SHAKESPEARE IN QUOTATIONS THE TRAGEDY OF JULIUS

MURDER ! TRAGEDY ! CULTURE ! RIOTS ! HORROR ! SUICIDES! NIGHTMARE! SUPERNATURAL! BATTLES! MUTINY! REVOLTS! ARSON! POLITICAL SPEECHES! BEAUTIFUL GIRLS! SHAKESPEARE! NOBLE ROMANS! ENIGMAS! CLASS WAR! A PARABLE FOR OUR TIMES! MUCH BLOOD! POETS! AND LOTS AND LOTS OF QUOTATIONS! (in blue) Who are the Goodies? Who are the Baddies? Is Caesar Megalomaniac? Was Cassius on a Diet? Where is Cleopatra? What would you have done? Write your own Shakespeare Tragedy!

Shortened by val yule 2

ABOUT JULIUS CAESAR

About 2000 years ago, the Romans did not have a king. Other countries had kings, but they were tyrants. The Romans had got rid of their kings and ruled themselves by Senators in Council.

Julius Caesar was a great soldier and made the Roman Empire even bigger. He conquered France (Gaul - See the Asterix comics) and even invaded Britain in 55 B.C. Now the Romans did not want their Generals to become kings by taking their armies into Rome. When you look at the world today, you can see many countries ruled by Generals who have taken over the government because they brought in the army. So the Romans had a rule that no General could bring his army to Rome. He had to leave his army out in the provinces, to keep the borders safe. It couldn't come closer than the Rubicon river.

But what did Julius Caesar do? He'd crossed the Rubicon with his soldiers. Because he was a great man, many Romans wanted him to be king. But because he seemed an ambitious man, many other Romans were afraid he would be a tyrant king.

William Shakespeare wrote this play four hundred years ago, about something that really happened nearly 2000 years ago. But he has written it somewhat differently from the history books. What interests Shakespeare is why people do what they do.

When you read or act the play, look out for reasons why Caesar, Cassius, Brutus and the rest did what they did. Here are some olden-times words with their meanings. Shakespeare invented many of the words he used. Try using some of the words yourself. Words in PART 1. A mechanical: a workman or mechanic. knave: originally a boy, and then a bad lad. (e.g. knave of hearts) tributary: someone or something that contributes - like a smaller stream flowing into a bigger, or a conquered tribe paying taxes to the conqueror. commoner. A common person. Not a noble person. pitch - the way something is thrown or goes through the ear. servile - like a servant. yoke - wooden harness for animals pulling plows, or to balance burdens across your shoulders. So, a burden that makes you a slave. aught - anything, something indifferently - not minding one way or the other. bestride. One foot on one side and one on the other. colossus - really huge, like a huge statue (The Colosseum was huge.) petty - small, trivial underlings - people born to be under other people chidden scolded. rabblement - rabble, a badly-behaved mob. chopt - chopped about mettle - spirit, temper. manipulate - handle in the way you want things to go. incenses - makes them very angry surly - sulking and rude portentous - meaning something important will happen construe - interpret, work out the meaning disposed - the sort of attitude something has praetor - one of the officials virtue ~ real goodness A Narrator reads the story-line. The actors or readers read the words of the play aloud very dramatically. And afterwards – read the whole play! JULIUS CAESAR 3

ACT 1.SCENE 1.A STREET IN ROME. FLAVIUS, MARELLUS and some common people come in. Flavius tells the idle mechanicals not to go about on a working day without crarrying signs of their trades, and scolds a carpenter for not having his leather apron and ruler with him. A cobbler (shoemaker) when asked says that he is a mender of bad soles, and gets called a naughty knave. He says he is a doctor to old shoes.

FLAVIUS: But why are you not in your shop today? Why do you lead these men about the streets? COBBLER: Why, truly, to wear out their shoes, to get myself more work. But indeed, sir, we make holiday to see Caesar, and to rejoice in his triumph. MARELLUS: Why rejoice? What conquest brings he home? What tributaries follow him to Rome To grace in captive bonds his chariot wheels? (Marellus scolds the people because they used to wait all day to see great Pompey pass the streets of Rome and cheer him. Now they make a holiday for the man who killed Pompey. The commoners go out. Marellus and Flavius are going to make sure that no statues are hung with Caesar's trophies.) FLAVIUS: These growing feathers plucked from Caesar's wing Will make him fly an ordinary pitch, Who else would soar above the view of men And keep us all in servile fearfulness.

SCENE II. A PUBLIC PLACE IN ROME A great crowd come in with CAESAR, ANTONY, CALPURNIA, Caesar's wife, BRUTUS, PORTIA, Brutus' wife, DECIUS, old CICERO, CASSIUS, CASCA, a Soothsayer, and after them MARELLUS and FLAVIUS. Antony is going to run a race as part of the Lupercal celebrations, and Caesar asks him to touch Calpurnia as he passes, because there is a superstition that this would stop Calpurnia being childless.

