Stockdale's Edition of Shakespeare

ACT III.

SCENE I.

The Street, and then

The Capitol: the Senate fitting.

Into the lane 3 of children. Be not fond,
To think that Cæfar bears fuch rebel blood,
That will be thaw'd from the true quality
With that which melteth fools; I mean, fwert
words,

Flourish. Enter Cafar, Brutus, Caffius, Cafea,
Decius, Metellus, Trebonius, Cinna, Antony, Le-Low-crooked curt'fies, and bafe fpaniel fawning.
pidus, Artemidorus, Popila, Publius, and the Thy brother by decree is banished;
Soothsayer.

HE ides of March are come.

Caf. THE

Sooth. Ay, Cæfar, but not gone.
Art. Hail, Cæfar! Read this schedule.
Dec. Trebonius doth defire you to o'er-read,
At your best leifure, this his humble fuit. [fuit
Art. O, Cæfar, read mine firit; for mine's a
That touches Cæfar nearer: Read it, great Cæfar.
Cof. What touches us ourself, fhall be laft
ferv'd.

Art. Delay not, Cæfar; read it inftantly.
Caf. What, is the fellow mad?

Pub. Sirrah, give place.

Caf. What, urge you your petitions in the ftreet? Come to the Capitol.

[Caefar enters the Capitol, the refi following.] Fop. I with, your enterprize to-day may thrive. Caf. What enterprize, Popilius? Pop. Fare you well.

Bru. What faid Popilius Lena?

[thrive.

Caf. He with'd, to-day our enterprize might I fear, our purpofe is dffcovered. [him. B. Look, how he makes to Cæfar: Mark Caf. Cafca, be fudden, for we fear prevention. Brutus, what fhall be done? If this be known, Caflius, or Cæfar, never fhall turn back, For I will flay myself.

Bru. Caffius, be constant: Popilius Lena fpeaks not of our purposes; For, look, heimiles, and Cæfar doth not change. Caf. Trebonius knows his time; for, look you, Brutus,

He draws Mark Antony out of the way. [Exeunt Ant. and Treb. Dec. Where is Metellus Cimber? Let him go, [him. And presently prefer his fuit to Cæfar.

Bru. He is addreft: prefs near, and fecond Cin. Cafca, you are the firit that rear your hand. Caf. Are we all ready? What is now amifs, That Cæfar, and his fenate, muft redress?

Met. Most high, móst mighty, and most puiffant Cæfar,

If thou dost bend, and pray, and fawn, for him,
I fpurn thee like a cur out of my way.
Know, Cæfar doth not wrong; nor without caufe
Will he be fatisfied.

Met. Is there no voice more worthy than my

own,

To found more fweetly in great Cæfar's ear,
For the repealing of my banish'd brother?

Bru. I kifs thy hand, but not in flattery, Cæfar;
Defiring thee, that Publius Cimber may
Have an immediate freedom of repeal.

Gef. What, Brutus !

Cal. Pardon, Cæfar; Cæfar, pardon : As low as to thy foot doth Caffius fall,

To beg enfranchisement for Publius Cimber.

Cf. I could be well mov'd, if I were as you; If I could pray to move, prayers would move me :

But I am conftant as the northern star,
Of whofe true-fixt, and refting quality,
There is no fellow in the firmament.
The fkies are painted with unnumbred sparks,
They are all fire, and every one doth fhine;
But there's but one in all doth hold his place:
And men are flesh and blood, and apprehentive *;
So, in the world; 'Tis furnish'd well with men,
Yet, in the number, I do know but one
That unaffailable holds on his rank,
Unfhak'd of motion; and, that I am he,
Let me a little fhew it, even in this;
And conftant do remain to keep him to.
That I was conftant Cimber should be banish'd,

Cin. O Cæfar,

Caf. Hence! Wilt thou lift up Olympus ?
Dec. Great Cæfar,-

Cef. Doth not Brutus bootlefs kneel?
Cafea. Speak, hands, for me.

