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Julius Caesar (Folio 1, 1623)

Author: William Shakespeare
Editor: John D. Cox
Peer Reviewed
122
The Tragedie of Julius Cæsar
4. Mark'd ye his words? he would not take ye Crown,
1650Therefore 'tis certaine, he was not Ambitious.
1. If it be found so, some will deere abide it.
2. Poore soule, his eyes are red as fire with weeping.
3. There's not a Nobler man in Rome then Antony.
4. Now marke him, he begins againe to speake.
1655Ant. But yesterday, the word of Cæsar might
Haue stood against the World: Now lies he there,
And none so poore to do him reuerence.
O Maisters! If I were dispos'd to stirre
Your hearts and mindes to Mutiny and Rage,
1660I should do Brutus wrong, and Cassius wrong:
Who (you all know) are Honourable men.
I will not do them wrong: I rather choose
To wrong the dead, to wrong my selfe and you,
Then I will wrong such Honourable men.
1665But heere's a Parchment, with the Seale of Cæsar,
I found it in his Closset, 'tis his Will:
Let but the Commons heare this Testament:
(Which pardon me) I do not meane to reade,
And they would go and kisse dead Cæsars wounds,
1670And dip their Napkins in his Sacred Blood;
Yea, begge a haire of him for Memory,
And dying, mention it within their Willes,
Bequeathing it as a rich Legacie
Vnto their issue.
16754 Wee'l heare the Will, reade it Marke Antony.
All. The Will, the Will; we will heare Cæsars Will.
Ant. Haue patience gentle Friends, I must not read it.
It is not meete you know how Cæsar lou'd you:
You are not Wood, you are not Stones, but men:
1680And being men, hearing the Will of Cæsar,
It will inflame you, it will make you mad:
'Tis good you know not that you are his Heires,
For if you should, O what would come of it?
4 Read the Will, wee'l heare it Antony:
1685You shall reade vs the Will, Cæsars Will.
Ant. Will you be Patient? Will you stay a-while?
I haue o're-shot my selfe to tell you of it,
I feare I wrong the Honourable men,
Whose Daggers haue stabb'd Cæsar: I do feare it.
16904 They were Traitors: Honourable men?
All. The Will, the Testament.
2 They were Villaines, Murderers: the Will, read the
Will.
Ant. You will compell me then to read the Will:
1695Then make a Ring about the Corpes of Cæsar,
And let me shew you him that made the Will:
Shall I descend? And will you giue me leaue?
All. Come downe.
2 Descend.
17003 You shall haue leaue.
4 A Ring, stand round.
1 Stand from the Hearse, stand from the Body.
2 Roome for Antony, most Noble Antony.
Ant. Nay presse not so vpon me, stand farre off.
1705All. Stand backe: roome, beare backe.
Ant. If you haue teares, prepare to shed them now.
You all do know this Mantle, I remember
The first time euer Cæsar put it on,
'Twas on a Summers Euening in his Tent,
1710That day he ouercame the Neruij.
Looke, in this place ran Cassius Dagger through:
See what a rent the enuious Caska made:
Through this, the wel-beloued Brutus stabb'd,
And as he pluck'd his cursed Steele away:
1715Marke how the blood of Cæsar followed it,
As rushing out of doores, to be resolu'd
If Brutus so vnkindely knock'd, or no:
For Brutus, as you know, was Cæsars Angel.
Iudge, O you Gods, how deerely Cæsar lou'd him:
1720This was the most vnkindest cut of all.
For when the Noble Cæsar saw him stab,
Ingratitude, more strong then Traitors armes,
Quite vanquish'd him: then burst his Mighty heart,
And in his Mantle, muffling vp his face,
1725Euen at the Base of Pompeyes Statue
(Which all the while ran blood) great Cæsar fell.
O what a fall was there, my Countrymen?
Then I, and you, and all of vs fell downe,
Whil'st bloody Treason flourish'd ouer vs.
1730O now you weepe, and I perceiue you feele
The dint of pitty: These are gracious droppes.
Kinde Soules, what weepe you, when you but behold
Our Cæsars Vesture wounded? Looke you heere,
Heere is Himselfe, marr'd as you see with Traitors.
17351. O pitteous spectacle!
2. O Noble Cæsar!
3. O wofull day!
4. O Traitors, Villaines!
1. O most bloody sight!
17402. We will be reueng'd: Reuenge
About, seeke, burne, fire, kill, slay,
Let not a Traitor liue.
Ant. Stay Country-men.
1. Peace there, heare the Noble Antony.
17452. Wee'l heare him, wee'l follow him, wee'l dy with
him.
Ant. Good Friends, sweet Friends, let me not stirre
To such a sodaine Flood of Mutiny:
They that haue done this Deede, are honourable.
1750What priuate greefes they haue, 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 steale away your hearts,
I am no Orator, as Brutus is;
1755But (as you know me all) a plaine blunt man
That loue my Friend, and that they know full well,
That gaue me publike leaue to speake of him:
For I haue neyther writ nor words, nor worth,
Action, nor Vtterance, nor the power of Speech,
1760To stirre mens Blood. I onely speake right on:
I tell you that, which you your selues do know,
Shew you sweet Cæsars wounds, poor poor dum mouths
And bid them speake for me: But were I Brutus,
And Brutus Antony, there were an Antony
1765Would ruffle vp your Spirits, and put a Tongue
In euery Wound of Cæsar, that should moue
The stones of Rome, to rise and Mutiny.
All. Wee'l Mutiny.
1 Wee'l burne the house of Brutus.
17703 Away then, come, seeke the Conspirators.
Ant. Yet heare me Countrymen, yet heare me speake
All. Peace hoe, heare Antony, most Noble Antony.
Ant. Why Friends, you go to do you know not what:
Wherein hath Cæsar thus deseru'd your loues?
1775Alas you know not, I must tell you then:
You haue forgot the Will I told you of.
All. Most true, the Will, let's stay and heare the Wil.
Ant. Heere is the Will, and vnder Cæsars Seale:
To euery Roman Citizen he giues,
1780To euery seuerall man, seuenty fiue Drachmaes.
2 Ple.