Ant. But yesterday the word of Cæsar might
Have ftood against the world; now lies he there,
And none fo poor to do him reverence.

O mafters! if I were difpos'd to ftir

• Your hearts and minds to mutiny and rage,
• I fhould do Brutus wrong, and Caffius wrong;
• Who, you all know, are honourable men.
• I will not do them wrong: I rather chuse
• To wrong the dead, to wrong myself and
Than I will wrong fuch honourable men.
But here's a parchment, with the feal of Cæfar,
I found it in his closet, 'tis his will;

you,

Let but the commons hear this teftament,
(Which, pardon me, I do not mean to read),
And they would go and kifs dead Cæfar's wounds,
And dip their napkins in his facred blood;

• Yea, beg a hair of him for memory,

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

• Unto their iffue.

4 Pleb. We'll hear the will, read it, Mark Antony. All. The will, the will; we will hear Cæfar's will. Ant. Have patience, gentle friends, I muft not read it; • It is not meet you know how Cæfar lov'd you. • You are not wood, you are not ftones, but men: • And, being men, hearing the will of Cæfar, • It will inflame you, it will make you mad.

'Tis good you know not, that you are his heirs ; For if you fhould- O what would come of it? 4 Pieb. Read the will, we will hear it, Antony; You fhall read us the will, Cæfar's will.

Ant. Will you be patient! will you ftay a while? (1 have o'erfhot myself, to tell you of it).

I fear I wrong the honourable men,

• Whofe daggers have stabb'd Cæfar-I do fear it. 4 Pleb. They were traitors

All. The will! the teftament !

-honourable men!

2 Pleb. They were villains, murtherers; the will! read the will.

Ant. You will compel me then to read the will? • Then make a ring about the corpfe of Cefar, And let me fhew you him that made the will.

• Shall

• Shall I defcend? and will you give me leave?

All. Came down.

2 Pleb. Defcend..

[He comes down from the pulpit.

3 Pleb. You fhall have leave.

4 Pleb. A ring; stand round.

I Pleb.. Stand from the hearfe, ftand from the body. 2. Pleb. Room for Antony-Moft Noble Antony.. Ant. Nay, prefs not so upon me, stand far off.

All. Stand back- -room- -bear back

Ant. If you have tears, prepare to shed them now... You all do know this mantle; I remember,

The first time ever Cæfar put it on,

'Twas on a fummer's evening in his tent, • That day he overcame the Nervii

Look! in this place ran Caffius' dagger through ;-
See what a rent the envious Cafca made..
Through this the well-beloved Brutus stabb'd;
And as he pluck'd his curfed steel away,
Mark how the blood of Cæfar follow'd it !
As rufhing out of doors, to be refolv'd,.
If Brutus fo unkindly knock'd, or no:

For Brutus, as you know, was Cæfar's angel.
Judge, oh you gods! how dearly Caefar lov'd him ;:
This, this, was the unkindeft cut of all;

For when the Noble Cæfar faw him ftab,
Ingratitude, more ftrong than traitors' arms,

• Quite vanquifh'd him; then burft his mighty heart :: • And, in his mantle muffling up

his face,

• Which all the while ran blood, great Cæfar fell, Even at the base of Pompey's ftatue.

O what a fall was there, my countrymen!

• Then I and you, and all of us fell down,
• Whilft bloody treason flourish'd over us.
O, now you weep; and I perceive you feel
The dint of pity; these are gracious drops.
• Kind fouls! what, weep you when you but behold
Our Cæfar's vefture wounded look you here!
• Here is himself, marr'd, as you fee, by traitors.
1 Pleb. O piteous fpectacle!

2 Pleb. O Noble Cæfar!

3

Pleb. O woful day!

4 Pleb. O traitors, villains!

Pleb

1 Pleb. O moft bloody fight!

2 Pleb. We will be reveng'd: revenge: aboutleek-burn-fire-kill-flay! let not a traitor live. Ant. Stay, countrymen

1 Pleb. Peace there, hear the Noble Antony.

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

Ant. Good friends, fweet friends, let me not ftir
To such a fudden flood of mutiny.

you

[up

They that have done this deed are honourable. What private griefs they have, alas, I know not, That made them do it: they are wife and honourable; And will, no doubt, with reason 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 give me public leave to speak of him: For I have neither wit, nor words, nor worth, 'Action nor utt'rance, nor the power of speech, To stir mens' blood; I only speak right on. 'I tell you that which you yourselves do know; Shew you fweet Cæfar's wounds, poor, poor,

mouths!

