World's Best Poetry, Volume 9: Tragedy and Humor (Part 1) — Mark Antony, over the Body of Cæsar: From 'Julius Cæsar,' Act III. Sc. 2 by William Shakespeare

THOMAS BABINGTON, LORD MACAULAY.

MARK ANTONY, OVER THE BODY OF CÆSAR.

FROM "JULIUS CÆSAR," ACT III.

SC.

2. ANTONY.

--O mighty Cæsar!

dost thou lie so low?

Are all thy conquests, glories, triumphs, spoils, Shrunk to this little measure?

--Fare thee well.

-- (_To the people.

_) Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears;

I come to bury Cæsar, not to praise him.

The evil that men do lives after them;

The good is oft interrèd with their bones;

So let it be with Cæsar.

The noble Brutus Hath told you Cæsar was ambitious: If it were so, it was a grievous fault;

And grievously hath Cæsar answered it.

Here, under leave of Brutus and the rest, (For Brutus is an honorable man;

So are they all, all honorable men,) Come I to speak in Cæsar's funeral.

He was my friend, faithful and just to me: But Brutus says he was ambitious;

And Brutus is an honorable man.

He hath brought many captives home to Rome, Whose ransom did the general coffers fill: Did this in Cæsar seem ambitious?

When that the poor have cried, Cæsar hath wept: Ambition should be made of sterner stuff: 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?

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!

What cause withholds you, then, to mourn for him?

O judgment, thou art fled to brutish beasts, And men have lost their reason!

--Bear with me;

My heart is in the coffin there with Cæsar, And I must pause till it come back to me.

* * * * * But yesterday, the word of Cæsar might Have stood against the world!

now lies he there And none so poor to do him reverence.

O masters!

if I were disposed to stir Your hearts and minds to mutiny and rage, I should do Brutus wrong, and Cassius wrong, Who, you all know, are honorable men: I will not do them wrong; I rather choose To wrong the dead, to wrong myself, and you, Than I will wrong such honorable men.

But here 's a parchment, with the seal of Cæsar,-- I found it in his closet,--'tis his will.

Let but the commons hear this testament, (Which, pardon me, I do not mean to read,) And they would go and kiss dead Cæsar's wounds, And dip their napkins in his sacred blood: Yea, beg a hair of him for memory, And, dying, mention it within their wills, Bequeathing it, as a rich legacy, Unto their issue.

4 CITIZEN.

--We'll hear the will: read it, Mark Antony.

CITIZENS.

--The will, the will!

we will hear Cæsar's will.

ANTONY.

--Have patience, gentle friends, I must not read it;

It is not meet you know how Cæsar loved you.

You are not wood, you are not stones, but men;

And, being men, hearing the will of Cæsar, It will inflame you, it will make you mad: 'Tis good you know not that you are his heirs, For if you should, O, what would come of it!

4 CITIZEN.

--Read the will; we'll hear it, Antony;

You shall read us the will,--Cæsar's will.

ANTONY.

--Will you be patient?

Will you stay awhile?

I have o'ershot myself to tell you of it.

I fear I wrong the honorable men Whose daggers have stabbed Cæsar; I do fear it.

4 CITIZEN.

--They were traitors: honorable men!

CITIZENS.

--The will!

the testament!

2 CITIZEN.

--They were villains, murderers: the will!

read the will!

ANTONY.

--You will compel me, then, to read the will!

Then make a ring about the corse of Cæsar, And let me show you him that made the will.

Shall I descend?

and will you give me leave?

CITIZENS.

--Come down.

ANTONY.

--Nay, press not so upon me; stand far off.

CITIZENS.

--Stand back; room; bear back.

ANTONY.

--If you have tears, prepare to shed them now.

You all do know this mantle: I remember The first time ever Cæsar put it on;

'Twas on a summer's evening, in his tent;

That day he overcame the Nervii:-- Look, in this place ran Cassius' dagger through: See what a rent the envious Casca made: Through this the well-belovèd Brutus stabbed;

And, as he plucked his cursed steel away, Mark how the blood of Cæsar followed it, As rushing out of doors, to be resolved If Brutus so unkindly knocked, or no;

For Brutus, as you know, was Cæsar's angel: Judge, O you gods, how dearly Cæsar loved him!

This was the most unkindest cut of all;

For when the noble Cæsar saw him stab, Ingratitude, more strong than traitors' arms, Quite vanquished him: then burst his mighty heart;

And, in his mantle muffling up his face, Even at the base of Pompey's statua, Which all the while ran blood, great Cæsar fell.

O, what a fall was there, my countrymen!

Then I, and you, and all of us fell down, Whilst bloody treason flourished over us.

O, now you weep; and I perceive you feel The dint of pity: these are gracious drops.

Kind souls, what, weep you when you but behold Our Cæsar's vesture wounded?

Look you here, Here is himself, marred, as you see, with traitors.

* * * * * Good friends, sweet friends, let me not stir you up To such a sudden flood of mutiny.

They that have done this deed are honorable;-- What private griefs they have, alas, I know not, That made them do it;--they are wise and honorable, And will, no doubt, with reasons answer you.

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 That gave me public leave to speak of him: For I have neither wit, nor words, nor worth, Action, nor utterance, nor the power of speech, To stir men's blood: I only speak right on;

I tell you that which you yourselves do know;

Show you sweet Cæsar's wounds, poor, poor dumb mouths, And bid them speak for me: but were I Brutus, And Brutus Antony, there were an Antony Would ruffle up your spirits, and put a tongue In every wound of Cæsar, that should move The stones of Rome to rise and mutiny.

ALL.

--We'll mutiny.

1 CITIZEN.

--We'll burn the house of Brutus.

3 CITIZEN.

--Away, then!

come, seek the conspirators.

ANTONY.

--Yet hear me, countrymen; yet hear me speak.

ALL.

--Peace, ho!

Hear Antony, most noble Antony.

ANTONY.

--Why, friends, you go to do you know not what.

Wherein hath Cæsar thus deserved your loves?

Alas, you know not!

--I must tell you, then.

You have forgot the will I told you of.

ALL.

--Most true;--the will!

--let's stay and hear the will.

ANTONY.

--Here is the will, and under Cæsar's seal:-- To every Roman citizen he gives, To every several man, seventy-five drachmas.

2 CITIZEN.

--Most noble Cæsar!

--we'll revenge his death.

3 CITIZEN.

--O royal Cæsar!

ANTONY.

--Hear me with patience.

CITIZENS.

--Peace, ho!

ANTONY.

--Moreover, he hath left you all his walks, His private arbors, and new-planted orchards On this side Tiber; he hath left them you, And to your heirs forever,--common pleasures, To walk abroad, and recreate yourselves.

Here was a Cæsar!

when comes such another?

1 CITIZEN.

--Never, never!

--Come away, away!

We 'll burn his body in the holy place, And with the brands fire the traitors' houses.

Take up the body....

[_Exeunt Citizens, with the body.

_] ANTONY.

--Now let it work.

Mischief, thou art afoot, Take thou what course thou wilt.