To the Soothsayer
1     The ides of March are come.

2    Ay, Caesar; but not gone.

3    Hail, Caesar! read this schedule.

4    Trebonius doth desire you to o'erread,
5    At your best leisure, this his humble suit.

6    O Caesar, read mine first; for mine's a suit
7    That touches Caesar nearer: read it, great Caesar.

8    What touches us ourself shall be last served.

9    Delay not, Caesar; read it instantly.

10   What, is the fellow mad?

11   Sirrah, give place.

12   What, urge you your petitions in the street?
13   Come to the Capitol.

14   I wish your enterprise to-day may thrive.

15   What enterprise, Popilius?

16   Fare you well.

17   What said Popilius Lena?

18   He wish'd to-day our enterprise might thrive.
19   I fear our purpose is discovered.

20   Look, how he makes to Caesar; mark him.

21   Casca, be sudden, for we fear prevention.
22   Brutus, what shall be done? If this be known,
23   Cassius or Caesar never shall turn back,
24   For I will slay myself.

25   Cassius, be constant:
26   Popilius Lena speaks not of our purposes;
27   For, look, he smiles, and Caesar doth not change.

28   Trebonius knows his time; for, look you, Brutus.
29   He draws Mark Antony out of the way.

30   Where is Metellus Cimber? Let him go,
31   And presently prefer his suit to Caesar.

32   He is address'd: press near and second him.

33   Casca, you are the first that rears your hand.

34   Are we all ready? What is now amiss
35   That Caesar and his senate must redress?

36   Most high, most mighty, and most puissant Caesar,
37   Metellus Cimber throws before thy seat
38   An humble heart,--

39   I must prevent thee, Cimber.
40   These couchings and these lowly courtesies
41   Might fire the blood of ordinary men,
42   And turn pre-ordinance and first decree
43   Into the law of children. Be not fond,
44   To think that Caesar bears such rebel blood
45   That will be thaw'd from the true quality
46   With that which melteth fools; I mean, sweet words,
47   Low-crooked court'sies and base spaniel-fawning.
48   Thy brother by decree is banished:
49   If thou dost bend and pray and fawn for him,
50   I spurn thee like a cur out of my way.
51   Know, Caesar doth not wrong, nor without cause
52   Will he be satisfied.

53   Is there no voice more worthy than my own
54   To sound more sweetly in great Caesar's ear
55   For the repealing of my banish'd brother?

56   I kiss thy hand, but not in flattery, Caesar;
57   Desiring thee that Publius Cimber may
58   Have an immediate freedom of repeal.

59   What, Brutus!

60   Pardon, Caesar; Caesar, pardon:
61   As low as to thy foot doth Cassius fall,
62   To beg enfranchisement for Publius Cimber.

63   I could be well moved, if I were as you:
64   If I could pray to move, prayers would move me:
65   But I am constant as the northern star,
66   Of whose true-fix'd and resting quality
67   There is no fellow in the firmament.
68   The skies are painted with unnumber'd sparks,
69   They are all fire and every one doth shine,
70   But there's but one in all doth hold his place:
71   So in the world; 'tis furnish'd well with men,
72   And men are flesh and blood, and apprehensive;
73   Yet in the number I do know but one
74   That unassailable holds on his rank,
75   Unshaked of motion: and that I am he,
76   Let me a little show it, even in this;
77   That I was constant Cimber should be banish'd,
78   And constant do remain to keep him so.

79   O Caesar,--

80   Hence! wilt thou lift up Olympus?

81   Great Caesar,--

82   Doth not Brutus bootless kneel?

83   Speak, hands for me!

84   Et tu, Brute! Then fall, Caesar.

85   Liberty! Freedom! Tyranny is dead!
86   Run hence, proclaim, cry it about the streets.

87   Some to the common pulpits, and cry out
88   'Liberty, freedom, and enfranchisement!'

89   People and senators, be not affrighted;
90   Fly not; stand stiff: ambition's debt is paid.

91   Go to the pulpit, Brutus.

92   And Cassius too.

93   Where's Publius?

94   Here, quite confounded with this mutiny.

95   Stand fast together, lest some friend of Caesar's
96   Should chance--

97   Talk not of standing. Publius, good cheer;
98   There is no harm intended to your person,
99   Nor to no Roman else: so tell them, Publius.

100  And leave us, Publius; lest that the people,
101  Rushing on us, should do your age some mischief.

102  Do so: and let no man abide this deed,
103  But we the doers.

104  Where is Antony?

105  Fled to his house amazed:
106  Men, wives and children stare, cry out and run
107  As it were doomsday.

108  Fates, we will know your pleasures:
109  That we shall die, we know; 'tis but the time
110  And drawing days out, that men stand upon.

