Julius Caesar Read online

PORTIA I prithee, boy, run to the senate house.

  Stay not to answer me, but get thee gone.

  Why dost thou stay?

  LUCIUS To know my errand, madam.

  PORTIA I would have had thee there and here again

  Ere I can tell thee what thou shouldst do there.—

  O constancy7, be strong upon my side,

  Aside

  Set a huge mountain ’tween my heart and tongue:

  I have a man’s9 mind, but a woman’s might.

  How hard it is for women to keep counsel10.—

  Art thou here yet?

  LUCIUS Madam, what should I do?

  Run to the Capitol, and nothing else?

  And so return to you, and nothing else?

  PORTIA Yes, bring me word, boy, if thy lord look well,

  For he went sickly forth: and take good note16

  What Caesar doth, what suitors press to him.

  Hark, boy, what noise is that?

  LUCIUS I hear none, madam.

  PORTIA Prithee listen well:

  I heard a bustling rumour like a fray21,

  And the wind brings it from the Capitol.

  LUCIUS Sooth23, madam, I hear nothing.

  Enter the Soothsayer

  PORTIA Come hither, fellow. Which way hast thou been?

  SOOTHSAYER At mine own house, good lady.

  PORTIA What is’t o’clock?

  SOOTHSAYER About the ninth hour, lady.

  PORTIA Is Caesar yet gone to the Capitol?

  SOOTHSAYER Madam, not yet. I go to take my stand

  To see him pass on to the Capitol.

  PORTIA Thou hast some suit31 to Caesar, hast thou not?

  SOOTHSAYER That I have, lady, if it will please Caesar

  To be so good to Caesar as to hear me:

  I shall beseech him to befriend34 himself.

  PORTIA Why, know’st thou any harm’s intended towards him?

  SOOTHSAYER None that I know will be

  Much that I fear may chance.

  Good morrow to you. Here the street is narrow:

  The throng that follows Caesar at the heels,

  Of senators, of praetors40, common suitors,

  Will crowd a feeble man almost to death:

  I’ll get me to a place more void42, and there

  Speak to great Caesar as he comes along.

  Exit

  PORTIA I must go in. Ay me! How weak a thing

  The heart of woman is.— O Brutus,

  The heavens speed46 thee in thine enterprise.—

  Sure, the boy heard me. Brutus hath a suit

  That Caesar will not grant. O, I grow faint.—

  Run, Lucius, and commend me49 to my lord,

  Say I am merry. Come to me again,

  And bring me word what he doth say to thee.

  Exeunt [separately]

  Act 3 [Scene 1]

  running scene 6

  Flourish. Enter Caesar, Brutus, Cassius, Casca, Decius, Metellus, Trebonius, Cinna, Antony, Lepidus, Artemidorus, Publius [Popilius Lena] and the Soothsayer

  CAESAR The Ides of March are come.

  To the Soothsayer

  SOOTHSAYER Ay, Caesar, but not gone.

  ARTEMIDORUS Hail, Caesar. Read this schedule3.

  DECIUS Trebonius doth desire you to o’erread4 —

  At your best leisure — this his humble suit.

  ARTEMIDORUS O Caesar, read mine first, for mine’s a suit

  That touches Caesar nearer7. Read it, great Caesar.

  CAESAR What touches us ourself shall be last served8.

  ARTEMIDORUS Delay not, Caesar, read it instantly.

  CAESAR What, is the fellow mad?

  PUBLIUS Sirrah, give place11.

  To Artemidorus

  CASSIUS What, urge you your petitions in the street?

  Come to the Capitol.

  Caesar and his train move on

  To Cassius

  POPILIUS I wish your enterprise today may thrive.

  CASSIUS What enterprise, Popilius?

  POPILIUS Fare you well.

  Moves toward Caesar

  BRUTUS What said Popilius Lena?

  CASSIUS He wished today our enterprise might thrive:

  I fear our purpose is discoverèd.

  BRUTUS Look how he makes to20 Caesar: mark him.

  CASSIUS Casca, be sudden, for we fear prevention21.

  Brutus, what shall be done? If this be known,

  Cassius or Caesar never shall turn back23,

  For I will slay myself.

  BRUTUS Cassius, be constant25:

  Popilius Lena speaks not of our purposes,

  For look, he smiles, and Caesar27 doth not change.

  CASSIUS Trebonius knows his time: for look you, Brutus.

  He draws Mark Antony out of the way.

  [Exeunt Antony and Trebonius]

  DECIUS Where is Metellus Cimber? Let him go

  Caesar sits?

  And presently prefer31 his suit to Caesar.

  BRUTUS He is addressed: press near and second32 him.

  CINNA Casca, you are the first that rears33 your hand.

  CAESAR Are we all ready? What is now amiss

  That Caesar and his senate must redress?

