Ingratitude, more strong than traitors' arms,
Quite vanquished him: then burst his mighty heart;
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,
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,
Here is himself, marr'd, as you see, with traitors.
1st Cit.-O piteous spectacle!

2d Cit.-O noble Cæsar!

3d Cit.-O woful day!

4th Cit. O traitors, villains! 1st Cit.-O most bloody sight!

2d Cit. We will be revenged: revenge; about,seek,-burn,-fire,-kill,-slay !-let not a traitor live. Ant.-Stay, countrymen.

1st Cit.-Peace there:-Hear the noble Antony. 2d 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 honorable:
What private griefs they have, alas! I know not,
That made them do 't; they are wise and honorable,
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

That gave me public leave to speak of him.
For I have neither wit, nor words, nor worth,
Action, nor utterance, nor the power of speech,
To stir men's blood: I only speak right on;

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
And Brutus Antony, there were an Antony
Would ruffle up your spirits, and put a tongue
In every wound of Cæsar, that should move
The stones of Rome to rise and mutiny.
Cit. We'll mutiny.

1st Cit. We'll burn the house of Brutus.

3d Cit.-Away then, come, seek the conspirators. Ant. Yet hear me, countrymen; yet hear me speak. Cit.-Peace, ho! Hear Antony, most noble Antony. Ant.-Why, friends, you go to do you know not what Wherein hath Cæsar thus deserv'd your loves? Alas, you know not-I must tell

you

then :

You have forgot the will I told you of.

Cit. 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.

2d Cit. Most noble Cæsar !-we'll revenge his death. 3d Cit. O royal Cæsar!

Ant.-Hear me with patience.

Cit.-Peace, ho!

Ant.-Moreover, he hath left you all his walks;

His private arbors, and new-planted orchards,
On this side Tiber; he hath left them you,
And to your heirs forever; common pleasures,
To walk abroad, and recreate yourselves.

Here was a Cæsar! When comes such another?

1st Cit.-Never, never!-Come, away, away! We'll burn his body in the holy place, And with the brands fire the traitors' houses.

Take up the body.

[Exeunt Citizens with the body.] Ant.-Now let it work! Mischief, thou art afoot, Take thou what course thou wilt!-SHAKSPEARE.

THE QUARREL OF BRUTUS AND CASSIUS.

JULIUS CAESAR.-Act IV. Scene III.

ASSIUS-That you have wronged me doth appear in this :

CASSIU

You have condemned and noted Lucius Pella

For taking bribes here of the Sardians;
Wherein my letters, praying on his side,
Because I knew the man, were slighted off.

Brutus-You wronged yourself to write in such a case
Cassius-In such a time as this, it is not meet

That

every nice offence should bear its comment. Brutus-Yet let me tell you, Cassius, you yourself Are much condemned to have an itching palm, lo sell and mart your offices for gold

To undeservers.

Cassius-I an itching palm?

You know that you are Brutus that speak this,
Or, by the gods, this speech were else your last.
Brutus-The name of Cassius honors this corruption,
And chastisement doth therefore hide its head.

Cassius-Chastisement!

Brutus-Remember March, the Ides of March re member!

Did not great Julius bleed for justice' sake?
What villain touched his body, that did stab,
And not for justice? What, shall one of us,
That struck the foremost man in all this world
But for supporting robbers; shall we now
Contaminate our fingers with base bribes,
And sell the mighty space of our large honors,
For so much trash as may be grasped thus?
I had rather be a dog, and bay the moon
Than such a Roman.

Cassius-Brutus, bay not me.

I'll not endure it: you forget yourself,
To hedge me in; I am a soldier, I,
Older in practice, abler than yourself
To make conditions.

Brutus-Go to; you are not, Cassius.
Cassius-I am.

Cassius-Urge me no more, I shall forget myself; Have mind upon your health, tempt me no further. Brutus-Away, slight man!

Cassius-Is 't possible?

Brutus-Hear me, for I will speak.

Must I give way and room to your rash choler?
Shall I be frighted when a madman stares?

Cassius-O ye gods! ye gods! must I endure all this? Brutus-All this? Ay, more; fret till your proud heart break;

Go, show your slaves how choleric you are,
And make your bondmen tremble. Must I budge?
Must I observe you? Must I stand and crouch
Under your testy humor? By the gods,
You shall digest the venom of your spleen,
Though it do split you; for, from this day forth,

Ill use you for my mirth, yea, for my laughter,
When you are waspish.

Cassius-Is it come to this?

Brutus-You say you are a better soldier: Let it appear so; make your vaunting true, And it shall please me well; for mine own part

I shall be glad to learn of noble men.

Cassius-You wrong me every way; you wrong me
Brutus;

I said, an elder soldier, not a better;
Did I say "better"?

Brutus-If you did, I care not.

Cassius-When Cæsar lived, he durst not so have moved me.

Brutus-Peace, peace! you durst not so have tempted him.

Cassius-I durst not!

Brutus-No.

Cassius-What? Durst not tempt him?

Brutus-For your life, you

durst not.

Cassius-Do not presume too much upon my love; I may do that I shall be sorry for.

Brutus-You have done that you should be sorry for. There is no terror, Cassius, in your threats;

For I am armed so strong in honesty

That they pass by me as the idle wind,

Which I respect not. I did send to you

For certain sums of gold, which you denied me;
For I can raise no money by vile means;

Ye gods! I had rather coin my heart,

And drop my blood for drachmas, than to wring
From the hard hands of peasants their vile trash
By any indirection. I did send

To you for gold to pay my legions,