With the most noble blood of all this world.

I do befeech ye, if you bear me hard,

Now whilft your purpled hands do reek and finoak,
Fulfil your pleafure. Live a thousand years,
I fhall not find myfelf fo apt to die :

No place will please me fo, no mean of death,
As here by Cafar, and by you cut off,
The choice and mafter spirits of this age.

Bru. 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 fee, we do; yet see you but our hands,
And this the bleeding bufinefs they have done :
Our hearts you fee not, they are pitiful;
And pity to the general wrong of Rome
(As fire drives out fire, fo pity, pity ;)
Hath done this deed on Cafar: For your part,
To you our fwords have leaden points, Mark Antony
Our arms exempt from malice, and our hearts
Of brothers' temper, do receive you in

With all kind love, good thoughts, and reverence.
Caf. Your voice fhall be as ftrong as any man's
In the difpofing of new dignities.

Bru. Only be patient, till we have appeas'd
The multitude, befide themselves with fear;
And then we will deliver you the cause,
Why I, that did love Cafar when I strook him,
Proceeded thus.

Ant. I doubt not of your wisdom.

Let each man render me his bloody hand;
First, Marcus Brutus, will I fhake with you;
Next, Caius Caffius, do I take your hand;
Now, Decius Brutus, yours; now yours, Metellus ;
Yours, Cinna; and, my valiant Cafca, yours;
Though last, not least in love, yours, good Trebonius、
Gentlemen all alas, what fhall I fay?
My credit now ftands on fuch flippery ground,
That one of two bad ways you must conceit me,
Either a Coward, or a Flatterer.

That I did love thee, Cafar, oh, 'tis true;

5

H

If then thy Spirit look upon us now,
Shall it not grieve thee, dearer than thy death,
To fee thy Antony making his peace,
Shaking the bloody fingers of thy foes,
Moft Noble ! in the prefence of thy corse?
Had I as many eyes, as thou haft wounds,
Weeping as faft as they ftream forth thy blood,
It would become me better, than to close
In terms of friendship with thine enemies.
Pardon me, Julius-here waft thou bay'd, brave hart;
Here didst thou fall, and here thy hunters ftand
Sign'd in thy fpoil, (20) and crimson'd in thy death.
O world! thou waft the foreft to this hart,
And this, indeed, O world, the heart of thee.
How like a deer, ftricken by many Princes,
Doft thou here lie?

Caf. Mark Antony

Ant. Pardon me, Caius Caffius: The enemies of Cafar fhall fay this: Then, in a friend, it is cold modesty.

Caf. I blame you not for praifing Cæfar fo, But what compact mean you to have with us? Will you be prick'd in number of our friends, Or fhall we on, and not depend on you?

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

Bru. Or elfe this were a favage fpectacle.

Our reasons are fo full of good regard,

(20) And crimson'd in thy death.] All the old copies, that I have feen, read, Letbe. The dictionaries, indeed, acknowledge no fuch word and as the Z might have mistakingly been form'd from an obfcure D, not taking the ink equally in all parts, I have fuffer'd the more known word to ftand in the text; tho', indeed, I am not without fufpicion of our poet's having either coin'd the other term, or copied it from fome obfolete author, who had adopted it from the Lesbum of the Latines; which, 'tis well known, was used for death, as well as deftruction, ruin, haveck, &c.

That

That were you, Antony, the Son of Cæfar,
You should be fatisfied.

Ant. That's all I feek;

And am moreover fuitor, 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 fhall, Mark Antony.

Caf. Brutus, a word with you.

You know not what you do; do not confent
That Antony speak in his funeral:

Know you, how much the People may be mov'd
By that which he will wutter?

Bru. By your pardon,

I will myself into the Pulpit first,

And fhew the reafon of our Cæfar's death.
What Antony shall speak, I will protest
He speaks by leave, and by permiffion;
And that we are contented, Cafar fhall
Have all due rites, and lawful ceremonies:
It shall advantage more, than do us wrong.