ANTONY: I shall remember: When Caesar says, 'Do this,' it is performed. (The soothsayer then calls out shrilly, and Caesar turns to him.) SOOTHSAYER: Beware the ! (The 15th March) CAESAR: Set him before me; let me see his face. SOOTHSAYER: Beware the Ides of March! CAESAR: He is a dreamer. Let us leave him. Pass. (Everyone leaves except Brutus and Cassius. Cassius thinks Brutus has not been friendly enough to him recently, and Brutus apologises.) BRUTUS: Poor Brutus, with himself at war (Cassius starts talking about Brutus and about people in Rome who are groaning underneath this age's yoke. Brutus asks what dangers Cassius wants to lead him into. They hear shouting and trumpets. Brutus is afraid this may mean that the people are choosing Caesar for their king. Brutus does not want this, even though he loves Caesar well. He asks Cassius what he wants to say.) JULIUS CAESAR 4

BRUTUS: If it be aught towards the general good, Set honour in one eye and death in the other, and I will look on both indifferently; For let the gods so speed me, as I love The name of honour more than I fear death. (Cassius says that he is speaking of honour, because he does not see why Caesar should be any better than they are. They were both born as free as Caesar. He gives examples where Caesar had to call Cassius to save him from drowning, and how he was like a sick girl when he had the fever in Spain.) CASSIUS: And this man is now become a god, and Cassius is a wretched creature, and must bend his body if Caesar carelessly but nod on him. (More cheering is heard.) Why, man, he doth bestride the narrow world Like a Colossus, and we petty men Walk under his huge legs and peer about To find ourselves dishonourable graves. Men at some time are masters of their fates: The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, But in ourselves, that we are underlings. (Cassius is extremely jealous of Caesar. Brutus does not want Caesar to have supreme power either as he thinks it will lead to hard conditions. CAESAR and his company come back after the games. Brutus thinks Caesar looks angry, Calpurnia is pale, Cicero looks with ferret and fiery eyes, and all the rest look chidden. Cassius tells Brutus that Casca will tell them what has happened, after his sour fashion. Caesar speaks to Antony.) CAESAR: Let me have men about me that are fat, Sleek-headed men, and such as sleep a~nights. Yon Cassius has a lean and hungry look. He thinks too much. Such men are dangerous. (Antony says that Cassius is not dangerous, he is a noble Roman.) CAESAR: Would he were fatter! But I fear him not. Yet if my name were liable to fear I do not know the man I should avoid so soon As that spare Cassius. He reads much. He is a great observer, and he looks quite through the deeds of men. He loves no plays as thou dost, Antony. He hears no music. Seldom he smiles, And smiles in such a sort as if he mocked himself, and scorned his spirit That could be moved to smile at anything. Such men as he are never at heart's ease While they behold a greater than themselves And therefore they are very dangerous. I rather tell you what is to be feared than what I fear; for always I am Caesar. Come on my right hand, for this ear is deaf, And tell me truly what you think of him. JULIUS CAESAR 5

(CAESAR and his company go out. CASCA tells Brutus and Cassius that Caesar was offered a crown by Antony three times, and the crowd shouted every time he refused it. The third time the rabblement hooted, and clapped their hands, and threw up their sweaty nightcaps, and almost choked Caesar with their stinking breath shouting. Caesar fainted, and fell down in the marketplace, and foamed at the mouth, and was speechless, with an attack of the falling-sickness. (Caesar had epilepsy.) Cassius thought Caesar was rather unwilling to refuse the crown each time, and came sadly away.) CASSIUS: Did Cicero say anything? CASCA: Ay, he spoke Greek. (Cicero was a learned orator.) CASSIUS: To what effect? CASCA: It was . (He said that Marullus and Flavius had silenced for pulling decorations off Caesar's images.) There was more foolery yet, if 1 could remember it. CASSIUS: Will you dine with me tomorrow? CASCA: Ay, if I be alive, and your mind hold, and your dinner worth the eating. (Casca goes off.) BRUTUS: What a blunt fellow this has grown to be! He was quick mettle when he went to school. CASSIUS: This rudeness is a sauce to his good wit. (Brutus leaves. Cassius reflects that although Brutus is noble, he thinks that he can manipulate his honorable mettle. Cassius is going to arrange that anonymous writings be thrown in at his Brutus' windows that night, all saying how much Rome thinks of him, and hinting obscurely at Caesar's ambition.)

SCENE 111. CASCA and CICERO meet in a street in Rome, during thunder and lightning. Casca says how he has seen storms that have split oak-trees and seas rage as high as the threatening clouds, but never before did he go through a tempest dropping fire. CASCA: Either there is a civil strife in heaven, Or else the world, too saucy with the gods, Incenses them to send destruction. (Casca tells Cicero how he has seen a slave with a flaming left hand burning but unscorched; he met a lion by the Capitol which went surly past him, and a hundred ghastly women, transformed with their fear, swore they saw men, all in fire, walk up and down the streets. At noonday, the nightbird sat upon the marketplace, hooting and shrieking. Casca thought all this was ominous.) CICERO: Indeed, it is a strange-disposed time: But men may construe things after their fashion, Clean from the purpose of the things themselves. (Goes off. CASSIUS comes in. He has been walking around in the blue lightning, and bared his bosom to the thunderstone. Casca thinks he should have been fearful and trembling, and not tempt the heavens. Cassius tells him he is dull, and ought to think about the true cause of all the fires, gliding ghosts, birds and beasts. He thinks that heaven has made them instruments of Fear and warning about some monstrous state. He could tell Casca of a man most like this dreadful night, that thunders, lightens, opens graves and roars as doth the lion in the Capitol. Casca guesses correctly that he means Caesar, and reports that it is said that the senators are going to establish Caesar as king tomorrow, as long as he wears his crown anywhere abroad but not in Italy. They plot together. CINNA comes in, and Cassius gives him a paper to lay in the praetor's chair where Brutus can find it, something to throw in his window, and something to set up with wax on the statue of Brutus' father. They are all going to meet at Pompey's porch. He thinks that JULIUS CAESAR 6

three parts of Brutus is theirs already, and they will have the whole man next time they meet.) CASCA: O, he sits high in all the people's hearts. (Casca thinks that what people would think an offence if the plotters did it themselves, will change to virtue and to worthiness if Brutus seems to agree to it.) CASSIUS: Let us go, for it is after midnight; and ere day we will awake him and be sure of him.

