Julius Caesar

ACT 1

Scene 1

Enter Flavius, Marullus, and certain Commoners,
including a Carpenter and a Cobbler, over the stage.

FLAVIUS

Hence! Home, you idle creatures, get you home!
Is this a holiday? What, know you not,
Being mechanical, you ought not walk
Upon a laboring day without the sign
55Of your profession?—Speak, what trade art thou?

CARPENTER

Why, sir, a carpenter.

MARULLUS

Where is thy leather apron and thy rule?
What dost thou with thy best apparel on?—
You, sir, what trade are you?

COBBLER

1010Truly, sir, in respect of a fine workman, I am
but, as you would say, a cobbler.

MARULLUS

But what trade art thou? Answer me directly.

COBBLER

A trade, sir, that I hope I may use with a safe
conscience, which is indeed, sir, a mender of bad
1515soles.

FLAVIUS

What trade, thou knave? Thou naughty knave, what
trade?

COBBLER

Nay, I beseech you, sir, be not out with me.
Yet if you be out, sir, I can mend you.

MARULLUS

2020What mean’st thou by that? Mend me, thou saucy
fellow?

COBBLER

Why, sir, cobble you.

FLAVIUS

Thou art a cobbler, art thou?

COBBLER

Truly, sir, all that I live by is with the
2525awl. I meddle with no tradesman’s matters nor
women’s matters, but withal I am indeed, sir, a
surgeon to old shoes: when they are in great danger,
I recover them. As proper men as ever trod upon
neat’s leather have gone upon my handiwork.

FLAVIUS

3030But wherefore art not in thy shop today?
Why dost thou lead these men about the streets?

COBBLER

Truly, sir, to wear out their shoes, to
get myself into more work. But indeed, sir, we
make holiday to see Caesar and to rejoice in his
3535triumph.

MARULLUS

Wherefore rejoice? What conquest brings he home?
What tributaries follow him to Rome
To grace in captive bonds his chariot wheels?
You blocks, you stones, you worse than senseless
4040things!
O you hard hearts, you cruel men of Rome,
Knew you not Pompey? Many a time and oft
Have you climbed up to walls and battlements,
To towers and windows, yea, to chimney tops,
4545Your infants in your arms, and there have sat
The livelong day, with patient expectation,
To see great Pompey pass the streets of Rome.
And when you saw his chariot but appear,
Have you not made an universal shout,
5050That Tiber trembled underneath her banks
To hear the replication of your sounds
Made in her concave shores?
And do you now put on your best attire?
And do you now cull out a holiday?
5555And do you now strew flowers in his way
That comes in triumph over Pompey’s blood?
Be gone!
Run to your houses, fall upon your knees,
Pray to the gods to intermit the plague
6060That needs must light on this ingratitude.

FLAVIUS

Go, go, good countrymen, and for this fault
Assemble all the poor men of your sort,
Draw them to Tiber banks, and weep your tears
Into the channel, till the lowest stream
6565Do kiss the most exalted shores of all.
All the Commoners exit.
See whe’er their basest mettle be not moved.
They vanish tongue-tied in their guiltiness.
Go you down that way towards the Capitol.
This way will I. Disrobe the images
7070If you do find them decked with ceremonies.

MARULLUS

May we do so?
You know it is the feast of Lupercal.

FLAVIUS

It is no matter. Let no images
Be hung with Caesar’s trophies. I’ll about
7575And drive away the vulgar from the streets;
So do you too, where you perceive them thick.
These growing feathers plucked from Caesar’s wing
Will make him fly an ordinary pitch,
Who else would soar above the view of men
8080And keep us all in servile fearfulness.

They exit in different directions.

Scene 2

Enter Caesar, Antony for the course, Calphurnia, Portia,
Decius, Cicero, Brutus, Cassius, Casca, a Soothsayer;
after them Marullus and Flavius and Commoners.

CAESAR

Calphurnia.

CASCA

Peace, ho! Caesar speaks.

CAESAR

Calphurnia.

CALPHURNIA

Here, my lord.

CAESAR

585Stand you directly in Antonius’ way
When he doth run his course.—Antonius.

ANTONY

Caesar, my lord.

CAESAR

Forget not in your speed, Antonius,
To touch Calphurnia, for our elders say
1090The barren, touchèd in this holy chase,
Shake off their sterile curse.

ANTONY

I shall remember.
When Caesar says “Do this,” it is performed.

CAESAR

Set on and leave no ceremony out.

Sennet.

SOOTHSAYER

1595Caesar.

CAESAR

Ha! Who calls?

CASCA

Bid every noise be still. Peace, yet again!

CAESAR

Who is it in the press that calls on me?
I hear a tongue shriller than all the music
20100Cry “Caesar.” Speak. Caesar is turned to hear.

SOOTHSAYER

Beware the ides of March.

CAESAR

What man is that?

BRUTUS

A soothsayer bids you beware the ides of March.

CAESAR

Set him before me. Let me see his face.

CASSIUS

25105Fellow, come from the throng.
The Soothsayer comes forward.
Look upon Caesar.

CAESAR

What sayst thou to me now? Speak once again.

SOOTHSAYER

Beware the ides of March.

CAESAR

He is a dreamer. Let us leave him. Pass.

Sennet. All but Brutus and Cassius exit.

CASSIUS

30110Will you go see the order of the course?

BRUTUS

Not I.

CASSIUS

I pray you, do.

BRUTUS

I am not gamesome. I do lack some part
Of that quick spirit that is in Antony.
35115Let me not hinder, Cassius, your desires.
I’ll leave you.

CASSIUS

Brutus, I do observe you now of late.
I have not from your eyes that gentleness
And show of love as I was wont to have.
40120You bear too stubborn and too strange a hand
Over your friend that loves you.

BRUTUS

Cassius,
Be not deceived. If I have veiled my look,
I turn the trouble of my countenance
45125Merely upon myself. Vexèd I am
Of late with passions of some difference,
Conceptions only proper to myself,
Which give some soil, perhaps, to my behaviors.
But let not therefore my good friends be grieved
50130(Among which number, Cassius, be you one)
Nor construe any further my neglect
Than that poor Brutus, with himself at war,
Forgets the shows of love to other men.

CASSIUS

Then, Brutus, I have much mistook your passion,
55135By means whereof this breast of mine hath buried
Thoughts of great value, worthy cogitations.
Tell me, good Brutus, can you see your face?

BRUTUS

No, Cassius, for the eye sees not itself
But by reflection, by some other things.

CASSIUS

60140’Tis just.
And it is very much lamented, Brutus,
That you have no such mirrors as will turn
Your hidden worthiness into your eye,
That you might see your shadow. I have heard
65145Where many of the best respect in Rome,
Except immortal Caesar, speaking of Brutus
And groaning underneath this age’s yoke,
Have wished that noble Brutus had his eyes.

BRUTUS

Into what dangers would you lead me, Cassius,
70150That you would have me seek into myself
For that which is not in me?

CASSIUS

Therefore, good Brutus, be prepared to hear.
And since you know you cannot see yourself
So well as by reflection, I, your glass,
75155Will modestly discover to yourself
That of yourself which you yet know not of.
And be not jealous on me, gentle Brutus.
Were I a common laughter, or did use
To stale with ordinary oaths my love
80160To every new protester; if you know
That I do fawn on men and hug them hard
And after scandal them, or if you know
That I profess myself in banqueting
To all the rout, then hold me dangerous.

Flourish and shout.

BRUTUS

85165What means this shouting? I do fear the people
Choose Caesar for their king.

CASSIUS

Ay, do you fear it?
Then must I think you would not have it so.

BRUTUS

I would not, Cassius, yet I love him well.
90170But wherefore do you hold me here so long?
What is it that you would impart to me?
If it be aught toward the general good,
Set honor in one eye and death i’ th’ other
And I will look on both indifferently;
95175For let the gods so speed me as I love
The name of honor more than I fear death.

CASSIUS

I know that virtue to be in you, Brutus,
As well as I do know your outward favor.
Well, honor is the subject of my story.
100180I cannot tell what you and other men
Think of this life; but, for my single self,
I had as lief not be as live to be
In awe of such a thing as I myself.
I was born free as Caesar; so were you;
105185We both have fed as well, and we can both
Endure the winter’s cold as well as he.
For once, upon a raw and gusty day,
The troubled Tiber chafing with her shores,
Caesar said to me “Dar’st thou, Cassius, now
110190Leap in with me into this angry flood
And swim to yonder point?” Upon the word,
Accoutered as I was, I plungèd in
And bade him follow; so indeed he did.
The torrent roared, and we did buffet it
115195With lusty sinews, throwing it aside
And stemming it with hearts of controversy.
But ere we could arrive the point proposed,
Caesar cried “Help me, Cassius, or I sink!”
I, as Aeneas, our great ancestor,
120200Did from the flames of Troy upon his shoulder
The old Anchises bear, so from the waves of Tiber
Did I the tired Caesar. And this man
Is now become a god, and Cassius is
A wretched creature and must bend his body
125205If Caesar carelessly but nod on him.
He had a fever when he was in Spain,
And when the fit was on him, I did mark
How he did shake. ’Tis true, this god did shake.
His coward lips did from their color fly,
130210And that same eye whose bend doth awe the world
Did lose his luster. I did hear him groan.
Ay, and that tongue of his that bade the Romans
Mark him and write his speeches in their books,
“Alas,” it cried “Give me some drink, Titinius”
135215As a sick girl. You gods, it doth amaze me
A man of such a feeble temper should
So get the start of the majestic world
And bear the palm alone.

Shout. Flourish.

BRUTUS

Another general shout!
140220I do believe that these applauses are
For some new honors that are heaped on Caesar.

CASSIUS

Why, man, he doth bestride the narrow world
Like a Colossus, and we petty men
Walk under his huge legs and peep about
145225To find ourselves dishonorable graves.
Men at some time are masters of their fates.
The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars,
But in ourselves, that we are underlings.
“Brutus” and “Caesar”—what should be in that
150230“Caesar”?
Why should that name be sounded more than
yours?
Write them together, yours is as fair a name;
Sound them, it doth become the mouth as well;
155235Weigh them, it is as heavy; conjure with ’em,
“Brutus” will start a spirit as soon as “Caesar.”
Now, in the names of all the gods at once,
Upon what meat doth this our Caesar feed
That he is grown so great? Age, thou art shamed!
160240Rome, thou hast lost the breed of noble bloods!
When went there by an age, since the great flood,
But it was famed with more than with one man?
When could they say, till now, that talked of Rome,
That her wide walks encompassed but one man?
165245Now is it Rome indeed, and room enough
When there is in it but one only man.
O, you and I have heard our fathers say
There was a Brutus once that would have brooked
Th’ eternal devil to keep his state in Rome
170250As easily as a king.

BRUTUS

That you do love me, I am nothing jealous.
What you would work me to, I have some aim.
How I have thought of this, and of these times,
I shall recount hereafter. For this present,
175255I would not, so with love I might entreat you,
Be any further moved. What you have said
I will consider; what you have to say
I will with patience hear, and find a time
Both meet to hear and answer such high things.
180260Till then, my noble friend, chew upon this:
Brutus had rather be a villager
Than to repute himself a son of Rome
Under these hard conditions as this time
Is like to lay upon us.

CASSIUS

185265I am glad that my weak words
Have struck but thus much show of fire from
Brutus.

Enter Caesar and his train.

BRUTUS

The games are done, and Caesar is returning.

CASSIUS

As they pass by, pluck Casca by the sleeve,
190270And he will, after his sour fashion, tell you
What hath proceeded worthy note today.

BRUTUS

I will do so. But look you, Cassius,
The angry spot doth glow on Caesar’s brow,
And all the rest look like a chidden train.
195275Calphurnia’s cheek is pale, and Cicero
Looks with such ferret and such fiery eyes
As we have seen him in the Capitol,
Being crossed in conference by some senators.

CASSIUS

Casca will tell us what the matter is.

CAESAR

200280Antonius.

ANTONY

Caesar.

CAESAR

Let me have men about me that are fat,
Sleek-headed men, and such as sleep a-nights.
Yond Cassius has a lean and hungry look.
205285He thinks too much. Such men are dangerous.

ANTONY

Fear him not, Caesar; he’s not dangerous.
He is a noble Roman, and well given.

CAESAR

Would he were fatter! But I fear him not.
Yet if my name were liable to fear,
210290I do not know the man I should avoid
So soon as that spare Cassius. He reads much,
He is a great observer, and he looks
Quite through the deeds of men. He loves no plays,
As thou dost, Antony; he hears no music;
215295Seldom he smiles, and smiles in such a sort
As if he mocked himself and scorned his spirit
That could be moved to smile at anything.
Such men as he be never at heart’s ease
Whiles they behold a greater than themselves,
220300And therefore are they very dangerous.
I rather tell thee what is to be feared
Than what I fear; for always I am Caesar.
Come on my right hand, for this ear is deaf,
And tell me truly what thou think’st of him.

Sennet. Caesar and his train exit
but Casca remains behind.

CASCA

225305You pulled me by the cloak. Would you speak
with me?

BRUTUS

Ay, Casca. Tell us what hath chanced today
That Caesar looks so sad.

CASCA

Why, you were with him, were you not?

BRUTUS

230310I should not then ask Casca what had chanced.

CASCA

Why, there was a crown offered him; and, being
offered him, he put it by with the back of his hand,
thus, and then the people fell a-shouting.

BRUTUS

What was the second noise for?

CASCA

235315Why, for that too.

CASSIUS

They shouted thrice. What was the last cry for?

CASCA

Why, for that too.

BRUTUS

Was the crown offered him thrice?

CASCA

Ay, marry, was ’t, and he put it by thrice, every
240320time gentler than other; and at every putting-by,
mine honest neighbors shouted.

CASSIUS

Who offered him the crown?

CASCA

Why, Antony.

BRUTUS

Tell us the manner of it, gentle Casca.

CASCA

245325I can as well be hanged as tell the manner of it.
It was mere foolery; I did not mark it. I saw Mark
Antony offer him a crown (yet ’twas not a crown
neither; ’twas one of these coronets), and, as I told
you, he put it by once; but for all that, to my
250330thinking, he would fain have had it. Then he offered
it to him again; then he put it by again; but to my
thinking, he was very loath to lay his fingers off it.
And then he offered it the third time. He put it the
third time by, and still as he refused it the rabblement
255335hooted and clapped their chopped hands and
threw up their sweaty nightcaps and uttered such a
deal of stinking breath because Caesar refused the
crown that it had almost choked Caesar, for he
swooned and fell down at it. And for mine own part,
260340I durst not laugh for fear of opening my lips and
receiving the bad air.

CASSIUS

But soft, I pray you. What, did Caesar swoon?

CASCA

He fell down in the marketplace and foamed at
mouth and was speechless.

BRUTUS

265345’Tis very like; he hath the falling sickness.

