| ACT III SCENE I | Rome. Before the Capitol; the Senate sitting above. | |
| | A crowd of people; among them ARTEMIDORUS and the Soothsayer. Flourish. Enter CAESAR, BRUTUS, CASSIUS, CASCA, DECIUS BRUTUS, METELLUS CIMBER, TREBONIUS, CINNA, ANTONY, LEPIDUS, POPILIUS, PUBLIUS, and others | |
| CAESAR | [To the Soothsayer] The ides of March are come | |
| Soothsayer | Ay, Caesar; but not gone. | |
| ARTEMIDORUS | Hail, Caesar! read this schedule. | |
| DECIUS BRUTUS | Trebonius doth desire you to o'erread, | |
| | At your best leisure, this his humble suit. | 5 |
| ARTEMIDORUS | O Caesar, read mine first; for mine's a suit | |
| | That touches Caesar nearer: read it, great Caesar. | |
| CAESAR | What touches us ourself shall be last served. | |
| ARTEMIDORUS | Delay not, Caesar; read it instantly. | |
| CAESAR | What, is the fellow mad? | 10 |
| PUBLIUS | Sirrah, give place. | |
| CASSIUS | What, urge you your petitions in the street? | |
| | Come to the Capitol. | |
| | CAESAR goes up to the Senate-House, the rest following | |
| POPILIUS | I wish your enterprise to-day may thrive. | |
| CASSIUS | What enterprise, Popilius? | 15 |
| POPILIUS | Fare you well. | |
| | Advances to CAESAR | |
| BRUTUS | What said Popilius Lena? | |
| CASSIUS | He wish'd to-day our enterprise might thrive. | |
| | I fear our purpose is discovered. | |
| BRUTUS | Look, how he makes to Caesar; mark him. | 20 |
| CASSIUS | Casca, be sudden, for we fear prevention. | |
| | Brutus, what shall be done? If this be known, | |
| | Cassius or Caesar never shall turn back, | |
| | For I will slay myself. | |
| BRUTUS | Cassius, be constant: | 25 |
| | Popilius Lena speaks not of our purposes; | |
| | For, 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. | |
| | Exeunt ANTONY and TREBONIUS | |
| DECIUS BRUTUS | Where is Metellus Cimber? Let him go, | 30 |
| | And presently prefer his suit to Caesar. | |
| BRUTUS | He is address'd: press near and second him. | |
| CINNA | Casca, you are the first that rears your hand. | |
| CAESAR | Are we all ready? What is now amiss | |
| | That Caesar and his senate must redress? | 35 |
| METELLUS CIMBER | Most high, most mighty, and most puissant Caesar, | |
| | Metellus Cimber throws before thy seat | |
| | An humble heart,-- | |
| | Kneeling | |
| CAESAR | I must prevent thee, Cimber. | |
| | These couchings and these lowly courtesies | 40 |
| | 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 thaw'd from the true quality | 45 |
| | With that which melteth fools; I mean, sweet words, | |
| | Low-crooked court'sies and base spaniel-fawning. | |
| | Thy brother by decree is banished: | |
| | If thou dost bend and pray and fawn for him, | |
| | I spurn thee like a cur out of my way. | 50 |
| | Know, Caesar doth not wrong, nor without cause | |
| | Will he be satisfied. | |
| METELLUS CIMBER | Is there no voice more worthy than my own | |
| | To sound more sweetly in great Caesar's ear | |
| | For the repealing of my banish'd brother? | 55 |
| BRUTUS | I kiss thy hand, but not in flattery, Caesar; | |
| | Desiring thee that Publius Cimber may | |
| | Have an immediate freedom of repeal. | |
| CAESAR | What, Brutus! | |
| CASSIUS | Pardon, Caesar; Caesar, pardon: | 60 |
| | As low as to thy foot doth Cassius fall, | |
| | To beg enfranchisement for Publius Cimber. | |
| CASSIUS | 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, | 65 |
| | Of whose true-fix'd and resting quality | |
| | There is no fellow in the firmament. | |
| | The skies are painted with unnumber'd sparks, | |
| | They are all fire and every one doth shine, | |
| | But there's but one in all doth hold his place: | 70 |
| | So in the world; 'tis furnish'd 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, | |
| | Unshaked of motion: and that I am he, | 75 |
| | Let me a little show it, even in this; | |
| | That I was constant Cimber should be banish'd, | |
| | And constant do remain to keep him so. | |
| CINNA | O Caesar,-- | |
| CAESAR | Hence! wilt thou lift up Olympus? | 80 |
| DECIUS BRUTUS | Great Caesar,-- | |
| CAESAR | Doth not Brutus bootless kneel? | |
| CASCA | Speak, hands for me! | |
| | CASCA first, then the other Conspirators andBRUTUS stab CAESAR | |
| CAESAR | Et tu, Brute! Then fall, Caesar. | |
| | Dies | |
| CINNA | Liberty! Freedom! Tyranny is dead! | 85 |
| | Run hence, proclaim, cry it about the streets. | |
| CASSIUS | Some to the common pulpits, and cry out | |
| | 'Liberty, freedom, and enfranchisement!' | |
| BRUTUS | People and senators, be not affrighted; | |
| | Fly not; stand stiff: ambition's debt is paid. | 90 |
| CASCA | Go to the pulpit, Brutus. | |
| DECIUS BRUTUS | And Cassius too. | |
| BRUTUS | Where's Publius? | |
| CINNA | Here, quite confounded with this mutiny. | |
