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ACT 3
Scene 1
Flourish. Enter Caesar, Antony, Lepidus; Brutus, Cassius,
Casca, Decius, Metellus, Trebonius, Cinna; Publius,
Popilius, Artemidorus, the Soothsayer, and other
Senators and Petitioners.
CAESAR The ides of March are come.
SOOTHSAYER Ay, Caesar, but not gone.
ARTEMIDORUS Hail, Caesar. Read this schedule.
DECIUS
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 forward, the rest following.
POPILIUS, to Cassius
I wish your enterprise today may thrive.
CASSIUS What enterprise, Popilius? 15
POPILIUS Fare you well. He walks away.
BRUTUS What said Popilius Lena?
CASSIUS
He wished today our enterprise might thrive.
I fear our purpose is discoverèd.
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.
Trebonius and Antony exit.
DECIUS
Where is Metellus Cimber? Let him go 30
And presently prefer his suit to Caesar.
BRUTUS
He is addressed. 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, kneeling
Most high, most mighty, and most puissant Caesar,
Metellus Cimber throws before thy seat
An humble heart.
CAESAR I must prevent thee, Cimber.
These couchings and these lowly courtesies 40
Might fire the blood of ordinary men
And turn preordinance and first decree
Into the law of children. Be not fond
To think that Caesar bears such rebel blood
That will be thawed from the true quality 45
With that which melteth fools—I mean sweet
words,
Low-crookèd curtsies, and base spaniel fawning.
Thy brother by decree is banishèd.
If thou dost bend and pray and fawn for him, 50
I spurn thee like a cur out of my way.
Know: Caesar doth not wrong, nor without cause
Will he be satisfied.
METELLUS
Is there no voice more worthy than my own
To sound more sweetly in great Caesar’s ear 55
For the repealing of my banished brother?
BRUTUS, kneeling
I kiss thy hand, but not in flattery, Caesar,
Desiring thee that Publius Cimber may
Have an immediate freedom of repeal.
CAESAR
What, Brutus? 60
CASSIUS, kneeling
Pardon, Caesar; Caesar, pardon!
As low as to thy foot doth Cassius fall
To beg enfranchisement for Publius Cimber.
CAESAR
I could be well moved, if I were as you.
If I could pray to move, prayers would move me. 65
But I am constant as the Northern Star,
Of whose true fixed and resting quality
There is no fellow in the firmament.
The skies are painted with unnumbered sparks;
They are all fire, and every one doth shine. 70
But there’s but one in all doth hold his place.
So in the world: ’tis furnished 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, 75
Unshaked of motion; and that I am he
Let me a little show it, even in this:
That I was constant Cimber should be banished
And constant do remain to keep him so.
CINNA, kneeling
O Caesar— 80
CAESAR Hence. Wilt thou lift up Olympus?
DECIUS, kneeling
Great Caesar—
CAESAR Doth not Brutus bootless kneel?
CASCA Speak, hands, for me!
As Casca strikes, the others rise up and stab Caesar.
CAESAR Et tu, Brutè?—Then fall, Caesar. 85
He dies.
CINNA
Liberty! Freedom! Tyranny is dead!
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. 90
Fly not; stand still. Ambition’s debt is paid.
CASCA
Go to the pulpit, Brutus.
DECIUS And Cassius too.
BRUTUS Where’s Publius?
CINNA
Here, quite confounded with this mutiny. 95
METELLUS
Stand fast together, lest some friend of Caesar’s
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. 100
CASSIUS
And leave us, Publius, lest that the people,
Rushing on us, should do your age some mischief.
BRUTUS
Do so, and let no man abide this deed
But we the doers.
All but the Conspirators exit.
Enter Trebonius.
CASSIUS Where is Antony? 105
TREBONIUS Fled to his house amazed.
Men, wives, and children stare, cry out, and run
As it were doomsday.
BRUTUS Fates, we will know your
pleasures. 110
That we shall die we know; ’tis but the time,
And drawing days out, that men stand upon.
CASCA
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. 115
So are we Caesar’s friends, that have abridged
His time of fearing death. Stoop, Romans, stoop,
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 marketplace, 120
And, waving our red weapons o’er our heads,
Let’s all cry “Peace, freedom, and liberty!”
CASSIUS
Stoop then, and wash.
They smear their hands and swords with Caesar’s blood.
How many ages hence
Shall this our lofty scene be acted over 125
In states unborn and accents yet unknown!
BRUTUS
How many times shall Caesar bleed in sport,
That now on Pompey’s basis lies along
No worthier than the dust!
CASSIUS So oft as that shall be, 130
So often shall the knot of us be called
The men that gave their country liberty.
DECIUS
What, shall we forth?
CASSIUS Ay, every man away.
Brutus shall lead, and we will grace his heels 135
With the most boldest and best hearts of Rome.
Enter a Servant.
BRUTUS
Soft, who comes here? A friend of Antony’s.
SERVANT, kneeling
Thus, Brutus, did my master bid me kneel.