ACT II. SCENE 1 BRUTUS is in his orchard in Rome, and calls his servant boy LUCIUS, to wake him up. Brutus is thinking that Caesar must die, because although Brutus has no personal cause to spurn at him, he thinks that if Caesar became king, he might change his nature and become a tyrant.

BRUTUS: The abuse of greatness is when it disjoins remorse from power. And therefore think him as a serpent's egg, which hatched, would, as his kind, grow mischievous, and kill him in the shell. (Brutus has not known when Caesar has ever been swayed by his affections more than by his reason, but it is too common that when someone who has seemed lowly has climbed young ambition's ladder, he then scorns the base degrees by which he did ascend. LUCIUS comes in with an anonymous letter he found in the window, and is sent out again to look at the calendar to find out if tomorrow is the Ides of March.)

BRUTUS: The exhalations whizzing in the air give so much light that I may read by them. Brutus reads the anonymous letter, which exhorts him to copy his ancestors, who drove out the tyrant Tarquin from Rome, when he was called a king. Brutus has been sleepless since Cassius first whet him against Caesar. BRUTUS: Between the acting of a dreadful thing and the first motion, All the interim is like a phantasma, or a hideous dream. (LUCIUS comes in to report that Cassius has arrived with a group he cannot recognise because their hats are plucked about their ears, and half their faces are buried in their cloaks. The plotters, CASSIUS, CASCA, DECIUS, CINNA, METELLUS CIMBER and TREBONIUS, come in, and they plot together. Cassius wants them to swear their resolution, but Brutus says that noble Romans do not need to make oaths to bind their promises. They wonder whether to bring Cicero into the plot, since his silver hairs will buy a good opinion for them, and people will think he ruled the plotters’ hands, and their own youth and wildness will not appear. Brutus says no, because he will never follow anything that other men begin, and the others immediately agree to leave Cicero out of the plot. Cassius thinks should be killed as well as Caesar, but Brutus thinks they should be sacrificers but not butchers. He wishes that Caesar did not have to be killed.) BRUTUS: But alas,Caesar must bleed for it. And, gentle friends, Let's kill him boldly, but not wrathfully. Let's carve him as a dish fit for the gods, Not hew him as a carcass fit for hounds. We shall be called purgers, not murderers. Mark Antony can do no more than Caesar's arm When Caesar's head is off. JULIUS CAESAR 7

(Cassius fears Antony because Antony loves Caesar, but Brutus thinks that Antony could do nothing, and is given to sports, to wildness and much company. It is now three o'clock in the morning. Cassius wonders if Caesar will come out that day because he has changed from his old opinion against fantasy, dreams and ceremonies and become superstitious, so he may be affected by the prodigies and auguries.) DECIUS: Never fear that: if he be so resolved I can oversay him; for he loves to hear that unicorns may be betrayed with trees, and bears with glasses, elephants with holes, lions with toils, and men with flatterers; but when I tell him he hates flatterers, he says he does hate them, being then most flattered. I can give his humour the true bent And I will bring him to the Capitol.

(The conspirators leave. Brutus’ wife PORTIA comes in. BRUTUS says that she is not well enough to be out in the raw cold morning, but she is upset that he is not telling her his cause of grief. She feels that something is on his mind which she ought to know about, as his wife. She may be a woman, but she is the wife of Lord Brutus, the daughter of Cato, and has even given herself a wound in the thigh to show that she can be constant and bear it with patience. Brutus says that she is indeed his true and honourable wife, and as dear as his heart's blood, and promises to tell her the secrets of his heart later, because someone is knocking at the door now. Portia leaves, and LUCIUS and CAIUS LIGARIUS come in. They are willing to follow Brutus, even though they are not sure what it is they are going to do. Brutus will tell them as they go. There is more thunder, and they go off.)

PART 4. SCENE II. Caesar's house in Rome Thunder and lightning. JULIUS CAESAR comes in, in his nightgown. Calpurnia has cried out in her sleep three times that Caesar is being murdered, and Caesar tells a servant to ask the priest for omens from a sacrifice. Calpurnia comes in and tells him not to stir out of his house today but Caesar says he is not afraid and he will go. CALPURNIA: Caesar, I never stood on ceremonies, But now they fright me. A lioness hath whelped in the streets. And graves have yawned and yielded up their dead; Fierce fiery warriors fight upon the clouds In ranks and squadrons and right form of war Which drizzled blood upon the Capitol; The noise of battle hurtled in the air, Horses did neigh and dying men did groan And ghosts did shriek and squeal about the street. O Caesar, these things are beyond all use, and I do fear them. (Caesar says these awful predictions are for the world in general.) CALPURNIA: When beggars die, there are no comets seen; The heavens themselves blaze forth the death of princes. JULIUS CAESAR 8

