Scene II

[The Forum.]

Enter Brutus and goes into the pulpit, and Cassius, with the Plebeians.

CITIZENS:

We will be satisfied! Let us be satisfied!

CITIZENS:

We will be satisfied; let’s be satisfied.

BRUTUS:

Then follow me and give me audience, friends.
Cassius, go you into the other street
And part the numbers.(5)
Those that will hear me speak, let 'em stay here;
Those that will follow Cassius, go with him;
And public reasons shall be rendered
Of Caesar's death.

BRUTUS:

Then follow me, and listen to me, friends.—
Cassius, you go into the other street
And separate the crowd.—
Those that will hear me speak, let them stay here;
Those that will follow Cassius, go with him;
And public reasons shall be given
About Caesar's death.

FIRST CITIZEN:

I will hear Brutus speak.(10)

FIRST CITIZEN:

I’ll hear Brutus speak.

SECOND CITIZEN:

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

SECOND CITIZEN:

I’ll hear Cassius, and compare their reasons,
Once they have all been told.

[Exit Cassius, with some of the Citizens.]

THIRD CITIZEN:

The noble Brutus is ascended. Silence!

THIRD CITIZEN:

The noble Brutus is on the platform. Silence!

BRUTUS:

Be patient till the last.
Romans, countrymen, and lovers! Hear me for my cause,(15)
and be silent, that you may hear. Believe me for mine
honor, and have respect to mine honor, that you may
believe. Censure 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 Caesar's, to him I say that(20)
Brutus' love to Caesar was no less than his. If then that
friend demand why Brutus rose against Caesar, this is my
answer: Not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome
more. Had you rather Caesar were living and die all slaves,
than that Caesar were dead to live all freemen? As Caesar(25)
loved me, I weep for him; as he was fortunate, I rejoice at
it; as he was valiant, I honor him; but as he was ambitious,
I slew him. There is tears for his love, joy for his fortune,
honor for his valor, and death for his ambition. Who is here
so base that would be a bondman? If any, speak, for him(30)
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.

BRUTUS:

Please wait until I finish.
Romans, countrymen, and friends! Listen to my cause, and be
silent, so you can hear. Believe me based on my honor, and have
respect for my honor, so you can believe. Judge me in your
wisdom, and wake up your senses, so you can be a better judge.
If there is anyone in this assembly, any dear friend of Caesar's, to
him I say that Brutus' love to Caesar was no less than his love. If
then that friend demands why Brutus rose against Caesar, this is
my answer,—Not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome
more. Would you rather Caesar were living, and you all die slaves, than
that Caesar were dead, so you all live freemen? As Caesar loved me, I
weep for him; as he was fortunate, I rejoice at it; as he was
valiant, I honor him; but, as he was ambitious, I killed him.
There are tears for his love; joy for his fortune; honor for his
valor, and death for his ambition. Who is here so low thatthey would
rather be a slave? If there are any, speak, because I have offended him.
Who here is so rude that they wouldn’t be a Roman? If there are any, speak,
because I have offended him. Who is here so vile that he will not love his
country? If there are any, speak, because I offended him.
I’ll stop so you can reply.

ALL:

None, Brutus, none.(35)

ALL:

None, Brutus, none.

BRUTUS:

Then none have I offended. I have done no more to
Caesar than you shall do to Brutus. The question of his death
is enrolled in the Capitol, his glory not extenuated, wherein
he was worthy, nor his offenses enforced, for which he
suffered death.(40)

Enter Antony [and others] with Caesar's body.

Here comes his body, mourned 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(45)
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.

BRUTUS:

Then I have offended none. I have done no more to Caesar
than you shall do to Brutus. The question of his death is
recorded on rolls in the Capitol, his glory not made thin, where he
was worthy; nor are his offenses recorded, for which he suffered
death.

Here comes his body, mourned by Mark Antony, who, although he had
no hand in his death, shall receive the benefit of his dying, a
place in the commonwealth, just as you all will. With this,
I leave — that, as I killed my best friend for the good of Rome, I
have the same dagger for myself, to be used when it shall
please my country to need my death.

ALL:

Live, Brutus, live, live!

ALL:

Live, Brutus! Live, live!

FIRST CITIZEN:

Bring him with triumph home unto his house.(50)

FIRST CITIZEN:

Bring him home with triumph to his house.

SECOND CITIZEN:

Give him a statue with his ancestors.

SECOND CITIZEN:

Give him a statue with his ancestors.

THIRD CITIZEN:

Let him be Caesar.

THIRD CITIZEN:

Let him be Caesar.

FOURTH CITIZEN:

Caesar's better parts
Shall be crown'd in Brutus.

FOURTH CITIZEN:

Caesar's better parts
Shall be crowned in Brutus.

FIRST CITIZEN:

We'll bring him to his house with shouts and clamors.(55)

FIRST CITIZEN:

We'll bring him to his house with shouts and clamors.

BRUTUS:

My countrymen—

BRUTUS:

My countrymen,—

SECOND CITIZEN:

Peace! Silence! Brutus speaks.

SECOND CITIZEN:

Peace! silence! Brutus speaks.

FIRST CITIZEN:

Peace, ho!

FIRST CITIZEN:

Peace, oh!

BRUTUS:

Good countrymen, let me depart alone,(60)
And, for my sake, stay here with Antony.
Do grace to Caesar's corse, and grace his speech
Tending to Caesar's glories, which Mark Antony,
By our permission, is allow'd to make.
I do entreat you, not a man depart,(65)
Save I alone, till Antony have spoke.

