The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) (898 page)

Fourth Citizen

They were traitors: honourable men!

Honorable men! They were traitors.

All

The will! The testament!

The will! The testament!

Second Citizen

They were villains, murderers. The will! read the will!

They were villains! Murderers! 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?

You will force to read the will? Then, make a ring around Caesar’s body, and let me show you who wrote it. Let me come down. Make way.

Several Citizens

Come down.

Come down.

Second Citizen

Descend.

Come down.

Third Citizen

You shall have leave.

We will make way.

Antony comes down.

Fourth Citizen

A ring! stand round.

Make a ring around the body.

First Citizen

Stand from the hearse, stand from the body.

Stand around the body.

SECOND CITIZEN

Room for Antony!--most noble Antony!

Antony

Nay, press not so upon me; stand far' off.

Give me some room. Stand back.

Several Citizens

Stand back; room! bear back.

Stand back. Make room.

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.

If you have any tears, prepare to shed them now. You all know this robe. I remember the first time I saw him put it on. It was on a summer’s evening in his tent the day he conquered Nervii. Look, this is where Cassius’s dagger went through his body. See the whole Casca made. Here is where the beloved Brutus stabbed him and pulled his sword out. Look at how Caesar’s blood rushed out as if to ask for forgiveness. Brutus, Caesar’s angel, because you know how much Caesar loved him, caused the deadliest cut of all. The cut of ingratitude burst his heart. Great Caesar died at the base of Pompey’s statue, where all his blood flowed out. I see you are touched and weep for him now, while you see what the traitors did to him.

First Citizen

O piteous spectacle!

What a pitiful sight!

Second Citizen

O noble Caesar!

Oh, noble Caesar!

Third Citizen

O woeful day!

What a terrible day!

Fourth Citizen

O traitors, villains!

Oh, traitors! Villains!

First Citizen

O most bloody sight!

This is the bloodiest sight!

Second Citizen

We will be revenged.

We will seek revenge.

All

Revenge,--about,--seek,--burn,--fire,--kill,--slay,--let not a traitor live!

Revenge! Burn! Fire! Kill! Let not one traitor live!

Antony

Stay, countrymen.

Stop, countrymen.

First Citizen

Peace there! hear the noble Antony.

Be quiet! Listen to the noble Antony.

Second Citizen

We'll hear him, we'll follow him, we'll die with him.

Let’s hear him and 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're 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 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.

Good friends, don’t let me stir you up to the point of mutiny. Those who committed this act are honorable men with private grief. I don’t know why they did it, but they are wise and honorable, and will give you their reasons. Don’t let me change your hearts. I’m no orator like Brutus. I am just a plain man who loved his friend, and they allowed me to speak here today. I am not capable of stirring me to action. I’m only here to tell you what happened and show you Caesar’s wounds, which speak for themselves. If I were Brutus, I might be able to cause a stir among you.

All

We'll mutiny.

We’ll mutiny.

First Citizen

We'll burn the house of Brutus.

We’ll burn the house of Brutus.

Third Citizen

Away, then! come, seek the conspirators.

Let’s go! Seek the conspirators.

Antony

Yet hear me, countrymen; yet hear me speak.

Listen to me countrymen. Hear me speak.

All

Peace, ho! hear Antony; most noble Antony!

Shh! Listen to 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.

You don’t know what you are doing. You must know how Caesar deserved your love. You have forgotten about the will.

All

Most true; the will!--let's stay, and hear the will.

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.

Here is the will bearing Caesar’s seal. to every Roman citizen he gives seventy-five drachmas.

Second Citizen

Most noble Caesar!--we'll revenge his death.

Most noble Caesar! We’ll revenge your death.

Third Citizen

O, royal Caesar!

Oh, royal Caesar!

Antony

Hear me with patience.

Listen to me. Be patient.

All

Peace, ho!

Be quiet!

Antony

Moreover, he hath left you all his walks,


His private arbors, 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?

He also left you his land, including his trees and orchards on this side of the river Tiber. He has left them to you to enjoy, to walk among, and to pass along to your children. Here was a Caesar! I don’t know if there will ever be 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.

Never, never! Let’s go! We’ll burn his body in the holy place, and carry the fire to the traitors’ houses. Pick up the body.

Second Citizen

Go, fetch fire.

Go get the fire.

Third Citizen

Pluck down benches.

Get some wood. Take down the benches.

Fourth Citizen

Pluck down forms, windows, any thing.

Take down the window, the doors, anything.

Exit Citizens with the body.

Antony

Now let it work.--Mischief, thou art afoot,


Take thou what course thou wilt!--

Now let come what may. Mischief, you are at work. Let your course begin.

Enter a Servant

How now, fellow?

How are you, fellow?

Servant

Sir, Octavius is already come to Rome.

Sir, Octavius is ready to come to Rome.

Antony

Where is he?

Where is he?

Servant

He and Lepidus are at Caesar's house.

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 any thing.

I will go visit him. He is an answer to my prayers. Fortune is on our side and will give us whatever we want.

Servant

I heard 'em say Brutus and Cassius


Are rid like madmen through the gates of Rome.

I heard him say, Brutus and Cassius are like madmen.

Antony

Belike they had some notice of the people,


How I had moved them. Bring me to Octavius.