ANTONY 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?
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ALL Come down.
2 PLEBEIAN Descend.
[Antony comes down from the pulpit.]
3 PLEBEIAN You shall have leave.
4 PLEBEIAN A ring.
Stand round.
1 PLEBEIAN
Stand from the hearse, stand from the body.
2 PLEBEIAN Room for Antony, most noble Antony.
ANTONY Nay, press not so upon me. Stand far off.
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ALL Stand back. Room, bear back.
ANTONY 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.
’Twas on a summer’s evening in his tent,
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That day he overcame the Nervii.
Look, in this place ran Cassius’ dagger through:
See what a rent the envious Caska made:
Through this, the well-beloved Brutus stabbed,
And as he plucked his cursed steel away,
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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.
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This was the most unkindest cut of all:
For when the noble Caesar saw him stab,
Ingratitude, more strong than traitor’s arms,
Quite vanquished him: then burst his mighty heart;
And in his mantle muffling up his face,
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Even at the base of Pompey’s 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 us fell down,
Whilst bloody treason flourished over us.
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O, now 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.
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1 PLEBEIAN O piteous spectacle!
2 PLEBEIAN O noble Caesar!
3 PLEBEIAN O woeful day!
4 PLEBEIAN O traitors, villains!
1 PLEBEIAN O most bloody sight!
2 PLEBEIAN We will be revenged!
ALL
Revenge! About! Seek! Burn! Fire! Kill! Slay!
Let not a traitor live!
ANTONY Stay, countrymen.
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1 PLEBEIAN Peace there, hear the noble Antony.
ALL
We’ll hear him, we’ll follow him, we’ll die with him!
ANTONY
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.
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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,
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But, as you know me all, a plain blunt man
That love 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
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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 were an Antony
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Would ruffle up your spirits and put a tongue
In every wound of Caesar that should move
The stones of Rome to rise and mutiny.
ALL We’ll mutiny.
1 PLEBEIAN We’ll burn the house of Brutus.
3 PLEBEIAN Away then, come, seek the conspirators.
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ANTONY Yet hear me, countrymen, yet hear me speak.
ALL Peace ho, hear Antony, most noble Antony.
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.
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You have forgot the will I told you of.
ALL Most true. The will, let’s stay and hear the will.
ANTONY Here is the will, and under Caesar’s seal.
To every Roman citizen he gives,
To every several man, seventy-five drachmas.
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2 PLEBEIAN Most noble Caesar, we’ll revenge his death.
3 PLEBEIAN O royal Caesar!
ANTONY Hear me with patience.
ALL Peace ho.
ANTONY Moreover, he hath left you all his walks,
His private arbours and new-planted orchards,
On this side Tiber. He hath left them you
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And to your heirs for ever: common pleasures
To walk abroad and recreate yourselves.
Here was a Caesar: when comes such another?
1 PLEBEIAN Never, never. Come, away, away.
We’ll burn his body in the holy place,
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And with the brands fire all the traitors’ houses.
Take up the body.
2 PLEBEIAN Go fetch fire.
3 PLEBEIAN Pluck down benches.
4 PLEBEIAN Pluck down forms, windows, anything.
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Exit Plebeians with the body.
ANTONY Now let it work. Mischief, thou art afoot:
Take thou what course thou wilt.
Enter Servant.
How now, fellow?
SERVANT Sir, Octavius is already come to Rome.
ANTONY Where is he?
SERVANT He and Lepidus are at Caesar’s house.
ANTONY And thither will I straight to visit him.
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He comes upon a wish. Fortune is merry
And in this mood will give us anything.
SERVANT I heard him say Brutus and Cassius
Are rid like madmen through the gates of Rome.
ANTONY Belike they had some notice of the people
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How I had moved them. Bring me to Octavius.
Exeunt.
3.3 Enter CINNA the poet, and after him the Plebeians.
CINNA I dreamt tonight that I did feast with Caesar,
And things unluckily charge my fantasy.
I have no will to wander forth of doors,
Yet something leads me forth.
1 PLEBEIAN What is your name?
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2 PLEBEIAN Whither are you going?
3 PLEBEIAN Where do you dwell?
4 PLEBEIAN Are you a married man or a bachelor?
2 PLEBEIAN Answer every man directly.
1 PLEBEIAN Ay, and briefly.
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4 PLEBEIAN Ay, and wisely.
3 PLEBEIAN Ay, and truly, you were best.
CINNA 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
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truly: wisely I say, I am a bachelor.
2 PLEBEIAN That’s as much as to say they are fools that
marry. You’ll bear me a bang
for that, I fear. Proceed,
directly.
CINNA Directly, I am going to Caesar’s funeral.
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1 PLEBEIAN As a friend or an enemy?
CINNA As a friend.
2 PLEBEIAN That matter is answered directly.
4 PLEBEIAN For your dwelling, briefly.
CINNA Briefly, I dwell by the Capitol.
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3 PLEBEIAN Your name, sir, truly.
CINNA Truly, my name is Cinna.
1 PLEBEIAN Tear him to pieces, he’s a conspirator.
CINNA I am Cinna the poet, I am Cinna the poet.
4 PLEBEIAN Tear him for his bad verses, tear him for his
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bad verses.
CINNA I am not Cinna the conspirator.
4 PLEBEIAN It is no matter, his name’s Cinna. Pluck but
his name out of his heart and turn him going.
3 PLEBEIAN Tear him, tear him! [They set upon him.]
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ALL Come, brands, ho! Firebrands! To Brutus’, to
Cassius’, burn all! Some to Decius’ house, and some to
Casca’s, some to Ligarius’! Away, go!
Exeunt all the Plebeians dragging off Cinna.
4.1 Enter ANTONY, OCTAVIUS and LEPIDUS.
ANTONY
These many, then, shall die; their names are pricked.
OCTAVIUS
Your brother too must die; consent you, Lepidus?
LEPIDUS I do consent.
OCTAVIUS Prick him down, Antony.
LEPIDUS Upon condition Publius shall not live,
Who is your sister’s son, Mark Antony.
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ANTONY
He shall not live. Look, with a spot I damn him.
But, Lepidus, go you to Caesar’s house:
Fetch the will hither, and we shall determine
How to cut off some charge in legacies.
LEPIDUS What, shall I find you here?
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OCTAVIUS Or here, or at the Capitol. Exit Lepidus.
ANTONY This is a slight unmeritable man,
Meet to be sent on errands: is it fit,
The threefold world divided, he should stand
One of the three to share it?
OCTAVIUS So you thought him,
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And took his voice who should be pricked to die
In our black sentence and proscription.
ANTONY Octavius, I have seen more days than you;
And though we lay these honours on this man
To ease ourselves of diverse slanderous loads,
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He shall but bear them as the ass bears gold,
To groan and sweat under the business,
Either led or driven, as we point the way:
And having brought our treasure where we will,
Then take we down his load and turn him off,
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Like to the empty ass, to shake his ears
And graze in commons.
OCTAVIUS You may do your will;
But he’s a tried and valiant soldier.
ANTONY So is my horse, Octavius, and for that
I do appoint him store of provender.
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It is a creature that I teach to fight,
To wind, to stop, to run directly on,
His corporal motion governed by my spirit,
And, in some taste, is Lepidus but so:
He must be taught, and trained, and bid go forth;
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A barren-spirited fellow; one that feeds
On objects, arts and imitations
Which, out of use and staled by other men,
Begin his fashion. Do not talk of him
But as a property. And now, Octavius,
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Listen great things. Brutus and Cassius
Are levying powers. We must straight make head.
Therefore let our alliance be combined,
Our best friends made, our means stretched,
And let us presently go sit in counsel,
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How covert matters may be best disclosed,
And open perils surest answered.
OCTAVIUS Let us do so: for we are at the stake
And bayed about with many enemies,
And some that smile have in their hearts, I fear,
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Millions of mischiefs. Exeunt.
4.2 Drum. Enter BRUTUS, LUCILIUS and the army. TITINIUS and PINDARUS meet them.
BRUTUS Stand ho.
LUCILIUS Give the word, ho, and stand.
BRUTUS What now, Lucilius, is Cassius near?
LUCILIUS He is at hand, and Pindarus is come
To do you salutation from his master.
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BRUTUS He greets me well. Your master, Pindarus,
The Arden Shakespeare Complete Works Page 148