CASSIUS

No, Caesar hath it not; but you and I
And honest Casca, we have the falling sickness.

CASCA

I know not what you mean by that, but I am
sure Caesar fell down. If the tag-rag people did not
270350clap him and hiss him, according as he pleased and
displeased them, as they use to do the players in the
theater, I am no true man.

BRUTUS

What said he when he came unto himself?

CASCA

Marry, before he fell down, when he perceived
275355the common herd was glad he refused the crown,
he plucked me ope his doublet and offered them his
throat to cut. An I had been a man of any occupation,
if I would not have taken him at a word, I
would I might go to hell among the rogues. And so
280360he fell. When he came to himself again, he said if he
had done or said anything amiss, he desired their
Worships to think it was his infirmity. Three or four
wenches where I stood cried “Alas, good soul!” and
forgave him with all their hearts. But there’s no
285365heed to be taken of them; if Caesar had stabbed
their mothers, they would have done no less.

BRUTUS

And, after that, he came thus sad away?

CASCA

Ay.

CASSIUS

Did Cicero say anything?

CASCA

290370Ay, he spoke Greek.

CASSIUS

To what effect?

CASCA

Nay, an I tell you that, I’ll ne’er look you i’ th’
face again. But those that understood him smiled at
one another and shook their heads. But for mine
295375own part, it was Greek to me. I could tell you more
news too: Marullus and Flavius, for pulling scarves
off Caesar’s images, are put to silence. Fare you
well. There was more foolery yet, if I could remember
it.

CASSIUS

300380Will you sup with me tonight, Casca?

CASCA

No, I am promised forth.

CASSIUS

Will you dine with me tomorrow?

CASCA

Ay, if I be alive, and your mind hold, and your
dinner worth the eating.

CASSIUS

305385Good. I will expect you.

CASCA

Do so. Farewell both.

He exits.

BRUTUS

What a blunt fellow is this grown to be!
He was quick mettle when he went to school.

CASSIUS

So is he now in execution
310390Of any bold or noble enterprise,
However he puts on this tardy form.
This rudeness is a sauce to his good wit,
Which gives men stomach to digest his words
With better appetite.

BRUTUS

315395And so it is. For this time I will leave you.
Tomorrow, if you please to speak with me,
I will come home to you; or, if you will,
Come home to me, and I will wait for you.

CASSIUS

I will do so. Till then, think of the world.
Brutus exits.
320400Well, Brutus, thou art noble. Yet I see
Thy honorable mettle may be wrought
From that it is disposed. Therefore it is meet
That noble minds keep ever with their likes;
For who so firm that cannot be seduced?
325405Caesar doth bear me hard, but he loves Brutus.
If I were Brutus now, and he were Cassius,
He should not humor me. I will this night
In several hands in at his windows throw,
As if they came from several citizens,
330410Writings, all tending to the great opinion
That Rome holds of his name, wherein obscurely
Caesar’s ambition shall be glancèd at
And after this, let Caesar seat him sure,
For we will shake him, or worse days endure.

He exits.

Scene 3

Thunder and lightning. Enter Casca and Cicero.

CICERO

415Good even, Casca. Brought you Caesar home?
Why are you breathless? And why stare you so?

CASCA

Are not you moved, when all the sway of earth
Shakes like a thing unfirm? O Cicero,
5I have seen tempests when the scolding winds
420Have rived the knotty oaks, and I have seen
Th’ ambitious ocean swell and rage and foam
To be exalted with the threat’ning clouds;
But never till tonight, never till now,
10Did I go through a tempest dropping fire.
425Either there is a civil strife in heaven,
Or else the world, too saucy with the gods,
Incenses them to send destruction.

CICERO

Why, saw you anything more wonderful?

CASCA

15A common slave (you know him well by sight)
430Held up his left hand, which did flame and burn
Like twenty torches joined; and yet his hand,
Not sensible of fire, remained unscorched.
Besides (I ha’ not since put up my sword),
20Against the Capitol I met a lion,
435Who glazed upon me and went surly by
Without annoying me. And there were drawn
Upon a heap a hundred ghastly women,
Transformèd with their fear, who swore they saw
25Men all in fire walk up and down the streets.
440And yesterday the bird of night did sit
Even at noonday upon the marketplace,
Hooting and shrieking. When these prodigies
Do so conjointly meet, let not men say
30“These are their reasons, they are natural,”
445For I believe they are portentous things
Unto the climate that they point upon.

CICERO

Indeed, it is a strange-disposèd time.
But men may construe things after their fashion,
35Clean from the purpose of the things themselves.
450Comes Caesar to the Capitol tomorrow?

CASCA

He doth, for he did bid Antonius
Send word to you he would be there tomorrow.

CICERO

Good night then, Casca. This disturbèd sky
40Is not to walk in.

CASCA

455Farewell, Cicero

Cicero exits.Enter Cassius.

CASSIUS

Who’s there?

CASCA

A Roman.

CASSIUS

Casca, by your voice.

CASCA

45Your ear is good. Cassius, what night is this!

CASSIUS

460A very pleasing night to honest men.

CASCA

Who ever knew the heavens menace so?

CASSIUS

Those that have known the Earth so full of faults.
For my part, I have walked about the streets,
50Submitting me unto the perilous night,
465And thus unbracèd, Casca, as you see,
Have bared my bosom to the thunder-stone;
And when the cross blue lightning seemed to open
The breast of heaven, I did present myself
55Even in the aim and very flash of it.

CASCA

470But wherefore did you so much tempt the heavens?
It is the part of men to fear and tremble
When the most mighty gods by tokens send
Such dreadful heralds to astonish us.

CASSIUS

60You are dull, Casca, and those sparks of life
475That should be in a Roman you do want,
Or else you use not. You look pale, and gaze,
And put on fear, and cast yourself in wonder,
To see the strange impatience of the heavens.
65But if you would consider the true cause
480Why all these fires, why all these gliding ghosts,
Why birds and beasts from quality and kind,
Why old men, fools, and children calculate,
Why all these things change from their ordinance,
70Their natures, and preformèd faculties,
485To monstrous quality—why, you shall find
That heaven hath infused them with these spirits
To make them instruments of fear and warning
Unto some monstrous state.
75Now could I, Casca, name to thee a man
490Most like this dreadful night,
That thunders, lightens, opens graves, and roars
As doth the lion in the Capitol;
A man no mightier than thyself or me
80In personal action, yet prodigious grown,
495And fearful, as these strange eruptions are.

CASCA

’Tis Caesar that you mean, is it not, Cassius?

CASSIUS

Let it be who it is. For Romans now
Have thews and limbs like to their ancestors.
85But, woe the while, our fathers’ minds are dead,
500And we are governed with our mothers’ spirits.
Our yoke and sufferance show us womanish.

CASCA

Indeed, they say the Senators tomorrow
Mean to establish Caesar as a king,
90And he shall wear his crown by sea and land
505In every place save here in Italy.

CASSIUS

I know where I will wear this dagger then;
Cassius from bondage will deliver Cassius.
Therein, you gods, you make the weak most strong;
95Therein, you gods, you tyrants do defeat.
510Nor stony tower, nor walls of beaten brass,
Nor airless dungeon, nor strong links of iron,
Can be retentive to the strength of spirit;
But life, being weary of these worldly bars,
100Never lacks power to dismiss itself.
515If I know this, know all the world besides,
That part of tyranny that I do bear
I can shake off at pleasure.

Thunder still.

CASCA

So can I.
105So every bondman in his own hand bears
520The power to cancel his captivity.

CASSIUS

And why should Caesar be a tyrant, then?
Poor man, I know he would not be a wolf
But that he sees the Romans are but sheep;
110He were no lion, were not Romans hinds.
525Those that with haste will make a mighty fire
Begin it with weak straws. What trash is Rome,
What rubbish, and what offal when it serves
For the base matter to illuminate
115So vile a thing as Caesar! But, O grief,
530Where hast thou led me? I perhaps speak this
Before a willing bondman; then, I know
My answer must be made. But I am armed,
And dangers are to me indifferent.

CASCA

120You speak to Casca, and to such a man
535That is no fleering telltale. Hold. My hand.
They shake hands.
Be factious for redress of all these griefs,
And I will set this foot of mine as far
As who goes farthest.

CASSIUS

125There’s a bargain made.
540Now know you, Casca, I have moved already
Some certain of the noblest-minded Romans
To undergo with me an enterprise
Of honorable-dangerous consequence.
130And I do know by this they stay for me
545In Pompey’s Porch. For now, this fearful night,
There is no stir or walking in the streets;
And the complexion of the element
In favor ’s like the work we have in hand,
135Most bloody, fiery, and most terrible.

Enter Cinna.

CASCA

550Stand close awhile, for here comes one in haste.

CASSIUS

’Tis Cinna; I do know him by his gait.
He is a friend.—Cinna, where haste you so?

CINNA

To find out you. Who’s that? Metellus Cimber?

CASSIUS

140No, it is Casca, one incorporate
555To our attempts. Am I not stayed for, Cinna?

CINNA

I am glad on ’t. What a fearful night is this!
There’s two or three of us have seen strange sights.

CASSIUS

Am I not stayed for? Tell me.

CINNA

145Yes, you are. O Cassius, if you could
560But win the noble Brutus to our party—

CASSIUS , handing him papers

Be you content. Good Cinna, take this paper,
And look you lay it in the Praetor’s chair,
Where Brutus may but find it; and throw this
150In at his window; set this up with wax
565Upon old Brutus’ statue. All this done,
Repair to Pompey’s Porch, where you shall find us.
Is Decius Brutus and Trebonius there?

CINNA

All but Metellus Cimber, and he’s gone
155To seek you at your house. Well, I will hie
570And so bestow these papers as you bade me.

CASSIUS

That done, repair to Pompey’s Theater.
Cinna exits.
Come, Casca, you and I will yet ere day
See Brutus at his house. Three parts of him
160Is ours already, and the man entire
575Upon the next encounter yields him ours.

CASCA

O, he sits high in all the people’s hearts,
And that which would appear offense in us
His countenance, like richest alchemy,
165Will change to virtue and to worthiness.

CASSIUS

580Him and his worth and our great need of him
You have right well conceited. Let us go,
For it is after midnight, and ere day
We will awake him and be sure of him.

They exit.

ACT 2

Scene 1

Enter Brutus in his orchard.

BRUTUS

What, Lucius, ho!—
585I cannot by the progress of the stars
Give guess how near to day.—Lucius, I say!—
I would it were my fault to sleep so soundly.—
5When, Lucius, when? Awake, I say! What, Lucius!

Enter Lucius.

LUCIUS

Called you, my lord?

BRUTUS

590Get me a taper in my study, Lucius.
When it is lighted, come and call me here.

LUCIUS

I will, my lord.

He exits.

BRUTUS

10It must be by his death. And for my part
I know no personal cause to spurn at him,
595But for the general. He would be crowned:
How that might change his nature, there’s the
question.
15It is the bright day that brings forth the adder,
And that craves wary walking. Crown him that,
600And then I grant we put a sting in him
That at his will he may do danger with.
Th’ abuse of greatness is when it disjoins
20Remorse from power. And, to speak truth of Caesar,
I have not known when his affections swayed
605More than his reason. But ’tis a common proof
That lowliness is young ambition’s ladder,
Whereto the climber-upward turns his face;
25But, when he once attains the upmost round,
He then unto the ladder turns his back,
610Looks in the clouds, scorning the base degrees
By which he did ascend. So Caesar may.
Then, lest he may, prevent. And since the quarrel
30Will bear no color for the thing he is,
Fashion it thus: that what he is, augmented,
615Would run to these and these extremities.
And therefore think him as a serpent’s egg,
Which, hatched, would, as his kind, grow
35mischievous,
And kill him in the shell.

Enter Lucius.

LUCIUS

620The taper burneth in your closet, sir.
Searching the window for a flint, I found
This paper, thus sealed up, and I am sure
40It did not lie there when I went to bed.

Gives him the letter.

BRUTUS

Get you to bed again. It is not day.
625Is not tomorrow, boy, the ides of March?

LUCIUS

I know not, sir.

BRUTUS

Look in the calendar, and bring me word.

LUCIUS

45I will, sir.

He exits.

BRUTUS

The exhalations, whizzing in the air,
630Give so much light that I may read by them.
Opens the letter and reads.

Brutus, thou sleep’st. Awake, and see thyself!
Shall Rome, etc. Speak, strike, redress!
50“Brutus, thou sleep’st. Awake.”
Such instigations have been often dropped
635Where I have took them up.
“Shall Rome, etc.” Thus must I piece it out:
Shall Rome stand under one man’s awe? What,
55Rome?
My ancestors did from the streets of Rome
640The Tarquin drive when he was called a king.
“Speak, strike, redress!” Am I entreated
To speak and strike? O Rome, I make thee promise,
60If the redress will follow, thou receivest
Thy full petition at the hand of Brutus.

Enter Lucius.

LUCIUS

645Sir, March is wasted fifteen days.

Knock within.

BRUTUS

’Tis good. Go to the gate; somebody knocks.
Lucius exits.
Since Cassius first did whet me against Caesar,
65I have not slept.
Between the acting of a dreadful thing
650And the first motion, all the interim is
Like a phantasma or a hideous dream.
The genius and the mortal instruments
70Are then in council, and the state of man,
Like to a little kingdom, suffers then
655The nature of an insurrection.

Enter Lucius.

LUCIUS

Sir, ’tis your brother Cassius at the door,
Who doth desire to see you.

BRUTUS

75Is he alone?

LUCIUS

No, sir. There are more with him.

BRUTUS

660Do you know
them?

LUCIUS

No, sir. Their hats are plucked about their ears,
80And half their faces buried in their cloaks,
That by no means I may discover them
665By any mark of favor.

BRUTUS

Let ’em enter.Lucius exits.
They are the faction. O conspiracy,
85Sham’st thou to show thy dang’rous brow by night,
When evils are most free? O, then, by day
670Where wilt thou find a cavern dark enough
To mask thy monstrous visage? Seek none,
conspiracy.
90Hide it in smiles and affability;
For if thou path, thy native semblance on,
675Not Erebus itself were dim enough
To hide thee from prevention.

Enter the conspirators, Cassius, Casca, Decius, Cinna,
Metellus, and Trebonius.

CASSIUS

I think we are too bold upon your rest.
95Good morrow, Brutus. Do we trouble you?

BRUTUS

I have been up this hour, awake all night.
680Know I these men that come along with you?

CASSIUS

Yes, every man of them; and no man here
But honors you, and every one doth wish
100You had but that opinion of yourself
Which every noble Roman bears of you.
685This is Trebonius.

BRUTUS

He is welcome hither.

CASSIUS

This, Decius Brutus.

BRUTUS

105He is welcome too.

CASSIUS

This, Casca; this, Cinna; and this, Metellus Cimber.

BRUTUS

690They are all welcome.
What watchful cares do interpose themselves
Betwixt your eyes and night?

CASSIUS

110Shall I entreat a word?

Brutus and Cassius whisper.

DECIUS

Here lies the east; doth not the day break here?

CASCA

695No.

CINNA

O pardon, sir, it doth; and yon gray lines
That fret the clouds are messengers of day.

CASCA

115You shall confess that you are both deceived.
Here, as I point my sword, the sun arises,
700Which is a great way growing on the south,
Weighing the youthful season of the year.
Some two months hence, up higher toward the
120north
He first presents his fire, and the high east
705Stands, as the Capitol, directly here.

BRUTUS , coming forward with Cassius

Give me your hands all over, one by one.

CASSIUS

And let us swear our resolution.

BRUTUS

125No, not an oath. If not the face of men,
The sufferance of our souls, the time’s abuse—
710If these be motives weak, break off betimes,
And every man hence to his idle bed.
So let high-sighted tyranny range on
130Till each man drop by lottery. But if these—
As I am sure they do—bear fire enough
715To kindle cowards and to steel with valor
The melting spirits of women, then, countrymen,
What need we any spur but our own cause
135To prick us to redress? What other bond
Than secret Romans that have spoke the word
720And will not palter? And what other oath
Than honesty to honesty engaged
That this shall be or we will fall for it?
140Swear priests and cowards and men cautelous,
Old feeble carrions, and such suffering souls
725That welcome wrongs; unto bad causes swear
Such creatures as men doubt; but do not stain
The even virtue of our enterprise,
145Nor th’ insuppressive mettle of our spirits,
To think that or our cause or our performance
730Did need an oath, when every drop of blood
That every Roman bears, and nobly bears,
Is guilty of a several bastardy
150If he do break the smallest particle
Of any promise that hath passed from him.

CASSIUS

735But what of Cicero? Shall we sound him?
I think he will stand very strong with us.

CASCA

Let us not leave him out.

CINNA

155No, by no means.

METELLUS

O, let us have him, for his silver hairs
740Will purchase us a good opinion
And buy men’s voices to commend our deeds.
It shall be said his judgment ruled our hands.
160Our youths and wildness shall no whit appear,
But all be buried in his gravity.

BRUTUS

745O, name him not! Let us not break with him,
For he will never follow anything
That other men begin.

CASSIUS

165Then leave him out.

CASCA

Indeed, he is not fit.

DECIUS

750Shall no man else be touched, but only Caesar?

CASSIUS

Decius, well urged. I think it is not meet
Mark Antony, so well beloved of Caesar,
170Should outlive Caesar. We shall find of him
A shrewd contriver; and, you know, his means,
755If he improve them, may well stretch so far
As to annoy us all; which to prevent,
Let Antony and Caesar fall together.

BRUTUS

175Our course will seem too bloody, Caius Cassius,
To cut the head off and then hack the limbs,
760Like wrath in death and envy afterwards;
For Antony is but a limb of Caesar.
Let’s be sacrificers, but not butchers, Caius.
180We all stand up against the spirit of Caesar,
And in the spirit of men there is no blood.
765O, that we then could come by Caesar’s spirit
And not dismember Caesar! But, alas,
Caesar must bleed for it. And, gentle friends,
185Let’s kill him boldly, but not wrathfully.
Let’s carve him as a dish fit for the gods,
770Not hew him as a carcass fit for hounds.
And let our hearts, as subtle masters do,
Stir up their servants to an act of rage
190And after seem to chide ’em. This shall make
Our purpose necessary and not envious;
775Which so appearing to the common eyes,
We shall be called purgers, not murderers.
And for Mark Antony, think not of him,
195For he can do no more than Caesar’s arm
When Caesar’s head is off.

CASSIUS

780Yet I fear him,
For in the engrafted love he bears to Caesar—

BRUTUS

Alas, good Cassius, do not think of him.
200If he love Caesar, all that he can do
Is to himself: take thought and die for Caesar.
785And that were much he should, for he is given
To sports, to wildness, and much company.

TREBONIUS

There is no fear in him. Let him not die,
205For he will live and laugh at this hereafter.

Clock strikes.

BRUTUS

Peace, count the clock.

CASSIUS

790The clock hath stricken
three.

TREBONIUS

’Tis time to part.

CASSIUS

210But it is doubtful yet
Whether Caesar will come forth today or no,
795For he is superstitious grown of late,
Quite from the main opinion he held once
Of fantasy, of dreams, and ceremonies.
215It may be these apparent prodigies,
The unaccustomed terror of this night,
800And the persuasion of his augurers
May hold him from the Capitol today.

DECIUS

Never fear that. If he be so resolved,
220I can o’ersway him, for he loves to hear
That unicorns may be betrayed with trees,
805And bears with glasses, elephants with holes,
Lions with toils, and men with flatterers.
But when I tell him he hates flatterers,
225He says he does, being then most flatterèd.
Let me work,
810For I can give his humor the true bent,
And I will bring him to the Capitol.

CASSIUS

Nay, we will all of us be there to fetch him.

BRUTUS

230By the eighth hour, is that the uttermost?

CINNA

Be that the uttermost, and fail not then.

METELLUS

815Caius Ligarius doth bear Caesar hard,
Who rated him for speaking well of Pompey.
I wonder none of you have thought of him.

BRUTUS

235Now, good Metellus, go along by him.
He loves me well, and I have given him reasons.
820Send him but hither, and I’ll fashion him.

CASSIUS

The morning comes upon ’s. We’ll leave you,
Brutus.
240And, friends, disperse yourselves, but all remember
What you have said, and show yourselves true
825Romans.

BRUTUS

Good gentlemen, look fresh and merrily.
Let not our looks put on our purposes,
245But bear it, as our Roman actors do,
With untired spirits and formal constancy.
830And so good morrow to you every one.
All but Brutus exit.
Boy! Lucius!—Fast asleep? It is no matter.
Enjoy the honey-heavy dew of slumber.
250Thou hast no figures nor no fantasies
Which busy care draws in the brains of men.
835Therefore thou sleep’st so sound.

Enter Portia.

PORTIA

Brutus, my lord.

BRUTUS

Portia! What mean you? Wherefore rise you now?
255It is not for your health thus to commit
Your weak condition to the raw cold morning.

PORTIA

840Nor for yours neither. You’ve ungently, Brutus,
Stole from my bed. And yesternight at supper
You suddenly arose and walked about,
260Musing and sighing, with your arms across,
And when I asked you what the matter was,
845You stared upon me with ungentle looks.
I urged you further; then you scratched your head
And too impatiently stamped with your foot.
265Yet I insisted; yet you answered not,
But with an angry wafture of your hand
850Gave sign for me to leave you. So I did,
Fearing to strengthen that impatience
Which seemed too much enkindled, and withal
270Hoping it was but an effect of humor,
Which sometime hath his hour with every man.
855It will not let you eat nor talk nor sleep,
And could it work so much upon your shape
As it hath much prevailed on your condition,
275I should not know you Brutus. Dear my lord,
Make me acquainted with your cause of grief.

BRUTUS

860I am not well in health, and that is all.

PORTIA

Brutus is wise and, were he not in health,
He would embrace the means to come by it.

BRUTUS

280Why so I do. Good Portia, go to bed.

PORTIA

Is Brutus sick? And is it physical
865To walk unbracèd and suck up the humors
Of the dank morning? What, is Brutus sick,
And will he steal out of his wholesome bed
285To dare the vile contagion of the night
And tempt the rheumy and unpurgèd air
870To add unto his sickness? No, my Brutus,
You have some sick offense within your mind,
Which by the right and virtue of my place
290I ought to know of. She kneels. And upon my
knees
875I charm you, by my once commended beauty,
By all your vows of love, and that great vow
Which did incorporate and make us one,
295That you unfold to me, your self, your half,
Why you are heavy, and what men tonight
880Have had resort to you; for here have been
Some six or seven who did hide their faces
Even from darkness.

BRUTUS

300Kneel not, gentle Portia.

He lifts her up.

PORTIA

I should not need, if you were gentle Brutus.
885Within the bond of marriage, tell me, Brutus,
Is it excepted I should know no secrets
That appertain to you? Am I your self
305But, as it were, in sort or limitation,
To keep with you at meals, comfort your bed,
890And talk to you sometimes? Dwell I but in the
suburbs
Of your good pleasure? If it be no more,
310Portia is Brutus’ harlot, not his wife.

BRUTUS

You are my true and honorable wife,
895As dear to me as are the ruddy drops
That visit my sad heart.

PORTIA

If this were true, then should I know this secret.
315I grant I am a woman, but withal
A woman that Lord Brutus took to wife.
900I grant I am a woman, but withal
A woman well-reputed, Cato’s daughter.
Think you I am no stronger than my sex,
320Being so fathered and so husbanded?
Tell me your counsels; I will not disclose ’em.
905I have made strong proof of my constancy,
Giving myself a voluntary wound
Here, in the thigh. Can I bear that with patience,
325And not my husband’s secrets?

BRUTUS

O you gods,
910Render me worthy of this noble wife!Knock.
Hark, hark, one knocks. Portia, go in awhile,
And by and by thy bosom shall partake
330The secrets of my heart.
All my engagements I will construe to thee,
915All the charactery of my sad brows.
Leave me with haste.Portia exits.
Lucius, who ’s that knocks?

Enter Lucius and Ligarius.

LUCIUS

335Here is a sick man that would speak with you.

BRUTUS

Caius Ligarius, that Metellus spoke of.—
920Boy, stand aside.Lucius exits.
Caius Ligarius, how?

LIGARIUS

Vouchsafe good morrow from a feeble tongue.

BRUTUS

340O, what a time have you chose out, brave Caius,
To wear a kerchief! Would you were not sick!

LIGARIUS

925I am not sick, if Brutus have in hand
Any exploit worthy the name of honor.

BRUTUS

Such an exploit have I in hand, Ligarius,
345Had you a healthful ear to hear of it.

LIGARIUS

By all the gods that Romans bow before,
930I here discard my sickness.
He takes off his kerchief.
Soul of Rome,
Brave son derived from honorable loins,
350Thou like an exorcist hast conjured up
My mortifièd spirit. Now bid me run,
935And I will strive with things impossible,
Yea, get the better of them. What’s to do?

BRUTUS

A piece of work that will make sick men whole.

LIGARIUS

355But are not some whole that we must make sick?

BRUTUS

That must we also. What it is, my Caius,
940I shall unfold to thee as we are going
To whom it must be done.

LIGARIUS

Set on your foot,
360And with a heart new-fired I follow you
To do I know not what; but it sufficeth
945That Brutus leads me on.

Thunder.

BRUTUS

Follow me then.

They exit.

Scene 2

Thunder and lightning. Enter Julius Caesar in his
nightgown.

CAESAR

Nor heaven nor Earth have been at peace tonight.
Thrice hath Calphurnia in her sleep cried out
“Help ho, they murder Caesar!”—Who’s within?

Enter a Servant.

SERVANT

950My lord.

CAESAR

5Go bid the priests do present sacrifice,
And bring me their opinions of success.

SERVANT

I will, my lord.

He exits.Enter Calphurnia.

CALPHURNIA

What mean you, Caesar? Think you to walk forth?
955You shall not stir out of your house today.

CAESAR

10Caesar shall forth. The things that threatened me
Ne’er looked but on my back. When they shall see
The face of Caesar, they are vanishèd.

CALPHURNIA

Caesar, I never stood on ceremonies,
960Yet now they fright me. There is one within,
15Besides the things that we have heard and seen,
Recounts most horrid sights seen by the watch.
A lioness hath whelpèd in the streets,
And graves have yawned and yielded up their dead.
965Fierce fiery warriors fought upon the clouds
20In ranks and squadrons and right form of war,
Which drizzled blood upon the Capitol.
The noise of battle hurtled in the air,
Horses did neigh, and dying men did groan,
970And ghosts did shriek and squeal about the streets.
25O Caesar, these things are beyond all use,
And I do fear them.

CAESAR

What can be avoided
Whose end is purposed by the mighty gods?
975Yet Caesar shall go forth, for these predictions
30Are to the world in general as to Caesar.

CALPHURNIA

When beggars die there are no comets seen;
The heavens themselves blaze forth the death of
princes.

CAESAR

980Cowards die many times before their deaths;
35The valiant never taste of death but once.
Of all the wonders that I yet have heard,
It seems to me most strange that men should fear,
Seeing that death, a necessary end,
985Will come when it will come.

Enter a Servant.

40What say the augurers?

SERVANT

They would not have you to stir forth today.
Plucking the entrails of an offering forth,
They could not find a heart within the beast.

CAESAR

990The gods do this in shame of cowardice.
45Caesar should be a beast without a heart
If he should stay at home today for fear.
No, Caesar shall not. Danger knows full well
That Caesar is more dangerous than he.
995We are two lions littered in one day,
50And I the elder and more terrible.
And Caesar shall go forth.

CALPHURNIA

Alas, my lord,
Your wisdom is consumed in confidence.
1000Do not go forth today. Call it my fear
55That keeps you in the house, and not your own.
We’ll send Mark Antony to the Senate House,
And he shall say you are not well today.
Let me, upon my knee, prevail in this.

She kneels.

CAESAR

1005Mark Antony shall say I am not well,
60And for thy humor I will stay at home.
He lifts her up.

Enter Decius.

Here’s Decius Brutus; he shall tell them so.

DECIUS

Caesar, all hail! Good morrow, worthy Caesar.
I come to fetch you to the Senate House.

CAESAR

1010And you are come in very happy time
65To bear my greeting to the Senators
And tell them that I will not come today.
Cannot is false, and that I dare not, falser.
I will not come today. Tell them so, Decius.

CALPHURNIA

1015Say he is sick.

CAESAR

70Shall Caesar send a lie?
Have I in conquest stretched mine arm so far,
To be afeard to tell graybeards the truth?
Decius, go tell them Caesar will not come.

DECIUS

1020Most mighty Caesar, let me know some cause,
75Lest I be laughed at when I tell them so.

CAESAR

The cause is in my will. I will not come.
That is enough to satisfy the Senate.
But for your private satisfaction,
1025Because I love you, I will let you know.
80Calphurnia here, my wife, stays me at home.
She dreamt tonight she saw my statue,
Which, like a fountain with an hundred spouts,
Did run pure blood; and many lusty Romans
1030Came smiling and did bathe their hands in it.
85And these does she apply for warnings and portents
And evils imminent, and on her knee
Hath begged that I will stay at home today.

DECIUS

This dream is all amiss interpreted.
1035It was a vision fair and fortunate.
90Your statue spouting blood in many pipes,
In which so many smiling Romans bathed,
Signifies that from you great Rome shall suck
Reviving blood, and that great men shall press
1040For tinctures, stains, relics, and cognizance.
95This by Calphurnia’s dream is signified.