[They fiab Cafar. Caf. Et tu, Brute?Then fail, Cæfar!

[Dic

Cin. Liberty Freedom! Tyranny is deadRun hence, proclaim, cry it about the streets. Caf. Some to the common pulpits, and cry out, Liberty, freedom, and enfranchisement !” Bru. People, and fenators! be not affrighted; Fly not; ftand ftill:-ambition's debt is paid. Cafea. Go to the pulpit, Brutus,

Metellus Cimber throws before thy feat [Kneeling."

An humble heart:

Caf. I must prevent thee, Cimber. Thefe couchings, and thefe lowly courtefies, Might fire the blood of ordinary men ; And turn pre-ordinance 2, and first decree,

Dec. And Caffius too.

Bru. Where's Publius ?

1 i. c. he is ready. 2 Pre-ordinance, for ordinance already established. 3 Dr. Johnfon propofes to read, "the law of children. That is, change pre-ordinance and decree into the law of children; iuto fuch flight determinations as every start of will would alter,”, 4 i. e. fulceptible of fear, or other paffions.

Cin. Here, quite confounded with this mutiny. With all true faith. So fays my master Antony. Met. Stand faft together, left fome friend of Bru. Thy mafter is a wife and valiant Roman; Should chanceI never thought him worse.

[Cæfar's --Publius, good

Bru. Talk not of standing cheer; There is no harm intended to your perfon, Nor to no Roman elfe: fo tell them, Publius.

Caf. And leave us, Publius; left that the people, Rufhing on us, fhould do your age fome mifchief. Bru. Do fo;-and let no man abide this deed, But we the doers.

Re-enter Trebonius.

Caf. Where is Antony?

Tre. Fled to his houfe amaz'd:

Men, wives, and children, ftare, cry out, and run, As it were dooms-day.

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.

Caf. Why, he that cuts off twenty years of life, Cuts off fo many years of fearing death.

Bru. Grant that, and then is death a benefit:
So are we Cæfar's friends, that have abridg'd
His time of fearing death.-Stoop, Romans, ftoop,
And let us bathe our hands in Cæfar's blood
Up to the elbows, and befmear our fwords:
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!
Caf. Stoop then, and wath.-How many ages
hence,

Shall this our lofty fcene he acted over,
In ftates unborn, and accents yet unknown?
Bru. How many times fhall Cæfar bleed in fport,
That now on Pompey's bafis lies along,
No worthier than the duft?

Caf. So oft as that shall be,

So often thall the knot of us be call'd
The men that gave their country liberty,
Dec. What, fhall we forth?

Caf. Ay, every min away:
Brutus fhall lead; and we will grace his heels
With the moft boldest and beft hearts of Rome.
Enter a Servant.

Bru. Soft, who comes here? A friend of Antony's. [kneel; Serv. Thus, Brutus, did my mafter bid me Thus did Mark Antony bid me fall down; And, being proftrate, thus he bade me fay. Brutus is noble, wife, valiant, and honeft; Cæfar was mighty, bold, royal, and loving: Say, I love Brutus, and I honour him;

Ant. O mighty Cæfar! Doft thou lie fo low? Are all thy conquefts, glories, triumphs, fpoils, Shrunk to this little measure ?-Fare thee well.I know not, gentlemen, what you intend, Who elfe must be let blood, who elfe is rank 2: If 1 myfelf, there is no hour fo fit

As Cæfar's death's hour; nor no inftrument
Of half that worth, as thofe your fwords, made
rich

With the most noble blood of all this world.
I do beseech ye, if you bear me hard,
Now, whilft your purpled hands do reck and smoke,
Fulfil your pleafure. Live a thousand years,
I fhall not find myfelf fo apt to die:
No place will please me fo, no mean of death,
As here by Cafar, and by you cut off,
The choice and master fpirits of this age.

