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Julius Caesar (Folio 1, 1623)

Author: William Shakespeare
Editor: John D. Cox
Peer Reviewed
The Tragedie of Julius Cæsar
121
Thou shalt not backe, till I haue borne this course
Into the Market place: There shall I try
In my Oration, how the People take
The cruell issue of these bloody men,
1525According to the which, thou shalt discourse
To yong Octauius, of the state of things.
Lend me your hand.
Exeunt

Enter Brutus and goes into the Pulpit, and Cassi-
us, with the Plebeians.

1530Ple. We will be satisfied: let vs be satisfied.
Bru. Then follow me, and giue me Audience friends.
Cassius go you into the other streete,
And part the Numbers:
Those that will heare me speake, let 'em stay heere;
1535Those that will follow Cassius, go with him,
And publike Reasons shall be rendred
Of Cæsars death.
1. Ple. I will heare Brutus speake.
2. I will heare Cassius, and compare their Reasons,
1540When seuerally we heare them rendred.
3. The Noble Brutus is ascended: Silence.
Bru. Be patient till the last.
Romans, Countrey-men, and Louers, heare mee for my
cause, and be silent, that you may heare. Beleeue me for
1545mine Honor, and haue respect to mine Honor, that you
may beleeue. Censure me in your Wisedom, and awake
your Senses, that you may the better Iudge. If there bee
any in this Assembly, any deere Friend of Cæsars, to him
I say, that Brutus loue to Cæsar, was no lesse then his. If
1550then, that Friend demand, why Brutus rose against Cæ-
sar, this is my answer: Not that I lou'd Cæsar lesse, but
that I lou'd Rome more. Had you rather Cæsar were li-
uing, and dye all Slaues; then that Cæsar were dead, to
liue all Free-men? As Cæsar lou'd mee, I weepe for him;
1555as he was Fortunate, I reioyce at it; as he was Valiant, I
honour him: But, as he was Ambitious, I slew him. There
is Teares, for his Loue: Ioy, for his Fortune: Honor, for
his Valour: and Death, for his Ambition. Who is heere
so base, that would be a Bondman? If any, speak, for him
1560haue I offended. Who is heere so rude, that would not
be a Roman? If any, speak, for him haue I offended. Who
is heere so vile, that will not loue his Countrey? If any,
speake, for him haue I offended. I pause for a Reply.
All. None Brutus, none.
1565Brutus. Then none haue I offended. I haue done no
more to Cæsar, then you shall do to Brutus. The Questi-
on of his death, is inroll'd in the Capitoll: his Glory not
extenuated, wherein he was worthy; nor his offences en-
forc'd, for which he suffered death.

1570
Enter Mark Antony, with Cæsars body.

Heere comes his Body, mourn'd by Marke Antony, who
though he had no hand in his death, shall receiue the be-
nefit of his dying, a place in the Cõmonwealth, as which
of you shall not. With this I depart, that as I slewe my
1575best Louer for the good of Rome, I haue the same Dag-
ger for my selfe, when it shall please my Country to need
my death.
All. Liue Brutus, liue, liue.
1. Bring him with Triumph home vnto his house.
15802. Giue him a Statue with his Ancestors.
3. Let him be Cæsar.
4. Cæsars better parts,
Shall be Crown'd in Brutus.
1. Wee'l bring him to his House,
1585With Showts and Clamors.
Bru. My Country-men.
2. Peace, silence, Brutus speakes.
1. Peace ho.
Bru. Good Countrymen, let me depart alone,
1590And (for my sake) stay heere with Antony:
Do grace to Cæsars Corpes, and grace his Speech
Tending to Cæsars Glories, which Marke Antony
(By our permission) is allow'd to make.
I do intreat you, not a man depart,
1595Saue I alone, till Antony haue spoke.
Exit
1 Stay ho, and let vs heare Mark Antony.
3 Let him go vp into the publike Chaire,
Wee'l heare him: Noble Antony go vp.
Ant. For Brutus sake, I am beholding to you.
16004 What does he say of Brutus?
3 He sayes, for Brutus sake
He findes himselfe beholding to vs all.
4 'Twere best he speake no harme of Brutus heere?
1 This Cæsar was a Tyrant.
16053 Nay that's certaine:
We are blest that Rome is rid of him.
2 Peace, let vs heare what Antony can say.
Ant. You gentle Romans.
All. Peace hoe, let vs heare him.
1610An. Friends, Romans, Countrymen, lend me your ears:
I come to bury Cæsar, not to praise him:
The euill that men do, liues after them,
The good is oft enterred with their bones,
So let it be with Cæsar. The Noble Brutus,
1615Hath told you Cæsar was Ambitious:
If it were so, it was a greeuous Fault,
And greeuously hath Cæsar answer'd it.
Heere, vnder leaue of Brutus, and the rest
(For Brutus is an Honourable man,
1620So are they all; all Honourable men)
Come I to speake in Cæsars Funerall.
He was my Friend, faithfull, and iust to me;
But Brutus sayes, he was Ambitious,
And Brutus is an Honourable man.
1625He hath brought many Captiues home to Rome,
Whose Ransomes, did the generall Coffers fill:
Did this in Cæsar seeme Ambitious?
When that the poore haue cry'de, Cæsar hath wept:
Ambition should be made of sterner stuffe,
1630Yet Brutus sayes, he was Ambitious:
And Brutus is an Honourable man.
You all did see, that on the Lupercall,
I thrice presented him a Kingly Crowne,
Which he did thrice refuse. Was this Ambition?
1635Yet Brutus sayes, he was Ambitious:
And sure he is an Honourable man.
I speake not to disprooue what Brutus spoke,
But heere I am, to speake what I do know;
You all did loue him once, not without cause,
1640What cause with-holds you then, to mourne for him?
O Iudgement! thou are fled to brutish Beasts,
And Men haue lost their Reason. Beare with me,
My heart is in the Coffin there with Cæsar,
And I must pawse, till it come backe to me.
16451 Me thinkes there is much reason in his sayings.
2 If thou consider rightly of the matter,
Cæsar ha's had great wrong.
3 Ha's hee Masters? I feare there will a worse come in
llv
4 Marke