• And bid them speak for me. But were I Brutus,
'And Brutus Antony, there were an Antony
• Would ruffle up your fpirits, and put a tongue
In every wound of Cæfar, that should move
The ftones of Rome to rife and mutiny.
All. We'll mutiny-

I Pleb. We'll burn the house of Brutus.

3 Pleb. Away then; come, feek the confpirators. Ant. Yet hear me, countrymen; yet hear me fpeak. All. Peace, ho, hear Antony, Moft Noble Antony. Ant. Why, friends, you go to do you know not what. Wherein hath Cæfar thus deferv'd your loves? Alas, you know not; I must tell you

then :

You have forgot the will I told you of.

All. Moft true-the will-let's ftay, and hear the will. Ant. Here is the will, and under Cæsar's feal.

To ev'ry Roman citizen he gives,

To ev'ry fev'ral man, fev'nty-five drachma's.

2 Pleb. Moft Noble Cafar! we'll revenge his death.

3 Pleb. O Royal Cæfar!

Ant. Hear me with patience.

All. Peace, ho!

Ant. Moreover, he hath left you all his walks,
His private arbours, and new-planted orchards,
On that fide Tyber; he hath left them you,
And to your heirs for ever; common pleasures,
To walk abroad, and recreate yourselves.
Here was a Cæfar, when comes fuch another?

1 Pleb. Never, never; come, away, away; We'll burn his body in the holy place,

And with the brands fire all the traitors' houses.
Take up the body.

2 Pleb. Go, fetch fire.

3 Pleb. Pluck down benches.

Pleb. Pluck down forms, windows, any thing.

[Exeunt Plebeians with the body

Ant. Now let it work; Mischief, thou art afoot, Take thou what courfe thou wilt!-How now, fellow!

Enter a Servant.

Ser. Octavius is already come to Rome.
Ant. Where is he?

Ser. He and Lepidus are at Cæfar's house.
Ant. And thither will I ftraight to visit him ;
He comes upon a wifh. Fortune is merry,
And in this mood will give us any thing.

Ser. I heard him fay, Brutus and Caffius
Are rid, like madmen, through the gates of Rome.
Ant. Belike they had some notice of the people,
How I had mov'd them. Bring me to Octavius.

SCENE VII.

[Exeunt

Enter Cinna the poet, and after him the Plebeians.

Cin. I dream'd to-night, that I did feast with Cæfar, And things unlucky charge my fantafy:

I have no will to wander forth of doors;

Yet fomething leads me forth.

1 Pleb. What is your name?

2 Pleb. Whither are you going?

3

Pleb. Where do you dwell?

4 Pleb. Are you a married man, or a bachelor? 2 Pleb. Anfwer every man directly.

Pleb. Ay, and briefly.

4 Pleb. Ay, and wifely.

3 Pleb. Ay, and truly, you were beft.

Cin. What is my name? whither am I going? where do I dwell? am I a married man, or a bachelor? Then to anfwer every man directly and briefly, wifely and truly; wifely, I fay-I am a bachelor.

2 tleb. "That's as much as to fay, they are fools "that marry; you'll bear me a bang for that, I fear; "proceed directly.

Cin. Directly, I am going to Cæfar's funeral.

1 Pleb. As a friend, or an enemy?

Cin. As a friend.

·

2 Pleb. That matter is answer'd dire&ly.
4 Pleb. For your dwelling; briefly.
Cin. Briefly, I dwell by the Capitol.
3 Pleb. Your name, Sir, truly.

Lin. Truly my name is Cinna.

1 Pleb. Tear him to pieces, he's a confpirator.
Cin. I am Cinna the poet, I am Cinna the poet.

4 Pleb. Tear him for his bad verses, tear him for his 4 bad verfes.

Cin. I am not Cinna the Confpirator.

4 Pleb. It is no matter, his name's Cinna; pluck but his name out of his heart, and turn him going.

3 Pleb. Tear him, tear him.

brands:

Come, brands, ho, fire

To Brutus, to Caffius, burn all. Some to Decius's house, And fome to Cafca's, fome to Ligarius: away, go.

Ant.

ACT IV. SCENE I.

Enter Antony, Odavius, and Lepidus.

[Exeunt.

THESE many then fhall die, their names are

prick'd.

08. Your brother too muft die: confent you, Lepidus?

Lep.