Bru. O Antony! beg not your death of us.
Though now we muft appear bloody and cruel,
As, by our hands, and this our prefent act,
You fee we do; yet fee you but our hands,
And this the bleeding bufinefs they have done:
Our hearts you fee not, they are pitiful;
And pity to the general wrong of Rome
(As fire drives out fire, fo pity, pity)
Hath done this deed on Cæfar.
To you our fwords have leaden points, Mark
Antony:

For your part,

Our arms, in ftrength of malice, and our hearts,
Of brothers' temper, do receive you in,
With all kind love, good thoughts, and reverence 3.
Caf. Your voice shall be as strong as any man's,
In the difpofing of new dignities.

Bru. Only be patient, 'till we have appeas'd
The multitude, befide themselves with fear,
And then we will deliver you the cause,
Why I, that did love Cæfar when 1 ftruck him,

Ant. I doubt not of your wifdom.

Say, I fear'd Cæfar, honour'd him, and lov'd him. Have thus proceeded.
If Brutus will vouchfafe, that Antony
May fafely come to him, and be refolv'd
How Cæfar hath deferv'd to lie in death,
Mark Antony fhall not love Cefar dead
So well as Brutus living; but will follow
The fortunes and affairs of noble Brutus,
Thorough the hazards of this untrod state,

Let each man render me his bloody hand:
Firft, Marcus Brutus, will I fhake with you ;-
Next, Caius Caffius, do I take your hand ;-
Now, Decius Brutus, yours;—now yours, Me-
tellus ;-

Yours, Cinna;-and, my valiant Cafea, yours ;

This ufe of two negatives, not to make an affirmative, but to deny more ftrongly, is common to our ancient writers. 2 i. e. who elfe is grown too high for the public safety. 3 Brutus' meaning

is, Antony, our arms, firong in the deed of malice they have juft perform'd, and our hearts, united like thofe of brothers in the action, are yet open to receive you with all poffible affection.

Though left, not least in love, yours, good Tre- You fhall not in your funeral speech blame us,

bonius.

Gentlemen, all,-alas! what fhall I fay?

My credit now ftands on fuch flippery ground,
That one of two bad ways you must conceit me,
Either a coward, or a flatterer.

That I did love thee, Cafar, O, 'tis true:
If then thy fpirit look upon us now,
Shall it not grieve thee, dearer than thy death,
To fee thy Antony making his peace,
Shaking the bloody fingers of thy foes,
Moft noble! in the prefence of thy corfe?
Had I as many eves as thou haft wounds,
Weeping as faft as they ftream forth thy blood,
It would become me better, than to clofe
In terms of friendship with thine enemics.
Pardon me, Julius !-Here waft thou bay'd, brave
hart;

Here didst thou fall; and here thy hunters ftand,
Sign'd in thy fpoil, and crimfon'd in thy lethe 1.
O world! thou waft the foreft to this hart;
And, this, indeed, O world, the heart of thee.—
How like a deer, firucken by many princes,
Doft thou here lie?

Caf. Mark Antony,

Ant. Pardon me, Caius Caffous:
The enemies of Cæfar fhall fay this;
Then, in a friend, it is cold modefty.

Caf. I blame you not for praifing Cæfar fo;
But what compact mean you to have with us?
Will you be prick'd in number of our friends;
Or fhall we on, and not depend on you? [indeed,
Ant. Therefore I took your hands; but was,
Sway'd from the point, by looking down on Cæfar.
Friends am I with you all, and love you all;
Upon this hope, that you fhall give me reasons,
Why, and wherein, Cæfar was dangerous.

Bru. Or elfe were this a favage fpcctacle :
Our reafons are fo full of good regard,
That were you, Antony, the fou of Cæfar,
You fhould be fatisfied.

Ant. That's all I feck:

And am morcover fuitor, 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.

