24 Cry Havock, and let slip the dogs of war; That this foul deed shall smell above the earth

With carrion men, groaning for burial.

Enter a Servant.

You serve Octavius Cæsar, do you not?
Serv. I do, Mark Antony.

Ant. Cæsar did write for him, to come to Rome.

Serv. He did receive his letters, and is coming:

And bid me say to you by word of mouth,-
O Cæsar! -

[Seeing the body.

Ant. Thy heart is big; get thee apart and weep.

Passion, I see, is catching; for mine eyes,
Seeing those beads of sorrow stand in thinę,
Began to water. Is thy master coming?

Serv. He lies to-night within seven leagues of

Rome.

Ant. Post back with speed, and tell him what hath

chanc'd:

Here is a mourning Rome, a dangerous Rome,
No Rome of safety for Octavius yet;

Hie hence, and tell him so. Yet, stay a while;
Thou shalt not back, till I have borne this corse
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 Cæsar's body.

SCENE II.

The Same. The Forum.

Enter BRUTUS, and Cassius, and a throng of
Citizens.

Cit. We will be satisfied; let us be satisfied.

Bru. Then follow me, and give me audience,

friends.

Cassius, go you into the other street,

And part the numbers.

Those that will hear me speak, let them stay here ;

Those that will follow Cassius, go with him;

And publick reasons shall be rendered

Of Cæsar's death.

1 Cit.

I will hear Brutus speak.

2 Cit. I will hear Cassius; and compare their

reasons,

When severally we hear them rendered.

[Exit Cassius, with some of the Citizens. Brutus goes into the rostrum.

3 Cit. The noble Brutus is ascended: Silence! Bru. Be patient till the last.

25 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 Cæsar's, to him I say, that Brutus' love to Cæsar was no less than his. If then that friend demand, why Brutus rose against Cæsar, this is my answer,-Not that I loved Cæsar less, but that I loved Rome more. Had you rather Cæsar were living, and die all slaves; than that Cæsar were dead, to live all free men? As Cæsar 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.

Cit. None, Brutus, none.

[several speaking at once. Bru. Then none have I offended. I have done no more to Cæsar, than you should do to Brutus. The question of his death is enroll'd in the Capitol: his glory not extenuated, wherein he was worthy; nor his offences enforced, for which he suffer'd death.

Enter ANTONY and Others, with Cæsar's body. Here comes his body, mourn'd 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.

Cit. Live, Brutus, live, live!

1 Cit. Bring him with triumph home unto his

house.

2 Cit. Give him a statue with his ancestors.

3 Cit. Let him be Cæsar.

4 Cit.

Cæsar's better parts,

Shall now be crown'd in Brutus.

J Cit. We'll bring him to his house with shouts

and clamours.

Bru. My countrymen,

2 Cit.

1 Cit. Peace, ho!

Peace; silence! Brutus speaks.

Bru. Good countrymen, let me depart alone,

And, for my sake, stay here with Antony:

Do grace to Cæsar's corpse, and grace his speech
Tending to Cæsar's glories; which Mark Antony,

By our permission is allow'd to make.

I do entreat you, not a man depart,

Save I alone, till Antony have spoke.

[Exit.

1 Cit. Stay, ho! and let us hear Mark Antony.

3 Cit. Let him go up into the public chair;

We'll hear him:-Noble Antony, go up.

Ant. For Brutus' sake, I am beholden to you.

4 Cit. What does he say of Brutus ?

He says, for Brutus' sake, 4 Cit. 'Twere best he speak no harm of Brutus

here.

1 Cit. This Cæsar was a tyrant. 3 Cit.

Nay, that's certain: We are bless'd that Rome is rid of him.

2 Cit. Peace: let us hear what Antony can say.

Ant. You gentle Romans,

Cit.

Peace, ho! let us hear lim. Ant. Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your

ears;

I come to bury Cæsar, 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 Cæsar. The noble Brutus
Hath told you, Cæsar was ambitious:
If it were so, it was a grievous fault;
And grievously hath Cæsar answer'd 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 Cæsar'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 Cæsar seem ambitious?

When that the poor have cried, Cæsar hath wept:
Ambition should be made of sterner stuff: