Act III

Scene I

Rome. Before the Capitol; the Senate sitting above.

A crowd of people; among them Artemidorus and the Soothsayer. Flourish. Enter Caesar, Brutus, Cassius, Casca, Decius, Metellus, Trebonius, Cinna, Antony, Lepidus, Popilius, Publius, and others.
Caesar To the Soothsayer. 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 goes up to the Senate-House, the rest following.
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.

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.
Caesar

Are we all ready? 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 court’sies 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.
Know, Caesar doth not wrong, 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 everyone 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 first, then the other Conspirators and Marcus Brutus stab Caesar.
Caesar Et tu, Brute! Then fall, Caesar. 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;
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 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.

Cassius

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 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 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.

Enter a Servant.
Brutus Soft! who comes here? 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 honour 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,
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, in strength 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:
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 Anthony 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 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 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

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 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—
O Caesar!⁠—Seeing the body.

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 to-night 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.

Scene II

The Forum.

Enter Brutus and Cassius, and a throng of Citizens.
Citizens We will be satisfied; let us be satisfied.
Brutus

Then follow me, and give me audience, friends.
Cassius, go you into the other street,
And part the numbers.
Those that will hear me speak, let ’em stay here;
Those that will follow Cassius, go with him;
And public reasons shall be rendered
Of Caesar’s death.

First Citizen I will hear Brutus speak.
Second Citizen

I will hear Cassius; and compare their reasons,
When severally we hear them rendered. Exit Cassius, with some of the Citizens. Brutus goes into the pulpit.

Third Citizen The noble Brutus is ascended: silence!
Brutus Be patient till the last. Romans, countrymen, and lovers! hear me for my cause, and be silent, that you may hear: believe me for mine honour, and have respect to mine honour, that you may believe: censure me in your wisdom, and awake your senses, that you may the better judge. If there be any in this assembly, any dear friend of Caesar’s, to him I say, that Brutus’ love to Caesar was no less than his. If then that friend demand why Brutus rose against Caesar, this is my answer:⁠—Not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more. Had you rather Caesar were living and die all slaves, than that Caesar were dead, to live all free men? As Caesar loved 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 slew him. There is tears for his love; joy for his fortune; honour for his valour; and death for his ambition. Who is here so base that would be a bondman? If any, speak; for him have I offended. Who is here so rude that would not be a Roman? If any, speak; for him have I offended. Who is here so vile that will not love his country? If any, speak; for him have I offended. I pause for a reply.
All None, Brutus, none.
Brutus Then none have I offended. I have done no more to Caesar 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 suffered death.
Enter Antony and others, with Caesar’s body.
Here comes his body, mourned by Mark Antony: who, though he had no hand in his death, shall receive the benefit of his dying, a place in the commonwealth; as which of you shall not? With this I depart⁠—that, as I slew my best lover for the good of Rome, I have the same dagger for myself, when it shall please my country to need my death.
All Live, Brutus! live, live!
First Citizen Bring him with triumph home unto his house.
Second Citizen Give him a statue with his ancestors.
Third Citizen Let him be Caesar.
Fourth Citizen

Caesar’s better parts
Shall be crown’d in Brutus.

First Citizen

We’ll bring him to his house
With shouts and clamours.

Brutus My countrymen⁠—
Second Citizen Peace, silence! Brutus speaks.
First Citizen Peace, ho!
Brutus

Good countrymen, let me depart alone,
And, for my sake, stay here with Antony:
Do grace to Caesar’s corpse, and grace his speech
Tending to Caesar’s glories; which Mark Antony,
By our permission, is allow’d to make.
I do entreat you, not a man depart,
Save I alone, till Antony have spoke. Exit.

First Citizen Stay, ho! and let us hear Mark Antony.
Third Citizen

Let him go up into the public chair;
We’ll hear him. Noble Antony, go up.

Antony For Brutus’ sake, I am beholding to you. Goes into the pulpit.
Fourth Citizen What does he say of Brutus?
Third Citizen

He says, for Brutus’ sake,
He finds himself beholding to us all.

Fourth Citizen ’Twere best he speak no harm of Brutus here.
First Citizen This Caesar was a tyrant.
Third Citizen

Nay, that’s certain:
We are blest that Rome is rid of him.

