Speaker 1: The ides of March are come. Ay, Caesar, but not gone. Are we all ready? What is now amiss That Caesar and his senate must redress?

Speaker 2: Most high, mighty Caesar, metalist in both those thyself before thy seats,

Speaker 1: A humble heart's. I must prevent thee, Cimber. These couchings and these lowly courtesies Might fire the blood of ordinary men, And turn pre-ordinance and first decree Into the law of children. Be not fond to think that Caesar bears such rebel blood That will be thawed from the true quality With that which melted fools. I mean sweet words, low-croaked courtesies, And base Spaniel fawning. Thy brother by decree is banished. Thou dost bend, and pray, and fawn for him. I spurn thee like a cur out of my way. No, Caesar doth not wrong, nor without cause

Speaker 2: will he be satisfied. Is there no voice more worthy than my own To sound more sweetly in great Caesar's ear For the repealing of my banished brother?

Speaker 3: I kiss thy hand, not in flattery, Caesar, Desiring thee that Publius Cimber have an immediate Freedom of repeal.

Speaker 4: What, Brutus? Pardon, Caesar, pardon. As low as to thy foot Doth Cassius fall to beg enfranchisement For Publius Cimber.

Speaker 1: I could be well moved, if I were as you. If I could pray to move, prayers would move me. But I am constant as the northern star, Of whose true fixed and resting quality There is no fellow in the firmament. The skies are painted with unnumbered sparks. They are all fire, and every one doth shine, But there is but one in all doth hold his place. So in the world, which is furnished well with men, And men are flesh, and blood, and apprehensive. Yet in the number I do know but one That unassailable holds on his rank, unshaketive motion, And that I am he, let me a little show it, Even in this, that I was constant Cimber should be banished, And constant do remain to keep him so. O Caesar. Hence wilt thou lift up Olympus. Great Caesar. Hark not, Brutus, bootless kneel. Speak hence for me.

Speaker 5: Get to Brutus, then fall Caesar. Liberty, freedom, tyranny is dead. Run hence,

Speaker 6: proclaim. Cry it about in the streets. Sum to the common pulpits and cry out.

Speaker 3: Liberty, freedom, and enfranchisement. People and senators, be not affrighted, fly not, stand stiff. Ambition's debt is paid. Go to the pulpit, Brutus, and Cassius too.

Speaker 2: Where is Publius? Here quite confound with this mutiny. Stand fast together, lest some friend of Caesar's should chant.

Speaker 3: Talk not of standing, Publius, good cheer. There's no harm intended to your person, Nor to no Roman else. So tell them, Publius. And leave us, Publius, lest of the people rushing on us should do your age some mischief. Do so, and let no man abide in this deed but we, the doers. Fates, we will know your pleasures, that we shall die. We know tis but time and drawing out days that men stand upon. Why, he that cuts off twenty years of life cuts off so many years of fearing death. Grant that, and then death is a benefit. So are we, Caesar's friends, who have abridged his time of fearing death. Stoop, Roman, stoop. Let us bathe our hands in Caesar's blood, up to the elbows, and besmear our swords. Then walk we forth, even to the marketplace. And waving our red weapons o'er our heads, let us cry, Peace, freedom, and liberty.

Speaker 4: Stoop, then, and wash. How many ages hence shall this our lot be seen, the acted oar,

Speaker 3: in states unborn, and accents yet unknown? How many times shall Caesar bleed in sport to now on Pompey's base sissilize along, no worthier than the dust?

Speaker 4: So oft that shall be. So often shall the naught of us be called the men that gave their country liberty. Ay, every man away, Brutus shall lead, and we shall grace his heels with the

Speaker 3: most boldest and best hearts of Rome. Soft, who comes here? A friend of Antony's?

Speaker 7: Thus Brutus did my master bid me kneel. Thus bid Barc-Antony bid me fall down, and being prostrate, thus he bade me say. Brutus is noble, wise, valiant, and honest. Caesar was mighty, bold, royal, and loving. Say I loved Brutus, and honoured him. Say I feared Caesar, honoured him, and loved him. If Brutus will vowed safe that Antony may safely come to him and be resolved, how Caesar hath deserved to lie in death. Barc-Antony shall not love Caesar dead, so well as Brutus living, but will follow the fortunes and affairs of noble Brutus through the hazards of this untrod state. With all true faith, so says my master Antony.

Speaker 3: Thy master is a wise and valiant Roman. I never thought him worse. Tell him, so please him to come unto this place, and he shall be satisfied, and by my honour depart untouched.

