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SCENE II.

THE FORUM.

Enter Brutus and Caffius, with the Plebeians.

Pleb. We will be fatisfied: Let us be fatisfied. 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 ftay here; Thofe, that will follow Caffius, go with him; And publick reafons fhall be rendered

Of Cæfar's death.

1 Pleb. I will hear Brutus fpeak.

2 Pleb. I will hear Caffius; and compare their rea

fons,

When feverally we hear them rendered.

3

[Exit Caffius, with Jome of the Plebeians, Brutus goes into the roftrum.

Pleb. The noble Brutus is afcended: filence! Bru. Be patient 'till the laft. Romans, 7 countrymen, and lovers! hear me for

my

7 Countrymen, and lovers! &c.] There is no where, in all Shakefpeare's works a ftronger proof of his not being what we call a fcholar than this; or of his not knowing any thing of the genius of learned antiquity. This fpeech of Brutus is wrote in imitation of his famed laconic brevity, and is very fine in its kind; but no more like that brevity, than his times were like Brutus's. The ancient laconic brevity was fimple, natural, and eafy: this is quaint, artificial, gingling, and abounding with forced antithefes. In a word, a brevity, that for its falfe eloquence would have fuited any character, and for its good fenfe would have become the greatest of our author's time; but yet, in a stile of declaiming, that fits as ill upon Brutus as our author's trowfers or collar-band would have done. WARB.

This artificial gingle of fhort fentences was affected by most of

the

my cause; and be filent, that you may hear. Believe me for mine honour; and have respect to mine honour, that you may believe. Cenfure me in your wisdom; and awake your fenfes that you may the better judge. If there be any in this affembly, any dear friend of Cæfar's, to him I fay, that Brutus's love to Cæfar was no lefs than his. If then that friend demand, why Brutus rofe againft Cæfar, this is my anfwer-Not that I loved Cæfar lefs, but that I loved Rome more. Had you rather Cæfar were living, and dye all flaves; than that Cæfar were dead, to live all free men? As Cæfar lov'd me, I weep for him; as he was fortunate, I rejoice at it; as he was valiant, I honour him; but as he was ambitious, I flew him. There are tears, for his love; joy, for his fortune; honour, for his valour; and death, for his ambition. Who is here fo base, that would be a bond-man? If any, fpeak; for him have I offended. Who is here fo rude, that would not be a Roman? If any, fpeak; for him have I offended. Who is here fo vile, that will not love his country? If any, fpeak; for him have I offended. I pause for a reply.

All. None, Brutus, none.

Bru. Then none have I offended.

I have done no more to Cæfar, 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 offences enforced, for which he fuffered death.

Enter Mark Antony with Cafar's body.

Here comes his body, mourn'd by Mark Antony:

the orators in Shakespeare's time, whether in the pulpit or at the bar. The fpeech of Brutus may therefore be regarded rather as an imitation of the falfe eloquence then in vogue, than as a fpecimen of laconic brevity. STEEVENS. who,

who, though he had no hand in his death, fhall receive the benefit of his dying, a place in the commonwealth; as which of you fhall not? With this I depart; that as I flew my best lover for the good of Rome, I have the fame dagger for myself, when it fhall please my country to need my death.

All. Live, Brutus, live! live!

1 Pleb. Bring him with triumph home unto his house.

2 Pleb. Give him a ftatue with his ancestors.

3

Pleb. Let him be Cæsar.

4 Pleb. Cæfar's better parts

Shall be crowned in Brutus.

1 Pleb. We'll bring him to his houfe with fhouts and clamours.

Bru. My countrymen

2 Pleb. Peace! filence! Brutus fpeaks. 1 Pleb. Peace, ho!

Bru. Good countrymen, let me depart alone,
And, for my fake, ftay here with Antony:

Do grace to Cæfar's corpfe, and grace his speech
Tending to Cæfar's glories; which Mark Antony
By our permiffion is allow'd to make.