Thus did Mark Antony bid me fall down,
And, being prostrate, thus he bade me say: 140
Brutus is noble, wise, valiant, and honest;
Caesar was mighty, bold, royal, and loving.
Say, I love Brutus, and I honor him;
Say, I feared Caesar, honored him, and loved him.
If Brutus will vouchsafe that Antony 145
May safely come to him and be resolved
How Caesar hath deserved to lie in death,
Mark Antony shall not love Caesar dead
So well as Brutus living, but will follow
The fortunes and affairs of noble Brutus 150
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.
I never thought him worse.
Tell him, so please him come unto this place, 155
He shall be satisfied and, by my honor,
Depart untouched.
SERVANT I’ll fetch him presently.
Servant exits.
BRUTUS
I know that we shall have him well to friend.
CASSIUS
I wish we may; but yet have I a mind 160
That fears him much, and my misgiving still
Falls shrewdly to the purpose.
Enter Antony.
BRUTUS
But here comes Antony.—Welcome, Mark Antony!
ANTONY
O mighty Caesar, dost thou lie so low?
Are all thy conquests, glories, triumphs, spoils 165
Shrunk to this little measure? Fare thee well.—
I know not, gentlemen, what you intend,
Who else must be let blood, who else is rank.
If I myself, there is no hour so fit
As Caesar’s death’s hour, nor no instrument 170
Of half that worth as those your swords made rich
With the most noble blood of all this world.
I do beseech you, if you bear me hard,
Now, whilst your purpled hands do reek and smoke,
Fulfill your pleasure. Live a thousand years, 175
I shall not find myself so apt to die;
No place will please me so, no mean of death,
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! 180
Though now we must appear bloody and cruel,
As by our hands and this our present act
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; 185
And pity to the general wrong of Rome
(As fire drives out fire, so pity pity)
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 190
Of brothers’ temper, do receive you in
With all kind love, good thoughts, and reverence.
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 195
The multitude, beside themselves with fear;
And then we will deliver you the cause
Why I, that did love Caesar when I struck him,
Have thus proceeded.
ANTONY I doubt not of your wisdom. 200
Let each man render me his bloody hand.
First, Marcus Brutus, will I shake with you.—
Next, Caius Cassius, do I take your hand.—
Now, Decius Brutus, yours;—now yours,
Metellus;— 205
Yours, Cinna;—and, my valiant Casca, yours;—
Though last, not least in love, yours, good
Trebonius.—
Gentlemen all—alas, what shall I say?
My credit now stands on such slippery ground 210
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,
Shall it not grieve thee dearer than thy death 215
To see thy Antony making his peace,
Shaking the bloody fingers of thy foes—
Most noble!—in the presence of thy corpse?
Had I as many eyes as thou hast wounds,
Weeping as fast as they stream forth thy blood, 220
It would become me better than to close
In terms of friendship with thine enemies.
Pardon me, Julius! Here wast thou bayed, brave
hart,
Here didst thou fall, and here thy hunters stand 225
Signed in thy spoil and crimsoned 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! 230
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. 235
But what compact mean you to have with us?
Will you be pricked in number of our friends,
Or shall we on and not depend on you?
ANTONY
Therefore I took your hands, but was indeed
Swayed from the point by looking down on Caesar. 240
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 245
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 marketplace, 250
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 255
not consent
That Antony speak in his funeral.
Know you how much the people may be moved
By that which he will utter?
BRUTUS, aside to Cassius By your pardon, 260
I will myself into the pulpit first
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 265
Have all true rites and lawful ceremonies.
It shall advantage more than do us wrong.
CASSIUS, aside to Brutus
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 270
But speak all good you can devise of Caesar
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, 275
After my speech is ended.
ANTONY Be it so.
I do desire no more.
BRUTUS
Prepare the body, then, and follow us.
All but Antony exit.
ANTONY
O pardon me, thou bleeding piece of earth, 280
That I am meek and gentle with these butchers.
Thou art the ruins of the noblest man
That ever livèd in the tide of times.
Woe to the hand that shed this costly blood!
Over thy wounds now do I prophesy 285
(Which like dumb mouths do ope their ruby lips
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; 290
Blood and destruction shall be so in use
And dreadful objects so familiar
That mothers shall but smile when they behold
Their infants quartered with the hands of war,
All pity choked with custom of fell deeds; 295
And Caesar’s spirit, ranging for revenge,
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 300
With carrion men groaning for burial.
Enter Octavius’ 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, 305
And bid me say to you by word of mouth—
O Caesar!
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, 310
Began to water. Is thy master coming?
SERVANT
He lies tonight within seven leagues of Rome.
ANTONY
Post back with speed and tell him what hath
chanced.
Here is a mourning Rome, a dangerous Rome, 315
No Rome of safety for Octavius yet.
Hie hence and tell him so.—Yet stay awhile;
Thou shalt not back till I have borne this corpse
Into the marketplace. There shall I try,
In my oration, how the people take 320
The cruel issue of these bloody men,
According to the which thou shalt discourse
To young Octavius of the state of things.
Lend me your hand.
They exit with Caesar’s body.
Et tu? :(