CAESAR: Cowards die many times before their deaths; The valiant never taste of death but once. Of all the wonders that I yet have heard, It seems to me most strange that men should fear, Seeing that death, a necessary end, Will come when it will come. (A SERVANT comes in with augurers' advice not to go out, because they could not find a heart inside a beast they sacrificed. Caesar says he will go all the same.) CAESAR: Danger knows full well That Caesar is more dangerous than he. We are two lions littered in one day, And I the elder and more terrible, And Caesar shall go forth. (Calpurnia persuades him to stay home. She says that Mark Antony can say he is not well. Caesar says he will not tell a lie, he will just say he will not go. DECIUS comes to fetch him, and says that the Senate will laugh at him if he does not give a reason for staying home. Caesar says that the Senate does not need to be given a reason, but confidentially, Calpurnia has dreamt that Caesar's statue ran blood like a fountain with a hundred spouts, and many smiling lusty Romans came and bathed their hands in it. Decius says the dream means only that Caesar will revive great Rome, and great men press round him for recognition. He adds that the Senate are going to give Caesar a crown today. and if he does not come, their minds may change. Decius says he is only telling him out of love. that the Senate may whisper that Caesar is afraid if the Senate has to be postponed until his wife has better dreams. Caesar then decides that Calpurnia's fears seem foolish, and he will go after all. BRUTUS, LIGARIUS, METELLUS, CASCA, TREBONIUS, CINNA and PUBLIUS come in to fetch him. It is eight o'clock. ANTONY comes in, in spite of his late-night revels. They all go off.)

ACT 2. SCENE 3 A STREET NEAR THE CAPITOL ARTEMIDORUS comes in reading a paper he has written, which he is going to give to Caesar as he passes along.

ARTEMIDORUS (reading): Caesar, beware of Brutus; take heed of Cassius; come not near Casca; have an eye to Cinna; trust not Trebonius; mark well Metellus Cimber; Decius Brutus loves thee not; you have wronged Caius Ligarius. If you are not immortal, look about you. Your lover, Artemidorus. If you read this, 0 Caesar, you may live; If not, the Fates with traitors do contrive.

ACT 2. SCENE 4. IN FRONT OF BRUTUS' HOUSE PORTIA is sending the servant-boy LUCIUS off to the Senate House without telling him what he is to do there, because she is so anxious, and yet she has to keep Brutus' secret. So she just tells Lucius to see if Brutus looks well, and notice what Caesar does. The SOOTHSAYER comes in and says he is looking for a place that will not be too crowded to warn Caesar as he comes along, and goes off. Portia is feeling faint with anxiety about what is going to happen, and hoping that Brutus will succeed in his enterprise, but she dare not let Lucius guess. She goes out one way, and Lucius goes out another JULIUS CAESAR 9

ACT 3, SCENE 1. BEFORE THE CAPITOL IN ROME

Trumpets sound. CAESAR, the CONSPIRATORS, ANTONY, ARTEMIDORUS and the SOOTHSAYER all come in.

CAESAR: The Ides of March are come. SOOTHSAYER: Ay, Caesar, but not gone.

ARTEMIDORUS and TREBONIUS both ask Caesar to listen to them, but Artemidorus makes the mistake of saying that Caesar should attend to his suit first, because it touches Caesar nearer. This makes Caesar huffy.

CAESAR: What touches us ourself shall be last served.

So Caesar will not listen, and Caesar and the rest enter the Senate. Brutus and Cassius are worried that POPILIUS LENA is warning Caesar, but then see that this is not so. Trebonius draws MARK ANTONY out of the way. Caesar asks if the Senate is ready, and what must now ills must not be dealt with by him and the Senate. METULLUS CIMBER kneels before Caesar to ask if his banished brother can return to Rome, but Caesar says that he does not respond to bending and fawning. Brutus and Cassius also beg for him, but Caesar says that he might change his mind if he were like them, but he himself is different. He boasts –

CAESAR: But I am constant as the northern star. The skies are painted with unnumbered sparks, They are all fire, and everyone doth shine; But there's but one in all doth hold his place. So in the world; it’s furnished well with men, Yet in the number I do know but one That unassailable holds on his rank, Unshaked of motion; and that I am he. JULIUS CAESAR 10

CINNA: O Caesar - CAESAR: Hence! Will you lift up Mount Olympus? DECIUS: Great Caesar - CAESAR: Doth not Brutuskneel without result? CASCA: Speak, hands, for me! (Then they all stab Caesar.) CAESAR: Et tu, Brute? Then fall Caesar! (He dies.) CINNA: Liberty! Freedom! Tyranny is dead! Run hence, proclaim, cry it about the streets. CASCA: Some to the common pulpits, and cry out, 'Liberty, freedom and enfranchisement!'

Brutus tells the people and senators not to be affrighted. TREBONIUS returns to say that Antony has fled to his house amazed, and men, wives and children cry out as if it were doomsday.

BRUTUS: Fates, we will know your pleasures. That we shall die, we know; it’s but the time And drawing days out, that men stand upon.

Casca and Brutus agree that dying soon will mean less time to be afraid of death, so they have done Caesar a good deed. Brutus tells the Romans to bathe their hands in Caesar's blood up to the elbows and besmear their swords, and then walk to the marketplace, waving their red weapons over their heads and crying, '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, (under Pompey’s statue) 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.

A SERVANT comes from Antony to say that Antony held Caesar to be mighty, bold, royal and loving, and Brutus to be noble, wise, valiant and honest, and that he feared, loved and honoured Caesar, and loved and honoured Brutus; so that if Antony can be persuaded how Caesar deserved death, he will not love Caesar dead as well as he loves Brutus living, and will follow Brutus. Brutus says that Antony can come safely, although Cassius still fears him. When ANTONY enters, Brutus welcomes him. Antony turns to Caesar's dead body.

ANTONY: O mighty Caesar! dost thou lie so low? Are all thy conquests, glories, triumphs, spoils, Shrunk to this little measure?

