3 Cit. There's not a nobler man in Rome than Antony. 4 Cit. Now mark him; he begins again to speak. Ant. But yesterday, the word of Cæsar might Let but the commons hear this testament, Yea, beg a hair of him for memory, And, dying, mention it within their wills, Unto their issue. 4 Cit. We'll hear the will. Read it, Mark Antony. All. The will, the will! we will hear Cæsar's will. Ant. Have patience, gentle friends; I must not read it: It is not meet you know how Cæsar lov'd you. 4 Cit. Read the will! we'll hear it, Antony; You shall read us the will: Cæsar's will! Ant. Will you be patient? Will you stay a while? I have o'ershot myself to tell you of it. 12 I fear, I wrong the honourable men, Whose daggers have stabb'd Cæsar: I do fear it. 4 Cit. They were traitors: honourable men! All. The will! the testament ! 2 Cit. They were villains, murderers. The will! read the will. Ant. You will compel me, then, to read the will? Then, make a ring about the corpse of Cæsar, And let me show you him that made the will. Shall I descend? and will you give me leave? All. Come down. 2 Cit. Descend. 3 Cit. You shall have leave. 4 Cit. A ring: stand round. [He comes down. 1 Cit. Stand from the hearse; stand from the body. 2 Cit. Room for Antony ;-most noble Antony! Ant. Nay, press not so upon me; stand far off. All. Stand back! room! bear back! Ant. 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; "Twas on a summer's evening, in his tent, That day he overcame the Nervii. Look! in this place, ran Cassius' dagger through: For when the noble Cæsar saw him stab, Quite vanquish'd him: then burst his mighty heart; Even at the base of Pompey's statue', Which all the while ran blood, great Cæsar fell. Kind souls! what! weep you, when you but behold 2 Cit. O noble Cæsar! 3 Cit. O woful day! 4 Cit. O traitors! villains! 1 Cit. O most bloody sight! 2 Cit. We will be revenged: revenge! about,-seek, -burn,-fire,-kill,-slay!-let not a traitor live. Ant. Stay, countrymen. 1 Cit. Peace there! hear the noble Antony. 2 Cit. We'll hear him, we'll follow him, we'll die with him. Ant. Good friends, sweet friends, let me not stir you up To such a sudden flood of mutiny. They that have done this deed are honourable : What private griefs they have, alas! I know not, That made them do it; they are wise and honourable, And will, no doubt, with reasons answer you. I come not, friends, to steal away your hearts: I am no orator, as Brutus is; But, as you know me all, a plain blunt man, That love my friend; and that they know full well For I have neither writ2, nor words, nor worth, 1 Even at the base of Pompey's STATUE,] "Statue" is here also to be pronounced as a trisyllable, but not therefore to be printed statua, as in many modern editions. See note, p. 39. 2 For I have neither WRIT,] So the folio, 1623; which we feel bound to Action, nor utterance, nor the power of speech, I tell you that, which you yourselves do know, Show you sweet Cæsar's wounds, poor, poor dumb mouths, And bid them speak for me: but were I Brutus, 1 Cit. We'll burn the house of Brutus. 3 Cit. Away then! come, seek the conspirators. Wherein hath Cæsar thus deserv'd your loves? All. Most true;-the will:-let's stay, and hear the will. Ant. Here is the will, and under Cæsar's seal. To every Roman citizen he gives, To every several man, seventy-five drachmas. 2 Cit. Most noble Cæsar!-we'll revenge his death. 3 Cit. O royal Cæsar! Ant. Hear me with patience. All. Peace, ho! Ant. Moreover, he hath left you all his walks, follow, as the meaning is sufficiently clear; but the folio, 1632, substitutes wit for "writ," with some appearance of propriety. Johnson preferred" writ,” and understood it to mean, a penned or premeditated oration. Here was a Cæsar: when comes such another? And with the brands fire the traitors' houses 3. 2 Cit. Go, fetch fire. 3 Cit. Pluck down benches. 4 Cit. Pluck down forms, windows, any thing. [Exeunt Citizens, with the Body. Ant. Now let it work. Mischief, thou art afoot, Take thou what course thou wilt!-How now, fellow! Enter a Servant. Serv. Sir, Octavius is already come to Rome. Serv. He and Lepidus are at Cæsar's house. Serv. I heard him say, Brutus and Cassius [Exeunt. SCENE III. The Same. A Street. Enter CINNA, the Poet. Cin. I dreamt to-night, that I did feast with Cæsar, And things unluckily charge my fantasy. I have no will to wander forth of doors, Yet something leads me forth. 3 fire the traitors' houses.] The folio, 1632, reads, "fire all the traitors' houses;" but needlessly, as "fire" was often used as a dissyllable. |