READ STUDY GUIDE: Act III, scene i |
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Act III, Scene i:
Rome. Before the Capitol; the Senate sitting.
Rome. Before the Capitol; the Senate sitting.
| [A crowd of people in the street leading to the Capitol, amongthem Artemidorus and the Soothsayer. Flourish. Enter Caesar,Brutus, Cassius, Casca, Decius, Metellus, Trebonius, Cinna,Antony, Lepidus, Popilius, Publius, and others.] |
| CAESAR: |
| The Ides of March are come. |
| SOOTHSAYER: |
| Ay, Caesar; but not gone. |
| ARTEMIDORUS: |
| Hail, Caesar! read this schedule. |
| DECIUS: |
| Trebonius doth desire you to o'er-read, |
| At your best leisure, this his humble suit. |
| ARTEMIDORUS: |
| O Caesar, read mine first; for mine's a suit |
| That touches Caesar nearer: read it, great Caesar. |
| CAESAR: |
| What touches us ourself shall be last served. |
| ARTEMIDORUS: |
| Delay not, Caesar; read it instantly. |
| CAESAR: |
| What, is the fellow mad? |
| PUBLIUS: |
| Sirrah, give place. |
| CASSIUS: |
| What, urge you your petitions in the street? |
| Come to the Capitol. |
| [Caesar enters the Capitol, the rest following. All the Senatorsrise.] |
| POPILIUS: |
| I wish your enterprise to-day may thrive. |
| CASSIUS: |
| What enterprise, Popilius? |
| POPILIUS: |
| Fare you well. |
| Advances to Caesar. |
| BRUTUS: |
| What said Popilius Lena? |
| CASSIUS: |
| He wish'd to-day our enterprise might thrive. |
| I fear our purpose is discovered. |
| BRUTUS: |
| Look, how he makes to Caesar: mark him. |
| CASSIUS: |
| Casca, be sudden, for we fear prevention.— |
| Brutus, what shall be done? If this be known, |
| Cassius or Caesar never shall turn back, |
| For I will slay myself. |
| BRUTUS: |
| Cassius, be constant: |
| Popilius Lena speaks not of our purposes; |
| For, look, he smiles, and Caesar doth not change. |
| CASSIUS: |
| Trebonius knows his time, for, look you, Brutus, |
| He draws Mark Antony out of the way. |
| [Exeunt Antony and Trebonius. Caesar and the Senators take theirseats.] |
| DECIUS: |
| Where is Metellus Cimber? Let him go, |
| And presently prefer his suit to Caesar. |
| BRUTUS: |
| He is address'd; press near and second him. |
| CINNA: |
| Casca, you are the first that rears your hand. |
| CASCA: |
| Are we all ready? |
| CAESAR: |
| What is now amiss |
| That Caesar and his Senate must redress? |
| METELLUS: |
| Most high, most mighty, and most puissant Caesar, |
| Metellus Cimber throws before thy seat |
| An humble heart. |
| [Kneeling.] |
| CAESAR: |
| I must prevent thee, Cimber. |
| These couchings and these lowly courtesies |
| Might fire the blood of ordinary men, |
| And turn pre-ordinance and first decree |
| Into the law of children. Be not fond, |
| To think that Caesar bears such rebel blood |
| That will be thaw'd from the true quality |
| With that which melteth fools; I mean, sweet words, |
| Low-crooked curtsies, and base spaniel-fawning. |
| Thy brother by decree is banished: |
| If thou dost bend, and pray, and fawn for him, |
| I spurn thee like a cur out of my way. |
| METELLUS: |
| Caesar, thou dost me wrong. |
| CAESAR: |
| Caesar did never wrong but with just cause, |
| Nor without cause will he be satisfied. |
| METELLUS: |
| Is there no voice more worthy than my own, |
| To sound more sweetly in great Caesar's ear |
| For the repealing of my banish'd brother? |
| BRUTUS: |
| I kiss thy hand, but not in flattery, Caesar; |
| Desiring thee that Publius Cimber may |
| Have an immediate freedom of repeal. |
| CAESAR: |
| What, Brutus? |
| CASSIUS: |
| Pardon, Caesar; Caesar, pardon: |
| As low as to thy foot doth Cassius fall, |
| To beg enfranchisement for Publius Cimber. |
| CAESAR: |
| I could be well moved, if I were as you; |
| If I could pray to move, prayers would move me: |
| But I am constant as the northern star, |
| Of whose true-fix'd and resting quality |
| There is no fellow in the firmament. |
| The skies are painted with unnumber'd sparks, |
| 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 furnish'd well with men, |
| And men are flesh and blood, and apprehensive; |
| Yet in the number I do know but one |
| That unassailable holds on his rank, |
| Unshaked of motion: and that I am he, |
| Let me a little show it, even in this,— |
| That I was constant Cimber should be banish'd, |
| And constant do remain to keep him so. |
| CINNA: |
| O Caesar,— |
| CAESAR: |
| Hence! wilt thou lift up Olympus? |
| DECIUS: |
| Great Caesar,— |
| CAESAR: |
| Doth not Brutus bootless kneel? |
