The New Hudson Shakespeare · William Shakespeare
SCENE II. _The Forum_
_Enter_ BRUTUS _and_ CASSIUS, _and a throng of_ Citizens CITIZENS. We will be satisfied; let us be satisfied. BRUTUS. Then follow me, and give me audience, friends. Cassius, 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 Cassius, go with him; And public reasons shall be rendered Of Cæsar's death. [Note 291: /awhile/ F4 | a-while F1 F2.] [Note 292: /corse/ Pope | course F1 F2 | coarse 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 Cassius, 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 Cassius; and compare their reasons, When severally we hear them rendered. 10 [_Exit_ CASSIUS, _with some of the_ Citizens. BRUTUS _goes into the pulpit_] 3 CITIZEN. The noble Brutus is ascended: silence! [Note 10: [_Exit ... pulpit_] Ff omit.]
1 CITIZEN. Stay, ho! and let us hear Mark Antony. 3 CITIZEN. Let him go up into the public chair; We'll hear him. Noble Antony, go up. ANTONY. For Brutus' sake, I am beholding to you. 65 4 CITIZEN. What does he say of Brutus? 3 CITIZEN. He says, for Brutus' sake, He finds himself beholding to us all. 4 CITIZEN. 'Twere best he speak no harm of Brutus here. 1 CITIZEN. This Cæsar was a tyrant. 3 CITIZEN. Nay, that's certain: We are blest that Rome is rid of him. 70 2 CITIZEN. Peace! let us hear what Antony can say. ANTONY. You gentle Romans,-- ALL. Peace, ho! Let us hear him. [Note 62: Scene VI Pope.] [Note 70: /blest/ F1 | glad F2 F3 F4.] [Note 65: /beholding./ This Elizabethan corruption of 'beholden' occurs constantly in the Folios of 1623, 1632, and 1664. The Fourth Folio usually has 'beholden.' Here Camb has 'Goes into the pulpit.'] [Note 72: "Afterwards when Cæsar's body was brought into the market-place, Antonius making his funeral oration in praise of the dead, according to the ancient custom of Rome, and perceiving that his words moved the common people to compassion, he framed his eloquence to make their hearts yearn the more; and taking Cæsar's gown all bloody in his hand, he laid it open to the sight of them all, shewing what a number of cuts and holes it had upon it. Therewithal the people fell presently into such a rage and mutiny, that there was no more order kept amongst the common people."--Plutarch, _Marcus Brutus_.[A] How Shakespeare elaborates this!]
ANTONY. But yesterday the word of Cæsar might Have stood against the world: now lies he there, And none so poor to do him reverence. 120 O masters, if I were dispos'd to stir Your hearts and minds to mutiny and rage, I should do Brutus wrong and Cassius wrong, Who, you all know, are honourable men: I will not do them wrong; I rather choose 125 To wrong the dead, to wrong myself and you, Than I will wrong such honourable men. But here's a parchment with the seal of Cæsar; I found it in his closet; 'tis his will: Let but the commons hear this testament-- 130 Which, pardon me, I do not mean to read-- And they would go and kiss dead Cæsar's wounds, And dip their napkins in his sacred blood, Yea, beg a hair of him for memory, And, dying, mention it within their wills, 135 Bequeathing it as a rich legacy Unto their issue. [Note 114: /abide it:/ suffer for it, pay for it. See note, p. 87, l. 95.] [Note 120: And there are none so humble but that the great Cæsar is now beneath their reverence, or too low for their regard.] [Note 133: /napkins:/ handkerchiefs. In the third scene of the third act of _Othello_ the two words are used interchangeably.]
ANTONY. If you have tears, prepare to shed them now. You all do know this mantle: I remember The first time ever Cæsar put it on; 170 'Twas on a summer's evening, in his tent, That day he overcame the Nervii. Look, in this place ran Cassius' dagger through: See what a rent the envious Casca made: Through this the well-beloved Brutus stabb'd; 175 And, as he pluck'd his cursed steel away, Mark how the blood of Cæsar follow'd it, As rushing out of doors, to be resolv'd If Brutus so unkindly knock'd, or no; For Brutus, as you know, was Cæsar's angel: 180 Judge, O you gods, how dearly Cæsar lov'd him! This was the most unkindest cut of all; For when the noble Cæsar saw him stab, Ingratitude, more strong than traitors' arms, Quite vanquish'd him: then burst his mighty heart; 185 And, in his mantle muffling up his face, Even at the base of Pompey's statue, Which all the while ran blood, great Cæsar fell. O, what a fall was there, my countrymen! Then I, and you, and all of us fell down, 190 Whilst bloody treason flourish'd over us. O, now you weep; and I perceive you feel The dint of pity: these are gracious drops. Kind souls, what, weep you when you but behold Our Cæsar's vesture wounded? Look you here, 195 Here is himself, marr'd, as you see, with traitors.
Text from Project Gutenberg, public domain in the United States.