Second Citizen Peace! let us hear what Antony can say.
Antony You gentle Romans⁠—
Citizens Peace, ho! let us hear him.
Antony

Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears;
I come to bury Caesar, 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 Caesar. The noble Brutus
Hath told you Caesar was ambitious:
If it were so, it was a grievous fault,
And grievously hath Caesar answer’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 Caesar’s funeral.
He was my friend, faithful and just to me:
But Brutus says he was ambitious;
And Brutus is an honourable man.
He hath brought many captives home to Rome,
Whose ransoms did the general coffers fill:
Did this in Caesar seem ambitious?
When that the poor have cried, Caesar hath wept:
Ambition should be made of sterner stuff:
Yet Brutus says he was ambitious;
And Brutus is an honourable man.
You all did see that on the Lupercal
I thrice presented him a kingly crown,
Which he did thrice refuse: was this ambition?
Yet Brutus says he was ambitious;
And, sure, he is an honourable man.
I speak not to disprove what Brutus spoke,
But here I am to speak what I do know.
You all did love him once, not without cause:
What cause withholds you then, to mourn for him?
O judgment! thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason. Bear with me;
My heart is in the coffin there with Caesar,
And I must pause till it come back to me.

First Citizen Methinks there is much reason in his sayings.
Second Citizen

If thou consider rightly of the matter,
Caesar has had great wrong.

Third Citizen

Has he, masters?
I fear there will a worse come in his place.

Fourth Citizen

Mark’d ye his words? He would not take the crown;
Therefore ’tis certain he was not ambitious.

First Citizen If it be found so, some will dear abide it.
Second Citizen Poor soul! his eyes are red as fire with weeping.
Third Citizen There’s not a nobler man in Rome than Antony.
Fourth Citizen Now mark him, he begins again to speak.
Antony

But yesterday the word of Caesar might
Have stood against the world; now lies he there,
And none so poor to do him reverence.
O masters, if I were disposed to stir
Your hearts and minds to mutiny and rage,
I should do Brutus wrong, and Cassius wrong,
Who, you all know, are honourable men:
I will not do them wrong; I rather choose
To wrong the dead, to wrong myself and you,
Than I will wrong such honourable men.
But here’s a parchment with the seal of Caesar;
I found it in his closet, ’tis his will:
Let but the commons hear this testament⁠—
Which, pardon me, I do not mean to read⁠—
And they would go and kiss dead Caesar’s wounds
And dip their napkins in his sacred blood,
Yea, beg a hair of him for memory,
And, dying, mention it within their wills,
Bequeathing it as a rich legacy
Unto their issue.

Fourth Citizen We’ll hear the will: read it, Mark Antony.
All The will, the will! we will hear Caesar’s will.
Antony

Have patience, gentle friends, I must not read it;
It is not meet you know how Caesar loved you.
You are not wood, you are not stones, but men;
And, being men, bearing the will of Caesar,
It will inflame you, it will make you mad:
’Tis good you know not that you are his heirs;
For, if you should, O, what would come of it!

Fourth Citizen

Read the will; we’ll hear it, Antony;
You shall read us the will, Caesar’s will.

Antony

Will you be patient? will you stay awhile?
I have o’ershot myself to tell you of it:
I fear I wrong the honourable men
Whose daggers have stabb’d Caesar; I do fear it.

Fourth Citizen They were traitors: honourable men!
All The will! the testament!
Second Citizen They were villains, murderers: the will! read the will.
Antony

You will compel me, then, to read the will?
Then make a ring about the corpse of Caesar,
And let me show you him that made the will.
Shall I descend? and will you give me leave?

Several Citizens Come down.
Second Citizen Descend.
Third Citizen You shall have leave. Antony comes down.
Fourth Citizen A ring; stand round.
First Citizen Stand from the hearse, stand from the body.
Second Citizen Room for Antony, most noble Antony.
Antony Nay, press not so upon me; stand far off.
Several Citizens Stand back; room; bear back.
Antony

If you have tears, prepare to shed them now.
You all do know this mantle: I remember
The first time ever Caesar put it on;
’Twas on a summer’s evening, in his tent,
That day he overcame the Nervii:
Look, in this place ran Cassius’ dagger through:
See what a rent the envious Casca made:
Through this the well-beloved Brutus stabb’d;
And as he pluck’d his cursed steel away,
Mark how the blood of Caesar follow’d it,
As rushing out of doors, to be resolved
If Brutus so unkindly knock’d, or no;
For Brutus, as you know, was Caesar’s angel:
Judge, O you gods, how dearly Caesar loved him!
This was the most unkindest cut of all;
For when the noble Caesar saw him stab,
Ingratitude, more strong than traitors’ arms,
Quite vanquish’d him: then burst his mighty heart;
And, in his mantle muffling up his face,
Even at the base of Pompey’s statua,
Which all the while ran blood, great Caesar fell.
O, what a fall was there, my countrymen!
Then I, and you, and all of us fell down,
Whilst bloody treason flourish’d over us.
O, now you weep; and, I perceive, you feel
The dint of pity: these are gracious drops.
Kind souls, what, weep you when you but behold
Our Caesar’s vesture wounded? Look you here,
Here is himself, marr’d, as you see, with traitors.

