Who else must be let blood, who else is rank :' As Cæsar's death's hour; nor no instrument I do beseech ye, if you bear me hard, Now, whilst your purpled hands do reek and smoke, No place will please me so, no mean of death, Bru. O Antony! beg not your death of us. Hath done this deed on Cæsar. For your part, Bru. Only be patient, till we have appeas'd Ant. I doubt not of your wisdom. Let each man render me his bloody hand : Next Caius Cassius, do I take your hand; Now, Decius Brutus, yours ;-now yours, Metellus ;- My credit now stands on such slippery ground, [8] Who else may be supposed to have overtopped his equals, and grown too high for the public safety. JOHNSON. That I did love thee, Cæsar, O, 'tis true: Shall it not grieve thee, dearer than thy death, In terms of friendship with thine enemies. Pardon me, Julius !-Here wast thou bay'd, brave hart : Cas. Mark Antony, Ant. Pardon me, Caius Cassius : The enemies of Cæsar shall say this; Then, in a friend, it is cold modesty. Cas. I blame you not for praising Cæsar so ; 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? Ant. Therefore I took your hands; but was, indeed, Our reasons are so full of good regard, Ant. That's all I seek : And am moreover suitor, that I may Bru. You shall, Mark Antony. You know not what you do ; Do not consent, [Aside [9] Lethe is used by many of the old translators of novels, for death STEEY. Know you how much the people may be mov'd Bru. By your pardon ; I will myself into the pulpit first, And show the reason of our Cæsar's death: Cas. I know not what may fall; I like it not. Ant. Be it so ; I do desire no more. Bru. Prepare the body then, and follow us. Exeunt all but ANTONY. Ant. O, pardon me, thou piece of bleeding earth, That I am meek and gentle with these butchers! 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! And dreadful objects so familiar, That mothers shall but smile, when they behold [3] A learned correspondent has informed me, that, in the military operations of That this foul deed shall smell above the earth You serve Octavius Cæsar, do you not? Ant. Cæsar did write for him to come to Rome. - [Seeing the body. Ant. 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, Begin to water. Is thy master coming? Serv. He lies to-night within seven leagues of Rome. Ant. Post back with speed, and tell him what hath chanc'd: Here is a mourning Rome, a dangerous Rome, Hie hence, and tell him so. Yet, stay a while : In my oration, how the people take The same. The Forum. [Exeunt, with CESAR's body. SCENE II. Enter BRUTUS and CASSIUS, and a Throng of Citizens. Cit. We will be satisfied; let us be satisfied. Bru. Then follow me, and give me audience, friends.--- Cassius, go you into the other street, And part the numbers. Those that will hear me speak, let them stay here; And public reasons shall be rendered Of Cæsar's death. 1 Cit. I will hear Brutus speak. old times, Havock was the word by which declaration was made that no quarter should be given In a tract intitled, "The Office of the Constable and Mareschall in the Time of Werre," there is the following:-" Also that no man be so hardy to crye Havok upon peyne that he that is the begynner shal be deede therefore: & the remanent that doo the same or follow shal lose their horse & barneis; and the persones of such as followeth & escrien shall be under arrest of the Conestable & Mareschall warde unto tyme that they have made fyn; & founde suretie no morr to offende; & his body in prison at the Kyng wyll." JOHNSON. 2 Cit. I will hear Cassius; and compare their reasons, When severally we hear them rendered. [Exit CASSIUS with some of the Citizens. BRUTUS goes into the rostrum. my 3 Cit. The noble Brutus is ascended: Silence! Bru. Be patient till the last. Romans, countrymen, and lovers! hear me for my cause; and be silent that you may hear: believe me for mine honour, and have respect to mine honour, that you may believe censure me in your wisdom; and awake your senses that you may the better judge. If there be any in this assembly, any dear friend of Cæsar's, to him I say, that Brutus' love to Cæsar was no less than his. If then that. friend demand, why Brutus rose against Cæsar, this is answer,-Not that I loved Cæsar less, but that I loved Rome more. Had you rather Cæsar were living, and die all slaves; than that Cæsar were dead, to live all free men? As Cæsar loved me, I weep for him; as he was fortunate, I rejoice at it; as he was valiant, I honour him: but, as he was ambitious, I slew him: There is tears for his love; joy, for his fortune; honour, for his valour; and death, for his ambition. Who is here so base, that would be a bondman? If any, speak; for him have I offended. Who is here so rude, that would not be a Roman? If any, speak, for him have I offended. Who is here so vile, that will not love his country? If any, speak; for him have I offended. I pause for a reply. Cit. None, Brutus, none. [Several speaking at once. Í have done no Bru. Then none have I offended. aore to Cæsar, than you should do to Brutus. The question of his death is enrolled in the Capitol his glory not extenuated, wherein he was worthy; nor his offences enforced, for which he suffered death. Enter ANTONY and others, with CESAR's body. Here comes his body mourned by Mark Antony who, though he had no hand in his death, shall receive the benefit of his dying, a place in the commonwealth; As which of you shall not? With this I depart; That, as I slew my best lover for the good of Rome, I have the same dagger for myself, when it shall please my country to need my death. [5] This artificial jingle of short sentences was affected by most of the orators in Shakespeare's time, whether in the pulpit, or at the bar. The speech of Brutus may therefore be regarded rather as an imitation of the false eloquence then in vogué, than as a specimen of laconick brevity. STEEVENS. |