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Julius Caesar: Act III, Scene 1

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Julius Caesar
Act III, Scene 1

Scene 1

Rome. Before the capitol; the Senate sitting above.

  1. Flourish. Enter Caesar, Brutus, Cassius, Casca, Decius,
  2. Metellus, Trebonius, Cinna, Antony, Lepidus, Artemidorus,
  3. Publius, Popilius, and the Soothsayer.

Caesar

1
  1. The Ides of March are come.

Soothsayer

2
  1. Ay, Caesar, but not gone.

Artemidorus

3
  1. Hail, Caesar! Read this schedule.

Decius Brutus

4 - 5
  1. Trebonius doth desire you to o’er-read
  2. (At your best leisure) this his humble suit.

Artemidorus

6 - 7
  1. O Caesar, read mine first; for mine’s a suit
  2. That touches Caesar nearer. Read it, great Caesar.

Caesar

8
  1. What touches us ourself shall be last serv’d.

Artemidorus

9
  1. Delay not, Caesar, read it instantly.

Caesar

10
  1. What, is the fellow mad?

Publius

11
  1.                          Sirrah, give place.

Cassius

12 - 13
  1. What, urge you your petitions in the street?
  2. Come to the Capitol.
  1. Caesar enters the Capitol, the rest following.

Popilius

14
  1. I wish your enterprise today may thrive.

Cassius

15
  1. What enterprise, Popilius?

Popilius

16
  1.                            Fare you well.
  1. Leaves him and joins Caesar.

Brutus

17
  1. What said Popilius Lena?

Cassius

18 - 19
  1. He wish’d today our enterprise might thrive.
  2. I fear our purpose is discovered.

Brutus

20
  1. Look how he makes to Caesar; mark him.

Cassius

21 - 24
  1. Casca, be sudden, for we fear prevention.
  2. Brutus, what shall be done? If this be known,
  3. Cassius or Caesar never shall turn back,
  4. For I will slay myself.

Brutus

25 - 27
  1.                         Cassius, be constant;
  2. Popilius Lena speaks not of our purposes,
  3. For look he smiles, and Caesar doth not change.

Cassius

28 - 29
  1. Trebonius knows his time; for look you, Brutus,
  2. He draws Mark Antony out of the way.
  1. Exeunt Antony and Trebonius.

Decius Brutus

30 - 31
  1. Where is Metellus Cimber? Let him go
  2. And presently prefer his suit to Caesar.

Brutus

32
  1. He is address’d; press near and second him.

Cinna

33
  1. Casca, you are the first that rears your hand.

Caesar

34 - 35
  1. Are we all ready? What is now amiss
  2. That Caesar and his Senate must redress?

Metellus

36 - 38
  1. Most high, most mighty, and most puissant Caesar,
  2. Metellus Cimber throws before thy seat
  3. An humble heart.
  1. Kneeling.

Caesar

39 - 52
  1.                  I must prevent thee, Cimber.
  2. These couchings and these lowly courtesies
  3. Might fire the blood of ordinary men,
  4. And turn preordinance and first decree
  5. Into the law of children. Be not fond
  6. To think that Caesar bears such rebel blood
  7. That will be thaw’d from the true quality
  8. With that which melteth fools—I mean sweet words,
  9. Low-crooked curtsies, and base spaniel fawning.
  10. Thy brother by decree is banished;
  11. If thou dost bend, and pray, and fawn for him,
  12. I spurn thee like a cur out of my way.
  13. Know, Caesar doth not wrong, nor without cause
  14. Will he be satisfied.

Metellus

53 - 55
  1. Is there no voice more worthy than my own,
  2. To sound more sweetly in great Caesar’s ear
  3. For the repealing of my banish’d brother?

Brutus

56 - 58
  1. I kiss thy hand, but not in flattery, Caesar;
  2. Desiring thee that Publius Cimber may
  3. Have an immediate freedom of repeal.

Caesar

59
  1. What, Brutus?

Cassius

60 - 62
  1.               Pardon, Caesar! Caesar, pardon!
  2. As low as to thy foot doth Cassius fall,
  3. To beg enfranchisement for Publius Cimber.

Caesar

63 - 78
  1. I could be well mov’d, if I were as you;
  2. If I could pray to move, prayers would move me;
  3. But I am constant as the northern star,
  4. Of whose true-fix’d and resting quality
  5. There is no fellow in the firmament.
  6. The skies are painted with unnumb’red sparks,
  7. They are all fire, and every one doth shine;
  8. But there’s but one in all doth hold his place.
  9. So in the world: ’tis furnish’d well with men,
  10. And men are flesh and blood, and apprehensive;
  11. Yet in the number I do know but one
  12. That unassailable holds on his rank,
  13. Unshak’d of motion; and that I am he,
  14. Let me a little show it, even in this—
  15. That I was constant Cimber should be banish’d,
  16. And constant do remain to keep him so.
The Assassination of Julius Caesar

Et tu, Brute?—Then fall Caesar!