| CASCA: |
| Speak, hands, for me! |
| [Casca stabs Caesar in the neck. Caesar catches hold of his arm.He is then stabbed by several other Conspirators, and at last byMarcus Brutus.] |
| CAESAR: |
| Et tu, Brute?—Then fall, Caesar! |
| [Dies. The Senators and People retire in confusion.] |
| CINNA: |
| Liberty! Freedom! Tyranny is dead!— |
| Run hence, proclaim, cry it about the streets. |
| CASSIUS: |
| Some to the common pulpits and cry out, |
| "Liberty, freedom, and enfranchisement!" |
| BRUTUS: |
| People and Senators, be not affrighted; |
| Fly not; stand still; ambition's debt is paid. |
| CASCA: |
| Go to the pulpit, Brutus. |
| DECIUS: |
| And Cassius too. |
| BRUTUS: |
| Where's Publius? |
| CINNA: |
| Here, quite confounded with this mutiny. |
| METELLUS: |
| Stand fast together, lest some friend of Caesar's |
| Should chance— |
| BRUTUS: |
| Talk not of standing.—Publius, good cheer! |
| 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 mischief. |
| BRUTUS: |
| Do so;—and let no man abide this deed |
| But we the doers. |
| [Re-enter Trebonius.] |
| CASSIUS: |
| Where's Antony? |
| TREBONIUS: |
| Fled to his house amazed. |
| Men, wives, and children stare, cry out, and run, |
| As it were doomsday. |
| BRUTUS: |
| Fates, we will know your pleasures: |
| That we shall die, we know; 'tis but the time |
| And drawing days out, that men stand upon. |
| 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-place, |
| 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 o'er |
| In States unborn and accents yet unknown! |
| BRUTUS: |
| How many times shall Caesar bleed in sport, |
| That now on Pompey's basis lies along |
| No worthier than the dust! |
| CASSIUS: |
| So oft as that shall be, |
| So often shall the knot of us be call'd |
| The men that gave their country liberty. |
| DECIUS: |
| What, shall we forth? |
| CASSIUS: |
| Ay, every man away: |
| Brutus shall lead; and we will grace his heels |
| With the most boldest and best hearts of Rome. |
| BRUTUS: |
| Soft, who comes here? |
| [Enter a Servant.] |
| A friend of Antony's. |
| SERVANT: |
| Thus, Brutus, did my master bid me kneel; |
| Thus did Mark Antony bid me fall down; |
| And, being prostrate, thus he bade me say: |
| Brutus is noble, wise, valiant, and honest; |
| Caesar was mighty, bold, royal, and loving; |
| Say I love Brutus and I honor him; |
| Say I fear'd Caesar, honour'd him, and loved him. |
| If Brutus will vouchsafe that Antony |
| May safely come to him, and be resolved |
| 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 state |
| With all true faith. 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 satisfied and, by my honour, |
| Depart untouch'd. |
| SERVANT: |
| I'll fetch him presently. |
| [Exit.] |
| BRUTUS: |
| I know that we shall have him well to friend. |
| CASSIUS: |
| I wish we may: but yet have I a mind |
| That fears him much; and my misgiving still |
| Falls shrewdly to the purpose. |
| BRUTUS: |
| But here comes Antony.— |
| [Re-enter Antony.] |
| Welcome, Mark Antony. |
| ANTONY: |
| O mighty Caesar! Dost thou lie so low? |
| Are all thy conquests, glories, triumphs, spoils, |
| Shrunk to this little measure? Fare thee well.— |
| I know not, gentlemen, what you intend, |
| Who else must be let blood, who else is rank: |
| If I myself, there is no hour so fit |
| As Caesar's death-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 reek and smoke, |
| Fulfill your pleasure. Live a thousand years, |
| I shall not find myself so apt to die: |
| No place will please me so, no means of death, |
| As here by Caesar, and by you cut off, |
| The choice and master 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 but our hands |
| And this the bleeding business they have done: |
| Our hearts you see not; they are pitiful; |
| And pity to the general wrong of Rome— |
| As fire drives out fire, so pity pity— |
| Hath done this deed on Caesar. For your part, |
| To you our swords have leaden points, Mark Antony; |
| Our arms in strength of amity, and our hearts |
| Of brothers' temper, do receive you in |
| With all kind love, good thoughts, and reverence. |
| CASSIUS: |
| Your voice shall be as strong as any man's |
| In the disposing of new dignities. |
| BRUTUS: |
| Only be patient till we have appeased |
| The multitude, beside themselves with fear, |
| And then we will deliver you the cause |
| Why I, that did love Caesar when I struck him, |
| Have thus proceeded. |
| ANTONY: |
| I doubt not of your wisdom. |