BRUTUS:

Good countrymen, let me leave alone,
And, for my sake, stay here with Antony.
Respect Caesar's corpse, and respect his speech
About Caesar's glory, which Mark Antony
Is allowed to make with our permission.
Please, no man leave,
Except I alone, until Antony has spoken.

Exit.

FIRST CITIZEN:

Stay, ho, and let us hear Mark Antony.

FIRST CITIZEN:

Stay, oh! and let’s hear Mark Antony.

THIRD CITIZEN:

Let him go up into the public chair;
We'll hear him. Noble Antony, go up.

THIRD CITIZEN:

Let him go up onto the platform;
We'll hear him.—Noble Antony, go up.

ANTONY:

For Brutus' sake, I am beholding to you.(70)

ANTONY:

For Brutus' sake, I’m grateful to you.

FOURTH CITIZEN:

What does he say of Brutus?

FOURTH CITIZEN:

What does he say about Brutus?

THIRD CITIZEN:

He says, for Brutus' sake,
He finds himself beholding to us all.

THIRD CITIZEN:

He says, for Brutus' sake,
He finds himself grateful to us all.

FOURTH CITIZEN:

'Twere best he speak no harm of Brutus here.

FOURTH CITIZEN:

It’s best that he doesn’t speak harm about Brutus here.

FIRST CITIZEN:

This Caesar was a tyrant.(75)

FIRST CITIZEN:

This Caesar was a tyrant.

THIRD CITIZEN:

Nay, that's certain.
We are blest that Rome is rid of him.

THIRD CITIZEN:

Yes, that's certain.
We are blessed that Rome is rid of him.

SECOND CITIZEN:

Peace! Let us hear what Antony can say.

SECOND CITIZEN:

Peace! Let’s hear what Antony can say.

ANTONY:

You gentle Romans—

ANTONY:

You gentle Romans,—

ALL:

Peace, ho! Let us hear him.(80)

ALL:

Peace, oh! Let’s hear him.

ANTONY:

Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears!
I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him.
The evil that men do lives after them,
The good is oft interred with their bones;
So let it be with Caesar. The noble Brutus(85)
Hath told you Caesar was ambitious;
If it were so, it was a grievous fault,
And grievously hath Caesar answer'd it.
Here, under leave of Brutus and the rest—
For Brutus is an honorable man;(90)
So are they all, all honorable men—
Come I to speak in Caesar's funeral.
He was my friend, faithful and just to me;
But Brutus says he was ambitious,
And Brutus is an honorable man.(95)
He hath brought many captives home to Rome,
Whose ransoms did the general coffers fill.
Did this in Caesar seem ambitious?
When that the poor have cried, Caesar hath wept;
Ambition should be made of sterner stuff.(100)
Yet Brutus says he was ambitious,
And Brutus is an honorable man.
You all did see that on the Lupercal
I thrice presented him a kingly crown,
Which he did thrice refuse. Was this ambition?(105)
Yet Brutus says he was ambitious,
And sure he is an honorable man.
I speak not to disprove what Brutus spoke,
But here I am to speak what I do know.
You all did love him once, not without cause;(110)
What cause withholds you then to mourn for him?
O judgement, thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason. Bear with me;
My heart is in the coffin there with Caesar,
And I must pause till it come back to me.(115)

ANTONY:

Friends, Romans, countrymen, listen to me;
I come here to bury Caesar, not to praise him.
The evil that men do lives after them;
The good is often buried with their bones.
So let it be with Caesar. The noble Brutus
Has told you that Caesar was ambitious.
If it’s true, it was a serious mistake;
And seriously Caesar has paid for it.
Here, with the permission of Brutus and the rest,—
Because Brutus is an honorable man;
And they are all, all honorable men,—
I come to speak in Caesar's funeral.
He was my friend, faithful and just to me.
But Brutus says he was ambitious;
And Brutus is an honorable man.
Caesar brought many captives home to Rome,
Whose ransoms filled the national treasury.
Did this seem ambitious in Caesar?
When the poor have cried, Caesar has wept.
Ambition should be made of stiffer stuff.
Yet Brutus says he was ambitious;
And Brutus is an honorable man.
You all saw that, on the feast of the priest Lupercus,
I presented a kingly crown to him three times,
Which he refused three times. Was this ambition?
Yet Brutus says he was ambitious;
And, sure, he’s an honorable man.
I don’t speak to disprove what Brutus spoke,
But I’m here to speak what I know.
You all loved him once,—not without reason.
What reasons keep you, then, from mourning him?—
O judgment, you’ve turned into brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason!— Bear with me;
My heart is there with Caesar in the coffin,
And I must pause until it comes back to me.

FIRST CITIZEN:

Methinks there is much reason in his sayings.

FIRST CITIZEN:

I think there is a lot of reason in what he’s saying.

SECOND CITIZEN:

If thou consider rightly of the matter,
Caesar has had great wrong.

SECOND CITIZEN:

If you rightly think about the matter,
Caesar has had great wrong done to him.

THIRD CITIZEN:

Has he, masters?
I fear there will a worse come in his place.(120)

THIRD CITIZEN:

Hasn’t he, gentlemen?
I’m afraid that a worse man will take his place.

FOURTH CITIZEN:

Mark'd ye his words? He would not take the crown;
Therefore 'tis certain he was not ambitious.

FOURTH CITIZEN:

Did you pay attention to his words? Caesar wouldn’t take the crown;
It’s certain he wasn’t ambitious for that reason.