  METELLUS Most high, most mighty and most puissant36 Caesar,

  Comes forward Kneels

  Metellus Cimber throws before thy seat37

  An humble heart—

  CAESAR I must prevent thee, Cimber.

  These couchings and these lowly courtesies40

  Might fire41 the blood of ordinary men,

  And turn pre-ordinance and first decree42

  Into the lane of children. Be not fond43

  To think that Caesar bears such rebel blood44

  That will be thawed from the true quality45

  With that which melteth fools — I mean sweet46 words,

  Low-crookèd curtsies and base spaniel-fawning47.

  Thy brother by decree is banishèd:

  If thou dost bend and pray49 and fawn for him,

  I spurn thee like a cur50 out of my way.

  Know, Caesar doth not wrong, nor without cause51

  Will he be satisfied52.

  METELLUS Is there no voice more worthy than my own

  To sound more sweetly in great Caesar’s ear

  For the repealing55 of my banished brother?

  BRUTUS I kiss thy hand, but not in flattery, Caesar,

  Kneels

  Desiring thee that Publius Cimber may

  Have an immediate freedom of repeal58.

  CAESAR What, Brutus?

  CASSIUS Pardon, Caesar: Caesar, pardon.

  As low as to thy foot doth Cassius fall,

  Kneels

  To beg enfranchisement62 for Publius Cimber.

  CAESAR I could be well moved if I were as you:

  If I could pray to move64, prayers would move me.

  But I am constant as the northern star65,

  Of whose true-fixed and resting66 quality

  There is no fellow in the firmament67.

  The skies are painted with unnumbered sparks68,

  They are all fire and every one doth shine:

  But there’s but one in all doth hold his place.

  So in the world: ’tis furnished well with men,

  And men are flesh and blood, and apprehensive72;

  Yet in the number I do know but one

  That unassailable holds on his rank74,

  Unshaked of motion75. And that I am he,

  Let me a little show it, even in this:

  That I was constant Cimber should be banished,

  And constant do remain to keep him so.

  CINNA O Caesar—

  Kneels

  CAESAR Hence. Wilt thou lift up Olympus80?

  DECIUS Great Caesar—

  About to kneel

  CAESAR Doth not Brutus bootless82 kneel?

  CASCA Speak hands83 for me!

  They stab Caesar

  Ca
sca first, Brutus last

  CAESAR Et tu, Bruté?84— Then fall, Caesar.

  Dies

  CINNA Liberty! Freedom! Tyranny is dead!

  Run hence, proclaim, cry it about the streets.

  CASSIUS Some to the common pulpits87 and cry out

  In the ensuing tumult, exeunt all but the conspirators and Publius

  ‘Liberty, freedom and enfranchisement!’

  BRUTUS People and senators, be not affrighted89.

  Fly not, stand still: ambition’s debt is paid90.

  CASCA Go to the pulpit, Brutus.

  DECIUS And Cassius too.

  BRUTUS Where’s Publius?

  CINNA Here, quite confounded with this mutiny94.

  METELLUS Stand fast95 together, lest some friend of Caesar’s

  Should chance—

  BRUTUS Talk not of standing. Publius, good cheer97:

  There is no harm intended to your person,

  Nor to no Roman else: so tell them, Publius.

  CASSIUS And leave us, Publius, lest that the people,

  Rushing on us, should do your age some mischief101.

  BRUTUS Do so, and let no man abide102 this deed

  But we the doers.

  [Exit Publius]

  Enter Trebonius

  CASSIUS Where is Antony?

  TREBONIUS Fled to his house amazed105.

  Men, wives and children stare, cry out and run

  As107 it were doomsday.

  BRUTUS Fates, we will know your pleasures108.

  That we shall die we know: ’tis but the time109

  And drawing days out that men stand upon110.

  CASCA Why, he that cuts off twenty years of life

  Cuts off so many years of fearing death.

  BRUTUS Grant that, and then is death a benefit:

  So are we Caesar’s friends that have abridged

  His time of fearing death. Stoop, Romans, stoop,

  And let us bathe our hands in Caesar’s blood

  Up to the elbows and besmear our swords:

  Then walk we forth, even to the market-place118,

  They smear their hands and weapons with Caesar’s blood

  And waving our red weapons o’er our heads,

  Let’s all cry ‘Peace, freedom and liberty!’

  CASSIUS Stoop, then, and wash. How many ages hence

  Shall this our lofty scene be acted over122,

  In states unborn and accents123 yet unknown?

  BRUTUS How many times shall Caesar bleed in sport

  That now on Pompey’s basis lies along125

  No worthier than the dust?

  CASSIUS So oft as that shall be,

  So often shall the knot128 of us be called

  The men that gave their country liberty.

  DECIUS What, shall we forth?