| Let each man render me his bloody hand: |
| 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 slippery ground, |
| That one of two bad ways you must conceit 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 dearer than thy death |
| To see thy Antony making his peace, |
| Shaking the bloody fingers of thy foes,— |
| Most noble!—in the presence of thy corse? |
| 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 close |
| In terms of friendship with thine enemies. |
| Pardon me, Julius! Here wast thou bay'd, brave hart; |
| Here didst thou fall; and here thy hunters stand, |
| Sign'd in thy spoil, and crimson'd in thy death.— |
| O world, thou wast the forest to this hart; |
| And this, 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 enemies of Caesar shall say this; |
| Then, in a friend, it is cold modesty. |
| CASSIUS: |
| I blame you not for praising Caesar so; |
| But what compact mean you to have with us? |
| Will you be prick'd in number of our friends, |
| Or shall we on, and not depend on you? |
| ANTONY: |
| Therefore I took your hands; but was indeed |
| Sway'd 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 else were this a savage spectacle: |
| Our reasons are so full of good regard |
| 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 |
| Produce his body to the market-place; |
| And in the pulpit, as becomes a friend, |
| Speak in the order of his funeral. |
| BRUTUS: |
| You shall, Mark Antony. |
| CASSIUS: |
| Brutus, a word with you. |
| [Aside to Brutus.] You know not what you do; do not consent |
| That Antony speak in his funeral: |
| Know you how much the people may be moved |
| By that which he will utter? |
| BRUTUS: |
| [Aside to Cassius.] By your pardon: |
| I will myself into the pulpit first, |
| And show the reason of our Caesar's death: |
| What Antony shall speak, I will protest |
| He speaks by leave and by permission; |
| And that we are contented Caesar shall |
| Have all true rights and lawful ceremonies. |
| It shall advantage more than do us wrong. |
| CASSIUS: |
| [Aside to Brutus.] I know not what may fall; I like it not. |
| 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; |
| Else shall you not have any hand at all |
| About his funeral: and you shall speak |
| In the same pulpit whereto I am going, |
| After my speech is ended. |
| ANTONY: |
| Be it so; |
| I do desire no more. |
| BRUTUS: |
| Prepare the body, then, and follow us. |
| [Exeunt all but Antony.] |
| ANTONY: |
| O, pardon me, thou bleeding piece of earth, |
| That I am meek and gentle with these butchers! |
| Thou art the ruins of the noblest man |
| That ever lived in the tide of times. |
| Woe to the hand that shed this costly 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; |
| Domestic fury and fierce civil strife |
| Shall cumber all the parts of Italy; |
| Blood and destruction shall be so in use, |
| And dreadful objects so familiar, |
| That mothers shall but smile when they behold |
| Their infants quarter'd with the hands of war; |
| All pity choked with custom of fell deeds: |
| And Caesar's spirit, ranging for revenge, |
| With Ate' by his side come hot from Hell, |
| Shall in these confines with a monarch's voice |
| Cry "Havoc!" and let slip the dogs of war, |
| That this foul deed shall smell above the earth |
| With carrion men, groaning for burial.— |
| [Enter a Servant] . |
| You serve Octavius Caesar, do you not? |
| SERVANT: |
| I do, Mark Antony. |
| ANTONY: |
| Caesar did write for him to come to Rome. |
| SERVANT: |
| He did receive his letters, and is coming; |
| And bid me say to you by word of mouth,— |
| [Seeing the body.] O Caesar!— |
| ANTONY: |
| Thy heart is big, get thee apart and weep. |
| Passion, I see, is catching; for mine eyes, |
| Seeing those beads of sorrow stand in thine, |
| Began to water. Is thy master coming? |
| SERVANT: |
| He lies tonight within seven leagues of Rome. |
| ANTONY: |
| Post back with speed, and tell him what hath chanced. |
| Here is a mourning Rome, a dangerous Rome, |
| No Rome of safety for Octavius yet; |
| Hie hence, and tell him so. Yet stay awhile; |
| Thou shalt not back till I have borne this corse |
| Into the market-place: there shall I try, |
| In my oration, how the people take |
| The cruel issue of these bloody men; |
| According to the which thou shalt discourse |
| To young Octavius of the state of things. |
| Lend me your hand. |
| [Exeunt with Caesar's body.] |
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