CAESAR

And this way have you well expounded it.

DECIUS

I have, when you have heard what I can say.
And know it now: the Senate have concluded
1045To give this day a crown to mighty Caesar.
100If you shall send them word you will not come,
Their minds may change. Besides, it were a mock
Apt to be rendered, for someone to say
“Break up the Senate till another time,
1050When Caesar’s wife shall meet with better dreams.”
105If Caesar hide himself, shall they not whisper
“Lo, Caesar is afraid”?
Pardon me, Caesar, for my dear dear love
To your proceeding bids me tell you this,
1055And reason to my love is liable.

CAESAR

110How foolish do your fears seem now, Calphurnia!
I am ashamèd I did yield to them.
Give me my robe, for I will go.
Enter Brutus, Ligarius, Metellus, Casca, Trebonius,
Cinna, and Publius.

And look where Publius is come to fetch me.

PUBLIUS

1060Good morrow, Caesar.

CAESAR

115Welcome, Publius.—
What, Brutus, are you stirred so early too?—
Good morrow, Casca.—Caius Ligarius,
Caesar was ne’er so much your enemy
1065As that same ague which hath made you lean.—
120What is ’t o’clock?

BRUTUS

Caesar, ’tis strucken eight.

CAESAR

I thank you for your pains and courtesy.

Enter Antony.

See, Antony that revels long a-nights
1070Is notwithstanding up.—Good morrow, Antony.

ANTONY

125So to most noble Caesar.

CAESAR , to Servant

Bid them prepare within.—
I am to blame to be thus waited for.Servant exits.
Now, Cinna.—Now, Metellus.—What, Trebonius,
1075I have an hour’s talk in store for you.
130Remember that you call on me today;
Be near me that I may remember you.

TREBONIUS

Caesar, I will. Aside. And so near will I be
That your best friends shall wish I had been further.

CAESAR

1080Good friends, go in and taste some wine with me,
135And we, like friends, will straightway go together.

BRUTUS , aside

That every like is not the same, O Caesar,
The heart of Brutus earns to think upon.

They exit.

Scene 3

Enter Artemidorus reading a paper.

ARTEMIDORUS

Caesar, beware of Brutus, take heed of
1085Cassius, come not near Casca, have an eye to Cinna,
trust not Trebonius, mark well Metellus Cimber.
Decius Brutus loves thee not. Thou hast wronged
5Caius Ligarius. There is but one mind in all these
men, and it is bent against Caesar. If thou beest not
1090immortal, look about you. Security gives way to
conspiracy. The mighty gods defend thee!
Thy lover,
10Artemidorus
Here will I stand till Caesar pass along,
1095And as a suitor will I give him this.
My heart laments that virtue cannot live
Out of the teeth of emulation.
15If thou read this, O Caesar, thou mayest live;
If not, the Fates with traitors do contrive.

He exits.

Scene 4

Enter Portia and Lucius.

PORTIA

1100I prithee, boy, run to the Senate House.
Stay not to answer me, but get thee gone.
Why dost thou stay?

LUCIUS

To know my errand, madam.

PORTIA

5I would have had thee there and here again
1105Ere I can tell thee what thou shouldst do there.
Aside. O constancy, be strong upon my side;
Set a huge mountain ’tween my heart and tongue.
I have a man’s mind but a woman’s might.
10How hard it is for women to keep counsel!—
1110Art thou here yet?

LUCIUS

Madam, what should I do?
Run to the Capitol, and nothing else?
And so return to you, and nothing else?

PORTIA

15Yes, bring me word, boy, if thy lord look well,
1115For he went sickly forth. And take good note
What Caesar doth, what suitors press to him.
Hark, boy, what noise is that?

LUCIUS

I hear none, madam.

PORTIA

20Prithee, listen well.
1120I heard a bustling rumor like a fray,
And the wind brings it from the Capitol.

LUCIUS

Sooth, madam, I hear nothing.

Enter the Soothsayer.

PORTIA

Come hither, fellow. Which way hast thou been?

SOOTHSAYER

25At mine own house, good lady.

PORTIA

1125What is ’t o’clock?

SOOTHSAYER

About the ninth hour, lady.

PORTIA

Is Caesar yet gone to the Capitol?

SOOTHSAYER

Madam, not yet. I go to take my stand
30To see him pass on to the Capitol.

PORTIA

1130Thou hast some suit to Caesar, hast thou not?

SOOTHSAYER

That I have, lady. If it will please Caesar
To be so good to Caesar as to hear me,
I shall beseech him to befriend himself.

PORTIA

35Why, know’st thou any harm’s intended towards
1135him?

SOOTHSAYER

None that I know will be, much that I fear may
chance.
Good morrow to you.—Here the street is narrow.
40The throng that follows Caesar at the heels,
1140Of senators, of praetors, common suitors,
Will crowd a feeble man almost to death.
I’ll get me to a place more void, and there
Speak to great Caesar as he comes along.

He exits.

PORTIA

45I must go in. Aside. Ay me, how weak a thing
1145The heart of woman is! O Brutus,
The heavens speed thee in thine enterprise!
Sure the boy heard me. To Lucius. Brutus hath a
suit
50That Caesar will not grant. Aside. O, I grow
1150faint.—
Run, Lucius, and commend me to my lord.
Say I am merry. Come to me again
And bring me word what he doth say to thee.

They exit separately.

ACT 3

Scene 1

Flourish. Enter Caesar, Antony, Lepidus; Brutus, Cassius,
Casca, Decius, Metellus, Trebonius, Cinna; Publius,
Popilius, Artemidorus, the Soothsayer, and other
Senators and Petitioners.

CAESAR

The ides of March are come.

SOOTHSAYER

1155Ay, Caesar, but not gone.

ARTEMIDORUS

Hail, Caesar. Read this schedule.

DECIUS

Trebonius doth desire you to o’erread,
5At your best leisure, this his humble suit.

ARTEMIDORUS

O Caesar, read mine first, for mine’s a suit
1160That touches Caesar nearer. Read it, great Caesar.

CAESAR

What touches us ourself shall be last served.

ARTEMIDORUS

Delay not, Caesar; read it instantly.

CAESAR

10What, is the fellow mad?

PUBLIUS

Sirrah, give place.

CASSIUS

1165What, urge you your petitions in the street?
Come to the Capitol.

Caesar goes forward, the rest following.

POPILIUS , to Cassius

I wish your enterprise today may thrive.

CASSIUS

15What enterprise, Popilius?

POPILIUS

Fare you well.

He walks away.

BRUTUS

1170What said Popilius Lena?

CASSIUS

He wished today our enterprise might thrive.
I fear our purpose is discoverèd.

BRUTUS

20Look how he makes to Caesar. Mark him.

CASSIUS

Casca, be sudden, for we fear prevention.—
1175Brutus, what shall be done? If this be known,
Cassius or Caesar never shall turn back,
For I will slay myself.

BRUTUS

25Cassius, be constant.
Popilius Lena speaks not of our purposes,
1180For look, he smiles, and Caesar doth not change.

CASSIUS

Trebonius knows his time, for look you, Brutus,
He draws Mark Antony out of the way.

Trebonius and Antony exit.

DECIUS

30Where is Metellus Cimber? Let him go
And presently prefer his suit to Caesar.

BRUTUS

1185He is addressed. Press near and second him.

CINNA

Casca, you are the first that rears your hand.

CAESAR

Are we all ready? What is now amiss
35That Caesar and his Senate must redress?

METELLUS , kneeling

Most high, most mighty, and most puissant Caesar,
1190Metellus Cimber throws before thy seat
An humble heart.

CAESAR

I must prevent thee, Cimber.
40These couchings and these lowly courtesies
Might fire the blood of ordinary men
1195And turn preordinance and first decree
Into the law of children. Be not fond
To think that Caesar bears such rebel blood
45That will be thawed from the true quality
With that which melteth fools—I mean sweet
1200words,
Low-crookèd curtsies, and base spaniel fawning.
Thy brother by decree is banishèd.
50If thou dost bend and pray and fawn for him,
I spurn thee like a cur out of my way.
1205Know: Caesar doth not wrong, nor without cause
Will he be satisfied.

METELLUS

Is there no voice more worthy than my own
55To sound more sweetly in great Caesar’s ear
For the repealing of my banished brother?

BRUTUS , kneeling

1210I kiss thy hand, but not in flattery, Caesar,
Desiring thee that Publius Cimber may
Have an immediate freedom of repeal.

CAESAR

60What, Brutus?

CASSIUS , kneeling

Pardon, Caesar; Caesar, pardon!
1215As low as to thy foot doth Cassius fall
To beg enfranchisement for Publius Cimber.

CAESAR

I could be well moved, if I were as you.
65If I could pray to move, prayers would move me.
But I am constant as the Northern Star,
1220Of whose true fixed and resting quality
There is no fellow in the firmament.
The skies are painted with unnumbered sparks;
70They are all fire, and every one doth shine.
But there’s but one in all doth hold his place.
1225So in the world: ’tis furnished well with men,
And men are flesh and blood, and apprehensive.
Yet in the number I do know but one
75That unassailable holds on his rank,
Unshaked of motion; and that I am he
1230Let me a little show it, even in this:
That I was constant Cimber should be banished
And constant do remain to keep him so.

CINNA , kneeling

80O Caesar—

CAESAR

Hence. Wilt thou lift up Olympus?

DECIUS , kneeling

1235Great Caesar—

CAESAR

Doth not Brutus bootless kneel?

CASCA

Speak, hands, for me!

As Casca strikes, the others rise up and stab Caesar.

CAESAR

85Et tu, Brutè?—Then fall, Caesar.

He dies.

CINNA

Liberty! Freedom! Tyranny is dead!
1240Run hence, proclaim, cry it about the streets.

CASSIUS

Some to the common pulpits and cry out
“Liberty, freedom, and enfranchisement.”

BRUTUS

90People and Senators, be not affrighted.
Fly not; stand still. Ambition’s debt is paid.

CASCA

1245Go to the pulpit, Brutus.

DECIUS

And Cassius too.

BRUTUS

Where’s Publius?

CINNA

95Here, quite confounded with this mutiny.

METELLUS

Stand fast together, lest some friend of Caesar’s
1250Should chance—

BRUTUS

Talk not of standing.—Publius, good cheer.
There is no harm intended to your person,
100Nor to no Roman else. So tell them, Publius.

CASSIUS

And leave us, Publius, lest that the people,
1255Rushing on us, should do your age some mischief.

BRUTUS

Do so, and let no man abide this deed
But we the doers.

All but the Conspirators exit.Enter Trebonius.

CASSIUS

105Where is Antony?

TREBONIUS

Fled to his house amazed.
1260Men, wives, and children stare, cry out, and run
As it were doomsday.

BRUTUS

Fates, we will know your
110pleasures.
That we shall die we know; ’tis but the time,
1265And drawing days out, that men stand upon.

CASCA

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

BRUTUS

115Grant that, and then is death a benefit.
So are we Caesar’s friends, that have abridged
1270His time of fearing death. Stoop, Romans, stoop,
And let us bathe our hands in Caesar’s blood
Up to the elbows and besmear our swords.
120Then walk we forth, even to the marketplace,
And, waving our red weapons o’er our heads,
1275Let’s all cry “Peace, freedom, and liberty!”

CASSIUS

Stoop then, and wash.
They smear their hands and swords with Caesar’s blood.
How many ages hence
125Shall this our lofty scene be acted over
In states unborn and accents yet unknown!

BRUTUS

1280How many times shall Caesar bleed in sport,
That now on Pompey’s basis lies along
No worthier than the dust!

CASSIUS

130So oft as that shall be,
So often shall the knot of us be called
1285The men that gave their country liberty.

DECIUS

What, shall we forth?

CASSIUS

Ay, every man away.
135Brutus shall lead, and we will grace his heels
With the most boldest and best hearts of Rome.

Enter a Servant.

BRUTUS

1290Soft, who comes here? A friend of Antony’s.

SERVANT , kneeling

Thus, Brutus, did my master bid me kneel.
Thus did Mark Antony bid me fall down,
140And, being prostrate, thus he bade me say:
Brutus is noble, wise, valiant, and honest;
1295Caesar was mighty, bold, royal, and loving.
Say, I love Brutus, and I honor him;
Say, I feared Caesar, honored him, and loved him.
145If Brutus will vouchsafe that Antony
May safely come to him and be resolved
1300How Caesar hath deserved to lie in death,
Mark Antony shall not love Caesar dead
So well as Brutus living, but will follow
150The fortunes and affairs of noble Brutus
Thorough the hazards of this untrod state
1305With all true faith. So says my master Antony.

BRUTUS

Thy master is a wise and valiant Roman.
I never thought him worse.
155Tell him, so please him come unto this place,
He shall be satisfied and, by my honor,
1310Depart untouched.

SERVANT

I’ll fetch him presently.

Servant exits.

BRUTUS

I know that we shall have him well to friend.

CASSIUS

160I wish we may; but yet have I a mind
That fears him much, and my misgiving still
1315Falls shrewdly to the purpose.

Enter Antony.

BRUTUS

But here comes Antony.—Welcome, Mark Antony!

ANTONY

O mighty Caesar, dost thou lie so low?
165Are all thy conquests, glories, triumphs, spoils
Shrunk to this little measure? Fare thee well.—
1320I know not, gentlemen, what you intend,
Who else must be let blood, who else is rank.
If I myself, there is no hour so fit
170As Caesar’s death’s hour, nor no instrument
Of half that worth as those your swords made rich
1325With the most noble blood of all this world.
I do beseech you, if you bear me hard,
Now, whilst your purpled hands do reek and smoke,
175Fulfill your pleasure. Live a thousand years,
I shall not find myself so apt to die;
1330No place will please me so, no mean of death,
As here by Caesar, and by you cut off,
The choice and master spirits of this age.

BRUTUS

180O Antony, beg not your death of us!
Though now we must appear bloody and cruel,
1335As by our hands and this our present act
You see we do, yet see you but our hands
And this the bleeding business they have done.
185Our hearts you see not; they are pitiful;
And pity to the general wrong of Rome
1340(As fire drives out fire, so pity pity)
Hath done this deed on Caesar. For your part,
To you our swords have leaden points, Mark Antony.
190Our arms in strength of malice, and our hearts
Of brothers’ temper, do receive you in
1345With all kind love, good thoughts, and reverence.

CASSIUS

Your voice shall be as strong as any man’s
In the disposing of new dignities.

BRUTUS

195Only be patient till we have appeased
The multitude, beside themselves with fear;
1350And then we will deliver you the cause
Why I, that did love Caesar when I struck him,
Have thus proceeded.

ANTONY

200I doubt not of your wisdom.
Let each man render me his bloody hand.
1355First, Marcus Brutus, will I shake with you.—
Next, Caius Cassius, do I take your hand.—
Now, Decius Brutus, yours;—now yours,
205Metellus;—
Yours, Cinna;—and, my valiant Casca, yours;—
1360Though last, not least in love, yours, good
Trebonius.—
Gentlemen all—alas, what shall I say?
210My credit now stands on such slippery ground
That one of two bad ways you must conceit me,
1365Either a coward or a flatterer.—
That I did love thee, Caesar, O, ’tis true!
If then thy spirit look upon us now,
215Shall it not grieve thee dearer than thy death
To see thy Antony making his peace,
1370Shaking the bloody fingers of thy foes—
Most noble!—in the presence of thy corpse?
Had I as many eyes as thou hast wounds,
220Weeping as fast as they stream forth thy blood,
It would become me better than to close
1375In terms of friendship with thine enemies.
Pardon me, Julius! Here wast thou bayed, brave
hart,
225Here didst thou fall, and here thy hunters stand
Signed in thy spoil and crimsoned in thy Lethe.
1380O world, thou wast the forest to this hart,
And this indeed, O world, the heart of thee.
How like a deer strucken by many princes
230Dost thou here lie!

CASSIUS

Mark Antony—

ANTONY

1385Pardon me, Caius Cassius.
The enemies of Caesar shall say this;
Then, in a friend, it is cold modesty.

CASSIUS

235I blame you not for praising Caesar so.
But what compact mean you to have with us?
1390Will you be pricked in number of our friends,
Or shall we on and not depend on you?

ANTONY

Therefore I took your hands, but was indeed
240Swayed from the point by looking down on Caesar.
Friends am I with you all and love you all,
1395Upon this hope, that you shall give me reasons
Why and wherein Caesar was dangerous.

BRUTUS

Or else were this a savage spectacle.
245Our reasons are so full of good regard
That were you, Antony, the son of Caesar,
1400You should be satisfied.

ANTONY

That’s all I seek;
And am, moreover, suitor that I may
250Produce his body to the marketplace,
And in the pulpit, as becomes a friend,
1405Speak in the order of his funeral.

BRUTUS

You shall, Mark Antony.

CASSIUS

Brutus, a word with you.
255Aside to Brutus. You know not what you do. Do
not consent
1410That Antony speak in his funeral.
Know you how much the people may be moved
By that which he will utter?

BRUTUS , aside to Cassius

260By your pardon,
I will myself into the pulpit first
1415And show the reason of our Caesar’s death.
What Antony shall speak I will protest
He speaks by leave and by permission,
265And that we are contented Caesar shall
Have all true rites and lawful ceremonies.
1420It shall advantage more than do us wrong.

CASSIUS , aside to Brutus

I know not what may fall. I like it not.

BRUTUS

Mark Antony, here, take you Caesar’s body.
270You shall not in your funeral speech blame us
But speak all good you can devise of Caesar
1425And say you do ’t by our permission,
Else shall you not have any hand at all
About his funeral. And you shall speak
275In the same pulpit whereto I am going,
After my speech is ended.

ANTONY

1430Be it so.
I do desire no more.

BRUTUS

Prepare the body, then, and follow us.

All but Antony exit.

ANTONY

280O pardon me, thou bleeding piece of earth,
That I am meek and gentle with these butchers.
1435Thou art the ruins of the noblest man
That ever livèd in the tide of times.
Woe to the hand that shed this costly blood!
285Over thy wounds now do I prophesy
(Which like dumb mouths do ope their ruby lips
1440To beg the voice and utterance of my tongue)
A curse shall light upon the limbs of men;
Domestic fury and fierce civil strife
290Shall cumber all the parts of Italy;
Blood and destruction shall be so in use
1445And dreadful objects so familiar
That mothers shall but smile when they behold
Their infants quartered with the hands of war,
295All pity choked with custom of fell deeds;
And Caesar’s spirit, ranging for revenge,
1450With Ate by his side come hot from hell,
Shall in these confines with a monarch’s voice
Cry “Havoc!” and let slip the dogs of war,
300That this foul deed shall smell above the earth
With carrion men groaning for burial.

Enter Octavius’ Servant.

1455You serve Octavius Caesar, do you not?

SERVANT

I do, Mark Antony.

ANTONY

Caesar did write for him to come to Rome.

SERVANT

305He did receive his letters and is coming,
And bid me say to you by word of mouth—
1460O Caesar!

ANTONY

Thy heart is big. Get thee apart and weep.
Passion, I see, is catching, for mine eyes,
310Seeing those beads of sorrow stand in thine,
Began to water. Is thy master coming?

SERVANT

1465He lies tonight within seven leagues of Rome.

ANTONY

Post back with speed and tell him what hath
chanced.
315Here is a mourning Rome, a dangerous Rome,
No Rome of safety for Octavius yet.
1470Hie hence and tell him so.—Yet stay awhile;
Thou shalt not back till I have borne this corpse
Into the marketplace. There shall I try,
320In my oration, how the people take
The cruel issue of these bloody men,
1475According to the which thou shalt discourse
To young Octavius of the state of things.
Lend me your hand.

They exit with Caesar’s body.

Scene 2

Enter Brutus and Cassius with the Plebeians.

PLEBEIANS

We will be satisfied! Let us be satisfied!

BRUTUS

Then follow me and give me audience, friends.—
1480Cassius, go you into the other street
And part the numbers.—
5Those that will hear me speak, let ’em stay here;
Those that will follow Cassius, go with him;
And public reasons shall be renderèd
1485Of Caesar’s death.

FIRST PLEBEIAN

I will hear Brutus speak.

SECOND PLEBEIAN

10I will hear Cassius, and compare their reasons
When severally we hear them renderèd.

Cassius exits with some of the Plebeians.
Brutus goes into the pulpit.

THIRD PLEBEIAN

The noble Brutus is ascended. Silence.

BRUTUS

1490Be patient till the last.
Romans, countrymen, and lovers, hear me for my
15cause, and be silent that you may hear. Believe me
for mine honor, and have respect to mine honor
that you may believe. Censure me in your wisdom,
1495and awake your senses that you may the better
judge. If there be any in this assembly, any dear
20friend of Caesar’s, to him I say that Brutus’ love
to Caesar was no less than his. If then that friend
demand why Brutus rose against Caesar, this is my
1500answer: not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved
Rome more. Had you rather Caesar were living, and
25die all slaves, than that Caesar were dead, to live all
freemen? As Caesar loved me, I weep for him. As he
was fortunate, I rejoice at it. As he was valiant, I
1505honor him. But, as he was ambitious, I slew him.
There is tears for his love, joy for his fortune, honor
30for his valor, 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
1510that would not be a Roman? If any, speak, for him
have I offended. Who is here so vile that will not
35love his country? If any, speak, for him have I
offended. I pause for a reply.

PLEBEIANS

None, Brutus, none.

BRUTUS

1515Then none have I offended. I have done no
more to Caesar than you shall do to Brutus. The
40question of his death is enrolled in the Capitol, his
glory not extenuated wherein he was worthy, nor
his offenses enforced for which he suffered death.

Enter Mark Antony and others with Caesar’s body.

1520Here comes his body, mourned by Mark Antony,
who, though he had no hand in his death, shall
45receive 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
1525good of Rome, I have the same dagger for myself
when it shall please my country to need my death.

PLEBEIANS

50Live, Brutus, live, live!

FIRST PLEBEIAN

Bring him with triumph home unto his house.

SECOND PLEBEIAN

Give him a statue with his ancestors.

THIRD PLEBEIAN

1530Let him be Caesar.

FOURTH PLEBEIAN

Caesar’s better parts
55Shall be crowned in Brutus.

FIRST PLEBEIAN

We’ll bring him to his house with shouts and
clamors.

BRUTUS

1535My countrymen—

SECOND PLEBEIAN

Peace, silence! Brutus speaks.

FIRST PLEBEIAN

60Peace, ho!

BRUTUS

Good countrymen, let me depart alone,
And, for my sake, stay here with Antony.
1540Do grace to Caesar’s corpse, and grace his speech
Tending to Caesar’s glories, which Mark Antony
65(By our permission) is allowed to make.
I do entreat you, not a man depart,
Save I alone, till Antony have spoke.

He descends and exits.

FIRST PLEBEIAN

1545Stay, ho, and let us hear Mark Antony!

THIRD PLEBEIAN

Let him go up into the public chair.

PLEBEIANS

70We’ll hear him.—Noble Antony, go up.

ANTONY

For Brutus’ sake, I am beholding to you.

He goes into the pulpit.

FOURTH PLEBEIAN

What does he say of Brutus?

THIRD PLEBEIAN

1550He says for Brutus’ sake
He finds himself beholding to us all.

FOURTH PLEBEIAN

75’Twere best he speak no harm of Brutus here.

FIRST PLEBEIAN

This Caesar was a tyrant.

THIRD PLEBEIAN

Nay, that’s certain.
1555We are blest that Rome is rid of him.

SECOND PLEBEIAN

Peace, let us hear what Antony can say.

ANTONY

80You gentle Romans—

PLEBEIANS

Peace, ho! Let us hear him.

ANTONY

Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears.
1560I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him.
The evil that men do lives after them;
85The good is oft interrèd with their bones.
So let it be with Caesar. The noble Brutus
Hath told you Caesar was ambitious.
1565If it were so, it was a grievous fault,
And grievously hath Caesar answered it.
90Here, under leave of Brutus and the rest
(For Brutus is an honorable man;
So are they all, all honorable men),
1570Come I to speak in Caesar’s funeral.
He was my friend, faithful and just to me,
95But Brutus says he was ambitious,
And Brutus is an honorable man.
He hath brought many captives home to Rome,
1575Whose ransoms did the general coffers fill.
Did this in Caesar seem ambitious?
100When that the poor have cried, Caesar hath wept;
Ambition should be made of sterner stuff.
Yet Brutus says he was ambitious,
1580And Brutus is an honorable man.
You all did see that on the Lupercal
105I thrice presented him a kingly crown,
Which he did thrice refuse. Was this ambition?
Yet Brutus says he was ambitious,
1585And sure he is an honorable man.
I speak not to disprove what Brutus spoke,
110But here I am to speak what I do know.
You all did love him once, not without cause.
What cause withholds you, then, to mourn for
1590him?—
O judgment, thou art fled to brutish beasts,
115And men have lost their reason!—Bear with me;
My heart is in the coffin there with Caesar,
And I must pause till it come back to me.

He weeps.

FIRST PLEBEIAN

1595Methinks there is much reason in his sayings.

SECOND PLEBEIAN

If thou consider rightly of the matter,
120Caesar has had great wrong.

THIRD PLEBEIAN

Has he, masters?
I fear there will a worse come in his place.

FOURTH PLEBEIAN

1600Marked you his words? He would not take the
crown;
125Therefore ’tis certain he was not ambitious.

FIRST PLEBEIAN

If it be found so, some will dear abide it.

SECOND PLEBEIAN

Poor soul, his eyes are red as fire with weeping.

THIRD PLEBEIAN

1605There’s not a nobler man in Rome than Antony.

FOURTH PLEBEIAN

Now mark him. He begins again to speak.

ANTONY

130But yesterday the word of Caesar might
Have stood against the world. Now lies he there,
And none so poor to do him reverence.
1610O masters, if I were disposed to stir
Your hearts and minds to mutiny and rage,
135I should do Brutus wrong and Cassius wrong,
Who, you all know, are honorable men.
I will not do them wrong. I rather choose
1615To wrong the dead, to wrong myself and you,
Than I will wrong such honorable men.
140But here’s a parchment with the seal of Caesar.
I found it in his closet. ’Tis his will.
Let but the commons hear this testament,
1620Which, pardon me, I do not mean to read,
And they would go and kiss dead Caesar’s wounds
145And dip their napkins in his sacred blood—
Yea, beg a hair of him for memory
And, dying, mention it within their wills,
1625Bequeathing it as a rich legacy
Unto their issue.

FOURTH PLEBEIAN

150We’ll hear the will. Read it, Mark Antony.

PLEBEIANS

The will, the will! We will hear Caesar’s will.

ANTONY

Have patience, gentle friends. I must not read it.
1630It is not meet you know how Caesar loved you.
You are not wood, you are not stones, but men.
155And, being men, hearing the will of Caesar,
It will inflame you; it will make you mad.
’Tis good you know not that you are his heirs,
1635For if you should, O, what would come of it?

FOURTH PLEBEIAN

Read the will! We’ll hear it, Antony.

PLEBEIANS

160You shall read us the will, Caesar’s will.

ANTONY

Will you be patient? Will you stay awhile?
I have o’ershot myself to tell you of it.
1640I fear I wrong the honorable men
Whose daggers have stabbed Caesar. I do fear it.

FOURTH PLEBEIAN

165They were traitors. Honorable men?

PLEBEIANS

The will! The testament!

SECOND PLEBEIAN

They were villains, murderers. The
1645will! Read the will.

ANTONY

You will compel me, then, to read the will?
170Then make a ring about the corpse of Caesar,
And let me show you him that made the will.
Shall I descend? And will you give me leave?

PLEBEIANS

1650Come down.

SECOND PLEBEIAN

Descend.

THIRD PLEBEIAN

175You shall have leave.

Antony descends.

FOURTH PLEBEIAN

A ring; stand round.

FIRST PLEBEIAN

Stand from the hearse. Stand from the body.

SECOND PLEBEIAN

1655Room for Antony, most noble Antony.

ANTONY

Nay, press not so upon me. Stand far off.

PLEBEIANS

180Stand back! Room! Bear back!

ANTONY

If you have tears, prepare to shed them now.
You all do know this mantle. I remember
1660The first time ever Caesar put it on.
’Twas on a summer’s evening in his tent,
185That day he overcame the Nervii.
Look, in this place ran Cassius’ dagger through.
See what a rent the envious Casca made.
1665Through this the well-belovèd Brutus stabbed,
And, as he plucked his cursèd steel away,
190Mark how the blood of Caesar followed it,
As rushing out of doors to be resolved
If Brutus so unkindly knocked or no;
1670For Brutus, as you know, was Caesar’s angel.
Judge, O you gods, how dearly Caesar loved him!
195This was the most unkindest cut of all.
For when the noble Caesar saw him stab,
Ingratitude, more strong than traitors’ arms,
1675Quite vanquished him. Then burst his mighty heart,
And, in his mantle muffling up his face,
200Even at the base of Pompey’s statue
(Which all the while ran blood) great Caesar fell.
O, what a fall was there, my countrymen!
1680Then I and you and all of us fell down,
Whilst bloody treason flourished over us.
205O, 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
1685Our Caesar’s vesture wounded? Look you here,
Antony lifts Caesar’s cloak.
Here is himself, marred as you see with traitors.

FIRST PLEBEIAN

210O piteous spectacle!

SECOND PLEBEIAN

O noble Caesar!

THIRD PLEBEIAN

O woeful day!

FOURTH PLEBEIAN

1690O traitors, villains!

FIRST PLEBEIAN

O most bloody sight!

SECOND PLEBEIAN

215We will be revenged.

PLEBEIANS

Revenge! About! Seek! Burn! Fire! Kill!
Slay! Let not a traitor live!

ANTONY

1695Stay, countrymen.

FIRST PLEBEIAN

Peace there! Hear the noble Antony.

SECOND PLEBEIAN

220We’ll hear him, we’ll follow him,
we’ll die with him.

ANTONY

Good friends, sweet friends, let me not stir you up
1700To such a sudden flood of mutiny.
They that have done this deed are honorable.
225What 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.
1705I come not, friends, to steal away your hearts.
I am no orator, as Brutus is,
230But, 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.
1710For I have neither wit, nor words, nor worth,
Action, nor utterance, nor the power of speech
235To stir men’s blood. I only speak right on.
I tell you that which you yourselves do know,
Show you sweet Caesar’s wounds, poor poor dumb
1715mouths,
And bid them speak for me. But were I Brutus,
240And Brutus Antony, there were an Antony
Would ruffle up your spirits and put a tongue
In every wound of Caesar that should move
1720The stones of Rome to rise and mutiny.

PLEBEIANS

We’ll mutiny.

FIRST PLEBEIAN

245We’ll burn the house of Brutus.

THIRD PLEBEIAN

Away then. Come, seek the conspirators.

ANTONY

Yet hear me, countrymen; yet hear me speak.

PLEBEIANS

1725Peace, ho! Hear Antony, most noble Antony!

ANTONY

Why, friends, you go to do you know not what.
250Wherein hath Caesar thus deserved your loves?
Alas, you know not. I must tell you then.
You have forgot the will I told you of.

PLEBEIANS

1730Most true. The will! Let’s stay and hear the will.

ANTONY

Here is the will, and under Caesar’s seal:
255To every Roman citizen he gives,
To every several man, seventy-five drachmas.

SECOND PLEBEIAN

Most noble Caesar! We’ll revenge his death.

THIRD PLEBEIAN

1735O royal Caesar!

ANTONY

Hear me with patience.

PLEBEIANS

260Peace, ho!

ANTONY

Moreover, he hath left you all his walks,
His private arbors, and new-planted orchards,
1740On this side Tiber. He hath left them you,
And to your heirs forever—common pleasures
265To walk abroad and recreate yourselves.
Here was a Caesar! When comes such another?

FIRST PLEBEIAN

Never, never!—Come, away, away!
1745We’ll burn his body in the holy place
And with the brands fire the traitors’ houses.
270Take up the body.

SECOND PLEBEIAN

Go fetch fire.

THIRD PLEBEIAN

Pluck down benches.

FOURTH PLEBEIAN

1750Pluck down forms, windows,
anything.

Plebeians exit with Caesar’s body.

ANTONY

275Now let it work. Mischief, thou art afoot;
Take thou what course thou wilt.

Enter Servant.

How now, fellow?

SERVANT

1755Sir, Octavius is already come to Rome.

ANTONY

Where is he?

SERVANT

280He and Lepidus are at Caesar’s house.

ANTONY

And thither will I straight to visit him.
He comes upon a wish. Fortune is merry
1760And in this mood will give us anything.

SERVANT

I heard him say Brutus and Cassius
285Are rid like madmen through the gates of Rome.

ANTONY

Belike they had some notice of the people
How I had moved them. Bring me to Octavius.

They exit.

Scene 3

Enter Cinna the poet and after him the Plebeians.

CINNA

1765I dreamt tonight that I did feast with Caesar,
And things unluckily charge my fantasy.
I have no will to wander forth of doors,
Yet something leads me forth.

FIRST PLEBEIAN

5What is your name?

SECOND PLEBEIAN

1770Whither are you going?

THIRD PLEBEIAN

Where do you dwell?

FOURTH PLEBEIAN

Are you a married man or a
bachelor?

SECOND PLEBEIAN

10Answer every man directly.

FIRST PLEBEIAN

1775Ay, and briefly.

FOURTH PLEBEIAN

Ay, and wisely.

THIRD PLEBEIAN

Ay, and truly, you were best.

CINNA

What is my name? Whither am I going? Where
15do I dwell? Am I a married man or a bachelor?
1780Then to answer every man directly and briefly,
wisely and truly: wisely I say, I am a bachelor.

SECOND PLEBEIAN

That’s as much as to say they are
fools that marry. You’ll bear me a bang for that, I
20fear. Proceed directly.

CINNA

1785Directly, I am going to Caesar’s funeral.

FIRST PLEBEIAN

As a friend or an enemy?

CINNA

As a friend.

SECOND PLEBEIAN

That matter is answered directly.

FOURTH PLEBEIAN

25For your dwelling—briefly.

CINNA

1790Briefly, I dwell by the Capitol.

THIRD PLEBEIAN

Your name, sir, truly.

CINNA

Truly, my name is Cinna.

FIRST PLEBEIAN

Tear him to pieces! He’s a conspirator.

CINNA

30I am Cinna the poet, I am Cinna the poet!

FOURTH PLEBEIAN

1795Tear him for his bad verses, tear him
for his bad verses!

CINNA

I am not Cinna the conspirator.

FOURTH PLEBEIAN

It is no matter. His name’s Cinna.
35Pluck but his name out of his heart, and turn him
1800going.

THIRD PLEBEIAN

Tear him, tear him! Come, brands, ho,
firebrands! To Brutus’, to Cassius’, burn all! Some
to Decius’ house, and some to Casca’s, some to
40Ligarius’. Away, go!

All the Plebeians exit, carrying off Cinna.

ACT 4

Scene 1

Enter Antony, Octavius, and Lepidus.

ANTONY

1805These many, then, shall die; their names are
pricked.

OCTAVIUS

Your brother too must die. Consent you, Lepidus?

LEPIDUS

I do consent.

OCTAVIUS

5Prick him down, Antony.

LEPIDUS

1810Upon condition Publius shall not live,
Who is your sister’s son, Mark Antony.

ANTONY

He shall not live; look, with a spot I damn him.
But, Lepidus, go you to Caesar’s house;
10Fetch the will hither, and we shall determine
1815How to cut off some charge in legacies.

LEPIDUS

What, shall I find you here?

OCTAVIUS

Or here, or at the Capitol.

Lepidus exits.

ANTONY

This is a slight, unmeritable man,
15Meet to be sent on errands. Is it fit,
1820The threefold world divided, he should stand
One of the three to share it?

OCTAVIUS

So you thought him
And took his voice who should be pricked to die
20In our black sentence and proscription.

ANTONY

1825Octavius, I have seen more days than you,
And, though we lay these honors on this man
To ease ourselves of diverse sland’rous loads,
He shall but bear them as the ass bears gold,
25To groan and sweat under the business,
1830Either led or driven, as we point the way;
And having brought our treasure where we will,
Then take we down his load and turn him off
(Like to the empty ass) to shake his ears
30And graze in commons.

OCTAVIUS

1835You may do your will,
But he’s a tried and valiant soldier.

ANTONY

So is my horse, Octavius, and for that
I do appoint him store of provender.
35It is a creature that I teach to fight,
1840To wind, to stop, to run directly on,
His corporal motion governed by my spirit;
And, in some taste, is Lepidus but so.
He must be taught and trained and bid go forth—
40A barren-spirited fellow, one that feeds
1845On objects, arts, and imitations
Which, out of use and staled by other men,
Begin his fashion. Do not talk of him
But as a property. And now, Octavius,
45Listen great things. Brutus and Cassius
1850Are levying powers. We must straight make head.
Therefore let our alliance be combined,
Our best friends made, our means stretched;
And let us presently go sit in council
50How covert matters may be best disclosed
1855And open perils surest answerèd.

OCTAVIUS

Let us do so, for we are at the stake
And bayed about with many enemies,
And some that smile have in their hearts, I fear,
55Millions of mischiefs.

They exit.

Scene 2

Drum. Enter Brutus, Lucilius, Lucius, and the Army.
Titinius and Pindarus meet them.

BRUTUS

1860Stand ho!

LUCILIUS

Give the word, ho, and stand!

BRUTUS

What now, Lucilius, is Cassius near?

LUCILIUS

He is at hand, and Pindarus is come
5To do you salutation from his master.

BRUTUS

1865He greets me well.—Your master, Pindarus,
In his own change or by ill officers,
Hath given me some worthy cause to wish
Things done undone, but if he be at hand
10I shall be satisfied.

PINDARUS

1870I do not doubt
But that my noble master will appear
Such as he is, full of regard and honor.

BRUTUS

He is not doubted.Brutus and Lucilius walk aside.
15A word, Lucilius,
1875How he received you. Let me be resolved.

LUCILIUS

With courtesy and with respect enough,
But not with such familiar instances
Nor with such free and friendly conference
20As he hath used of old.

BRUTUS

1880Thou hast described
A hot friend cooling. Ever note, Lucilius,
When love begins to sicken and decay
It useth an enforcèd ceremony.
25There are no tricks in plain and simple faith;
1885But hollow men, like horses hot at hand,
Make gallant show and promise of their mettle,
Low march within.
But when they should endure the bloody spur,
They fall their crests and, like deceitful jades,
30Sink in the trial. Comes his army on?

LUCILIUS

1890They mean this night in Sardis to be quartered.
The greater part, the horse in general,
Are come with Cassius.

Enter Cassius and his powers.

BRUTUS

Hark, he is arrived.
35March gently on to meet him.

CASSIUS

1895Stand ho!

BRUTUS

Stand ho! Speak the word along.

FIRST SOLDIER

Stand!

SECOND SOLDIER

Stand!

THIRD SOLDIER

40Stand!

CASSIUS

1900Most noble brother, you have done me wrong.

BRUTUS

Judge me, you gods! Wrong I mine enemies?
And if not so, how should I wrong a brother?

CASSIUS

Brutus, this sober form of yours hides wrongs,
45And when you do them—

BRUTUS

1905Cassius, be content.
Speak your griefs softly. I do know you well.
Before the eyes of both our armies here
(Which should perceive nothing but love from us),
50Let us not wrangle. Bid them move away.
1910Then in my tent, Cassius, enlarge your griefs,
And I will give you audience.

CASSIUS

Pindarus,
Bid our commanders lead their charges off
55A little from this ground.

BRUTUS

1915Lucius, do you the like, and let no man
Come to our tent till we have done our conference.
Let Lucilius and Titinius guard our door.

All but Brutus and Cassius exit.

Scene 3

CASSIUS

That you have wronged me doth appear in this:
You have condemned and noted Lucius Pella
1920For taking bribes here of the Sardians,
Wherein my letters, praying on his side
5Because I knew the man, was slighted off.

BRUTUS

You wronged yourself to write in such a case.

CASSIUS

In such a time as this it is not meet
1925That every nice offense should bear his comment.

BRUTUS

Let me tell you, Cassius, you yourself
10Are much condemned to have an itching palm,
To sell and mart your offices for gold
To undeservers.

CASSIUS

1930I an itching palm?
You know that you are Brutus that speaks this,
15Or, by the gods, this speech were else your last.

BRUTUS

The name of Cassius honors this corruption,
And chastisement doth therefore hide his head.

CASSIUS

1935Chastisement?

BRUTUS

Remember March; the ides of March remember.
20Did not great Julius bleed for justice’ sake?
What villain touched his body that did stab
And not for justice? What, shall one of us
1940That struck the foremost man of all this world
But for supporting robbers, shall we now
25Contaminate our fingers with base bribes
And sell the mighty space of our large honors
For so much trash as may be graspèd thus?
1945I had rather be a dog and bay the moon
Than such a Roman.

CASSIUS

30Brutus, bait not me.
I’ll not endure it. You forget yourself
To hedge me in. I am a soldier, I,
1950Older in practice, abler than yourself
To make conditions.

BRUTUS

35Go to! You are not, Cassius.

CASSIUS

I am.

BRUTUS

I say you are not.

CASSIUS

1955Urge me no more. I shall forget myself.
Have mind upon your health. Tempt me no farther.

BRUTUS

40Away, slight man!

CASSIUS

Is ’t possible?

BRUTUS

Hear me, for I will speak.
1960Must I give way and room to your rash choler?
Shall I be frighted when a madman stares?

CASSIUS

45O you gods, you gods, must I endure all this?

BRUTUS

All this? Ay, more. Fret till your proud heart break.
Go show your slaves how choleric you are
1965And make your bondmen tremble. Must I budge?
Must I observe you? Must I stand and crouch
50Under your testy humor? By the gods,
You shall digest the venom of your spleen
Though it do split you. For, from this day forth,
1970I’ll use you for my mirth, yea, for my laughter,
When you are waspish.

CASSIUS

55Is it come to this?

BRUTUS

You say you are a better soldier.
Let it appear so, make your vaunting true,
1975And it shall please me well. For mine own part,
I shall be glad to learn of noble men.

CASSIUS

60You wrong me every way, you wrong me, Brutus.
I said an elder soldier, not a better.
Did I say “better”?

BRUTUS

1980If you did, I care not.

CASSIUS

When Caesar lived he durst not thus have moved
65me.

BRUTUS

Peace, peace! You durst not so have tempted him.

CASSIUS

I durst not?

BRUTUS

1985No.

CASSIUS

What? Durst not tempt him?

BRUTUS

70For your life you durst
not.

CASSIUS

Do not presume too much upon my love.
1990I may do that I shall be sorry for.

BRUTUS

You have done that you should be sorry for.
75There is no terror, Cassius, in your threats,
For I am armed so strong in honesty
That they pass by me as the idle wind,
1995Which I respect not. I did send to you
For certain sums of gold, which you denied me,
80For I can raise no money by vile means.
By heaven, I had rather coin my heart
And drop my blood for drachmas than to wring
2000From the hard hands of peasants their vile trash
By any indirection. I did send
85To you for gold to pay my legions,
Which you denied me. Was that done like Cassius?
Should I have answered Caius Cassius so?
2005When Marcus Brutus grows so covetous
To lock such rascal counters from his friends,
90Be ready, gods, with all your thunderbolts;
Dash him to pieces!

CASSIUS

I denied you not.

BRUTUS

2010You did.

CASSIUS

I did not. He was but a fool that brought
95My answer back. Brutus hath rived my heart.
A friend should bear his friend’s infirmities,
But Brutus makes mine greater than they are.

BRUTUS

2015I do not, till you practice them on me.

CASSIUS

You love me not.

BRUTUS

100I do not like your faults.

CASSIUS

A friendly eye could never see such faults.

BRUTUS

A flatterer’s would not, though they do appear
2020As huge as high Olympus.

CASSIUS

Come, Antony, and young Octavius, come!
105Revenge yourselves alone on Cassius,
For Cassius is aweary of the world—
Hated by one he loves, braved by his brother,
2025Checked like a bondman, all his faults observed,
Set in a notebook, learned and conned by rote
110To cast into my teeth. O, I could weep
My spirit from mine eyes! There is my dagger,
Offering his dagger to Brutus.
And here my naked breast; within, a heart
2030Dearer than Pluto’s mine, richer than gold.
If that thou be’st a Roman, take it forth.
115I that denied thee gold will give my heart.
Strike as thou didst at Caesar, for I know
When thou didst hate him worst, thou lovedst him
2035better
Than ever thou lovedst Cassius.

BRUTUS

120Sheathe your
dagger.
Be angry when you will, it shall have scope.
2040Do what you will, dishonor shall be humor.
O Cassius, you are yokèd with a lamb
125That carries anger as the flint bears fire,
Who, much enforcèd, shows a hasty spark
And straight is cold again.

CASSIUS

2045Hath Cassius lived
To be but mirth and laughter to his Brutus
130When grief and blood ill-tempered vexeth him?

BRUTUS

When I spoke that, I was ill-tempered too.

CASSIUS

Do you confess so much? Give me your hand.

BRUTUS

2050And my heart too.

They clasp hands.

CASSIUS

O Brutus!

BRUTUS

135What’s the matter?

CASSIUS

Have not you love enough to bear with me
When that rash humor which my mother gave me
2055Makes me forgetful?

BRUTUS

Yes, Cassius, and from
140henceforth
When you are over-earnest with your Brutus,
He’ll think your mother chides, and leave you so.

Enter a Poet followed by Lucilius, Titinius, and Lucius.

POET

2060Let me go in to see the Generals.
There is some grudge between ’em; ’tis not meet
145They be alone.

LUCILIUS

You shall not come to them.

POET

Nothing but death shall stay me.

CASSIUS

2065How now, what’s the matter?

POET

For shame, you generals, what do you mean?
150Love and be friends as two such men should be,
For I have seen more years, I’m sure, than ye.

CASSIUS

Ha, ha, how vilely doth this cynic rhyme!

BRUTUS

2070Get you hence, sirrah! Saucy fellow, hence!

CASSIUS

Bear with him, Brutus. ’Tis his fashion.

BRUTUS

155I’ll know his humor when he knows his time.
What should the wars do with these jigging fools?—
Companion, hence!

CASSIUS

2075Away, away, be gone!

Poet exits.

BRUTUS

Lucilius and Titinius, bid the commanders
160Prepare to lodge their companies tonight.

CASSIUS

And come yourselves, and bring Messala with you
Immediately to us.

Lucilius and Titinius exit.

BRUTUS

2080Lucius, a bowl of wine.

Lucius exits.

CASSIUS

I did not think you could have been so angry.

BRUTUS

165O Cassius, I am sick of many griefs.

CASSIUS

Of your philosophy you make no use
If you give place to accidental evils.

BRUTUS

2085No man bears sorrow better. Portia is dead.

CASSIUS

Ha? Portia?

BRUTUS

170She is dead.

CASSIUS

How ’scaped I killing when I crossed you so?
O insupportable and touching loss!
2090Upon what sickness?

BRUTUS

Impatient of my absence,
175And grief that young Octavius with Mark Antony
Have made themselves so strong—for with her
death
2095That tidings came—with this she fell distract
And, her attendants absent, swallowed fire.

CASSIUS

180And died so?

BRUTUS

Even so.

CASSIUS

O you immortal gods!

Enter Lucius with wine and tapers.

BRUTUS

2100Speak no more of her.—Give me a bowl of wine.—
In this I bury all unkindness, Cassius.

He drinks.

CASSIUS

185My heart is thirsty for that noble pledge.—
Fill, Lucius, till the wine o’erswell the cup;
I cannot drink too much of Brutus’ love.

He drinks.Lucius exits.Enter Titinius and Messala.

BRUTUS

2105Come in, Titinius. Welcome, good Messala.
Now sit we close about this taper here,
190And call in question our necessities.

They sit.

CASSIUS

Portia, art thou gone?

BRUTUS

No more, I pray you.—
2110Messala, I have here receivèd letters
That young Octavius and Mark Antony
195Come down upon us with a mighty power,
Bending their expedition toward Philippi.

MESSALA

Myself have letters of the selfsame tenor.

BRUTUS

2115With what addition?

MESSALA

That by proscription and bills of outlawry,
200Octavius, Antony, and Lepidus
Have put to death an hundred senators.

BRUTUS

Therein our letters do not well agree.
2120Mine speak of seventy senators that died
By their proscriptions, Cicero being one.

CASSIUS

205Cicero one?

MESSALA

Cicero is dead,
And by that order of proscription.
2125Had you your letters from your wife, my lord?

BRUTUS

No, Messala.

MESSALA

210Nor nothing in your letters writ of her?

BRUTUS

Nothing, Messala.

MESSALA

That methinks is strange.

BRUTUS

2130Why ask you? Hear you aught of her in yours?

MESSALA

No, my lord.

BRUTUS

215Now, as you are a Roman, tell me true.

MESSALA

Then like a Roman bear the truth I tell,
For certain she is dead, and by strange manner.

BRUTUS

2135Why, farewell, Portia. We must die, Messala.
With meditating that she must die once,
220I have the patience to endure it now.

MESSALA

Even so great men great losses should endure.

CASSIUS

I have as much of this in art as you,
2140But yet my nature could not bear it so.

BRUTUS

Well, to our work alive. What do you think
225Of marching to Philippi presently?

CASSIUS

I do not think it good.

BRUTUS

Your reason?

CASSIUS

2145This it is:
’Tis better that the enemy seek us;
230So shall he waste his means, weary his soldiers,
Doing himself offense, whilst we, lying still,
Are full of rest, defense, and nimbleness.

BRUTUS

2150Good reasons must of force give place to better.
The people ’twixt Philippi and this ground
235Do stand but in a forced affection,
For they have grudged us contribution.
The enemy, marching along by them,
2155By them shall make a fuller number up,
Come on refreshed, new-added, and encouraged,
240From which advantage shall we cut him off
If at Philippi we do face him there,
These people at our back.

CASSIUS

2160Hear me, good brother—

BRUTUS

Under your pardon. You must note besides
245That we have tried the utmost of our friends,
Our legions are brim full, our cause is ripe.
The enemy increaseth every day;
2165We, at the height, are ready to decline.
There is a tide in the affairs of men
250Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune;
Omitted, all the voyage of their life
Is bound in shallows and in miseries.
2170On such a full sea are we now afloat,
And we must take the current when it serves
255Or lose our ventures.

CASSIUS

Then, with your will, go on;
We’ll along ourselves and meet them at Philippi.

BRUTUS

2175The deep of night is crept upon our talk,
And nature must obey necessity,
260Which we will niggard with a little rest.
There is no more to say.

CASSIUS

No more. Good night.
They stand.
2180Early tomorrow will we rise and hence.

BRUTUS

Lucius.

Enter Lucius.

265My gown.Lucius exits.
Farewell, good Messala.—
Good night, Titinius.—Noble, noble Cassius,
2185Good night and good repose.

CASSIUS

O my dear brother,
270This was an ill beginning of the night.
Never come such division ’tween our souls!
Let it not, Brutus.

Enter Lucius with the gown.

BRUTUS

2190Everything is well.

CASSIUS

Good night, my lord.

BRUTUS

275Good night, good brother.

TITINIUS/MESSALA

Good night, Lord Brutus.

BRUTUS

Farewell, everyone.
All but Brutus and Lucius exit.
2195Give me the gown. Where is thy instrument?

LUCIUS

Here in the tent.

BRUTUS

280What, thou speak’st drowsily?
Poor knave, I blame thee not; thou art o’erwatched.
Call Claudius and some other of my men;
2200I’ll have them sleep on cushions in my tent.

LUCIUS

Varro and Claudius.

Enter Varro and Claudius.

VARRO

285Calls my lord?

BRUTUS

I pray you, sirs, lie in my tent and sleep.
It may be I shall raise you by and by
2205On business to my brother Cassius.

VARRO

So please you, we will stand and watch your
290pleasure.

BRUTUS

I will not have it so. Lie down, good sirs.
It may be I shall otherwise bethink me.
They lie down.
2210Look, Lucius, here’s the book I sought for so.
I put it in the pocket of my gown.

LUCIUS

295I was sure your Lordship did not give it me.

BRUTUS

Bear with me, good boy, I am much forgetful.
Canst thou hold up thy heavy eyes awhile
2215And touch thy instrument a strain or two?

LUCIUS

Ay, my lord, an ’t please you.

BRUTUS

300It does, my boy.
I trouble thee too much, but thou art willing.

LUCIUS

It is my duty, sir.

BRUTUS

2220I should not urge thy duty past thy might.
I know young bloods look for a time of rest.

LUCIUS

305I have slept, my lord, already.

BRUTUS

It was well done, and thou shalt sleep again.
I will not hold thee long. If I do live,
2225I will be good to thee.
Music and a song. Lucius then falls asleep.
This is a sleepy tune. O murd’rous slumber,
310Layest thou thy leaden mace upon my boy,
That plays thee music?—Gentle knave, good night.
I will not do thee so much wrong to wake thee.
2230If thou dost nod, thou break’st thy instrument.
I’ll take it from thee and, good boy, good night.
He moves the instrument.
315Let me see, let me see; is not the leaf turned down
Where I left reading? Here it is, I think.
How ill this taper burns.

Enter the Ghost of Caesar.

2235Ha, who comes here?—
I think it is the weakness of mine eyes
320That shapes this monstrous apparition.
It comes upon me.—Art thou any thing?
Art thou some god, some angel, or some devil,
2240That mak’st my blood cold and my hair to stare?
Speak to me what thou art.

GHOST

325Thy evil spirit, Brutus.

BRUTUS

Why com’st thou?

GHOST

To tell thee thou shalt see me at Philippi.

BRUTUS

2245Well, then I shall see thee again?

GHOST

Ay, at Philippi.

BRUTUS

330Why, I will see thee at Philippi, then.Ghost exits.
Now I have taken heart, thou vanishest.
Ill spirit, I would hold more talk with thee.—
2250Boy, Lucius!—Varro, Claudius, sirs, awake!
Claudius!

LUCIUS

335The strings, my lord, are false.

BRUTUS

He thinks he still is at his instrument.
Lucius, awake!

LUCIUS

2255My lord?

BRUTUS

Didst thou dream, Lucius, that thou so criedst out?

LUCIUS

340My lord, I do not know that I did cry.

BRUTUS

Yes, that thou didst. Didst thou see anything?

LUCIUS

Nothing, my lord.

BRUTUS

2260Sleep again, Lucius.—Sirrah Claudius!
To Varro. Fellow thou, awake!

They rise up.

VARRO

345My lord?

CLAUDIUS

My lord?

BRUTUS

Why did you so cry out, sirs, in your sleep?

BOTH

2265Did we, my lord?

BRUTUS

Ay. Saw you anything?

VARRO

350No, my lord, I saw nothing.

CLAUDIUS

Nor I, my lord.

BRUTUS

Go and commend me to my brother Cassius.
2270Bid him set on his powers betimes before,
And we will follow.

BOTH

355It shall be done, my lord.

They exit.

ACT 5

Scene 1

Enter Octavius, Antony, and their army.

OCTAVIUS

Now, Antony, our hopes are answerèd.
You said the enemy would not come down
2275But keep the hills and upper regions.
It proves not so; their battles are at hand.
5They mean to warn us at Philippi here,
Answering before we do demand of them.

ANTONY

Tut, I am in their bosoms, and I know
2280Wherefore they do it. They could be content
To visit other places, and come down
10With fearful bravery, thinking by this face
To fasten in our thoughts that they have courage.
But ’tis not so.

Enter a Messenger.

MESSENGER

2285Prepare you, generals.
The enemy comes on in gallant show.
15Their bloody sign of battle is hung out,
And something to be done immediately.

ANTONY

Octavius, lead your battle softly on
2290Upon the left hand of the even field.

OCTAVIUS

Upon the right hand, I; keep thou the left.

ANTONY

20Why do you cross me in this exigent?

OCTAVIUS

I do not cross you, but I will do so.

March.Drum. Enter Brutus, Cassius, and their army including
Lucilius, Titinius, and Messala.

BRUTUS

They stand and would have parley.

CASSIUS

2295Stand fast, Titinius. We must out and talk.

OCTAVIUS

Mark Antony, shall we give sign of battle?

ANTONY

25No, Caesar, we will answer on their charge.
Make forth. The Generals would have some words.

OCTAVIUS , to his Officers

Stir not until the signal.

The Generals step forward.

BRUTUS

2300Words before blows; is it so, countrymen?

OCTAVIUS

Not that we love words better, as you do.

BRUTUS

30Good words are better than bad strokes, Octavius.

ANTONY

In your bad strokes, Brutus, you give good words.
Witness the hole you made in Caesar’s heart,
2305Crying “Long live, hail, Caesar!”

CASSIUS

Antony,
35The posture of your blows are yet unknown,
But, for your words, they rob the Hybla bees
And leave them honeyless.

ANTONY

2310Not stingless too.

BRUTUS

O yes, and soundless too,
40For you have stolen their buzzing, Antony,
And very wisely threat before you sting.

ANTONY

Villains, you did not so when your vile daggers
2315Hacked one another in the sides of Caesar.
You showed your teeth like apes and fawned like
45hounds
And bowed like bondmen, kissing Caesar’s feet,
Whilst damnèd Casca, like a cur, behind
2320Struck Caesar on the neck. O you flatterers!

CASSIUS

Flatterers?—Now, Brutus, thank yourself!
50This tongue had not offended so today
If Cassius might have ruled.

OCTAVIUS

Come, come, the cause. If arguing make us sweat,
2325The proof of it will turn to redder drops.
Look, I draw a sword against conspirators;
He draws.
55When think you that the sword goes up again?
Never, till Caesar’s three and thirty wounds
Be well avenged, or till another Caesar
2330Have added slaughter to the sword of traitors.

BRUTUS

Caesar, thou canst not die by traitors’ hands
60Unless thou bring’st them with thee.

OCTAVIUS

So I hope.
I was not born to die on Brutus’ sword.

BRUTUS

2335O, if thou wert the noblest of thy strain,
Young man, thou couldst not die more honorable.

CASSIUS

65A peevish schoolboy, worthless of such honor,
Joined with a masker and a reveler!

ANTONY

Old Cassius still.

OCTAVIUS

2340Come, Antony, away!—
Defiance, traitors, hurl we in your teeth.
70If you dare fight today, come to the field;
If not, when you have stomachs.

Octavius, Antony, and their army exit.

CASSIUS

Why now, blow wind, swell billow, and swim bark!
2345The storm is up, and all is on the hazard.

BRUTUS

Ho, Lucilius, hark, a word with you.

Lucilius and Messala stand forth.