  CASSIUS Ay, every man away.

  Brutus shall lead, and we will grace132 his heels

  With the most boldest and best hearts of Rome.

  Enter a Servant

  BRUTUS Soft134, who comes here? A friend of Antony’s.

  SERVANT Thus, Brutus, did my master bid me kneel,

  Kneels

  Thus did Mark Antony bid me fall down,

  And being prostrate thus he bade me say:

  Brutus is noble, wise, valiant and honest138;

  Caesar was mighty, bold, royal and loving.

  Say I love Brutus and I honour him,

  Say I feared141 Caesar, honoured him and loved him.

  If Brutus will vouchsafe142 that Antony

  May safely come to him and be resolved143

  How Caesar hath deserved to lie in death,

  Mark Antony shall not love Caesar dead

  So well as Brutus living, but will follow

  The fortunes and affairs of noble Brutus

  Thorough the hazards of this untrod state148

  With all true faith149. So says my master Antony.

  BRUTUS Thy master is a wise and valiant Roman:

  I never thought him worse.

  Tell him, so please him come unto this place,

  He shall be satisfied153, and by my honour

  Depart untouched154.

  SERVANT I’ll fetch him presently155.

  Exit Servant

  BRUTUS I know that we shall have him well to156 friend.

  CASSIUS I wish we may: but yet have I a mind157

  That fears him much, and my misgiving still158

  Falls shrewdly159 to the purpose.

  Enter Antony

  BRUTUS But here comes Antony.— Welcome, Mark Antony.

  ANTONY O mighty Caesar! Dost thou lie so low?

  To the body

  Are all thy conquests, glories, triumphs, spoils162,

  Shrunk to this little measure163? Fare thee well.—

  I know not, gentlemen, what you intend,

  Who else must be let blood, who else is rank165:

  If I myself, there is no hour so fit

  As Caesar’s death’s 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 reek171 and smoke,

  Fulfil your pleasure. Live172 a thousand years,

  I shall not find myself so apt173 to die.

  No place will please me so, no mean174 of death,

  As here by Caesar, and by you cut off175,

  The choice and master176 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 but180 our hands

  And this the bleeding business they have done:

  Our hearts you see not: they are pitiful182,

  And pity to the general wrong of Rome —

  As fire drives out fire, so pity pity184 —

  Hath done this deed on Caesar. For your part,

  To you our swords have leaden186 points, Mark Antony:

  Our arms in strength of malice187, and our hearts

  Of brothers’ temper, do receive188 you in

  With all kind189 love, good thoughts and reverence.

  CASSIUS Your voice190 shall be as strong as any man’s

  In the disposing of new dignities191.

  BRUTUS Only be patient till we have appeased

  The multitude193, beside themselves with fear,

  And then we will deliver you the cause194

  Why I, that did love Caesar when I struck him,

  Have thus proceeded196.

  ANTONY I doubt not of your wisdom.

  Let each man render198 me his bloody hand.—

  Shakes hands with each of them in turn

  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 slipp’ry205 ground

  That one of two bad ways you must conceit206 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 dearer210 than thy death

  To see thy Antony making his peace,

  Shaking the bloody fingers of thy foes?

  Most noble213 in the presence of thy corpse,

  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 close216

  In terms of friendship with thine enemies.

  Pardon me, Julius! Here wast thou bayed, brave hart218,

  Here d
idst thou fall, and here thy hunters stand

  Signed in thy spoil and crimsoned in thy Lethe220.—

  O world, thou wast the forest to this hart,

  And this222 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 enemies227 of Caesar shall say this:

  Then, in a friend, it is cold modesty228.

  CASSIUS I blame you not for praising Caesar so,

  But what compact230 mean you to have with us?

  Will you be pricked231 in number of our friends,

  Or shall we on232, and not depend on you?

  ANTONY Therefore233 I took your hands, but was indeed

  Swayed 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 else238 were this a savage spectacle:

  Our reasons are so full of good regard239

  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

  Produce244 his body to the market-place,

  And in the pulpit, as becomes a friend,

  Speak in the order246 of his funeral.

  BRUTUS You shall, Mark Antony.

  CASSIUS Brutus, a word with you.

  You know not what you do. Do not consent

  Aside to Brutus

  That Antony speak in his funeral:

  Know you how much the people may be moved

  By that which he will utter.

  BRUTUS By your pardon:

  Aside to Cassius

  I will myself into the pulpit first,

  And show the reason of our Caesar’s death.

  What Antony shall speak, I will protest256

  He speaks by leave257 and by permission,

  And that we are contented Caesar shall

  Have all true rites259 and lawful ceremonies.

  It shall advantage more than do us wrong.

  CASSIUS I know not what may fall261. I like it not.

  Aside to Brutus

  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: