JULIUS CAESAR. William Shakespeare

what you intend,

       Who else must be let blood, who else is rank:

       If I myself, there is no hour so fit

       As Caesar’s death-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 ye, if you bear me hard,

       Now, whilst your purpled hands do reek and smoke,

       Fulfill your pleasure. Live a thousand years,

       I shall not find myself so apt to die:

       No place will please me so, no means of death,

       As here by Caesar, and by you cut off,

       The choice and master spirits of this age.

       BRUTUS.

       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:

       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;

       Our arms in strength of amity, 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.

       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.

       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, Metellus;—

       Yours, Cinna;—and, my valiant Casca, yours;—

       Though last, not least in love, yours, good Trebonius.

       Gentlemen all—alas, what shall I say?

       My credit now stands on such slippery ground,

       That one of two bad ways you must conceit me,

       Either a coward or a flatterer.—

       That I did love thee, Caesar, O, ‘tis true:

       If then thy spirit look upon us now,

       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 corse?

       Had I as many eyes as thou hast wounds,

       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 bay’d, brave hart;

       Here didst thou fall; and here thy hunters stand,

       Sign’d in thy spoil, and crimson’d in thy death.—

       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 princes,

       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.

       I blame you not for praising Caesar 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?

       ANTONY.

       Therefore I took your hands; but was indeed

       Sway’d 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:

       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 may

       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.

       [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.] 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;

       And that we are contented Caesar shall

       Have all true rights 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.

       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 speak

       In the same pulpit whereto I am going,

       After my speech is ended.

       ANTONY.

       Be it so;

       I do desire no more.

       BRUTUS.

       Prepare the body, then, and follow us.