| METELLUS CIMBER | Stand fast together, lest some friend of Caesar's | 95 |
| | Should chance-- | |
| BRUTUS | Talk not of standing. Publius, good cheer; | |
| | There is no harm intended to your person, | |
| | Nor to no Roman else: so tell them, Publius. | |
| CASSIUS | And leave us, Publius; lest that the people, | 100 |
| | Rushing on us, should do your age some mischief. | |
| BRUTUS | Do so: and let no man abide this deed, | |
| | But we the doers. | |
| | Re-enter TREBONIUS | |
| CASSIUS | Where is Antony? | |
| TREBONIUS | Fled to his house amazed: | 105 |
| | Men, wives and children stare, cry out and run | |
| | As it were doomsday. | |
| BRUTUS | Fates, we will know your pleasures: | |
| | That we shall die, we know; 'tis but the time | |
| | And drawing days out, that men stand upon. | 110 |
| CASSIUS | Why, he that cuts off twenty years of life | |
| | Cuts off so many years of fearing death. | |
| BRUTUS | Grant that, and then is death a benefit: | |
| | So are we Caesar's friends, that have abridged | |
| | His time of fearing death. Stoop, Romans, stoop, | 115 |
| | And let us bathe our hands in Caesar's blood | |
| | Up to the elbows, and besmear our swords: | |
| | Then walk we forth, even to the market-place, | |
| | And, waving our red weapons o'er our heads, | |
| | Let's all cry 'Peace, freedom and liberty!' | 120 |
| CASSIUS | Stoop, then, and wash. How many ages hence | |
| | Shall this our lofty scene be acted over | |
| | In states unborn and accents yet unknown! | |
| BRUTUS | How many times shall Caesar bleed in sport, | |
| | That now on Pompey's basis lies along | 125 |
| | No worthier than the dust! | |
| CASSIUS | So oft as that shall be, | |
| | So often shall the knot of us be call'd | |
| | The men that gave their country liberty. | |
| DECIUS BRUTUS | What, shall we forth? | 130 |
| CASSIUS | Ay, every man away: | |
| | Brutus shall lead; and we will grace his heels | |
| | With the most boldest and best hearts of Rome. | |
| | Enter a Servant | |
| BRUTUS | Soft! who comes here? A friend of Antony's. | |
| Servant | Thus, Brutus, did my master bid me kneel: | 135 |
| | Thus did Mark 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 love Brutus, and I honour him; | 140 |
| | Say I fear'd Caesar, honour'd him and loved him. | |
| | If Brutus will vouchsafe that Antony | |
| | May safely come to him, and be resolved | |
| | How Caesar hath deserved to lie in death, | |
| | Mark Antony shall not love Caesar dead | 145 |
| | So well as Brutus living; but will follow | |
| | The fortunes and affairs of noble Brutus | |
| | Thorough the hazards of this untrod state | |
| | With all true faith. So says my master Antony. | |
| BRUTUS | Thy master is a wise and valiant Roman; | 150 |
| | I never thought him worse. | |
| | Tell him, so please him come unto this place, | |
| | He shall be satisfied; and, by my honour, | |
| | Depart untouch'd. | |
| Servant | I'll fetch him presently. | 155 |
| | Exit | |
| BRUTUS | I know that we shall have him well to friend. | |
| CASSIUS | I wish we may: but yet have I a mind | |
| | That fears him much; and my misgiving still | |
| | Falls shrewdly to the purpose. | |
| BRUTUS | But here comes Antony. | 160 |
| | Re-enter ANTONY | |
| | Welcome, Mark Antony. | |
| ANTONY | 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, | 165 |
| | Who else must be let blood, who else is 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. | 170 |
| | I do beseech ye, if you bear me hard, | |
| | Now, whilst your purpled hands do reek and smoke, | |
| | Fulfil your pleasure. Live a thousand years, | |
| | I shall not find myself so apt to die: | |
| | No place will please me so, no mean of death, | 175 |
| | As here by Caesar, and by you cut off, | |
| | The choice and master spirits of this age. | |
| BRUTUS | O Antony, beg not your death of us. | |
| | Though now we must appear bloody and cruel, | |
| | As, by our hands and this our present act, | 180 |
| | You see we do, yet see you but our hands | |
| | And this the bleeding business 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-- | 185 |
| | Hath done this deed on Caesar. For your part, | |
| | To you our swords have leaden points, Mark Antony: | |
| | Our arms, in strength of malice, and our hearts | |
| | Of brothers' temper, do receive you in | |
| | With all kind love, good thoughts, and reverence. | 190 |
| CASSIUS | Your voice shall be as strong as any man's | |
| | In the disposing of new dignities. | |
| BRUTUS | Only be patient till we have appeased | |
| | The multitude, beside themselves with fear, | |
| | And then we will deliver you the cause, | 195 |
| | Why I, that did love Caesar when I struck him, | |
| | Have thus proceeded. | |
