In terms of friendship with thine enemies.
Pardon me, Julius !-Here wast thou bay'd, brave hart;
Here didst thou fall; and here thy hunters stand,
Sign'd in thy spoil, and crimson'd 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, stricken by many princes,

Dost thou here lie!

Cas. Mark Antony, —
Ant.

Pardon me, Caius Cassius :

The enemies of Cæsar shall say this;
Then, in a friend, it is cold modesty.

Cas. I blame you not for praising Cæsar so;
But what compact mean you to have with us?
Will you be prick'd in number of our friends;
Or shall we on, and not depend on you?

Ant. Therefore I took your hards; but was, indeed,
Sway'd from the point, by looking down on Cæsar.
Friends am I with you all, and love you all;
Upon this hope, that you shall give me reasons,
Why, and wherein, Cæsar was dangerous.

Bru. Or else were this a savage spectacle:
Our reasons are so full of good regard,
That were you, Antony, the son of Cæsar,
You should be satisfied.

Ant.

That's all I seek :

And am moreover suiter, 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.

Bru. You shall, Mark Antony.

Cas.

Brutus, a word with you.

You know not what you do; Do not consent,

That Antony speak in his funeral :

Know you how much the people may be mov'd

By that which he will utter?

Bru.

I will myself into the pulpit first,

[Aside.

By your pardon;

e

lethe.] i. e. Death; and is so used by many of the old translators of

And show the reason of our Cæsar's death:
What Antony shall speak, I will protest
He speaks by leave and by permission;
And that we are contented, Cæsar shall
Have all true rites, and lawful ceremonies.
It shall advantage more, than do us wrong.
Cas. I know not what may fall; I like it not.
Bru. Mark Antony, here, take your Cæsar's body.
You shall not in your funeral speech blame us,
But speak all good you can devise of Cæsar;
And say, you do't by our permission;
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.

Bru. Prepare the body then, and follow us.

[Exeunt all but ANTONY.

Ant. O, pardon me, thou piece of bleeding earth,
That I am meek and gentle with these butchers !
Thou art the ruins of the noblest man,
That ever liv'd in the tide of times.f

Woe to the hand that shed this costly blood!
Over thy wounds now do I prophecy, -
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:
Blood and destruction shall be so in use,
And dreadful objects so familiar,
That mothers shall but smile, when they behold
Their infants quarter'd with the hands of war;
All pity chok'd with custom of fell deeds :
And Cæsar's spirit, ranging for revenge,

in the tide of times.] i. e. In the course of times. JOHNSON.

& limbs of men;] Antony means that a future curse shall commence in distempers seizing on the limbs of men, and be succeeded by commotion, cruelty, and desolation over Italy. - STEEVENS. It is proposed by Dr. Johnson to read these lymms, i. e. these bloodhounds.

With Até by his side, come hot from hell,
Shall in these confines, with a monarch's voice,
Cry Havock, and let slip the dogs of war;"
That this foul deed shall smell above the earth
With carrion men, groaning for burial.

Enter a Servant.

You serve Octavius Cæsar, do you not?

Serv. I do, Mark Antony.

Ant. Cæsar did write for him, to come to Rome.
Sero. He did receive his letters, and is coming:
And bid me say to you by word of mouth,—
O Cæsar!-

[Seeing the Body.
Ant. Thy heart is big, get thee apart and weep.
Passion, I see, is catching; for mine eyes,
Seeing those beads of sorrow stand in thine,

Began to water. Is thy master coming?

Serv. He lies to-night within seven leagues of Rome. Ant. Post back with speed, and tell him what hath chanc'd:

Here is a mourning Rome, a dangerous Rome,

No Rome' of safety for Octavius yet;

Hie hence, and tell him so. Yet, stay a while;
Thou shalt not back, till I have borne this corse
Into the market-place: there shall I try,
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.

[Exeunt, with CESAR'S Body.

SCENE II.

The same. The Forum.