[Afide

Caf. I know not what may fall, I like it not.
Bru. Mark Antony, here take you Cafar's body;
You shall not in your funeral fpeech blame us,
But fpeak all good you can devife of Cæfar;
And fay, you do't by our permiffion:
Elfe fhall you not have any hand at all
About his funeral. And you shall speak
In the fame Pulpit whereto I am going,
After my speech is ended.

Ant. Ee it fo;..

I do defire no more.

Bru. Prepare the body then, and follow us.

Manet Antony.

[Exeunt Confpirators.

Ant. O pardon me, thou bleeding piece of earth! That I am meek and gentle with thefe butchers.

Thou art the ruins of the noblest Man,

That ever lived in the tide of times.

Woe to the hand, that shed this coftly blood!
Over thy wounds now do I prophesy,

(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;
Domestick fury, and fierce civil ftrife,
Shall cumber all the Parts of Italy;
Blood and deftruction fhall be fo in ufe,
And dreadful objects fo familiar,

That mothers fhall but fmile, when they behold
Their infants quarter'd by the hands of war.
All pity choak'd with custom of fell deeds;
And Cafar's Spirit, ranging for revenge,
With Aré by his fide come hot from Hell,
Shall in these confines, with a Monarch's voice,
Cry Havock, and let flip the Dogs of war;
That this foul deed fhall fmell above the earth
With carrion men, groaning for burial.

Enter Octavius's Servant.

You ferve Octavius Cæfar, do
Ser. I do, Mark Antony.

you not?

Ant. Cæfar did write for him to come to Rome Ser. He did receive his letters, and is coming; And bid me fay to you by word of mouth

O Cefar!

[Seeing the bely. Ant. Thy heart is big, get thee apart and weep; Paffion I fee is catching; for mine eyes

(21) Seeing those Beads of forrow stand in thine, Began to water. Is thy Mafter coming?

Ser. He lies to-night within seven leagues of Rome.

(21) Seeing thofe Beds of forrow- -] Thus Mr. Pope's two edi tions, for what reafon I know not: but I have reftor'd from all the other copies, Beads; which was certainly the poet's word. Thus Lady Conftance in King John

I; with thefe cryftal Beads heav'n fhall be brib'd
To do him justice, and revenge on you.

And fo Lady Percy in the ft Part of Henry IV.
The fpirit within thee hath been fo at war,
And thus hath fo beftir'd thee in thy fleep,
That Beads of fweat have stood upon thy brow.

VOL. VII.

C

Ants

Ant. Poft back with speed, and tell him what hath

chanc'd.

Here is a mourning Rome, a dangerous Rome,

No Rome of fafety för Octavius yet;

Hie hence, and tell him fo.

Yet stay a while;

Thou shalt not back, till I have borne this corfe

Into the Market-place: there fhall I try
In my Oration, how the People take
The cruel iffue of thefe bloody men;
According to the which, thou fhalt difcourfe
To young Octavius of the state of things.
Lend me your hand.

[Exeunt with Cæsar's body.

SCENE changes to the Forum.

Enter Brutus, and mounts the Roftra; Caffius, with the

Plebeians.

WE will be fatisfied; let us be fatisfied.

Pleb. W

Bru. Then follow me, and give me audience, friends.

Caffius, go you into the other street,

And part the numbers:

Thofe, that will hear me fpeak, let 'em stay here;
Thofe, that will follow Caffius, go with him;

And publick reafons fhall be rendered

Of Cefar's death.

1 Pleb. I will hear Brutus fpeak.

2 Pleb. I will hear Caffius, and compare their reasons, When fev'rally we hear them rendered.

[Exit Caffius, with fome of the Plebeians.

3 Pleb. The noble Brutus is afcended: filence! Bru. Be patient 'till the last.

Romans, Countrymen, and Lovers! hear me for my caufe; and be filent, that you may hear. Believe me for mine honour, and have refpect to mine honour, that you may believe. Cenfure me in your wifdom, and awake your fenfes that you may the better judge. If there be any in this affembly, any dear friend of Cefar's, to him I fay, that Brutus's love to Cæfar was no lefs

than