ANTONY. Post back with speed, and tell him what hath chanc'd.

Here is a mourning Rome, a dangerous Rome, No Rome of safety for Octavius yet; 290 Hie hence, and tell him so. Yet stay awhile; Thou shalt not back till I have borne this corse Into the market-place: there shall I try, In my oration, how the people take The cruel issue of these b.l.o.o.d.y men; 295 According to the which, thou shalt discourse To young Octavius of the state of things.

Lend me your hand. [_Exeunt with_ CaeSAR'S _body_]

SCENE II. _The Forum_

_Enter_ BRUTUS _and_ Ca.s.sIUS, _and a throng of_ Citizens

CITIZENS. We will be satisfied; let us be satisfied.

BRUTUS. Then follow me, and give me audience, friends.

Ca.s.sius, go you into the other street, And part the numbers.

Those that will hear me speak, let 'em stay here; 5 Those that will follow Ca.s.sius, go with him; And public reasons shall be rendered Of Caesar's death.

[Note 291: /awhile/ F4

a-while F1 F2.]

[Note 292: /corse/ Pope

course F1 F2

coa.r.s.e F3 F4.]

[Note 298: [_Exeunt_ ...] _Exeunt._ Ff.]

[Note: SCENE II Rowe

Scene V Pope.--_The Forum_ Rowe

Ff omit.]

[Note: _Enter_ BRUTUS ... Citizens Malone

Enter Brutus and goes into the Pulpit, and Ca.s.sius, with the Plebeians Ff.]

[Note 1: CITIZENS Capell

Ple. (Plebeians) Ff.]

[Note 7, 10: /rendered/ Pope

rendred Ff.]

[Note 290: A pun may lurk in this 'Rome.' See note, p. 19, l.

156.]

[Page 100]

1 CITIZEN. I will hear Brutus speak.

2 CITIZEN. I will hear Ca.s.sius; and compare their reasons, When severally we hear them rendered. 10

[_Exit_ Ca.s.sIUS, _with some of the_ Citizens. BRUTUS _goes into the pulpit_]

3 CITIZEN. The n.o.ble Brutus is ascended: silence!

[Note 10: [_Exit ... pulpit_] Ff omit.]

[Note 11: "The rest followed in troupe, but Brutus went foremost, very honourably compa.s.sed in round about with the n.o.blest men of the city, which brought him from the Capitol, through the market-place, to the pulpit for orations. When the people saw him in the pulpit, although they were a mult.i.tude of rakehels of all sorts, and had a good will to make some stir; yet, being ashamed to do it, for the reverence they bare unto Brutus, they kept silence to hear what he would say. When Brutus began to speak, they gave him quiet audience: howbeit, immediately after, they shewed that they were not all contented with the murther."--Plutarch, _Marcus Brutus_.]

[Page 101]

BRUTUS. 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 a.s.sembly, any dear friend of Caesar's, to him I say that Brutus' love to Caesar was no less than his. If then that friend demand why Brutus rose against Caesar, this is my answer: Not that I lov'd Caesar less, but that I lov'd Rome more. Had you rather Caesar were living, and die all slaves, than that Caesar were dead, to live all free-men? As Caesar lov'd 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. 33

ALL. None, Brutus, none.

BRUTUS. Then none have I offended. I have done no more to Caesar than you shall do to Brutus. The question of his death is enroll'd in the Capitol; his glory not extenuated, wherein he was worthy, nor his offences enforc'd, for which he suffer'd death. 39

[Note 26: /is/ Ff

are Pope.]

[Note 13: /lovers/. Pope changed this to 'friends.' But in the sixteenth century 'lover' and 'friend' were synonymous. In l.

44 Brutus speaks of Caesar as 'my best lover.' So 'Thy lover'

in II, iii, 8.]

[Note 16: /censure/: judge. The word may have been chosen for the euphuistic jingle it makes here with 'senses.']

[Note 26: /There is tears/. So in I, iii, 138. See Abbott, -- 335.]

[Note 36-39: The reason of his death is made a matter of solemn official record in the books of the Senate, as showing that the act of killing him was done for public ends, and not from private hate. His fame is not lessened or whittled down in those points wherein he was worthy. 'Enforc'd' is in ant.i.thesis to 'extenuated.' Exactly the same ant.i.thesis is found in _Antony and Cleopatra_, V, ii, 125.]

[Page 102]

_Enter_ ANTONY _and others, with_ CaeSAR'S _body_

Here comes his body, mourn'd 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. 46

ALL. Live, Brutus! live, live!

1 CITIZEN. Bring him with triumph home unto his house.

2 CITIZEN. Give him a statue with his ancestors.

3 CITIZEN. Let him be Caesar.

4 CITIZEN. Caesar's better parts 50 Shall be crown'd in Brutus.

1 CITIZEN. We'll bring him to his house with shouts and clamours.

BRUTUS. My countrymen,--

2 CITIZEN. Peace! silence! Brutus speaks.

1 CITIZEN. Peace, ho!

[Note 40: _Enter_ ANTONY ... _body_ Malone

Enter Mark Antony with Caesar's body Ff.]

[Note 47, 72, etc.: ALL Ff

Cit. (Citizens) Capell.]

[Note 48, 49, etc.: CITIZEN

Ff omit.]

[Note 52: Two lines in Ff.]