Bru. You shall, Mork Antony.
Caf. Brutus, a word with you.-

You know not what you do; Do not confent,
That Antony ipeck in his funcil:

Know you how much the people may be mov'd
By that which he will utter ?

Bru. By your pardon ;—

I will myfelt into the pulpit fit,

And fhew the reafon of our Clufar's death :

What Autopy ihil fpeak, I will proteft
He speaks by leave and by permision;
And that we are contented, Cafar fhall
Have all true rites, and lawful ceremonies.
It tha'l advantage more, than do us wrong.
Caf. I korow not what may fall; Ilike it not.
Br. Mark Antony, here, take you Colak's body.)

But fpeak all good you can devife of Cæfar;
And fay, you do 't by our permiffion;
Elfe fhall you not have any hand at all
About his funeral: And you fhall speak
In the fame pulpit whereto I am going,
After my fpeech is ended.

Ant. Be it fo;

I do defire no more.

Bru. Prepare the body then, and follow us
[Exeunt Confpii atel

Manet Antory.

Ant. O, pardon me, thou bleeding piece of earth,
That I am meek and gentle with thefe butchers!
Thou art the ruins of the noblest man,
That ever lived in the tide 2 of times.
Woe to the hand that shed this coftly blood!
Oer thy wounds now do I prophefy,—
Wichi, Eke dumb mouths, do ope their ruby Lips,
To beg the voice and utterance of my tongue;—
A curfe fhall light upon the Hobs of men;
Dometick fury, and fierce cu ftrife,
Shall cumber all the parts of Italy:
Blood and deftruction fhall be fo in ufe,
And dreadful objects fo familiar,

That mothers fhall but file, when they behold
Their infants quarter'd with the hands of war;
All pity choak'd with cuftom of fell deeds:
And Cafar's fpirit, ranging for revenge,
With Até by his fide, come hot from hell,
Shall in thefe confines, with a monarch's voice,
Cry, Havock 4, and let flip the dogs of war;
That this foul deed shall smell above the earth
With carrion men, groaning for burial.
Enter a Servant.

You ferve Octavius Cæfar, do you not ?
Sev. I do, Mark Antony.

[Seeing the bid.

Ant. Cæfar did write for him, to come to Rome
Se v. "He did receive his letters, and is coming:
And bid me fay to you by word of mouth,—
O Cæfar!--
Ant. Thy heart big; get thee apart and weep.
Paffen, I ice, is catching; for mine eyes,
Seeing thofe beads of forrow ftand in thine,
Began to water. Is thy miter coming?

Serv. He lies to-night within feven largues of
Thith cien -

Reme.

Ant. Poft back with fpec?, and tell him wit
Here is a mourning Rome, a dangerous Rome,
No Rume of fafety for Octavius yet;

Hie hence, and tell him fo. Yet, ftay a while;
Thou shalt not back, 'till I have berne this certe
Into the market-place: there fhall I try,
In my oration, how the people take
The cruel ifuc of thefe bloody men;
According to the which, thou shalt difcourfe
To young Olarius of the ftate of things.
Lend me your hand. [Fxeunt, with Caefar's best.
S C E N E
The Farim.

Fiter Brutus, and Cañas, with the Piiblise
Plb. We will be tatrfiol; let us be fatified

1 Lethe was a common French word, gulfying death or diffraction, from the Latin that fenfe by t ay of the old ran ors. 1. vel. 2. e. the courfe of times. propotes to 1630, thelt ly mms of way" mat is, torf. blo d'eunds of in..

tham, and ufed in

3. Dr. Jornton

4 See note, p 22

b. I will hear Callius; and compare their everally we hear them rendered.

[Exit Caffius, with fome of the Plebrians: Brutus goes into the refrum. b. The noble Brutus is afcended: Silence! Be patient 'till the laft.