Antony tells the conspirators that if they mean to kill him, to do it now.

ANTONY: 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. JULIUS CAESAR 11

Brutus says Antony is their brother. Casca says Antony shall have an equal voice in disposing of new dignities. Brutus says that when they have quietened the frightened multitude, they will tell Antony why they killed Caesar, even though Brutus loved him too. Antony shakes their bloody hands in turn.

ANTONY: 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.

Antony mourns over Caesar's body, and is grieved that he should be shaking the bloody fingers of his foes in the presence of his corpse. He tries to placate the conspirators because he was moved to weep, and he still wants to know why Caesar was dangerous. He asks if he may speak at Caesar's funeral and show his body in the marketplace. Brutus agrees, but Cassius fears that he may sway the people. Brutus argues that he will speak first to say why Caesar was killed, and that he will make it clear that Antony speaks only with their permission. Brutus thinks that giving Caesar all true rites and lawful ceremonies will advantage them rather than harm them, but Cassius still does not like it. They all go out except Antony, who weeps again over Caesar's body.

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.

Antony prophesies that the result will be domestic fury and fierce civil strife all through Italy, with blood and destruction.

ANTONY: And Caesar's spirit, ranging for revenge, With Ate by his side come hot from hell, (Ate, Goddess of mad strife and discord) Shall in these confines with a monarch's voice Cry havoc and let slip , That this foul deed shall smell above the earth With carrion men, groaning for burial.

OCTAVIUS' SERVANT comes in, to say that Octavius is returning to Rome. Tears come to his eyes when he sees Caesar's body, and he helps Antony to carry it away to the marketplace.

ACT 3. SCENE 2, THE FORUM. BRUTUS comes in and goes up in the pulpit to speak. CASSIUS is below with the common people (the plebians). Some go off with Cassius to hear him speak. Others stay to hear Brutus.

BRUTUS: 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. If there be any dear friend of Caesar's in this assembly, to him I say that Brutus' love to Caesar was not less than his.

JULIUS CAESAR 12

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 I have offended. Who is here so rude that would not be a Roman? If any, speak for him I have offended. Who is here so vile, that will not love his country? If any speak, for him I have offended. I pause for a reply. ALL: None, Brutus, none. BRUTUS: Then none I have offended. I have done no more to Caesar than you shall do to Brutus.

MARK ANTONY and others enter, with Caesar's body. Brutus says that everyone, including Antony shall have a place in the new commonwealth.

BRUTUS: 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!

The common people call out to bring Brutus in triumph to his house, to make him a statue, and to make him Caesar. Brutus asks them to be silent and listen to Antony make a funeral speech, and then he leaves. The plebeians agree that Caesar was a tyrant and they are blest that Rome is rid of him. Then Antony begins his speech.

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 Caesarr. The noble Brutus has told you Caesar was ambitious. If it were so, it was a grievous fault and grievously has Caesar answered 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 three times offered him a kingly crown, Which he did thrice refuse. Was this ambition? JULIUS CAESAR 13

Yet Brutus says he was ambitious, And Brutus 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.

The commoners begin to mutter and discuss what Antony said, and to admire Antony, whose eyes are red as fire with weeping.

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.

Antony says that he would rather wrong the dead, himself and the people rather than wrong the honourable men, Brutus and Cassius, so he will not try to stir their hearts to mutiny and rage, but shows a documentt with Caesar's seal, and tells them it is Caesar’s will which he has just found in his closet.

ANTONY: Let but the commons hear this testament, which, pardon me, I do not mean to read and they would go and kiss 's wounds, and dip their napkins in his sacred blood, yea, beg a hair of him for memory.

When the people naturally demand to hear the will, Antony says he must not read it because it is not right that they should know how Caesar loved them, because they are not wood or stones but men, and it would inflame them and make them mad to know they are his heirs. They insist on hearing the will and cry out that the 'honourable men' were traitors, villains, murderers.

ANTONY: You wil compel me then to read the will? Then make a ring about the corpse of Caesar.(They come close.) If you have tears, prepare to shed them now.

Antony shows the people Caesar's torn cloak.

ANTONY: You all do know this mantle. I remember The first time ever Caesar put it on; Twas on a summer evening in his tent, The 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 stabbed; and as he plucked his cursed steel away, Mark how the blood of Caesar followed it. 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 staw him stab, Ingratitude, more strong than traitors' arms JULIUS CAESAR 14

quite vanquished him: then burst his mighty heart; and in his mantle muffling up his face, even at the base of Pompey's statue, 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, while bloody treason flourished over us. Kind souls what weep you when you but behold our Caesar's vesture wounded? Look you here! here is himself, marred, as you see, with traitors.

The commoners are aroused by the sight, and cry for revenge.

ALL: Revenge! Seek! Burn! Fire! Kill! Slay! Let no traitor live! A PLEBEIAN: We'll hear Antony, we'll follow, 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. 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.

The Plebeians cry that they will mutiny, and burn the house of Brutus, but Antony reminds them that they have not yet heard Caesar's will, so they wait, and he tells them that Caesar has bequeathed 75 drachmas to every Roman, and left his private gardens to them and their heirs for ever as common pleasures for walking outdoors and recreation. The plebeians are aroused, and set off, taking Caesar's body with them, to fetch fire to burn the conspirators' houses, and tear down anything to do them.

ANTONY: Now let it work. Mischief, thou art afoot, Take thou what course thou wilt! How now, fellow?

A SERVANT reports that OCTAVIUS has come to Rome and that Brutus and Cassius have ridden like madmen out of the city gates.

