Shakespeare's First Folio Part 544

2 If thou consider rightly of the matter, Caesar ha's had great wrong

3 Ha's hee Masters? I feare there will a worse come in his place

4. Mark'd ye his words? he would not take y Crown, Therefore '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 n.o.bler man in Rome then Antony

4. Now marke him, he begins againe to speake

Ant. But yesterday, the word of Caesar 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, I should do Brutus wrong, and Ca.s.sius 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.

But heere's a Parchment, with the Seale of Caesar, 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 Caesars wounds, And 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

4 Wee'l heare the Will, reade it Marke Antony

All. The Will, the Will; we will heare Caesars Will

Ant. Haue patience gentle Friends, I must not read it.

It is not meete you know how Caesar lou'd you: You are not Wood, you are not Stones, but men: And 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 Heires, For if you should, O what would come of it?

4 Read the Will, wee'l heare it Antony: You shall reade vs the Will, Caesars 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 Caesar: I do feare it

4 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: Then make a Ring about the Corpes of Caesar, And let me shew you him that made the Will: Shall I descend? And will you giue me leaue?

All. Come downe

2 Descend

3 You shall haue leaue

4 A Ring, stand round

1 Stand from the Hea.r.s.e, stand from the Body

2 Roome for Antony, most n.o.ble Antony

Ant. Nay presse not so vpon me, stand farre off

All. 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 Caesar put it on, 'Twas on a Summers Euening in his Tent, That day he ouercame the Neruij.

Looke, in this place ran Ca.s.sius 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: Marke how the blood of Caesar followed it, As rus.h.i.+ng out of doores, to be resolu'd If Brutus so vnkindely knock'd, or no: For Brutus, as you know, was Caesars Angel.

Iudge, O you G.o.ds, how deerely Caesar lou'd him: This was the most vnkindest cut of all.

For when the n.o.ble Caesar saw him stab, Ingrat.i.tude, more strong then Traitors armes, Quite vanquish'd him: then burst his Mighty heart, And in his Mantle, m.u.f.fling vp his face, Euen at the Base of Pompeyes Statue (Which all the while ran blood) great Caesar fell.

O what a fall was there, my Countrymen?

Then I, and you, and all of vs fell downe, Whil'st b.l.o.o.d.y Treason flourish'd ouer vs.

O 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 Caesars Vesture wounded? Looke you heere, Heere is Himselfe, marr'd as you see with Traitors

1. O pitteous spectacle!

2. O n.o.ble Caesar!

3. O wofull day!

4. O Traitors, Villaines!

1. O most b.l.o.o.d.y sight!

2. 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 n.o.ble Antony

2. Wee'l heare him, wee'l follow him, wee'l dy with him

Ant. Good Friends, sweet Friends, let me not stirre you vp To such a sodaine Flood of Mutiny: They that haue done this Deede, are honourable.

What 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: But (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, To stirre mens Blood. I onely speake right on: I tell you that, which you your selues do know, Shew you sweet Caesars wounds, poor poor dum mouths And bid them speake for me: But were I Brutus, And Brutus Antony, there were an Antony Would ruffle vp your Spirits, and put a Tongue In euery Wound of Caesar, that should moue The stones of Rome, to rise and Mutiny

All. Wee'l Mutiny

1 Wee'l burne the house of Brutus

3 Away then, come, seeke the Conspirators

Ant. Yet heare me Countrymen, yet heare me speake All. Peace hoe, heare Antony, most n.o.ble Antony

Ant. Why Friends, you go to do you know not what: Wherein hath Caesar thus deseru'd your loues?

Alas 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 Caesars Seale: To euery Roman Citizen he giues, To euery seuerall man, seuenty fiue Drachmaes

2 Ple. Most n.o.ble Caesar, wee'l reuenge his death

3 Ple. O Royall Caesar

Ant. Heare me with patience