Cinna. O Caesar

Caes Hence: Wilt thou lift vp Olympus? Decius. Great Caesar

Caes Doth not Brutus bootlesse kneele? Cask. Speake hands for me.

They stab Caesar.

Caes Et Tu Brute? - Then fall Caesar.

Dyes

Cin. Liberty, Freedome; Tyranny is dead, Run hence, proclaime, cry it about the Streets

Cassi. Some to the common Pulpits, and cry out Liberty, Freedome, and Enfranchisement

Bru. People and Senators, be not affrighted: Fly not, stand still: Ambitions debt is paid

Cask. Go to the Pulpit Brutus

Dec. And Cassius too

Bru. Where's Publius? Cin. Heere, quite confounded with this mutiny

Met. Stand fast together, least some Friend of Caesars Should chance- Bru. Talke not of standing. Publius good cheere, There is no harme intended to your person, Nor to no Roman else: so tell them Publius

Cassi. And leaue vs Publius, least that the people Rushing on vs, should do your Age some mischiefe

Bru. Do so, and let no man abide this deede, But we the Doers. Enter Trebonius

Cassi. Where is Antony? Treb. Fled to his House amaz'd: Men, Wiues, and Children, stare, cry out, and run, As it were Doomesday

Bru. Fates, we will know your pleasures: That we shall dye we know, 'tis but the time And drawing dayes out, that men stand vpon

Cask. Why he that cuts off twenty yeares of life, Cuts off so many yeares of fearing death

Bru. Grant that, and then is Death a Benefit: So are we Caesars Friends, that haue abridg'd His time of fearing death. Stoope Romans, stoope, And let vs bathe our hands in Caesars blood Vp to the Elbowes, and besmeare our Swords: Then walke we forth, euen to the Market place, And wauing our red Weapons o're our heads, Let's all cry Peace, Freedome, and Liberty

Cassi. Stoop then, and wash. How many Ages hence Shall this our lofty Scene be acted ouer, In State vnborne, and Accents yet vnknowne? Bru. How many times shall Caesar bleed in sport, That now on Pompeyes Basis lye along, No worthier then the dust? Cassi. So oft as that shall be, So often shall the knot of vs be call'd, The Men that gaue their Country liberty

Dec. What, shall we forth? Cassi. I, euery man away. Brutus shall leade, and we will grace his heeles With the most boldest, and best hearts of Rome. Enter a Seruant.

Bru. Soft, who comes heere? A friend of Antonies

Ser. Thus Brutus did my Master bid me kneele; Thus did Mark Antony bid me fall downe, And being prostrate, thus he bad me say: Brutus is Noble, Wise, Valiant, and Honest; Caesar was Mighty, Bold, Royall, and Louing: Say, I loue Brutus, and I honour him; Say, I fear'd Caesar, honour'd him, and lou'd him. If Brutus will vouchsafe, that Antony May safely come to him, and be resolu'd How Caesar hath deseru'd to lye in death, Mark Antony, shall not loue Caesar dead So well as Brutus liuing; but will follow The Fortunes and Affayres of Noble Brutus, Thorough the hazards of this vntrod State, With all true Faith. So sayes my Master Antony

Bru. Thy Master is a Wise and Valiant Romane, I neuer thought him worse: Tell him, so please him come vnto this place He shall be satisfied: and by my Honor Depart vntouch'd

Ser. Ile fetch him presently.

Exit Seruant.

Bru. I know that we shall haue him well to Friend

Cassi. I wish we may: But yet haue I a minde That feares him much: and my misgiuing still Falles shrewdly to the purpose. Enter Antony.

William Shakespeare
Classic Literature Library

All Pages of This Book