ACT 3, SCENE 3, A STREET IN ROME.

CINNA THE POET comes in, followed by PLEBEIANS. Cinna has had a bad dream that he feasted with Caesar and has left home against his better judgement. The plebeians interrogate him about who he is and what he is doing. He says he is going to Caesar's funeral as a friend, but when he says his name is Cinna, they think he is Cinna the conspirator and one of them cries out to tear him to pieces. Cinna protests that he is Cinna the poet.

JULIUS CAESAR 15

FOURTH PLEBEIAN: Tear him for his bad verses, tear him for his bad verses. CINNA: I am not Cinna the conspirator. 1ST PLEBEIAN: It is no matter, his name's Cinna. Pluck but his name out of his heart and turn him going. 3rd PLEBEIAN: Tear him, tear him! Come, brands, ho! Firebrands! Burn all! Away! go! Burn all! Away! go!

They drag Cinna off, crying that they are going to burn down the houses of Brutus, Cassius, Decius, Casca, Ligarius and all.

ACT 4. SCENE 1. A ROOM IN ANTONY'S HOUSE IN ROME. ANTONY, OCTAVIUS and LEPIDUS have been drawing up a death-list. Lepidus agrees that his brother must die, and Antony agrees that his sister's son Publius must die too.

ANTONY: He shall not live. Look, with a spot I damn him.

Antony is also going to work out how to cut down some of Caesar's generous legacies. Lepidus goes off to fetch the will, and Antony and Octavius discuss why when they divided the three-fold world (the Roman Empire) they chose Lepidus as one to share it. Antony thinks Lepidus is a slight unmeritable man, only suited to be sent on errands, but, as he is older than Octavius, Antony has also decided that they will lay honours on this man to ease themselves of some slandrous loads, but he shall only carry these honours as the ass carries gold. When they have brought the treasure where they want it, they will take off his load and leave him like the empty ass, to shake his ears and graze in commons.

OCTAVIUS: You may do your will; But he's a tried and valiant soldier. ANTONY: So is my horse, Octavius, and for that I do appoint him store of provender. He must be taught, and trained, and bid go forth: A barren-spirited fellow; one that feeds on objects, arts, and imitations, which, out of use and staled by other men begin his fashion. Do not talk of him but as a property. And now, Octavius, listen to great things.

Antony says that Brutus and Cassius are conscripting an army, and they must raise an army too. Octavius agrees.

OCTAVIUS: Let us do so: for we are at the stake and bayd about with many enemies; and some that smile have in their hearts, I fear, millions of mischiefs.

JULIUS CAESAR 16

ACT 4. SCENE 2. IN FRONT OF BRUTUS' TENT IN A CAMP NEAR SARDIS.

A drum sounds. BRUTUS, LUCILIUS LUCIUS and their army meet TITINIUS and PINDARUS, Cassius' servant. Brutus and Lucilius think that Cassius is not treating them with as much free and friendly conference as in the past.

BRUTUS: Thou hast described a hot friend cooling. Ever note, Lucilius, when love begins to sicken and decay it useth an enforced ceremony. There are not tricks in plain and simple faith; but hollow men, like horses hot at hand, make gallant show and promise of their mettle; but when they should endure the bloody spur, they fall their crests, and like deceitful jades sink in the trial. Comes his army on?

CASSIUS enters with his powers, and accuses Brutus of doing him wrong. Brutus asks him not to quarrel in front of their armies, and Pindarus and Lucius are ordered to take their charges a little away, until Brutus and Cassius have had a private talk. Cassius complains that Brutus has condemned Lucius Pella for taking bribes in spite of Cassius' letters on his side. Brutus says Cassius wrongs himself for writing in such a case, and Cassius says that in such a time every small offence can't be criticised.

BRUTUS: Let me tell you, Cassius, you yourself are much condemned to have an itching palm, to sell and market your offices for gold to undeservers.

Cassius says that if it were not Brutus who says this, that speech would be his last. Brutus reminds him that great Julius, the foremost man of all this world, was killed for justice' sake, and for supporting robbers. Those who struck him must not now contaminate their fingers with base bribes, or sell the mighty space of their large honours for trash they grasp at.

BRUTUS: I had rather be a dog, and bay the moon than such a Roman.

Cassius will not endure this baiting, and says that he is a more experienced soldier and more able than Brutus to make conditions. They argue back and forwards.

BRUTUS: Go to! you are not, Cassius. CASSIUS: I am. BRUTUS: I say you are not. CASSIUS: Urge me no more, I shall forget myself; Have mind upon your health; tempt me no further.

They get angrier and angrier, and hurl insults at each other.

CASSIUS: Do not presume too much upon my love. I may do that I shall be sorry for. BRUTUS: You have done that you should be sorry for. There is no terror, Cassius, in your threats, for I am armed so strong in honesty that they pass by me as the idle wind which I respect not. JULIUS CAESAR 17

BRUTUS and CASSIUS argue over money. Brutus says that he asked Cassius for sums of gold to pay his soldiers, which were denied him. Brutus refuses to raise money by vile means; he would rather coin his heart and drop his blood for drachmas than wrongly wring vile trash from the hard hands of peasants. Cassius says he did not deny him; Brutus says he did. Cassius blames the messenger as a fool, and when Brutus says he does not like Cassius' faults, Cassius says that a friendly eye would not see such faults. Cassius says wildly that Brutus hates him, and observes all his faults, writes them in a notebook, and learns them by heart to cast into his teeth. Cassius he offers Brutus his bare breast and his dagger to kill him.

