Caesar. Et tu, Brute? Then fall, Caesar!

[He muffles up his face in his mantle, falls at the foot of Pompey's statue, and dies. The Senators and Citizens fly in confusion.

Cinna. Liberty! freedom! Tyranny is dead! Run hence, proclaim, cry it about the streets. Casca. Some to the common pulpits, and cry out, 80 'Liberty, freedom, and enfranchisement.'

Brutus. People, and senators, be not affrighted. Fly not; stand still ambition's debt is paid. Casca. Go to the pulpit, Brutus.

Decius.

Brutus. Where 's Publius ?

And Cassius too.

85

Cinna. Here, quite confounded with this mutiny. 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.

90

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, 94
But we, the doers.
[Exit Publius.

Re-enter Trebonius. A confused sound is heard within.
Cassius. Where 's Antony?
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 :
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:
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 market-place,
And waving our red weapons o'er our heads,
Let's all cry, 'Peace, freedom, and liberty!'

100

105

Cassius. Stoop then, and wash. [They gather round the body, and redden their hands with the blood.] How many ages hence

Shall this our lofty scene be acted over

In states unborn and accents yet unknown!

114

Brutus. How many times shall Caesar bleed in sport, That now on Pompey's basis les along, No worthier than the dust!

Cassius.

So oft as that shall be,

120

So often shall the knot of us be called
The men that gave their country liberty.
Decius. What, shall we forth?
Cassius.
Aye, every man away:
Brutus shall lead, and we will grace his heels
With the most boldest and best hearts of Rome.

Enter a Servant.

Brutus. Soft! who comes here? A friend of Antony's. Servant. Thus, Brutus, did my master bid me kneel; [Kneeling.

125

Thus did Mark Antony bid me fall down;
And, being prostrate, thus he bade me say:
'Brutus is noble, wise, valiant, and honest;
Caesar was mighty, bold, royal, and loving :
Say, I love Brutus, and I honour him;
Say, I feared Caesar, honoured him, and loved him.
If Brutus will vouchsafe that Antony
May safely come to him and be resolved
How Caesar hath deserved to lie in death,

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135

Mark Antony shall not love Caesar dead
So well as Brutus living, but will follow
The fortunes and affairs of noble Brutus
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.

[The Servant rises.

Tell him, so please him come unto this place,
He shall be satisfied and, by my honour,
Depart untouched.

Servant.

I'll fetch him presently.

141

[Exit.

Brutus. I know that we shall have him well to friend. Cassius. I wish we may: but yet I have a mind 145

That fears him much, and my misgiving still
Falls shrewdly to the purpose.

Re-enter Antony.

Brutus. But here comes Antony.

[Advances to meet him; the body lies between them.] Welcome, Mark Antony.

Antony [pausing before the body, and kneeling]. O mighty Caesar! dost thou lie so low?

150

Are all thy conquests, glories, triumphs, spoils, Shrunk to this little measure? Fare thee well. [He rises. 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

155

Of half that worth as those your swords, made rich With the most noble blood of all this world.

I do beseech ye, if you bear me hard,

Now, whilst your purpled hands do reek and smoke, Fulfil your pleasure. Live a thousand years,

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.

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165

170

Brutus. O Antony, beg not your death of us. 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; And pity to the general wrong of Rome Hath done this deed on Caesar. For your part, To you our swords have leaden points, Mark Antony, Our arms no strength of malice; and our hearts, 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 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.

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180

Antony.

I doubt not of your wisdom.

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 ;
Yours, Cinna; and, my valiant Casca, yours;

185

Though last, not least in love, yours, good Trebonius.
Gentlemen all,-alas, what shall I say?

My credit now stands on such slippery ground,
That one of two bad ways you must conceit me,
Either a coward or a flatterer.

That I did love thee, Caesar, oh, 'tis true :

190

[He turns from them to the body. If, then, thy spirit look upon us now,

Shall it not grieve thee dearer than thy death,
To see thy Antony making his peace,
Shaking the bloody fingers of thy foes,
Most noble in the presence of thy corse?
Had I as many eyes as thou hast wounds,
Weeping as fast as they stream forth thy blood,
It would become me better, than to close
In terms of friendship with thine enemies

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200

Pardon me, Julius! Here wast thou bayed, brave hart; Here didst thou fall, and here thy hunters stand, 205 Signed in thy spoil, and crimsoned in thy lethe.

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;
But what compàct mean you to have with us?
Will you be pricked in number of our friends;
Or shall we on, and not depend on you?

211

216

Antony. Therefore I took your hands, but was indeed
Swayed from the point by looking down on Caesar.
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
That were you, Antony, the son of Caesar,
You should be satisfied.

Antony.

That's all I seek:

220

And am moreover suitor that I may
Produce his body to the market-place,
And in the pulpit, as becomes a friend,
Speak in the order of his funeral.

Brutus. You shall, Mark Antony.
Cassius.

225

Brutus, a word with you.

[He takes Brutus aside while Antony turns sadly to the body. You know not what you do: do not consent

That Antony speak in his funeral :

Know you how much the people may be moved
By that which he will utter ?

Brutus.

By your pardon :
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 permissión;
And that we are contented Caesar shall
Have all true rites and lawful ceremonies.
It shall advantage more than do us wrong.

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235

Cassius. 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,
But speak all good you can devise of Caesar,
And say you do 't by our permissión;
Else shall you not have any hand at all
About his funeral and you shall speak
In the same pulpit whereto I am going,
After my speech is ended.

Antony.

I do desire no more.

Be it so ;

Brutus. Prepare the body, then, and follow us.

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245

[Exeunt all except Antony.

Antony. Oh, pardon me, thou bleeding piece of earth,

That I am meek and gentle with these butchers! 251

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

255

(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;

260