First Citizen O piteous spectacle!
Second Citizen O noble Caesar!
Third Citizen O woeful day!
Fourth Citizen O traitors, villains!
First Citizen O most bloody sight!
Second Citizen We will be revenged.
All Revenge! About! Seek! Burn! Fire! Kill! Slay! Let not a traitor live!
Antony Stay, countrymen.
First Citizen Peace there! hear the noble Antony.
Second Citizen We’ll hear him, we’ll follow him, we’ll die with him.
Antony

Good friends, sweet friends, let me not stir you up
To such a sudden flood of mutiny.
They that have done this deed are honourable:
What private griefs they have, alas, I know not,
That made them do it: they are wise and honourable,
And will, no doubt, with reasons answer you.
I come not, friends, to steal away your hearts:
I am no orator, as Brutus is;
But, as you know me all, a plain blunt man,
That love my friend; and that they know full well
That gave me public leave to speak of him:
For I have neither wit, nor words, nor worth,
Action, nor utterance, nor the power of speech,
To stir men’s blood: I only speak right on;
I tell you that which you yourselves do know;
Show you sweet Caesar’s wounds, poor poor dumb mouths,
And bid them speak for me: but were I Brutus,
And Brutus Antony, there were an Antony
Would ruffle up your spirits and put a tongue
In every wound of Caesar that should move
The stones of Rome to rise and mutiny.

All We’ll mutiny.
First Citizen We’ll burn the house of Brutus.
Third Citizen Away, then! come, seek the conspirators.
Antony Yet hear me, countrymen; yet hear me speak.
All Peace, ho! Hear Antony. Most noble Antony!
Antony

Why, friends, you go to do you know not what:
Wherein hath Caesar thus deserved your loves?
Alas, you know not: I must tell you then:
You have forgot the will I told you of.

All Most true. The will! Let’s stay and hear the will.
Antony

Here is the will, and under Caesar’s seal.
To every Roman citizen he gives,
To every several man, seventy-five drachmas.

Second Citizen Most noble Caesar! We’ll revenge his death.
Third Citizen O royal Caesar!
Antony Hear me with patience.
All Peace, ho!
Antony

Moreover, he hath left you all his walks,
His private arbours and new-planted orchards,
On this side Tiber; he hath left them you,
And to your heirs forever, common pleasures,
To walk abroad, and recreate yourselves.
Here was a Caesar! when comes such another?

First Citizen

Never, never. Come, away, away!
We’ll burn his body in the holy place,
And with the brands fire the traitors’ houses.
Take up the body.

Second Citizen Go fetch fire.
Third Citizen Pluck down benches.
Fourth Citizen Pluck down forms, windows, anything. Exeunt Citizens with the body.
Antony

Now let it work. Mischief, thou art afoot,
Take thou what course thou wilt!

Enter a Servant.
How now, fellow!
Servant Sir, Octavius is already come to Rome.
Antony Where is he?
Servant He and Lepidus are at Caesar’s house.
Antony

And thither will I straight to visit him:
He comes upon a wish. Fortune is merry,
And in this mood will give us anything.

Servant

I heard him say, Brutus and Cassius
Are rid like madmen through the gates of Rome.

Antony

Belike they had some notice of the people,
How I had moved them. Bring me to Octavius. Exeunt.

Scene III

A street.

Enter Cinna the poet.
Cinna

I dreamt to-night that I did feast with Caesar,
And things unluckily charge my fantasy:
I have no will to wander forth of doors,
Yet something leads me forth.

Enter Citizens.
First Citizen What is your name?
Second Citizen Whither are you going?
Third Citizen Where do you dwell?
Fourth Citizen Are you a married man or a bachelor?
Second Citizen Answer every man directly.
First Citizen Ay, and briefly.
Fourth Citizen Ay, and wisely.
Third Citizen Ay, and truly, you were best.
Cinna 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.
Second Citizen That’s as much as to say, they are fools that marry: you’ll bear me a bang for that, I fear. Proceed; directly.
Cinna Directly, I am going to Caesar’s funeral.
First Citizen As a friend or an enemy?
Cinna As a friend.
Second Citizen That matter is answered directly.
Fourth Citizen For your dwelling⁠—briefly.
Cinna Briefly, I dwell by the Capitol.
Third Citizen Your name, sir, truly.
Cinna Truly, my name is Cinna.
First Citizen Tear him to pieces; he’s a conspirator.
Cinna I am Cinna the poet, I am Cinna the poet.
Fourth Citizen Tear him for his bad verses, tear him for his bad verses.
Cinna I am not Cinna the conspirator.
Fourth Citizen It is no matter, his name’s Cinna; pluck but his name out of his heart, and turn him going.
Third Citizen Tear him, tear him! Come, brands ho! fire-brands: to Brutus’, to Cassius’; burn all: some to Decius’ house, and some to Casca’s; some to Ligarius’: away, go! Exeunt.