Re-enter TREBONIUS.

Fled to his house amazed:

Cas. Where's Antony?

Tre.

Men, wives, and children stare, cry out, and run, As it were doomsday.

Bru. Fates! we will know your pleasures. That we shall die, we know ; 'tis but the time, And drawing days out, that men stand upon.

Cas. Why, he that cuts off twenty years of life, Cuts off so many years of fearing death.

Bru. Grant that, and then is death a benefit: So are we Cæsar's friends, that have abridged His time of fearing death.-Stoop, Romans, stoop, And let us bathe our hands in Cæsar's blood Up to the elbows, and besmear our swords: Then walk we forth, even to the market-place; And, waving our red weapons o'er our heads, Let's all cry, 'Peace! Freedom! and Liberty!' Cas. Stoop then, and wash.-How many ages hence,

Shall this our lofty scene be acted over,

In states unborn, and accents yet unknown!

Bru. How many times shall Cæsar bleed in sport, That now on Pompey's basis lies along,

No worthier than the dust!

Cas.

So oft as that shall be,

So often shall the knot of us be call'd
The men that gave our country liberty.
D. Bru. What, shall we forth?
Cas.

Ay, every man away:

Brutus shall lead; and we will grace his heels
With the most boldest and best hearts of Rome.

Enter SERVANT.

Bru. Soft, who comes here? A friend of Antony's.

Ser. Thus, Brutus, did my master bid me kneel;
Thus did Mark Antony bid me fall down;
And, being prostrate, thus he bade me say :-
Brutus is noble, wise, valiant, and honest;
Cæsar was mighty, bold, royal, and loving:
Say, I love Brutus, and I honor him;

Say, I fear'd Cæsar, honor'd him, and loved him.
If brutus will vouchsafe, that Antony
May safely come to him, and be resolved
How Cæsar hath deserved to lie in death,
Mark Antony shall not love Cæsar dead
So well as Brutus living; but will follow
The fortunes and affairs of noble Brutus,
Thorough the hazards of this untrod state,
With all true faith. So says my master Antony.
Bru. Thy master is a wise and valiant Roman;
I never thought him worse.

Tell him, so please him come unto this place,
He shall be satisfied; and, by my honor,

Derart untouch'd.

Ser.

I'll fetch him presently.

[Exit Servant.

Bru. I know that we shall have him well to

friend.

Cas. I wish we may: but yet have I a mind, That fears him much; and my misgiving still Falls shrewdly to the purpose.

Re-enter ANTONY.

Bru. But here comes Antony.-Welcome, Mark Antony.

Ant. O mighty Cæsar! Dost thou lie so low? Are all thy conquests, glories, triumphs, spoiis, Shrunk to this little measure ?-Fare thee well. I know not, gentlemen, what you intend, Who else must be let blood, who else is rank: 1 If I myself, there is no hour so fit

As Cæsar's death's hour; nor no instrument

Of half that worth, as those your swords, made rich
With the most noble blood of all this world.
I do beseech ye, if you bear me hard,

Now, whilst your purpled hands do reek and smoke,
Fulfil your pleasure. Live a thousand years,
I shall not find myself so apt to die:

No place will please me so, no mean of death,
As here by Cæsar, and by you cut off,
The choice and master spirits of this age.

Bru. O Antony! beg not your death of us.
Though now we must appear bloody and cruel.
As, by our hands, and this our present act,
You see we do; yet see you but our hands,

1'i. e. grown too high for the public safety.' -Johnson.

SHAK.

XI.

Y

And this the bleeding business they have done.
Our hearts you see not; they are pitiful;
And pity to the general wrong of Rome
(As fire drives out fire, so pity pity)

Hath done this deed on Cæsar.

For your part,

To you our swords have leaden points, Mark An

tony:

Our arms, in strength of malice,1 and our hearts, Of brothers' temper, do receive you in

With all kind love, good thoughts, and reverence. Cas. Your voice shall be as strong as any man's,

In the disposing of new dignities.

Bru. Only be patient, till we have appeased
The multitude, beside themselves with fear,
And then we will deliver you the cause,

Why I, that did love Cæsar when I struck him,
Have thus proceeded.

Ant.

I doubt not of your wisdom. Let each man render me his bloody hand. First, Marcus Brutus, will I shake with you;

Next, Caius Cassius, do I take

hand;your

Now, Decius Brutus, yours;-now yours, Metel

Though last, not least in love, yours, good Tre

bonius.

Gentlemen all,-alas! what shall I say?

My credit now stands on such slippery ground,

1 Strong in the deed of seeming malice just performed.

That one of two bad ways you must conceit me ;-
Either a coward or a flatterer.

That I did love thee, Cæsar, 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 corse?
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 bay'd, brave hart;

Here didst thou fall; and here thy hunters stand,
Sign'd in thy spoil, and crimson'd in thy Lethe.1
O world! thou wast the forest to this hart;
And this, indeed, O world, the heart of thee.-
How like a deer, stricken by many princes,

Dost thou here lie!

Cas. Mark Antony,

Ant.

Pardon me, Caius Cassius: say this;

The enemies of Cæsar shall

Then, in a friend, it is cold modesty.

Cas. I blame you not for praising Cæsar so; But what compact mean you to have with us? Will you be prick'd in number of our friends; Or shall we on, and not depend on you?

Used by old writers for death.