Speaker 7: I'll fetch him presently.

Speaker 3: I know we shall have him well to friend.

Speaker 4: I wish we may, yet have I a mind that fears him much, and my misgiving still falls shrewdly to the purpose.

Speaker 3: Here comes Antony. Welcome, Barc-Antony.

Speaker 8: O mighty Caesar, dost thou lie so low? Are all thy conquests, glories, triumphs, spoils shrunk to this little measure? Fare thee well. I know not, gentlemen, what you intend. Who else must let blood who else's rank? If I myself, there is no hour so fit as Caesar's death-hour, nor no instrument of half that worth as those your swords, made rich with the most noble blood of all this world. I do beseech you, if you bear me hard, now, whilst your purpled hands do reek and smoke, still here pleasure. Live a thousand years, I shall not find myself so apt to die. No place will please me so, no mean of death, as here by Caesar, and by you cut off, the choice and master spirits of this age.

Speaker 3: O Antony, beck not your death of us. Though we must appear bloodied and cruel as by our hands and by our present acts, you see we do, yet you see but our hands and the bleeding business which they have done. Our hearts you see not. They are pitiful, and pity to the general wrong of Rome. As fire drives out fire, so pity, pity hath done this deed on Caesar. For your part, to thou our swords have led in points, Mark Antony. Our arms and strength of malice, and our hearts of brother's temper, do receive you with all kind love, good thoughts, and reverence.

Speaker 4: Your voice shall be as strong as any man's in the disposing of new dignities.

Speaker 3: Only be patient till we have appeared to the multitude, beside themselves with fear, and then we will deliver you the cause why I, that did love Caesar, when I struck him, have thus proceeded.

Speaker 8: I doubt not of your wisdom. Let each man render me his bloody hand. First Marcus Brutus will I shake with you. Next, Caius Cassius, do I take your hand. Now, yours, Metellus, yours, Cinna, and my valiant Casca, yours. Though last, not last in love, yours, good Trebonius. Gentlemen all, alas, what shall I say? My credit now stands on such slippery ground that one of two bad ways you must conceit me, either a coward or a flatterer. That I did love thee, Caesar, oh, tis true. If then thy spirit look upon us now, shall I not grieve thee dearer than thy death to see thy Antony making his peace, shaking the bloody fingers of thy foes, most noble, in the presence of thy course? Had I as many eyes as thou hast wounds, weeping as fast as they stream forth thy blood, it would become me better than to close in terms of friendship with thine enemies. Pardon me, Julius. Here wast thou bade, brave heart, here didst thou fall, and here thy hunters stand, signed in thy spoil, and crimsoned in thy lethe. O world, thou wast the forest to this heart, and this indeed, O world, the heart of thee. How like a deer, struck in by many princes, dost thou here lie. Mark Antony. Pardon me, Cais Cassius. The enemies of Caesar shall say this. Then in a friend it is called

Speaker 4: modesty. I blame you not for praising Caesar so, but what compact meaning to you have with us? Will you be pricked in number of our friends, or shall we all in naught depend on you? Therefore I took your hands, but was indeed

Speaker 8: swayed from the point by looking down on Caesar. Friends am I with you all, and love you all, upon this hope, that you shall give me reasons why and wherein Caesar was dangerous.

Speaker 3: Or elsewhere this is a savage spectacle. Our reasons are so full of good regard, that were you, Antony, son of Caesar, you should be satisfied.

Speaker 8: That's all I seek. And I'm moreover suitor that I may produce his body to the marketplace, and in the pulpit, as becomes a friend, speak in the order of his funeral.

Speaker 4: You shall, Mark Antony. Brutus, a word with you. Do you know not what you do? Do not consent that Antony speak in his funeral. Know you how much the people

Speaker 3: may be moved by that which you will utter? By your pardon, I will myself into the pulpit first, and show the reasons of our Caesar's death. What Mark Antony shall speak, I will he speaks by leave and by permission, and that we have content Caesar shall have all true rights and lawful ceremonies. It shall advantage us more than do us wrong. I know not what may fall. I like it not. Mark Antony here. Take you Caesar's body. You shall not in your funeral speech blame of us, but speak all good you can devise of Caesar. And say you dot by our permission, else shall you not have any hand all about his funeral, and shall speak the same pulpit whereto I am going to speak after my speech

Speaker 9: has ended. Be it so. I do desire no more.