Enter BRUTUS and CASSIUS, and a throng of Citizens. Cit. We will be satisfied; let us be satisfied.

h Cry Havock, and let slip the dogs of war ;] Havock was, in the military operations of old times, the word by which declaration was made that no quarter should be given.-To let slip a dog at a deer, &c. was the technical phrase of Shakspeare's time.-The dogs of war meant fire, sword, and famine.-BLACKSTONE, MALONE, and TOLLET.

Rome--] A quibble on the words Rome and room.-STEEVENS.

Bru. 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 them stay here;

Those that will follow Cassius, go with him;

And publick reasons shall be rendered

Of Cæsar's death.

1 Cit.

I will hear Brutus speak.

2 Cit. I will hear Cassius; and compare their reasons, When severally we hear them rendered.

[Exit CASSIUS, with some of the Citizens. BRUTUS goes into the Rostrum.

3 Cit. The noble Brutus is ascended: Silence! Bru. Be patient till the last.

Romans, countrymen, and lovers! hear me for my cause; and be silent, that you may hear: believe me for mine honour; and have respect to mine honour, that you may believe: censured me in your wisdom; and awake your senses that you may the better judge. If there be any in this assembly, any dear friend of Cæsar's, to him I say, that Brutus' love to Cæsar was no less than his. If then that friend demand, why Brutus rose against Cæsar, this is my answer,- Not that I loved Cæsar less, but that I loved Rome more. Had you rather Cæsar were living, and die all slaves; than that Cæsar were dead, to live all free men? As Cæsar loved me, I weep for him; as he was fortunate, I rejoice at it; as he was valiant, I honour him: but, as he was ambitious, I slew him: There is tears, for his love; joy, for his fortune; honour, for his valour; and death, for his ambition. Who is here so base, that would be a bondman? If any, speak; for him have I offended, Who is here so rude, that would not be a Roman? If any, speak; for him have I offended. Who is here so vile that will not love his country? If any, speak; for him have I offended. I pause for a reply.

Cit. None, Brutus, none.

[Several speaking at once.

Bru. Then none have I offended. I have done no more to Cæsar, than you should do to Brutus. The question of his death is enrolled in the Capitol: his glory not exCensure-] i. e. Consider.

tenuated, wherein he was worthy; nor his offences enforced, for which he suffered death.

Enter ANTONY and others, with CÆSAR'S Body. Here comes his body, mourn'd by Mark Antony; who, though he had no hand in his death, shall receive the benefit of his dying, a place in the commonwealth; As which of you shall not? With this I depart; That, as I slew my best lover for the good of Rome, I have the same dagger for myself, when it shall please my country to need my death.

Cit. Live, Brutus, live ! live!

1 Cit. Bring him with triumph home unto his house. 2 Cit. Give him a statue with his ancestors.

3 Cit. Let him be Cæsar.

4 Cit.

Cæsar's better parts

Shall now be crown'd in Brutus.

1 Cit. We'll bring him to his house with shouts and Bru. My countrymen,2 Cit.

1 Cit. Peace, ho!

[clamours. Peace; silence! Brutus speaks.

Bru. Good countrymen, let me depart alone,

And, for my sake, stay here with Antony:
Do grace to Cæsar's corpse, and grace his speech
Tending to Cæsar's glories; which Mark Antony,
By our permission, is allow'd to make.

I do entreat you, not a man depart,

Save I alone, till Antony have spoke.

1 Cit. Stay, ho! and let us hear Mark Antony. 3 Cit. Let him go up into the publick chair;

We'll hear him: Noble Antony, go up.

Ant. For Brutus' sake, I am beholden to you.

4 Cit. What does he say of Brutus? 3 Cit.

[Exit.

He says, for Brutus' sake,

He finds himself beholden to us all.

4 Cit. 'Twere best he speak no harm of Brutus here.

1 Cit. This Cæsar was a tyrant.

3 Cit.

Nay, that's certain :

We are bless'd, that Rome is rid of him.

2 Cit. Peace; let us hear what Antony can say.