LUCILIUS

75My lord?

Brutus and Lucilius step aside together.

CASSIUS

Messala.

MESSALA

What says my general?

CASSIUS

2350Messala,
This is my birthday, as this very day
80Was Cassius born. Give me thy hand, Messala.
Be thou my witness that against my will
(As Pompey was) am I compelled to set
2355Upon one battle all our liberties.
You know that I held Epicurus strong
85And his opinion. Now I change my mind
And partly credit things that do presage.
Coming from Sardis, on our former ensign
2360Two mighty eagles fell, and there they perched,
Gorging and feeding from our soldiers’ hands,
90Who to Philippi here consorted us.
This morning are they fled away and gone,
And in their steads do ravens, crows, and kites
2365Fly o’er our heads and downward look on us
As we were sickly prey. Their shadows seem
95A canopy most fatal, under which
Our army lies, ready to give up the ghost.

MESSALA

Believe not so.

CASSIUS

2370I but believe it partly,
For I am fresh of spirit and resolved
100To meet all perils very constantly.

BRUTUS

Even so, Lucilius.

Brutus returns to Cassius.

CASSIUS

Now, most noble Brutus,
2375The gods today stand friendly that we may,
Lovers in peace, lead on our days to age.
105But since the affairs of men rests still incertain,
Let’s reason with the worst that may befall.
If we do lose this battle, then is this
2380The very last time we shall speak together.
What are you then determinèd to do?

BRUTUS

110Even by the rule of that philosophy
By which I did blame Cato for the death
Which he did give himself (I know not how,
2385But I do find it cowardly and vile,
For fear of what might fall, so to prevent
115The time of life), arming myself with patience
To stay the providence of some high powers
That govern us below.

CASSIUS

2390Then, if we lose this battle,
You are contented to be led in triumph
120Thorough the streets of Rome?

BRUTUS

No, Cassius, no. Think not, thou noble Roman,
That ever Brutus will go bound to Rome.
2395He bears too great a mind. But this same day
Must end that work the ides of March begun.
125And whether we shall meet again, I know not.
Therefore our everlasting farewell take.
Forever and forever farewell, Cassius.
2400If we do meet again, why we shall smile;
If not, why then this parting was well made.

CASSIUS

130Forever and forever farewell, Brutus.
If we do meet again, we’ll smile indeed;
If not, ’tis true this parting was well made.

BRUTUS

2405Why then, lead on.—O, that a man might know
The end of this day’s business ere it come!
135But it sufficeth that the day will end,
And then the end is known.—Come ho, away!

They exit.

Scene 2

Alarum. Enter Brutus and Messala.

BRUTUS

Ride, ride, Messala, ride, and give these bills
2410Unto the legions on the other side!
He hands Messala papers.
Loud alarum.
Let them set on at once, for I perceive
But cold demeanor in Octavius’ wing,
5And sudden push gives them the overthrow.
Ride, ride, Messala! Let them all come down.

They exit.

Scene 3

Alarums. Enter Cassius carrying a standard and
Titinius.

CASSIUS

2415O, look, Titinius, look, the villains fly!
Myself have to mine own turned enemy.
This ensign here of mine was turning back;
I slew the coward and did take it from him.

TITINIUS

5O Cassius, Brutus gave the word too early,
2420Who, having some advantage on Octavius,
Took it too eagerly. His soldiers fell to spoil,
Whilst we by Antony are all enclosed.

Enter Pindarus.

PINDARUS

Fly further off, my lord, fly further off!
10Mark Antony is in your tents, my lord.
2425Fly therefore, noble Cassius, fly far off.

CASSIUS

This hill is far enough.—Look, look, Titinius,
Are those my tents where I perceive the fire?

TITINIUS

They are, my lord.

CASSIUS

15Titinius, if thou lovest me,
2430Mount thou my horse and hide thy spurs in him
Till he have brought thee up to yonder troops
And here again, that I may rest assured
Whether yond troops are friend or enemy.

TITINIUS

20I will be here again even with a thought.

He exits.

CASSIUS

2435Go, Pindarus, get higher on that hill.
My sight was ever thick. Regard Titinius
And tell me what thou not’st about the field.
Pindarus goes up.
This day I breathèd first. Time is come round,
25And where I did begin, there shall I end;
2440My life is run his compass.—Sirrah, what news?

PINDARUS , above.

O my lord!

CASSIUS

What news?

PINDARUS

Titinius is enclosèd round about
30With horsemen that make to him on the spur,
2445Yet he spurs on. Now they are almost on him.
Now Titinius! Now some light. O, he lights too.
He’s ta’en.Shout.
And hark, they shout for joy.

CASSIUS

35Come down, behold no more.—
2450O, coward that I am to live so long
To see my best friend ta’en before my face!
Pindarus comes down.
Come hither, sirrah.
In Parthia did I take thee prisoner,
40And then I swore thee, saving of thy life,
2455That whatsoever I did bid thee do
Thou shouldst attempt it. Come now, keep thine
oath.
Now be a freeman, and with this good sword,
45That ran through Caesar’s bowels, search this
2460bosom.
Stand not to answer. Here, take thou the hilts,
And, when my face is covered, as ’tis now,
Guide thou the sword.Pindarus stabs him.
50Caesar, thou art revenged
2465Even with the sword that killed thee.

He dies.

PINDARUS

So I am free, yet would not so have been,
Durst I have done my will.—O Cassius!—
Far from this country Pindarus shall run,
55Where never Roman shall take note of him.

He exits.Enter Titinius and Messala.

MESSALA

2470It is but change, Titinius, for Octavius
Is overthrown by noble Brutus’ power,
As Cassius’ legions are by Antony.

TITINIUS

These tidings will well comfort Cassius.

MESSALA

60Where did you leave him?

TITINIUS

2475All disconsolate,
With Pindarus his bondman, on this hill.

MESSALA

Is not that he that lies upon the ground?

TITINIUS

He lies not like the living. O my heart!

MESSALA

65Is not that he?

TITINIUS

2480No, this was he, Messala,
But Cassius is no more. O setting sun,
As in thy red rays thou dost sink to night,
So in his red blood Cassius’ day is set.
70The sun of Rome is set. Our day is gone;
2485Clouds, dews, and dangers come. Our deeds are
done.
Mistrust of my success hath done this deed.

MESSALA

Mistrust of good success hath done this deed.
75O hateful error, melancholy’s child,
2490Why dost thou show to the apt thoughts of men
The things that are not? O error, soon conceived,
Thou never com’st unto a happy birth
But kill’st the mother that engendered thee!

TITINIUS

80What, Pindarus! Where art thou, Pindarus?

MESSALA

2495Seek him, Titinius, whilst I go to meet
The noble Brutus, thrusting this report
Into his ears. I may say “thrusting it,”
For piercing steel and darts envenomèd
85Shall be as welcome to the ears of Brutus
2500As tidings of this sight.

TITINIUS

Hie you, Messala,
And I will seek for Pindarus the while.
Messala exits.
Why didst thou send me forth, brave Cassius?
90Did I not meet thy friends, and did not they
2505Put on my brows this wreath of victory
And bid me give it thee? Didst thou not hear their
shouts?
Alas, thou hast misconstrued everything.
95But hold thee, take this garland on thy brow.
Laying the garland on Cassius’ brow.
2510Thy Brutus bid me give it thee, and I
Will do his bidding.—Brutus, come apace,
And see how I regarded Caius Cassius.—
By your leave, gods, this is a Roman’s part.
100Come, Cassius’ sword, and find Titinius’ heart!

He dies on Cassius’ sword.Alarum. Enter Brutus, Messala, young Cato, Strato,
Volumnius, and Lucilius, Labeo, and Flavius.

BRUTUS

2515Where, where, Messala, doth his body lie?

MESSALA

Lo, yonder, and Titinius mourning it.

BRUTUS

Titinius’ face is upward.

CATO

He is slain.

BRUTUS

105O Julius Caesar, thou art mighty yet;
2520Thy spirit walks abroad and turns our swords
In our own proper entrails.

Low alarums.

CATO

Brave Titinius!—
Look whe’er he have not crowned dead Cassius.

BRUTUS

110Are yet two Romans living such as these?—
2525The last of all the Romans, fare thee well.
It is impossible that ever Rome
Should breed thy fellow.—Friends, I owe more
tears
115To this dead man than you shall see me pay.—
2530I shall find time, Cassius; I shall find time.—
Come, therefore, and to Thasos send his body.
His funerals shall not be in our camp,
Lest it discomfort us.—Lucilius, come.—
120And come, young Cato. Let us to the field.—
2535Labeo and Flavius, set our battles on.
’Tis three o’clock, and, Romans, yet ere night
We shall try fortune in a second fight.

They exit.

Scene 4

Alarum. Enter Brutus, Messala, Cato, Lucilius, and
Flavius.

BRUTUS

Yet, countrymen, O, yet hold up your heads!

Brutus, Messala, and Flavius exit.

CATO

What bastard doth not? Who will go with me?
2540I will proclaim my name about the field.
I am the son of Marcus Cato, ho!
5A foe to tyrants and my country’s friend.
I am the son of Marcus Cato, ho!

Enter Soldiers and fight.

LUCILIUS

And I am Brutus, Marcus Brutus, I!
2545Brutus, my country’s friend! Know me for Brutus.
Cato is killed.
O young and noble Cato, art thou down?
10Why, now thou diest as bravely as Titinius
And mayst be honored, being Cato’s son.

FIRST SOLDIER , seizing Lucilius

Yield, or thou diest.

LUCILIUS

2550Only I yield to die.
There is so much that thou wilt kill me straight.
Offering money.
15Kill Brutus and be honored in his death.

FIRST SOLDIER

We must not. A noble prisoner!

Enter Antony.

SECOND SOLDIER

Room, ho! Tell Antony Brutus is ta’en.

FIRST SOLDIER

2555I’ll tell the news. Here comes the General.—
Brutus is ta’en, Brutus is ta’en, my lord.

ANTONY

20Where is he?

LUCILIUS

Safe, Antony, Brutus is safe enough.
I dare assure thee that no enemy
2560Shall ever take alive the noble Brutus.
The gods defend him from so great a shame!
25When you do find him, or alive or dead,
He will be found like Brutus, like himself.

ANTONY

This is not Brutus, friend, but I assure you,
2565A prize no less in worth. Keep this man safe.
Give him all kindness. I had rather have
30Such men my friends than enemies. Go on,
And see whe’er Brutus be alive or dead,
And bring us word unto Octavius’ tent
2570How everything is chanced.

They exit in different directions.

Scene 5

Enter Brutus, Dardanus, Clitus, Strato, and Volumnius.

BRUTUS

Come, poor remains of friends, rest on this rock.

He sits down.

CLITUS

Statilius showed the torchlight, but, my lord,
He came not back. He is or ta’en or slain.

BRUTUS

Sit thee down, Clitus. Slaying is the word;
52575It is a deed in fashion. Hark thee, Clitus.

He whispers to Clitus.

CLITUS

What, I, my lord? No, not for all the world.

BRUTUS

Peace, then, no words.

CLITUS

I’ll rather kill myself.

BRUTUS

Hark thee, Dardanus.

He whispers to Dardanus.

DARDANUS

102580Shall I do such a deed?

CLITUS

O Dardanus!

DARDANUS

O Clitus!

Dardanus and Clitus step aside.

CLITUS

What ill request did Brutus make to thee?

DARDANUS

To kill him, Clitus. Look, he meditates.

CLITUS

152585Now is that noble vessel full of grief,
That it runs over even at his eyes.

BRUTUS

Come hither, good Volumnius. List a word.

VOLUMNIUS

What says my lord?

BRUTUS

Why this, Volumnius:
202590The ghost of Caesar hath appeared to me
Two several times by night—at Sardis once
And this last night here in Philippi fields.
I know my hour is come.

VOLUMNIUS

Not so, my lord.

BRUTUS

252595Nay, I am sure it is, Volumnius.
Thou seest the world, Volumnius, how it goes.
Our enemies have beat us to the pit.Low alarums.
It is more worthy to leap in ourselves
Than tarry till they push us. Good Volumnius,
302600Thou know’st that we two went to school together;
Even for that our love of old, I prithee,
Hold thou my sword hilts whilst I run on it.

VOLUMNIUS

That’s not an office for a friend, my lord.

Alarum continues.

CLITUS

Fly, fly, my lord! There is no tarrying here.

BRUTUS

352605Farewell to you—and you—and you, Volumnius.—
Strato, thou hast been all this while asleep.
Farewell to thee, too, Strato.—Countrymen,
My heart doth joy that yet in all my life
I found no man but he was true to me.
402610I shall have glory by this losing day
More than Octavius and Mark Antony
By this vile conquest shall attain unto.
So fare you well at once, for Brutus’ tongue
Hath almost ended his life’s history.
452615Night hangs upon mine eyes; my bones would rest,
That have but labored to attain this hour.

Alarum. Cry within “Fly, fly, fly!”

CLITUS

Fly, my lord, fly!

BRUTUS

Hence. I will follow.
All exit but Brutus and Strato.
I prithee, Strato, stay thou by thy lord.
502620Thou art a fellow of a good respect;
Thy life hath had some smatch of honor in it.
Hold, then, my sword, and turn away thy face
While I do run upon it. Wilt thou, Strato?

STRATO

Give me your hand first. Fare you well, my lord.

BRUTUS

552625Farewell, good Strato.
Brutus runs on his sword.
Caesar, now be still.
I killed not thee with half so good a will.

He dies.Alarum. Retreat. Enter Antony, Octavius, Messala,
Lucilius, and the army.

OCTAVIUS

What man is that?

MESSALA

My master’s man.—Strato, where is thy master?

STRATO

602630Free from the bondage you are in, Messala.
The conquerors can but make a fire of him,
For Brutus only overcame himself,
And no man else hath honor by his death.

LUCILIUS

So Brutus should be found.—I thank thee, Brutus,
652635That thou hast proved Lucilius’ saying true.

OCTAVIUS

All that served Brutus, I will entertain them.—
Fellow, wilt thou bestow thy time with me?

STRATO

Ay, if Messala will prefer me to you.

OCTAVIUS

Do so, good Messala.

MESSALA

702640How died my master, Strato?

STRATO

I held the sword, and he did run on it.

MESSALA

Octavius, then take him to follow thee,
That did the latest service to my master.

ANTONY

This was the noblest Roman of them all.
752645All the conspirators save only he
Did that they did in envy of great Caesar.
He only in a general honest thought
And common good to all made one of them.
His life was gentle and the elements
802650So mixed in him that nature might stand up
And say to all the world “This was a man.”

OCTAVIUS

According to his virtue, let us use him
With all respect and rites of burial.
Within my tent his bones tonight shall lie,
852655Most like a soldier, ordered honorably.
So call the field to rest, and let’s away
To part the glories of this happy day.

They all exit.