The Assassination of Julius Caesar

Vincenzo Camuccini, circa 1804

Cinna

79
  1. O Caesar—

Caesar

80
  1.           Hence! Wilt thou lift up Olympus?

Decius Brutus

81
  1. Great Caesar—

Caesar

82
  1.               Doth not Brutus bootless kneel?

Casca

83
  1. Speak hands for me!
  1. They stab Caesar.

Caesar

84
  1. Et tu, Brute?—Then fall Caesar!
  1. Dies.

Cinna

85 - 86
  1. Liberty! Freedom! Tyranny is dead!
  2. Run hence, proclaim, cry it about the streets.

Cassius

87 - 88
  1. Some to the common pulpits, and cry out,
  2. “Liberty, freedom, and enfranchisement!”

Brutus

89 - 90
  1. People and senators, be not affrighted;
  2. Fly not, stand still; ambition’s debt is paid.

Casca

91
  1. Go to the pulpit, Brutus.

Decius Brutus

92
  1.                           And Cassius too.

Brutus

93
  1. Where’s Publius?

Cinna

94
  1. Here, quite confounded with this mutiny.

Metellus

95 - 96
  1. Stand fast together, lest some friend of Caesar’s
  2. Should chance—

Brutus

97 - 99
  1. Talk not of standing. Publius, good cheer,
  2. There is no harm intended to your person,
  3. Nor to no Roman else. So tell them, Publius.

Cassius

100 - 101
  1. And leave us, Publius, lest that the people,
  2. Rushing on us, should do your age some mischief.

Brutus

102 - 103
  1. Do so, and let no man abide this deed,
  2. But we the doers.
  1. Exeunt all but the Conspirators.
  1. Enter Trebonius.

Cassius

104
  1. Where is Antony?

Trebonius

105 - 107
  1.                  Fled to his house amaz’d.
  2. Men, wives, and children stare, cry out, and run,
  3. As it were doomsday.

Brutus

108 - 110
  1.                      Fates, we will know your pleasures.
  2. That we shall die, we know, ’tis but the time,
  3. And drawing days out, that men stand upon.

Casca

111 - 112
  1. Why, he that cuts off twenty years of life
  2. Cuts off so many years of fearing death.

Brutus

113 - 120
  1. Grant that, and then is death a benefit;
  2. So are we Caesar’s friends, that have abridg’d
  3. His time of fearing death. Stoop, Romans, stoop,
  4. And let us bathe our hands in Caesar’s blood
  5. Up to the elbows, and besmear our swords;
  6. Then walk we forth, even to the market-place,
  7. And waving our red weapons o’er our heads,
  8. Let’s all cry, “Peace, freedom, and liberty!”

Cassius

121 - 123
  1. Stoop then, and wash. How many ages hence
  2. Shall this our lofty scene be acted over
  3. In states unborn and accents yet unknown!

Brutus

124 - 126
  1. How many times shall Caesar bleed in sport,
  2. That now on Pompey’s basis lies along
  3. No worthier than the dust!

Cassius

127 - 129
  1.                            So oft as that shall be,
  2. So often shall the knot of us be call’d
  3. The men that gave their country liberty.

Decius Brutus

130
  1. What, shall we forth?

Cassius

131 - 133
  1.                       Ay, every man away.
  2. Brutus shall lead, and we will grace his heels
  3. With the most boldest and best hearts of Rome.
  1. Enter a Servant.

Byam Shaw, 1901

Brutus

134
  1. Soft, who comes here? A friend of Antony’s.

Caesar’s Servant

135 - 149
  1. Thus, Brutus, did my master bid me kneel;
  2. Thus did Mark Antony bid me fall down;
  3. And being prostrate, thus he bade me say:
  4. Brutus is noble, wise, valiant, and honest;
  5. Caesar was mighty, bold, royal, and loving.
  6. Say, I love Brutus, and I honor him;
  7. Say, I fear’d Caesar, honor’d him, and lov’d him.
  8. If Brutus will vouchsafe that Antony
  9. May safely come to him, and be resolv’d
  10. How Caesar hath deserv’d to lie in death,
  11. Mark Antony shall not love Caesar dead
  12. So well as Brutus living; but will follow
  13. The fortunes and affairs of noble Brutus
  14. Thorough the hazards of this untrod state
  15. With all true faith. So says my master Antony.