2 Pleb. Peace; filence! Brutus fpeaks.
1 Pib. Peace, ho!

Bru. Good countrymen, let me depart alone,
And, for my fake, ftay here with Antony:
Do grace to Cæfar's corpfe, and grace his speech
Tending to Caefar's glories; which Mark Antony
By our permiffion is allow'd to make.
I do intreat you, not a man depart,
Save I alone, 'till Aatony have spoke.

[Fait.

1 Phb. Say, ho! and let us hear Mark Antony. 3 Pb. Let him go up into the public chair, We'll hear him :-Noble Antony, go up.

4d. For Brutus fake, I am beholden to you. 4 Pleb. What does he fay of Brutus ? 3 PLb. He fays, for Brutus' fake, He finds himself beholden to us all. 4 Pleb. 'Twere best he fpeak no harm of Brutus Pleb. This Cefar was a tyrant.

3 Pleb. Nay, that's certain :

[here.

countrymen, and lovers! hear me for e; and be filent, that you may hear: be3 for mine honour; and have respect to onour, that you may believe: cenfure me whdom; and awake your fenfes, that you We are bleft, that Rome is rid of him. better judge. If there be any in this at- 2 Pleb. Peace; let us hear what Antony can fay. any dear friend of Cæfar's, to him I fay, Ant. You gentle Romans,dus' love to Cæfar was no leis than his. if All Peace, ho! let us hear him. fears; it friend demand, why Brutus role agant! ht. Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your h is my anfwer,-Not that I lov'd Cæfar. I come to bury Crefar, not to praife him. :that I lov'd Rome more. Had you ra- The evil, that men do, lives after them; for were living, and dye all flaves; than The good is oft interred with their bones; ar were dead, to live all free men? As So let it be with Cefar! The noble Brutus ov'd me, I weep for him; as he was for- Hath told you, Costar was ambitious: I rejoice at it; as he was valiant, ho- If it were fo, it was a grievous fault; ra: but, as he w. ambitious, I flew him: And grievously hath Cxfar anfwer'd it. re tears, for his love; joy, for his fortune; Here, under leave of Brutus, and the reft, for his valour; and death, for his ambi- (For Brutus is an honourable man; Who is here to bafe, that would be a bond- So are they all, all honourable men) If any, ipeak; for him have I offended. Come I to speak in Cafar's funeral. here fo rude, that would not be a Roman? He was my friend, faithful and just to me : fpeak; for him have I offended. Who is But Brutus fays, he was ambitious; vile, that will not love his country? If And Brutus is an honourable man. eak; for him have I offended. I pauls for

None, Brutus, none.

He hath brought many captives home to Rome,
Whofe ranfoms did the general coffers fill:
Did this in Cæfar feem ambitious?
When that the poor have cry'd, Cæfar hath wert:
Ambition fhould be made of fterner ftutf:

Then none have I offended. I have done
to Cæfar, than you thall do to Brutus.
ation of his death is enroll'd in the C. pi-Yet Brutus fays, he was ambitious;
glory not extenuated, wherein he was wor- And Brutus is an honourable man.
of his offences enforc'd, for which he fuf- You all did fee, that, on the Lupercal,
wih.

1 thrice prefented him a kingly crown,

Mark Antory, &c. with Cefar's body. Which he did th rice refufe. Was this ambition? mes his body, mourn'd by Mark Antony: Yet Brutus fays, he was ambitious; ough he had no hand in his death, fhall re- And, fure, he is an honourable man. Te benefit of his dying, a place in the com-I fpeak not to difprove what Brutus spoke, ith; As which of you shall not? With But here I am to speak what I do know. fort; That, as I flew my beft lover for You all did love him once, not without caufe; d of Rome, I have the fame dagger for my-What caufe with-holds you then to mourn for en it fhell pleafe my country to need my

5. Let him be Cæfar.

b. Cafar's better parts

E drowned in Brutus.

him

Gjudgement, thou art fled to brutish beafts,
And men have lott their reafon !-Bear with me:
My heart is in the coffin there with Cæfar,
And I mutt paufe 'till it come back to me.

