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,

Fulfil your pleasure. Live a thousand years,

I shall not find myself so apt to die.

No place will please me so, no mean 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, unstrung of malice, 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.

He shakes hands with the conspirators

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 corpse?

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 bayed, brave hart;

Here didst thou fall, and here thy hunters stand

Signed in thy spoil and crimsoned in thy lethe.

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 pricked in number of our friends,

Or shall we on, and not depend on you?

ANTONY

Therefore I took your hands, but was indeed

Swayed 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 rites 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.