I do intreat you, not a man depart,
Save I alone, till Antony have fpoke.

[Exit.

1 Pleb. Stay, ho! and let us hear Mark Antony. 3 Pleb. Let him go up into the public chair, We'll hear him. Noble Antony, go up. Ant. For Brutus' fake, I am beholden to you. 4 Pleb. What does he fay of Brutus ?

3 Pleb. He fays, for Brutus' fake

He finds himself beholden to us all.

4 Pleb. 'Twere best he speak no harm of Brutus here.

1 Pleb. This Cæfar was a tyrant.

3

Pleb. Nay, that's certain.

We are bleft, that Rome is rid of him.

2 Pleb.

2 Pleb. Peace; let us hear what Antony can fay. Ant. You gentle Romans,

All. Peace, ho! let us hear him.

Ant. Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your

ears.

I come to bury Cæfar, 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 Cæfar! The noble B: utus
Hath told you, Cæfar was ambitious:
If it were fo, it was a grievous fault;
And grievously hath Cæfar anfwer'd it.
Here, under leave of Brutus, and the rest,
(For Brutus is an honourable man,
So are they all, all honourable men)
Come I to speak in Cæfar's funeral.
He was my friend, faithful and just to me:
But Brutus fays, he was ambitious;

And Brutus is an honourable man.

He hath brought many captives home to Rome,
Whofe ranfoms did the general coffers fill:

Did this in Cæfar feem ambitious?

When that the poor have cry'd, Cæfar hath wept :
Ambition fhould be made of fterner ftuff:

Yet Brutus fays, he was ambitious;
And Brutus is an honourable man.
You all did fee, that, on the Lupercal,
I thrice prefented him a kingly crown,
Which he did thrice refuse.

Was this ambition?

Yet Brutus fays, he was ambitious;
And, fure, he is an honourable man.
I fpeak not to difprove what Brutus fpoke,
But here I am to speak what I do know.

You all did love him once, not without cause;
What cause with-holds you then to mourn for him?
O judgment, thou art fed to brutish beafts,

And men have loft their reafon!

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Bear with me,

My

My heart is in the coffin there with Cæfar,
And I muft paufe 'till it come back to me.

1 Pleb. Methinks, there is much reason in his fayings, If thou confider rightly of the matter,

8

Cæfar has had great wrong.

3 Pleb. Has he, mafters? I fear there will a worfe Come in his place.

4

ye

Pleb. Mark'd his words? he would not take the crown;

Therefore, 'tis certain, he was not ambitious.

1 Pleb. If it be found fo, fome will dear abide it. 2 Pleb. Poor foul! his eyes are red as fire with

3

weeping.

Pleb. There's not a nobler man in Rome than

Antony.

4 Pleb. Now mark him, he begins to speak. Ant. But yesterday the word of Cæfar might Have ftood against the world: now lies he there, And none fo poor to do him reverence.

9

O mafters! if I were difpos'd to ftir

Your hearts and minds to mutiny and rage,

8 Cafar has had great wrong.] 3 Pleb. Cæfar had never wrong but with juft caufe. If ever there was fuch a line written by Shakefpeare, I should fancy it might have its place here, and very humourously in the character of a plebeian. One might believe Ben Johnson's remark was made upon no better credit than fome blunder of an actor in fpeaking that verfe near the beginning of the third act,

Know, Cafar doth not wrong; nor without cause
Will be be fatisfied

But the verfe, as cited by Ben Johnson, does not connect with,
Will be be fatisfied. Perhaps this play was never printed in Ben
Johnson's time, and fo he had nothing to judge by, but as the ac-
tor pleased to speak it.

POPE.

I have inferted this note, because it is Pope's, for it is otherwise of no value. It is ftrange that he should fo much forget the date of the copy before him, as to think it not printed in Jonfon's time.

JOHNSON.

9 And none fo poor] The meaneft man is now too high to do reverence to Cæfar.

JOHNSON.

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