CASSIUS: I that denied thee gold, will give my heart: Strike, as thou dist at Caesar, for I know, when thou didst hate him worst, thou lovdst him better than ever thou lovdst Cassius.

Brutus tries to placate him, and they both finally apologise for their ill-tempers to each other. A POET enters, and tells them not to bear a grudge between them.

POET: Love and be friends, as two such men should be, for I have seen more years, I'm sure than ye. CASSIUS. Ha, ha! how vilely doth this cynic rhyme! BRUTUS: What should the wars do with these jigging fools?

They angrily send the poet away, and give orders to the commanders. Cassius and Brutus are alone again.

CASSIUS: I did not think you could have been so angry. BRUTUS :O Cassius, I am sick of many griefs. CASSIUS: Of your philosophy you make no use if you give place to accidental evils. BRUTUS: No man bears sorrow better. Portia is dead. CASSIUS: Ha? Portia? BRUTUS: She is dead. CASSIUS? How 'scaped I killing, when I crossed you so?

Brutus says that Portia became distracted with impatience at his absence, and grieved that young Octavius and Antony had become so strong, and when her attendants were absent, she swallowed fire. Cassius is horror-struck, and when the boy LUCIUS comes in with wine and candles, the two bury their unkindness to each other in a pledge. When TITINIUS and MESSALA come in, Brutus silences Cassius when he speaks of Portia again. They talk bout messages that Antony and Octavius' mighty army are moving towards Philippi, and they have proscribed and outlawed a hundred senators, and Cicero is one of the dead. Messala tells Brutus, after first denying it, that letters have told him that Portia has died in a strange manner. Brutus acts coolly, saying that we must die, and since he has known that she must die, he has the patience to endure it now. Cassius does not think his own nature could bear a great loss in this way. Brutus and Cassius then argue about whether they should march their armies to Philippi. Cassius wants to keep their forces fresh, but Brutus wants to keep the enemy from raising greater forces, by cutting them off from people friendly to them. The enemy increases daily but they themselves are at their height, and now are ready to decline.

JULIUS CAESAR 18

BRUTUS: There is a tide in the affairs of men which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune; Omitted, all the voyage of their life is bound in shallows and in miseriess. On such a full sea are we now afloat, and we must take the current when it serves or lose our ventures.

They decide to take their armies to meet at Philippi, and part for the night. VARRO and CLAUDIUS are called to sleep on cushions in Brutus' tent. Brutus asks his servant boy Lucius to play music for him a while, if he is not too tired and sleepy, and tells Lucius that he will be good to him, if he lives. LUCIUS plays and sings a sleepy song, and falls asleep. Brutus pities him, and takes his musical instrument gently from him, so that he will not break it if he nods. Brutus starts to read in his book, where he had turned the page down. The GHOST OF CAESAR enters. Brutus thinks his candle is burning badly, then sees the monstrous apparition, which turns his blood cold. The ghost says that he is Brutus' evil spirit. Brutus asks why he has come.

GHOST: To tell thee thou shalt see me at Philippi. BRUTUS: Well; then I shall see thee again? GHOST: Ay, at Philippi. BRUTUS: Why, I will see thee at Philippi again. (Ghost vanishes.)

BRUTUS had wanted to speak more with the ghost, now he had taken heart. He wakes up LUCIUS, VARRO AND CLAUDIUS. None of them had seen anything, and when Brutus asks why they cried out in their sleep, they did not know if they had. Brutus sends them to tell Cassius to set on his soldiers, and they will follow.

ACT 5. SCENE 1.. THE PLAINS OF PHILIPPI. OCTAVIUS AND ANTONY ENTER with their army. Octavius Caesar (Julius Caesar's nephew) says that their hopes are answered, because instead of staying in the hills and upper regions, the enemy is coming down to fight them. Antony tells Octavius to lead his forces into battle on the left hand of the field. Octavius says he will go on the right hand and Antony can go on the left. Antony asks why Octavius crosses him but Octavius denies this, simply saying that this is what he is going to do. A Drum sounds, and BRUTUS and CASSIUS enter with their army. The leaders meet to have parley, but instead they throw insults at each other for some time.

BRUTUS: Caesar, thou canst not die by traitors' hands unless thou bringst them with thee. OCTAVIUS. So I hope. I was not born to die on Brutus' sword. BRUTUS: O, if thou wert the noblest of thy strain, young man, thou couldst not die more honourable. CASSIUS: A peevish schoolboy, worthless of such honour, joined with a masker and a reveller. ANTONY: Old Cassius still!

OCTAVIUS Calls ANTONY to come away, and dares the enemy to come to the field and fight. They leave with their army.

CASSIUS: Why now, blow wind, swell billow, and swim bark! The storm is up, and all is on the hazard.

JULIUS CAESAR 19

While BRUTUS and LUCILIUS talk apart, CASSIUS tells MESSALA it is his birthday, and that it is against his will that their armies are setting all their liberties on one battle. He used to agree with Epicurus who did not believe in omens, but now he partly credits the omen of two eagles who perched on their ensign at Sardis and became the soldiers' mascots, but this morning have fled away, and instead ravens, crows and kites fly overhead, looking down as if they were sickly prey.