111  Why, he that cuts off twenty years of life
112  Cuts off so many years of fearing death.

113  Grant that, and then is death a benefit:
114  So are we Caesar's friends, that have abridged
115  His time of fearing death. Stoop, Romans, stoop,
116  And let us bathe our hands in Caesar's blood
117  Up to the elbows, and besmear our swords:
118  Then walk we forth, even to the market-place,
119  And, waving our red weapons o'er our heads,
120  Let's all cry 'Peace, freedom and liberty!'

121  Stoop, then, and wash. How many ages hence
122  Shall this our lofty scene be acted over
123  In states unborn and accents yet unknown!

124  How many times shall Caesar bleed in sport,
125  That now on Pompey's basis lies along
126  No worthier than the dust!

127  So oft as that shall be,
128  So often shall the knot of us be call'd
129  The men that gave their country liberty.

130  What, shall we forth?

131  Ay, every man away:
132  Brutus shall lead; and we will grace his heels
133  With the most boldest and best hearts of Rome.

134  Soft! who comes here? A friend of Antony's.

135  Thus, Brutus, did my master bid me kneel:
136  Thus did Mark Antony bid me fall down;
137  And, being prostrate, thus he bade me say:
138  Brutus is noble, wise, valiant, and honest;
139  Caesar was mighty, bold, royal, and loving:
140  Say I love Brutus, and I honour him;
141  Say I fear'd Caesar, honour'd him and loved him.
142  If Brutus will vouchsafe that Antony
143  May safely come to him, and be resolved
144  How Caesar hath deserved to lie in death,
145  Mark Antony shall not love Caesar dead
146  So well as Brutus living; but will follow
147  The fortunes and affairs of noble Brutus
148  Thorough the hazards of this untrod state
149  With all true faith. So says my master Antony.

150  Thy master is a wise and valiant Roman;
151  I never thought him worse.
152  Tell him, so please him come unto this place,
153  He shall be satisfied; and, by my honour,
154  Depart untouch'd.

155  I'll fetch him presently.

156  I know that we shall have him well to friend.

157  I wish we may: but yet have I a mind
158  That fears him much; and my misgiving still
159  Falls shrewdly to the purpose.

160  But here comes Antony.
Re-enter ANTONY
161  Welcome, Mark Antony.

162  O mighty Caesar! dost thou lie so low?
163  Are all thy conquests, glories, triumphs, spoils,
164  Shrunk to this little measure? Fare thee well.
165  I know not, gentlemen, what you intend,
166  Who else must be let blood, who else is rank:
167  If I myself, there is no hour so fit
168  As Caesar's death hour, nor no instrument
169  Of half that worth as those your swords, made rich
170  With the most noble blood of all this world.
171  I do beseech ye, if you bear me hard,
172  Now, whilst your purpled hands do reek and smoke,
173  Fulfil your pleasure. Live a thousand years,
174  I shall not find myself so apt to die:
175  No place will please me so, no mean of death,
176  As here by Caesar, and by you cut off,
177  The choice and master spirits of this age.

178  O Antony, beg not your death of us.
179  Though now we must appear bloody and cruel,
180  As, by our hands and this our present act,
181  You see we do, yet see you but our hands
182  And this the bleeding business they have done:
183  Our hearts you see not; they are pitiful;
184  And pity to the general wrong of Rome--
185  As fire drives out fire, so pity pity--
186  Hath done this deed on Caesar. For your part,
187  To you our swords have leaden points, Mark Antony:
188  Our arms, in strength of malice, and our hearts
189  Of brothers' temper, do receive you in
190  With all kind love, good thoughts, and reverence.

191  Your voice shall be as strong as any man's
192  In the disposing of new dignities.

193  Only be patient till we have appeased
194  The multitude, beside themselves with fear,
195  And then we will deliver you the cause,
196  Why I, that did love Caesar when I struck him,
197  Have thus proceeded.