Speaker 8: Prepare the body, then, and follow us. O pardon me, thou bleeding piece of earth, that I am meek and gentle with these butchers. Thou art the ruins of the noblest man that ever lived in the tide of times. Woe to the hand that shed this costly blood over thy wounds now do I prophesy, which, like dumb mouths, do ope their ruby lips to bank the voice and utterance of my tongue. A curse shall light upon the limbs of men. Domestic fury and fierce civil strife shall cumber all the parts of Italy. Blood and destruction shall be so in use, and dreadful objects so familiar, that mothers shall but smile when they behold their infants corded with the hands of war, all pity choked with custom of foul deeds. And Caesar's spirit, ranging for avenge with Atte by his side, come hot from hell, shall in these confines with a monarch's voice cry, Haddock, and let slip

Speaker 10: the dogs of war, that this foul deed shall smell above the earth, with carrion men groaning

Speaker 8: for burial. You serve Octavius Caesar, do you not?

Speaker 7: I do, Mark Antony.

Speaker 8: Caesar did write for him to come to Rome?

Speaker 7: He did receive his letter, send his coming, and bid me to say to you, by word of mouth, O Caesar.

Speaker 8: Thy heart is big, get thee apart and weep. Passion I see is catching, for mine eyes, seeing those beads of sorrow stand in thine, began to water. Is thy master coming?

Speaker 7: He lies to-night within seven leagues of Rome.

Speaker 8: Post back with speed, and tell him what hath chanced. Here is a mourning Rome, a dangerous Rome, no Rome of safety for Octavius yet. Hie hence, and tell him so, yet stay a while. Thou shalt not back till I have borne this course into the market-place. There shall I try in my ration how the people take the cruel issue of these bloody men, according to which thou shalt discourse to young Octavius of the state of things. Lend me your hand.

Speaker 2: We will be satisfied.

Speaker 3: Let us be satisfied. Then follow me, and give me audience, friends. Those that will hear me speak, let him stay, and those that will follow Cassius, go to him, and public regent shall be rendered of Caesar's death.

Speaker 6: I will hear Brutus speak.

Speaker 3: The noble Brutus is ascended. Silence. Be patient to the last. Romans, countrymen, and lovers, hear me for my cause, and be silent that you may hear. Believe me for mine honour, and have respect for mine honour that you may believe. Censure me your wisdom, and awake your senses, that you may the better judge. If there is any in this assembly, any dear friend of Caesar's, to him I say that Brutus's love for Caesar is no less than his. If then that friend demanded why Brutus rose against Caesar, this is my answer. Not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more. Had you rather Caesar were living, and die all slaves, than that Caesar were dead, to live all free men? As Caesar loved me, I weep for him, and as he was fortunate, I rejoice at it, and as he was valiant, I honour him. But, as he was ambitious, I slew him. There is tears for his love, joy for his fortune, honour for his valour, and death for his ambition. Who is here so base that would be a bowed man? If any speak for him, I have offended. Who here so rude that would not be a Roman? If any speak for him, I have offended. Who here so vile that would not love his country? If any speak for him, I have offended. I pause for reply. None, Brutus, none. Then none, I have offended. I have done no more to Caesar than you shall do to Brutus. The question of his death is enrolled in the capital. His glory not exalted, wherein he was worthy, nor his offenses enforced, for whence he suffered death. Here comes his body, adorned by Mark Antony, who, though had no hand in his death, shall receive the benefit of his dying. A place in the commonwealth, as which of you shall not. With this I depart, that as I slew my best lover for the good of Rome, I have the same dagger for myself when it shall please my country to need my death.

Speaker 11: Live, Brutus, live, live.

Speaker 6: Bring him with triumph unto his house. Give him a statue with his ancestors.

Speaker 11: Let him be, Caesar.

Speaker 6: Caesar's better parts shall be crowned in Brutus. We'll bring him to his house with shouts and clamors.

Speaker 3: My countrymen.

Speaker 6: Peace, silence. Brutus speaks. Peace, hope.

Speaker 3: Good countrymen, let me depart alone, and for my sake stay here with Antony. Do grace to Caesar's corpse, and grace his speech, tending to Caesar's glories, which Mark Antony by our permission is allowed to make. I do entreat you, not a man depart, save I alone till Antony has spoke.

Speaker 6: Stay, hope, and let us hear Mark Antony.

Speaker 11: Let him go into the public chair. We'll hear him. Noble Antony, go up.

Speaker 8: For Brutus' sake I am beholding to you. What does he say of Brutus?

Speaker 11: He says for Brutus' sake he finds himself beholding to us all.

Speaker 2: It was best he speak no harm of Brutus, y'all. That Caesar was a tyrant.

Speaker 11: Nay, that's certain. We are blessed that Rome is good.

Speaker 6: Peace, let us hear what Antony can say.

Speaker 8: You gentle Romans. Peace, hope, let us hear him. Friends, Romans, countrymen, let me rise. I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him. The evil that men do lives after them. The good is often turned with their bones. So let it be with Caesar. The noble Brutus hath told you Caesar was ambitious. If it were so, it was a grievous fault, and grievously hath Caesar answered. Here, under leave of Brutus and the rest, for Brutus is an honorable man, so are they all, all honorable men, come I to speak in Caesar's funeral. He was my friend, faithful and just to me. But Brutus says he was ambitious, and Brutus is an honorable man. He hath brought many captives home to Rome, whose ransoms did the general coffers fill. Did this in Caesar seem ambitious? When that the poor have cried, Caesar hath wept. Ambition should be made of sterner stuff. Yet Brutus says he was ambitious, and Brutus is an honorable man. You all did see that on the Lupercal I thrice presented him a kingly crown, which he did thrice refuse. Was this ambition? Yet Brutus says he was ambitious, and sure he is an honorable man. I speak not to disprove what Brutus spoke, but 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 him? O judgment, thou art fled to brutish beasts, and 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.

Speaker 6: Methinks there is much reason in his saying. If thou consider rightly of the matter, Caesar has had great wrong.

Speaker 5: Has he masters? I fear there will worse come in his place.

Speaker 2: Mark ye his words. He would not take the crown. They are for it to soften he was not ambitious. If he found so, some will dear abide it.

Speaker 6: Poor soul, his eyes are red as fire with weeping.

Speaker 11: He is not a nobler man in Rome than Antony.

Speaker 8: Now mock him. He begins to speak again. But yesterday the word of Caesar might have stood against the world. Now lies he there, and none so poor to do him reverence. O masters, if I were disposed to stir your hearts and minds to mutiny and rage, I should do Brutus wrong, and Cassius wrong, who you all know are honorable men. I will not do them wrong. I rather choose to wrong the dead, to wrong myself and you, than I will wrong such honorable men. But here is a parchment with the seal of Caesar. I found it in his closet, tis his will. Let but the commons hear this testament, which, pardon me, I do not mean to read. And they would go and kiss dead Caesar's wounds, and dip their napkins in his sacred blood, yea, beg a hair of him for memory, and dying mention it within their wills, queething it as a rich legacy unto their issue. We'll hear the will. Read it, Lord Antony.

Speaker 11: The will, the will. We will hear Caesar's will.

Speaker 8: Have patience, gentle friends. I must not read it. It is not meet you know how Caesar loved you. You are not wood, you are not stones, but men. And, being men, bearing the will of Caesar, it will inflame you, it will make you mad. Tis good you know not that you are his heirs. For, if you should, oh, what would come of it? Read the will. We'll hear it, Antony.

Speaker 2: You shall read us the will, Caesar's will.

Speaker 8: Will you be patient? Will you stay awhile? I've overshot myself to tell you of it. I fear I wrong the honorable men whose daggers have stabbed Caesar, I do fear. They were traitors, honorable men.

Speaker 11: The will, the testament.

Speaker 8: They were villains, murderers. The will, read the will. You will compel me, then, to read the will. Then 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? Come down. Descend.

Speaker 11: You shall have leave.

Speaker 6: A ring, stand round. Stand from the heart, stand from the body. Room for Antony, most noble Antony.

Speaker 8: Nay, press not so upon me. Stand far off.

Speaker 5: Stand back, room, and bear back.

Speaker 8: If you have tears, prepare to shed them now. You all do know this mantle. I remember the first time ever Caesar put it on. T'was on a summer's evening in his tent, that day he overcame the Nervii. Look, in this place ran Cassius's dagger through. See what a rend the envious cask made. Through this the well-beloved Brutus stabbed. And as he plucked his cursed steel away, mark how the blood of Caesar followed it. As rushing out of doors, to be resolved if Brutus so unkindly knocked, or no. For Brutus, as you know, was Caesar's angel. Judge, O you gods, how dearly Caesar loved him. This was the most unkindest good of all. For when the noble Caesar saw him stabbed, in gratitude, more strong than traitor's arms quite, vanquished him. Then burst his mighty heart. And in his mantle, muffling up his face, even at the base of Pompey's statua, which all the while ran blood, great Caesar fell. Oh, what a fall was there, my countrymen. Then I, and you, and all of us fell down, whilst bloody treason flourished over us. Oh, how you weep. And I perceive you feel the dint of pity. These are gracious drops. Kind souls, what? Weep you when you but behold our Caesar's vesture wounded? Look you here. Here is himself, marred, as you see, with traitors.

Speaker 6: Oh, pity and spectacle. Oh, noble Caesar. Oh, woeful day. Oh, traitors. Villains. Oh, most bloody sight. We will be revenged. Revenge. About. Seek. Burn. Fire. Kill. Slay. Let not a traitor live.

Speaker 8: Stay, countrymen.

Speaker 6: Peace bear. Hear the noble Antony. We'll hear him. We'll follow him. We'll die with him.

Speaker 8: Good friends, sweet friends, let me not stir you up to such a sudden flood of mutiny. They that have done this deed are honourable. What private griefs they have, alas, I know not that made them do it. They are wise and honourable, and will no doubt with reasons answer you. I come not, friends, to steal away your hearts. I am no orator, as Brutus is, but, as you know me all, a plain blunt man that loved my friend. And that they know full well that gave me public leave to speak of him. For I have neither wit, nor words, nor worth, action, nor utterance, nor the power of speech to 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 mouths, and bid them speak for me. But were I Brutus, and Brutus Antony, there or in Antony would ruffle up your spirits and put a tongue in every wound of Caesar that should move the stones of Rome to rise into mutiny. We'll mutiny. We'll burn the house of Brutus.

Speaker 11: Away, then, come, sing the conspirators.

Speaker 8: Yet hear me, countrymen, yet hear me speak. Peace, ho, hear Antony, most noble Antony. Why, friends, you go to do you know not what. Wherein hath Caesar thus deserved your loves? Alas, you know not. I must tell you then. You have forgot the will I told you of. Most true, the will. Let's stay and hear the will. Here is the will. And under Caesar's seal, to every Roman citizen he gives, to every several man, 75 drachmas. Most noble Caesar will revenge his death.

Speaker 11: A royal Caesar.

Speaker 8: Hear me with patience. Peace, ho. Moreover, he hath left you all his walks, his private arbors and new-planted orchards on this side, Tiber. He hath left them you, and to your heirs forever, common pleasures to walk abroad and recreate yourselves. Here was a Caesar. When comes such another?

Speaker 6: Never, never. Come away, away. We'll burn his body in the holy place, and with the branches fire the traitor's houses. Take up the body. Go, set fire. Plug down fences.

Speaker 2: Plug down forms, windows, anything.

Speaker 8: Now let it work. Mischief thou art afoot. Take thou what course thou wilt. How now, fellow?

Speaker 7: Sir, Octavius has already come to Rome. Where is he? He and Lapidus are at Caesar's house.

Speaker 8: And thither will I straight to visit him. He comes upon a wish. Fortune is merry,

Speaker 7: and in this mood will give us anything. I heard him say, Brutus and Cassius are rid like mad men through the gates of Rome.

Speaker 8: But like they had some notice of the people, how I had moved them. Bring me to Octavius.

Speaker 12: I dreamt tonight that I did feast with Caesar, and things unlucky charge my fantasy. I have no will to wander forth of Doris, yet something leads me forth.

Speaker 6: What is your name? Whither are you going? Where do you dwell? Are you a married man or a bachelor? Answer us directly.

Speaker 11: I am briefly. I am truly your guest.

Speaker 12: What is my name? Whither am I going? Where do I dwell? Am I a married man or a bachelor? Then to answer every man, directly and briefly, wisely and truly.

Speaker 13: Wisely, I say, I am a bachelor. That's as much as to say they are fools, the married. You'll bear me a bang for that, I fear.

Speaker 12: Proceed, directly. Directly, I am going to Caesar's funeral. As a friend or an enemy? That matter is answered directly. For your dwelling, briefly. Briefly, I dwell by the capital.

Speaker 11: Your name, sir, truly?

Speaker 12: Truly, my name is Cynna. Tear him to pieces. He is a conspirator. I am Cynna the poet. Tear him forth bad voices. Tear him forth bad voices. I am not Cynna the conspirator.

Speaker 2: It is no matter. His name is Cynna. Tear him forth and torn him going.

Speaker 11: Tear him, tear him. Come, Brance, ho, fire Brance, to Brutus, to Cassius, burn all, some to Decius' house, and some to Cascus, some to Ligarius. Away, go.