Brutus

150 - 154
  1. Thy master is a wise and valiant Roman,
  2. I never thought him worse.
  3. Tell him, so please him come unto this place,
  4. He shall be satisfied; and, by my honor,
  5. Depart untouch’d.

Caesar’s Servant

155
  1.                   I’ll fetch him presently.
  1. Exit Servant.

Brutus

156
  1. I know that we shall have him well to friend.

Cassius

157 - 159
  1. I wish we may; but yet have I a mind
  2. That fears him much; and my misgiving still
  3. Falls shrewdly to the purpose.
  1. Enter Antony.

Brutus

160
  1. But here comes Antony. Welcome, Mark Antony!

Mark Antony

161 - 176
  1. O mighty Caesar! Dost thou lie so low?
  2. Are all thy conquests, glories, triumphs, spoils,
  3. Shrunk to this little measure? Fare thee well!
  4. I know not, gentlemen, what you intend,
  5. Who else must be let blood, who else is rank;
  6. If I myself, there is no hour so fit
  7. As Caesar’s death’s hour, nor no instrument
  8. Of half that worth as those your swords, made rich
  9. With the most noble blood of all this world.
  10. I do beseech ye, if you bear me hard,
  11. Now, whilst your purpled hands do reek and smoke,
  12. Fulfill your pleasure. Live a thousand years,
  13. I shall not find myself so apt to die;
  14. No place will please me so, no mean of death,
  15. As here by Caesar, and by you cut off,
  16. The choice and master spirits of this age.

Brutus

177 - 189
  1. O Antony! Beg not your death of us.
  2. Though now we must appear bloody and cruel,
  3. As by our hands and this our present act
  4. You see we do, yet see you but our hands,
  5. And this the bleeding business they have done.
  6. Our hearts you see not, they are pitiful;
  7. And pity to the general wrong of Rome—
  8. As fire drives out fire, so pity pity—
  9. Hath done this deed on Caesar. For your part,
  10. To you our swords have leaden points, Mark Antony;
  11. Our arms in strength of malice, and our hearts
  12. Of brothers’ temper, do receive you in
  13. With all kind love, good thoughts, and reverence.

Cassius

190 - 191
  1. Your voice shall be as strong as any man’s
  2. In the disposing of new dignities.

Brutus

192 - 196
  1. Only be patient till we have appeas’d
  2. The multitude, beside themselves with fear,
  3. And then we will deliver you the cause
  4. Why I, that did love Caesar when I struck him,
  5. Have thus proceeded.

Mark Antony

197 - 224
  1.                      I doubt not of your wisdom.
  2. Let each man render me his bloody hand.
  3. First, Marcus Brutus, will I shake with you;
  4. Next, Caius Cassius, do I take your hand;
  5. Now, Decius Brutus, yours; now yours, Metellus;
  6. Yours, Cinna; and, my valiant Casca, yours;
  7. Though last, not least in love, yours, good Trebonius.
  8. Gentlemen all—alas, what shall I say?
  9. My credit now stands on such slippery ground
  10. That one of two bad ways you must conceit me,
  11. Either a coward or a flatterer.
  12. That I did love thee, Caesar, O, ’tis true;
  13. If then thy spirit look upon us now,
  14. Shall it not grieve thee dearer than thy death,
  15. To see thy Antony making his peace,
  16. Shaking the bloody fingers of thy foes,
  17. Most noble! In the presence of thy corse?
  18. Had I as many eyes as thou hast wounds,
  19. Weeping as fast as they stream forth thy blood,
  20. It would become me better than to close
  21. In terms of friendship with thine enemies.
  22. Pardon me, Julius! Here wast thou bay’d, brave hart,
  23. Here didst thou fall, and here thy hunters stand,
  24. Sign’d in thy spoil, and crimson’d in thy lethe.
  25. O world! Thou wast the forest to this hart,
  26. And this indeed, O world, the heart of thee.
  27. How like a deer, strucken by many princes,
  28. Dost thou here lie!
The Murder of Caesar

The Murder of Caesar

Casca, behind Caesar, prepares to strike the first blow

Karl von Piloty, 1865

Cassius

225
  1. Mark Antony—

Mark Antony

226 - 228
  1.              Pardon me, Caius Cassius!
  2. The enemies of Caesar shall say this:
  3. Then, in a friend, it is cold modesty.

Cassius

229 - 232
  1. I blame you not for praising Caesar so,
  2. But what compact mean you to have with us?
  3. Will you be prick’d in number of our friends,
  4. Or shall we on, and not depend on you?