198  I doubt not of your wisdom.
199  Let each man render me his bloody hand:
200  First, Marcus Brutus, will I shake with you;
201  Next, Caius Cassius, do I take your hand;
202  Now, Decius Brutus, yours: now yours, Metellus;
203  Yours, Cinna; and, my valiant Casca, yours;
204  Though last, not last in love, yours, good Trebonius.
205  Gentlemen all,--alas, what shall I say?
206  My credit now stands on such slippery ground,
207  That one of two bad ways you must conceit me,
208  Either a coward or a flatterer.
209  That I did love thee, Caesar, O, 'tis true:
210  If then thy spirit look upon us now,
211  Shall it not grieve thee dearer than thy death,
212  To see thy thy Anthony making his peace,
213  Shaking the bloody fingers of thy foes,
214  Most noble! in the presence of thy corse?
215  Had I as many eyes as thou hast wounds,
216  Weeping as fast as they stream forth thy blood,
217  It would become me better than to close
218  In terms of friendship with thine enemies.
219  Pardon me, Julius! Here wast thou bay'd, brave hart;
220  Here didst thou fall; and here thy hunters stand,
221  Sign'd in thy spoil, and crimson'd in thy lethe.
222  O world, thou wast the forest to this hart;
223  And this, indeed, O world, the heart of thee.
224  How like a deer, strucken by many princes,
225  Dost thou here lie!

226  Mark Antony,--

227  Pardon me, Caius Cassius:
228  The enemies of Caesar shall say this;
229  Then, in a friend, it is cold modesty.

230  I blame you not for praising Caesar so;
231  But what compact mean you to have with us?
232  Will you be prick'd in number of our friends;
233  Or shall we on, and not depend on you?

234  Therefore I took your hands, but was, indeed,
235  Sway'd from the point, by looking down on Caesar.
236  Friends am I with you all and love you all,
237  Upon this hope, that you shall give me reasons
238  Why and wherein Caesar was dangerous.

239  Or else were this a savage spectacle:
240  Our reasons are so full of good regard
241  That were you, Antony, the son of Caesar,
242  You should be satisfied.

243  That's all I seek:
244  And am moreover suitor that I may
245  Produce his body to the market-place;
246  And in the pulpit, as becomes a friend,
247  Speak in the order of his funeral.

248  You shall, Mark Antony.

249  Brutus, a word with you.
Aside to BRUTUS
250  You know not what you do: do not consent
251  That Antony speak in his funeral:
252  Know you how much the people may be moved
253  By that which he will utter?

254  By your pardon;
255  I will myself into the pulpit first,
256  And show the reason of our Caesar's death:
257  What Antony shall speak, I will protest
258  He speaks by leave and by permission,
259  And that we are contented Caesar shall
260  Have all true rites and lawful ceremonies.
261  It shall advantage more than do us wrong.

262  I know not what may fall; I like it not.

263  Mark Antony, here, take you Caesar's body.
264  You shall not in your funeral speech blame us,
265  But speak all good you can devise of Caesar,
266  And say you do't by our permission;
267  Else shall you not have any hand at all
268  About his funeral: and you shall speak
269  In the same pulpit whereto I am going,
270  After my speech is ended.

271  Be it so.
272  I do desire no more.

273  Prepare the body then, and follow us.

274  O, pardon me, thou bleeding piece of earth,
275  That I am meek and gentle with these butchers!
276  Thou art the ruins of the noblest man
277  That ever lived in the tide of times.
278  Woe to the hand that shed this costly blood!
279  Over thy wounds now do I prophesy,--
280  Which, like dumb mouths, do ope their ruby lips,
281  To beg the voice and utterance of my tongue--
282  A curse shall light upon the limbs of men;
283  Domestic fury and fierce civil strife
284  Shall cumber all the parts of Italy;
285  Blood and destruction shall be so in use
286  And dreadful objects so familiar
287  That mothers shall but smile when they behold
288  Their infants quarter'd with the hands of war;
289  All pity choked with custom of fell deeds:
290  And Caesar's spirit, ranging for revenge,
291  With Ate by his side come hot from hell,
292  Shall in these confines with a monarch's voice
293  Cry 'Havoc,' and let slip the dogs of war;
294  That this foul deed shall smell above the earth
295  With carrion men, groaning for burial.
Enter a Servant
296  You serve Octavius Caesar, do you not?

297  I do, Mark Antony.

298  Caesar did write for him to come to Rome.

299  He did receive his letters, and is coming;
300  And bid me say to you by word of mouth--
301  O Caesar!--

302  Thy heart is big, get thee apart and weep.
303  Passion, I see, is catching; for mine eyes,
304  Seeing those beads of sorrow stand in thine,
305  Began to water. Is thy master coming?

306  He lies to-night within seven leagues of Rome.

307  Post back with speed, and tell him what hath chanced:
308  Here is a mourning Rome, a dangerous Rome,
309  No Rome of safety for Octavius yet;
310  Hie hence, and tell him so. Yet, stay awhile;
311  Thou shalt not back till I have borne this corse
312  Into the market-place: there shall I try
313  In my oration, how the people take
314  The cruel issue of these bloody men;
315  According to the which, thou shalt discourse
316  To young Octavius of the state of things.
317  Lend me your hand.