1 Plib. Methinks, there is much reafon in his

fayings.

2 Pheb. If thou consider rightly of the matter,

4. We'll bring him to his houfe with fhouts Cafar has had great wrong.

and clamours.

My countrymen,—

3 Pieb. Has he, mafters ?

1 fear, there will a worie come in his place.

Ccc 4

Pleb. Mark'd ye his words? He would not | You all do know this mantle: I remember

take the crown ;

Therefore, 'tis certain, he was not ambitious.

1 Pleb. If it be found fo, fome will dear abide it.
2 Pieb. Poor foul! his eyes are red as fire with
weeping.
[Antony.
3 Pleb. There's not a nobler man in Rome, than
4 Pieb. Now mark him, he begins again to fpeak.
Ant. But yesterday the word of Cæfar might
Have stood against the world; now lies he there,
And none fo poor to do him reverence.
O mafters! if I were difpos'd to stir

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 choose
To wrong the dead, to wrong myself, and you,
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:
Let but the commons hear this testament,
(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.

[tony.

Pleb. We'll hear the will: Read it, Mark An-
All. The will, the will; we will hear Cæfar's will.
Ant. Have patience, gentle friends, I must not
read it;

It is not meet you know how Cafar 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 Pleb. Read the will; we will hear it, Antony; You fhall read us the will; Cæfar's will.

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 ftabb'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, O you gods, how dearly Cæfar lov'd him!
This was the most unkindest cut of all:
For when the noble Cæfar faw him stab,
Ingratitude, more strong than traitors' arms,
Quite vanquish'd him: then burst his mighty heart;
And, in his mantle muffling up his face,
Even at the base of Pompey's ftatue,
Which all the while ran blood, great Cæfar fell.
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 2: thefe 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, with traitors.
1 Pleb. O piteous fpectacle !
2 Pleb. O noble Cæfar!
3 Pleb. O woeful day !.
4 Pleb. O traitors, villains!
1 Pleb. O moft bloody fight!

Ant. Will you be patient? Will you stay a while?

I have o'er-fhot myself, to tell you of it!
I fear, I wrong the honourable men,

2 Pleb. We will be reveng'd: Revenge: About,Seek,-burn,-fire,-kill,-flay !-let not a trai tor 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 for you up

To fuch a fudden flood of mutiny.

Whofe daggers have stabb'd Cæfar: I do fear it.They, that have done this deed, are honourable;
Pleb. They were traitors: Honourable men!
All. The will! the teftament !

What private griefs they have, alas, I know not,
That made them do it; they are wife, and honour.

2 Pleb. They were villains, murderers: The And will, no doubt, with reafons anfwer you. (able, will! read the will!

Ant. You will compel me then to read the will? Then make a ring about the corpfe of Cæfar, And let me fhew you him that made the will. Shall I defcend? And will you give me leave? All. Come down.

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 wel
That gave me public leave to speak of him.
For I have neither wit, nor words, nor worth,

2 Pleb. Defcend. [He comes down from the pulpit. Action, nor utterance, nor the power of fpeech,
3 Pleb. You fhall have leave.
4 Pleb. A ring; ftand round.

Pleb. Stand from the hearfe, ftand from the body.
2 Pleb. Room for Antony ;-moft noble Antony.
Ant. Nay, prefs not fo upon me; ftand far off.
All. Stand back! room! bear back!
Ant. If you have tears, prepare to shed them now.

To ftir men's blood: I only speak right on;
I tell you that, which you yourselves do know;
Shew you fweet Cæfar'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 fpirits, and put a tongue

1 i. e. their handkerchiefs. Napery was the ancient term for all kinds of linen. 2 i. e. the inpreffion of pity.

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Stockdale's Edition of Shakespeare: Including, in One Volume, the Whole of ...