet: 'tis his will.

Let but the commons hear this testament

(Which, pardon me, I do not mean i read),
And they would go and kiss dead Cæsar's wounds,
And dip their napkins in his sacred blood;

Yea, beg a hair of him for memory,

And, dying, mention it within their wills,
Bequeathing it, as a rich legacy,

Unto their issue.

9. 4 Cit. We'll hear the will. Read it, Mark Antony! All. The will! the will! We will hear Cæsar's will!

Ant. Have patience, gentle friends; I must not read it: It is not meet you know how Cæsar loved you. You are not wood, you are not stones, but men ; And, being men, hearing the will of Cæsar, It will inflame you, it will make you mad. 'Tis good you know not that you are his heirs; For if you should, oh, what would come of it!

10. 4 Cit. Read the will! We'll hear it, Antony! You shall read us the will-Cæsar's will!

Ant. Will Will you be patient? Will you stay a while? I have o'ershot myself to tell you of it.

I fear I wrong the honorable men

Whose daggers have stabbed Cæsar: I do fear it! 4 Cit. They were traitors!-Honorable men! All. The will!-the testament!

2 Cit. They were villains-murderers! The will!read the will!

11. Ant. You will compel me, then, to read the will? Then make a ring about the corpse of Cæsar,

And let me show you him that made the will.
Shall I descend? And will you give me leave?

1 Cit.

2 Cit.

Stand from the hearse! stand from the body!
Room for Antony-most noble Antony!

Ant. Nay, press not so upon me; stand far off.

All. Stand back! Room! Bear back!

12. Ant. If you have tears, prepare to shed them now.

You all do know this mantle; I remember

The first time ever Cæsar put it on;

'Twas on a summer's evening, in his tent,

That day he overcame the Nervii.

Look! in this place ran Cassius' dagger through:
See, what a rent the envious Casca made!

13. Through this, the well-beloved Brutus stabbed;
And, as he plucked his cursed steel away,
Mark how the blood of Cæsar followed it,
As rushing out of doors, to be resolved
If Brutus so unkindly knocked, or no;

For Brutus, as you know, was Cæsar's angel:
Judge, O you gods, how dearly Cæsar loved him!

14. This was the most unkindest cut of all 1;
For when the noble Cæsar saw him stab,
Ingratitude, more strong than traitors' arms,
Quite vanquished him: then burst his mighty heart ;
And, in his mantle muffling up his face,

Even at the base of Pompey's statue,

Which all the while ran blood, great Cæsar fell.
Oh, what a fall was there, my countrymen !

15. Then I, and you, and all of us fell down,
While bloody treason flourished over us.
Oh, now you weep; and, I perceive, you feel
The dint of pity: these are gracious drops.
Kind souls! what! weep you, when you but behold
Our Cæsar's vesture wounded? Look you here:
Here is himself, marred, as you see, with traitors.
16. 1 Cit. O piteous spectacle!

2 Cit. O noble Cæsar!

3 Cit. O woeful day!

4 Cit. O traitors! villains!

1 Cit. O most bloody sight!

All. We will be revenged! Revenge! About!—seek

-burn-fire-kill-slay! Let not a traitor live!

Ant. Stay, countrymen !

[They are rushing out.]

1 Cit. Peace, there! Hear the noble Antony!

2 Cit. We'll hear him, we'll follow him, we'll die with him!

17. Ant. Good friends, sweet friends, let me not stir you up

To such a sudden flood of mutiny.

They that have done this deed are honorable.
What private griefs they have, alas! I know not,
That made them do it; they are wise and honorable,
And will, no doubt, with reasons answer you.

I come not, friends, to steal away your hearts:

I am no orator, as Brutus is,

But, as you know me all, a plain, blunt man,
That love my friend; and that they know full well
That gave me public leave to speak of him.

18. For I have neither wit, nor words, nor worth,
Action, nor utterance, nor the power of speech,
To stir men's blood; I only speak right on;
I tell you that which you yourselves do know :
Show you sweet Cæsar's wounds--poor, poor dumb
mouths-

And bid them speak for me. But were I Brutus,
And Brutus Antony, there were an Antony
Would ruffle up your spirits, and put a tongue
In every wound of Cæsar, that should move
The stones of Rome to rise and mutiny.

19. All. We'll mutiny!

1 Cit.

3 Cit.

We'll burn the house of Brutus !

Away, then! Come, seek the conspirators! Ant. Yet hear me, countrymen-yet hear me speak. All Peace, ho! Hear Antony-most noble Antony!

Ant.

Why, friends, you go to do you know not

what!

Wherein hath Cæsar thus deserved your loves?

Alas! you know not: I must tell you, then.
You have forgot the will I told you of.

20. All. Most true; the will-let's stay, and hear the will!

Ant. Here is the will, and under Cæsar's seal.

To every Roman citizen he gives,

To every several man, seventy-five drachmas.

2 Cit. Most noble Cæsar! We'll revenge his death. O royal Cæsar!

3 Cit.

Ant. Hear me with patience.

All. Peace, ho!

Ant. Moreover, he hath left you all his walks,
His private arbors, and new-planted orchards,

On this side Tiber; he hath left them you,
And to your heirs forever; common pleasures,
To walk abroad, and recreate yourselves.

Here was a Cæsar! When comes such another?

21. 1 Cit. Never, never! Come, away-away! We'll burn his body in the holy place,

And with the brands fire the traitors' houses.

Take up the body!

2 Cit. Go, fetch fire!

3 Cit.

Pluck down benches!

4 Cit.

Pluck down forms, windows-anything!

[Exeunt CITIZENS, with the body]

Ant. Now let it work! Mischief, thou art afoot,

Take thou what course thou wilt!

William Shakespeare.

FOR PREPARATION.-I. From "Julius Cæsar," Act III., Scene 2; it

follows the speech of Brutus (LVII.).