Cit. We'll mutiny. 1 Cit. We'll burn the house of Brutus. 3 Cit. Away then, come, seek the conspirators. Ant. Yet hear me, countrymen; yet hear me speak. Cit. Peace, ho! Hear Antony, most noble Antony. Ant. Why, friends, you go to do you know not what: Wherein hath Cæsar thus deserv'd your loves? Cit. Most true;—the will;-let's stay, and hear the will. Ant. Here is the will, and under Cæsar's seal. To every Roman citizen he gives, Το every several man, seventy-five drachmas 12. 2 Cit. Most noble Cæsar!-we'll revenge his death. 3 Cit. O royal Cæsar! Ant. Hear me with patience. Cit. Peace, ho! Ant. Moreover he hath left you all his walks, His private arbours, and new planted orchards, On this side Tyber 13; he hath left them you, And to your heirs for ever; common pleasures, 12 A drachma was a Greek coin, the same as the Roman denier, of the value of four sesterces, i. e. 7d. 13 This scene (says Theobald) lies in the Forum, near the Capitol, and in the most frequented part of the city; but Cæsar's gardens were very remote from that quarter: Trans Tiberim longe cubat is. prope Cæsaris hortos, says Horace and both the Naumachia and gardens of Cæsar were separated from the main city by the river, and lay out wide on a line with Mount Janiculum.' He would therefore read 'on that side Tyber.' But Dr. Farmer has shown that Shakspeare's study lay in the old translation of Plutarch,' He bequeathed unto every citizen of Rome seventy-five drachmas a man, and left his gardens and arbours unto the people, which he had on this side of the river Tyber.' To walk abroad, and recreate yourselves. Here was a Cæsar: When comes such another? 1 Cit. Never, never:-Come, away, away: We'll burn his body in the holy place,' And with the brands fire 14 the traitors' houses. 2 Cit. Go, fetch fire. 3 Cit. Pluck down benches. 4 Cit. Pluck down forms, windows, any thing. [Exeunt Citizens, with the Body. Ant. Now let it work: Mischief, thou art afoot, Take thou what course thou wilt!-How now, fellow? Enter a Servant. Serv. Sir, Octavius is already come to Rome. Ant. Where is he? Serv. He and Lepidus are at Cæsar's house. Ant. And thither will I straight to visit him: He comes upon a wish. Fortune is merry, And in this mood will give us any thing. Serv. I heard him say, Brutus and Cassius Are rid like madmen through the gates of Rome. Ant. Belike, they had some notice of the people, How I had mov'd them. Bring me to Octavius. [Exeunt. SCENE III. The same. A Street. Enter CINNA, the Poet. Cin. I dreamt to-night, that I did feast with Cæsar, And things unluckily charge my fantasy1: I have no will to wander forth of doors, Yet something leads me forth. 14 Fire again as a dissyllable. 1i. e. circumstances oppress my fancy with an ill omened weight. I learn (says Steevens) from an old Treatise on Fortune Telling, &c. that to dream of being at banquets betokeneth misfortune, &c.' The subject of this scene is taken from Plutarch. 1 Cit. What is Enter Citizens. your name ? 2 Cit. Whither are you going? 3 Cit. Where do you dwell? 4 Cit. Are you a married man, or a bachelor? 2 Cit. Answer every man directly. 1 Cit. Ay, and briefly. 4 Cit. Ay, and wisely. 3 Cit. Ay, and truly, you were best. Cin. What is my name? Whither am I going? Where do I dwell? Am I a married man, or a bachelor? Then to answer every man directly, and briefly, wisely, and truly. Wisely I say, I am a bachelor. 2 Cit. That's as much as to say, they are fools that marry:-You'll bear me a bang for that, I fear. Proceed; directly. Cin. Directly, I am going to Cæsar's funeral, 1 Cit. As a friend, or an enemy? Cin. As a friend. 2 Cit. That matter is answered directly. Cin. Truly, my name is Cinna. 1 Cit. Tear him to pieces, he's a conspirator. Cin. I am Cinna the poet, I am Cinna the poet. 4 Cit. Tear him for his bad verses, tear him for his bad verses. 2 Cit. It is no matter, his name's Cinna; pluck but his name out of his heart, and turn him going. 3 Cit. Tear him, tear him. Come, brands, ho! firebrands. To Brutus', to Cassius'; burn all. Some to Decius' house, and some to Casca's; some to Ligarius' away; go. [Exeunt, ACT IV. A Room in Antony's SCENE I. The same. House1. ANTONY, OCTAVIUS, and LEPIDUS, seated at a Table. Ant. These many then shall die; their names are prick'd. Oct. Your brother too must die; Consent you, Lepidus? Lep. I do consent. Oct. Prick him down, Antony. Lep. Upon condition Publius shall not live, Who is your sister's son, Mark Antony. Ant. He shall not live; look, with a spot I damn3 him. But, Lepidus, go you to Cæsar's house; 1 The place of this scene is not marked in the old copy. It appears from Plutarch and Appian, that these triumvirs met, upon the proscription, in a little island near Mutina, upon the river Lavinius. That Shakspeare, however, meant the scene to be at Rome may be inferred from what almost immediately follows: Lep. What, shall I find you here? Oct. Or here, or at the Capitol.' Malone placed the scene in Antony's house. 2 Upton has shown that the poet made a mistake as to this character mentioned by Lepidus; Lucius, not Publius, was the person meant, who was uncle by the mother's side to Mark Antony. 3 i. e. condemn him. Vouchsafe to give my damned husband life.' Promos and Cassandra, 1578. Lep. What, shall I find you here? Oct. The Capitol. Or here, or at [Exit LEPIDUS. Ant. This is a slight unmeritable man, The threefold world divided, he should stand Oct. Ant. Octavius, I have seen more days than you: And though we lay these honours on this man, To ease ourselves of divers slanderous loads, He shall but bear them as the ass bears gold *. To groan and sweat under the business, Either led or driven, as we point the way; And having brought our treasure where we will, Then take we down his load, and turn him off, Like to the empty ass, to shake his ears, And graze in commons. Oct. You may do your will; But he's a tried and valiant soldier. Ant. So is my horse, Octavius; and, for that, I do appoint him store of provender. It is a creature that I teach to fight, To wind, to stop, to run directly on; His corporal motion govern'd by my spirit. And, in some taste, is Lepidus but so; He must be taught, and train'd, and bid go A barren-spirited fellow; one that feeds On objects, arts, and imitations; Which, out of use, and stal'd by other men, 4 So in Measure for Measure, Act iii. Sc. 1: forth: like an ass, whose back with ingots bows, |