| ANTONY | I doubt not of your wisdom. | |
| | Let each man render me his bloody hand: | |
| | First, Marcus Brutus, will I shake with you; | 200 |
| | Next, Caius Cassius, do I take your hand; | |
| | Now, Decius Brutus, yours: 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? | 205 |
| | 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, O, 'tis true: | |
| | If then thy spirit look upon us now, | 210 |
| | Shall it not grieve thee dearer than thy death, | |
| | To see thy thy Anthony making his peace, | |
| | Shaking the bloody fingers of thy foes, | |
| | Most noble! in the presence of thy corse? | |
| | Had I as many eyes as thou hast wounds, | 215 |
| | 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 bay'd, brave hart; | |
| | Here didst thou fall; and here thy hunters stand, | 220 |
| | Sign'd in thy spoil, and crimson'd in thy lethe. | |
| | O 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, | |
| | Dost thou here lie! | 225 |
| CASSIUS | Mark Antony,-- | |
| ANTONY | Pardon me, Caius Cassius: | |
| | The enemies of Caesar shall say this; | |
| | Then, in a friend, it is cold modesty. | |
| CASSIUS | I blame you not for praising Caesar so; | 230 |
| | But what compact mean you to have with us? | |
| | Will you be prick'd in number of our friends; | |
| | Or shall we on, and not depend on you? | |
| ANTONY | Therefore I took your hands, but was, indeed, | |
| | Sway'd from the point, by looking down on Caesar. | 235 |
| | 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. | |
| BRUTUS | Or else were this a savage spectacle: | |
| | Our reasons are so full of good regard | 240 |
| | That were you, Antony, the son of Caesar, | |
| | You should be satisfied. | |
| ANTONY | That's all I seek: | |
| | And am moreover suitor that I may | |
| | Produce his body to the market-place; | 245 |
| | And in the pulpit, as becomes a friend, | |
| | Speak in the order of his funeral. | |
| BRUTUS | You shall, Mark Antony. | |
| CASSIUS | Brutus, a word with you. | |
| | Aside to BRUTUS | |
| | You know not what you do: do not consent | 250 |
| | That Antony speak in his funeral: | |
| | Know you how much the people may be moved | |
| | By that which he will utter? | |
| BRUTUS | By your pardon; | |
| | I will myself into the pulpit first, | 255 |
| | And show the reason of our Caesar's death: | |
| | What Antony shall speak, I will protest | |
| | He speaks by leave and by permission, | |
| | And that we are contented Caesar shall | |
| | Have all true rites and lawful ceremonies. | 260 |
| | It shall advantage more than do us wrong. | |
| CASSIUS | I know not what may fall; I like it not. | |
| BRUTUS | Mark Antony, here, take you Caesar's body. | |
| | You shall not in your funeral speech blame us, | |
| | But speak all good you can devise of Caesar, | 265 |
| | And say you do't by our permission; | |
| | Else shall you not have any hand at all | |
| | About his funeral: and you shall speak | |
| | In the same pulpit whereto I am going, | |
| | After my speech is ended. | 270 |
| ANTONY | Be it so. | |
| | I do desire no more. | |
| BRUTUS | Prepare the body then, and follow us. | |
| | Exeunt all but ANTONY | |
| ANTONY | O, pardon me, thou bleeding piece of earth, | |
| | That I am meek and gentle with these butchers! | 275 |
| | 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, | 280 |
| | To beg 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 | 285 |
| | And dreadful objects so familiar | |
| | That mothers shall but smile when they behold | |
| | Their infants quarter'd with the hands of war; | |
| | All pity choked with custom of fell deeds: | |
| | And Caesar's spirit, ranging for revenge, | 290 |
| | With 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; | |
| | That this foul deed shall smell above the earth | |
| | With carrion men, groaning for burial. | 295 |
| | Enter a Servant | |
| | You serve Octavius Caesar, do you not? | |
| Servant | I do, Mark Antony. | |
| ANTONY | Caesar did write for him to come to Rome. | |
| Servant | He did receive his letters, and is coming; | |
| | And bid me say to you by word of mouth-- | 300 |
| | O Caesar!-- | |
| | Seeing the body | |
| ANTONY | 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? | 305 |
| Servant | He lies to-night within seven leagues of Rome. | |
| ANTONY | 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 awhile; | 310 |
| | Thou shalt not back till I have borne this corse | |
| | Into the market-place: there shall I try | |
| | In my oration, how the people take | |
| | The cruel issue of these bloody men; | |
| | According to the which, thou shalt discourse | 315 |
| | To young Octavius of the state of things. | |
| | Lend me your hand. | |
| | Exeunt with CAESAR's body | |