CASSIUS: Their shadows seem a canopy most fatal, under which our army lies, ready to give up the ghost. BRUTUS: Why then, lead on. O that a man might know the end of this day's business ere it come! but it sufficeth that the day will end, and then the end is known. Come, ho! Away! MESSALA says not to believe they will lose the battle, Cassius believes it partly but is resolved to meet all perils constantly. Since if they lose the battle this is the very last time they will speak together, he asks Brutus what they will do if the worst befall. Brutus says he thinks it would be cowardly and vile to commit suicide like Cato senior for fear of what might fall. Cassius asks if he would be contented to be led in triumph through the streets of Rome if they lose. Brutus says no, because he bears too great a mind, but in case they do not meet again, they both say for ever and for ever, farewell.

ACT 5. SCENES 2. THE FIELD OF BATTLE AT PHILIPPI. There are loud alarums, and BRUTUS gives MESSALA messages to Cassius' side of the army to set on at once, because he thinks that a sudden push could overthrow Octavius' wing.

ACT 5. SCENE 3. ANOTHER PART OF THE BATTLEFIELD. CASSIUS tells TITINIUS that his soldiers are fleeing, and he has slain his coward ensign who was turning back, and taking the standard. TITINIUs blames BRUTUS for coming on too early so that his soldiers fell to looting OCTAVIUS' army while ANTONY'S soldiers enclosed CASSIUS' forces. PINDARUS, Cassius' slave, comes in and calls them to escape since MARK ANTONY is in Cassius' tents, which they now see on fire. CASSIUS sends Titinius to find whether troops in the distance are friend or enemy, but then Pindarus shouts out that Titinius has been captured, and they hear shouts they assume are the enemies'. CASSIUS cries that the day that he first breathed, he will also be ending, and calls himself a coward to have lived so long as to see his best friend taken. When PINDARUS appears again, Cassius reminds him that he saved his life when he took him prisoner in Parthia, and had sworn he must obey anything he was asked. He orders Pindarus to take his sword, that had killed Caesar, and when Cassius had covered his face, to guide the sword to kill him.

CASSIUS: Caesar,thou art revenged,even with the sword that killed thee. CASSIUS dies. PINDARUS wishes he had not had to do this, but now he is free, he runs far from this country, where Romans can never find him. TITINIUS and MESSALA come in, cheered that BRUTUS has overcome OCTAVIUS, even if CASSIUS' legions are overthrown by ANTONY. They find CASSIUS dead. TITINIUS: The sun of Rome is set. Our day is gone; Clouds, dews and dangers come; our deeds are done. TITINIUS mourns Cassius' mistake, because he had misunderstood their friends’ shouts of for the enemy. He puts the garland of victory he had been given by Brutus to give to Cassius on Cassius' brow, then, like a Roman, TITINIUS kills himself with Cassius' sword. Alarums sound, and BRUTUS and his company enter. They find dead CASSIUS and TITINIUS.

BRUTUS: O Julius Caesar, thou art mighty yet! Thy spirit walks abroad, and turns our swords in our own proper entrails.

Brutus grieves for them, and praises Cassius, and then commands a return for a second battle. JULIUS CAESAR 20

ACT 5. SCENE 4 ANOTHER PART OF THE BATTLEFIELD. MORE BATTLE. ACT 5. SCENE 5. ANOTHER PART OF THE BATTLEFIELD. BRUTUS and company enter.

BRUTUS: Come, poor remains of friends, rest on this rock. Sit thee down, Clitus. Slaying is the word. It is a deed in fashion. Hark thee, Clitus. Brutus whispers something to Clitus, who replies exclaiming that he would rather kill himself. Brutus whispers to Dardanius, who also refuses. Brutus tells Volumnius that he has seen the ghost of Caesar twice, once at Sardis and last night in the fields of Philippi, and knows his hour is come. BRUTUS: Our enemies have beat us to the pit. (Low alarums sound.) It is more worthy to leap in ourselves than tarry till they push us. Good Volumnius, thou knowest that we two went to school together: even for that our love of old, I prithee hold thou my sword-hilt, whilst I run on it. Alarums continue. Clitus urges them to flee. Brutus says farewell to them all. BRUTUS: I shall have glory by this losing day more than Octavius and Mark Antony by this vile conquest shall attain unto. Night hangs upon mine eyes; my bones would rest, that have but laboured to attain this hour.

More alarums, and cries of 'Fly, fly, fly! BRUTUS is urged to flee but tells his companions to go and he will follow. Then he asks his servant STRATO to stay by him. BRUTUS: Thy life hath had some smatch of honour in it. Hold then my sword, and turn away thy face While I do run upon it. Wilt thou, Strato? STRATO: Give me your hand first. Fare you well, my lord. BRUTUS: Farewell, good Strato. Caesar, now be still, I killed not thee with half so good a will. (Brutus dies.)

Alarums. A retreat sounds. ANTONY and OCTAVIUS enter with their army, and find Strato. The servant MESSALA asks him where his master is.

STRATO: Free from the bondage you are in, Messala. The conquerors can but make a fire of him; for Brutus only overcame himself, and no man else hath honour by his death. LUCILIUS: So Brutus should be found. I thank thee, Brutus, that thou hast proved Lucilius' saying true.

OCTAVIUS says that he will take into service all who served Brutus, including Strato. ANTONY: This was the noblest Roman of them all. All the conspirators, save only he, did that they did in envy of great Caesar; He only, in a general honest thought and common good, made one of them. His life was gentle, and the elements so mixed in him, that Nature might stand up and say to all the world, 'This was a man!' OCTAVIUS: According to his virtue let us use him, with all respect and rites of burial. Within my tent his bones tonight shall lie, most like a soldier, ordered honourably. So call the field to rest, and let's away, To part the glories of this happy day. END JULIUS CAESAR 21

END