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 fixed and resting quality

There is no fellow in the firmament.

The skies are painted with unnumbered 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 furnished 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 banished,

And constant do remain to keep him so.

CINNA (coming forward and kneeling) O Caesar!

CAESAR Hence! Wilt thou lift up Olympus?

DECIUS (coming forward ⌈With Ligarius⌉ and kneeling) Great Caesar!

CAESAR Doth not Brutus bootless kneel?

CASCA (coming forward ⌈and kneeling⌉)

Speak hands for me.

They stab Caesar, ⌈Casca first, Brutus last⌉

CAESAR

Et tu, Bruté?—Then fall Caesar. He dies

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.

⌈Exeunt in a tumult Lepidus, Popillius, other senators, Artemidorus, Soothsayer, and citizen⌉

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.—Pubtius, 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.

⌈Exit Publius⌉ Enter Trebonius

CASSIUS Where is 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.

They smear their hands with Caesar’s blood How many ages hence

Shall this our lofty scene be acted over,

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 called

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.

Enter Antony’s Servant

BRUTUS

Soft; who comes here? A friend of Antony’s.

SERVANT (kneeling and falling prostrate)

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 honour him.

Say I feared Caesar, honoured 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 untouched.

SERVANT ⌈rising⌉ 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.

Enter Antony

BRUTES

But here comes Antony.—Welcome, Mark Antony.

ANTONY

O mighty Caesarl 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’s hour, nor no instrument

Of half that worth as those your swords, made rich