In cradle of the rude imperious surge; Who take the ruffian billows by the top, Curling their monstrous heads, and hanging them Deny it to a King ?-Then, happy low, lie down! FROM RICHARD III. ACT I. SC. 5. CLARENCE'S DREAM. Brakenbury. Why looks your grace so heavily to-day? So full of ugly sights, of ghastly dreams, Though 'twere to buy a world of happy days; Brak. What was your dream, my Lord? I pray you Clar. Methought that I had broken from the Tower, And in my company my brother Glo'ster, Who from my cabin tempted me to walk Upon the hatches. Thence we look'd tow'rd England, During the wars of York and Lancaster, Upon the giddy footing of the hatches, Methought that Glo'ster stumbled; and in falling O, Lord, methought what pain it was to drown! Some lay in dead men's skulls; and in those holes, The Duchess of Burgundy was the sister of Clarence, Gloucester, and Edward IV. Her court was, therefore, the natural resort of the Yorkist party. As 'twere in scorn of eyes, reflecting gems, Clar. Methought I had; and often did I strive I pass'd, methought, the melancholy flood, The first that there did greet my stranger soul, Clar. Ah! Brakenbury, I have done those things For Edward's sake; and, see, how he requites me! Yet execute thy wrath on me alone: O, spare my guiltless wife, and my poor children! My soul is heavy, and I fain would sleep. The king-maker. 2 Prince Edward, the son of Henry VI. FROM JULIUS CESAR. ACT III. SC. 2. MARK ANTONY'S ORATION OVER THE BODY OF CÆSAR. Ant. Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears. The evil that men do lives after them; Hath told you Cæsar was ambitious: So are they all, all honourable men,— He was my friend, faithful and just to me; And Brutus is an honourable man. He hath brought many captives home to Rome, Did this in Cæsar seem ambitious? When that the poor have cried, Cæsar hath wept ; Yet Brutus says he was ambitious; I thrice presented him a kingly crown, Which he did thrice refuse. Was this ambition? And sure he is an honourable man. I speak not to disprove what Brutus spoke, You all did love him once, not without cause; But yesterday the word of Cæsar might Have stood against the world; now lies he there, O masters! if I were dispos'd to stir Your hearts and minds to mutiny and rage, 1 Compare Henry VIII. Act IV. Sc. 2. Men's evil manners live in brass; their virtues We write in water. 2 The feast of Lycan Pan. See Adam's Roman Antiquities (Boyd), p. 237-270. Who, you all know, are honourable men. But here's a parchment, with the seal of Cæsar,- And they would go and kiss dead Cæsar's wounds, And dying, mention it within their wills, Unto their issue. * If you have tears, prepare to shed them now. Look! in this place ran Cassius' dagger through ; Through this the well-beloved Brutus stabb'd; Mark how the blood of Cæsar follow'd it !— If Brutus so unkindly knock'd or no. For Brutus, as you know, was Cæsar's angel: Judge, oh you Gods! how dearly Cæsar lov'd him! This was the most unkindest cut of all; For when the noble Cæsar saw him stab, Ingratitude, more strong than traitors' arms, Quite vanquish'd 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. * * 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, 1 Grievances; causes of resentment. That made them do it ;-they are wise and honourable, 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 I tell you that which you yourselves do know; Show you sweet Cæsar's wounds,—poor, poor dumb mouths! And Brutus Antony, there were an Antony ACT. IV. SC. 3. THE QUARREL OF BRUTUS AND CASSIUS. Cas. That you have wronged me, doth appear in this,You have condemned and noted2 Lucius Pella, For taking bribes here of the Sardians; Wherein, my letter, praying on his side, Bru. You wronged yourself to write in such a case. That every nice1 offence should bear his comment. To undeservers. Cas. I an itching palm? You know that you are Brutus that speak this; Or, by the Gods, this speech were else your last. Bru. The name of Cassius honours this corruption, Cas. Chastisement !————— Bru. Remember March, the Ides of March remember! Did not great Julius bleed for justice' sake? What villain touched his body, that did stab, 1 Our space compels, in this extract, the omission of the interspersed dialogue of the plebeians; this omission detracts greatly from the effect of the oration. The productions of Shakespeare's imagination are so "all compact," that the beauties of particular passages are obscured when deprived of the lights reflected from the context; and this is peculiarly the case with extracts from Julius Cæsar. 2 Marked with disgrace; for the "Censoria Nota." See Adam's Roman Antiquities (Boyd), p. 109. ♦ Petty. Wonderfully in accordance with the represented character of Cassius. 5 i. e. Granting that there might be villains among the conspirators. K |