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,5 At your best leisure, this his humble suit.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 10 What, is the fellow mad?PUBLIUS Sirrah, give place.CASSIUS What, urge you your petitions in the street? Come to the Capitol.⌜Caesar goes forward, the rest following.⌝
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POPILIUS, ⌜to Cassius⌝ I wish your enterprise today may thrive.CASSIUS 15What enterprise, Popilius?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 20 Look how he makes to Caesar. Mark him.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 25 Cassius, be constant. 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 30 Where is Metellus Cimber? Let him go 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 amiss35 That Caesar and his Senate must redress?METELLUS, ⌜kneeling⌝ Most high, most mighty, and most puissant Caesar, Metellus Cimber throws before thy seat An humble heart.
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CAESAR I must prevent thee, Cimber.40 These couchings and these lowly courtesies 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 blood45 That will be thawed from the true quality With that which melteth fools—I mean sweet words, Low-crookèd curtsies, and base spaniel fawning. Thy brother by decree is banishèd.50 If thou dost bend and pray and fawn for him, 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 own55 To sound more sweetly in great Caesar’s ear 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 60 What, Brutus?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.65 If I could pray to move, prayers would move me. 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;
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70 They are all fire, and every one doth shine. 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 one75 That unassailable holds on his rank, 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⌝ 80 O Caesar—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 85Et tu, Brutè?—Then fall, Caesar.⌜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 90 People and Senators, be not affrighted. Fly not; stand still. Ambition’s debt is paid.CASCA Go to the pulpit, Brutus.DECIUS And Cassius too.BRUTUS Where’s Publius?CINNA 95 Here, quite confounded with this mutiny.
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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,100 Nor to no Roman else. So tell them, Publius.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 105Where is 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 your110 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 115 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.120 Then walk we forth, even to the marketplace, And, waving our red weapons o’er our heads, Let’s all cry “Peace, freedom, and liberty!”
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CASSIUS Stoop then, and wash.⌜They smear their hands and swords with Caesar’s blood.⌝ How many ages hence125 Shall this our lofty scene be acted over 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 130So oft as that shall be, 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.135 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, ⌜kneeling⌝ Thus, Brutus, did my master bid me kneel. Thus did Mark Antony bid me fall down,140 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 honor him; Say, I feared Caesar, honored him, and loved him.145 If Brutus will vouchsafe that Antony 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 follow150 The fortunes and affairs of noble Brutus
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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.155 Tell him, so please him come unto this place, 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 160 I wish we may; but yet have I a mind 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?165 Are all thy conquests, glories, triumphs, spoils 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 fit170 As Caesar’s death’s hour, nor no instrument 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,175 Fulfill 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,
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As here by Caesar, and by you cut off, The choice and master spirits of this age.BRUTUS 180 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.185 Our hearts you see not; they are pitiful; 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.190 Our arms in 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 195 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.ANTONY 200 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,205 Metellus;— Yours, Cinna;—and, my valiant Casca, yours;— Though last, not least in love, yours, good Trebonius.— Gentlemen all—alas, what shall I say?210 My credit now stands on such slippery ground That one of two bad ways you must conceit me,
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Either a coward or a flatterer.— That I did love thee, Caesar, O, ’tis true! If then thy spirit look upon us now,215 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 corpse? Had I as many eyes as thou hast wounds,220 Weeping as fast as they stream forth thy blood, It would become me better than to close In terms of friendship with thine enemies. Pardon me, Julius! Here wast thou bayed, brave hart,225 Here didst thou fall, and here thy hunters stand 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 princes230 Dost thou here lie!CASSIUS Mark Antony—ANTONY Pardon me, Caius Cassius. The enemies of Caesar shall say this; Then, in a friend, it is cold modesty.CASSIUS 235 I blame you not for praising Caesar so. 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 indeed240 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.
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245 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; And am, moreover, suitor that I may250 Produce his body to the marketplace, 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.255 ⌜Aside to Brutus.⌝ 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, ⌜aside to Cassius⌝ 260 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 permission,265 And that we are contented Caesar shall 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.270 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 permission, Else shall you not have any hand at all About his funeral. And you shall speak275 In the same pulpit whereto I am going, After my speech is ended.
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ANTONY Be it so. I do desire no more.BRUTUS Prepare the body, then, and follow us.All but Antony exit.ANTONY 280 O pardon me, thou bleeding piece of earth, 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!285 Over thy wounds now do I prophesy (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 strife290 Shall cumber all the parts of Italy; 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,295 All pity choked with custom of fell deeds; 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,300 That this foul deed shall smell above the earth 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 305 He did receive his letters and is coming,
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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,310 Seeing those beads of sorrow stand in thine, 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.315 Here is a mourning Rome, a dangerous Rome, 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,320 In my oration, how the people take 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.⌝