Mark Antony

233 - 237
  1. Therefore I took your hands, but was indeed
  2. Sway’d from the point, by looking down on Caesar.
  3. Friends am I with you all, and love you all,
  4. Upon this hope, that you shall give me reasons
  5. Why, and wherein, Caesar was dangerous.

Brutus

238 - 241
  1. Or else were this a savage spectacle.
  2. Our reasons are so full of good regard
  3. That were you, Antony, the son of Caesar,
  4. You should be satisfied.

Mark Antony

242 - 246
  1.                          That’s all I seek,
  2. And am, moreover, suitor that I may
  3. Produce his body to the market-place,
  4. And in the pulpit, as becomes a friend,
  5. Speak in the order of his funeral.

Brutus

247
  1. You shall, Mark Antony.

Cassius

248 - 252
  1.                         Brutus, a word with you.
  2. Aside to Brutus.
  3. You know not what you do. Do not consent
  4. That Antony speak in his funeral.
  5. Know you how much the people may be mov’d
  6. By that which he will utter?

Brutus

253 - 260
  1.                              By your pardon—
  2. I will myself into the pulpit first,
  3. And show the reason of our Caesar’s death.
  4. What Antony shall speak, I will protest
  5. He speaks by leave and by permission;
  6. And that we are contented Caesar shall
  7. Have all true rites and lawful ceremonies.
  8. It shall advantage more than do us wrong.

Cassius

261
  1. I know not what may fall, I like it not.

Brutus

262 - 269
  1. Mark Antony, here take you Caesar’s body.
  2. You shall not in your funeral speech blame us,
  3. But speak all good you can devise of Caesar,
  4. And say you do’t by our permission;
  5. Else shall you not have any hand at all
  6. About his funeral. And you shall speak
  7. In the same pulpit whereto I am going,
  8. After my speech is ended.

O, pardon me, thou bleeding piece of earth,
That I am meek and gentle with these butchers!

Joseph Kenny Meadows, circa 1843

Mark Antony

270 - 271
  1.                           Be it so;
  2. I do desire no more.

Brutus

272
  1. Prepare the body then, and follow us.
  1. Exeunt. Manet Antony.

Mark Antony

273 - 295
  1. O, pardon me, thou bleeding piece of earth,
  2. That I am meek and gentle with these butchers!
  3. Thou art the ruins of the noblest man
  4. That ever lived in the tide of times.
  5. Woe to the hand that shed this costly blood!
  6. Over thy wounds now do I prophesy
  7. (Which like dumb mouths do ope their ruby lips
  8. To beg the voice and utterance of my tongue)
  9. A curse shall light upon the limbs of men;
  10. Domestic fury and fierce civil strife
  11. Shall cumber all the parts of Italy;
  12. Blood and destruction shall be so in use,
  13. And dreadful objects so familiar,
  14. That mothers shall but smile when they behold
  15. Their infants quartered with the hands of war;
  16. All pity chok’d with custom of fell deeds;
  17. And Caesar’s spirit, ranging for revenge,
  18. With Ate by his side come hot from hell,
  19. Shall in these confines with a monarch’s voice
  20. Cry “Havoc!” and let slip the dogs of war,
  21. That this foul deed shall smell above the earth
  22. With carrion men, groaning for burial.
  23. Enter Octavius’s Attendant.
  24. You serve Octavius Caesar, do you not?

Octavius’s Attendant

296
  1. I do, Mark Antony.

Mark Antony

297
  1. Caesar did write for him to come to Rome.

Octavius’s Attendant

298 - 300
  1. He did receive his letters, and is coming,
  2. And bid me say to you by word of mouth—
  3. O Caesar!—
  1. Seeing the body.

Mark Antony

301 - 304
  1. Thy heart is big; get thee apart and weep.
  2. Passion, I see, is catching, for mine eyes,
  3. Seeing those beads of sorrow stand in thine,
  4. Began to water. Is thy master coming?

Octavius’s Attendant

305
  1. He lies tonight within seven leagues of Rome.

Mark Antony

306 - 316
  1. Post back with speed, and tell him what hath chanc’d.
  2. Here is a mourning Rome, a dangerous Rome,
  3. No Rome of safety for Octavius yet;
  4. Hie hence, and tell him so. Yet stay awhile,
  5. Thou shalt not back till I have borne this corse
  6. Into the market-place. There shall I try,
  7. In my oration, how the people take
  8. The cruel issue of these bloody men,
  9. According to the which thou shalt discourse
  10. To young Octavius of the state of things.
  11. Lend me your hand.
  1. Exeunt with Caesar’s body.
Assassination of Julius Caesar

Assassination of Julius Caesar

Unknown artist, 1896

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