SCENE I. Rome. Before the Capitol; the Senate sitting above. The Life and Death of Julius Caesar  Shakespeare homepage  |  Julius Caesar  | Act 3, Scene 1 

 Previous scene  |  Next scene  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 BRUTUS, METELLUS CIMBER,  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 BRUTUS  Trebonius doth desire you to o'erread, 

 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 BRUTUS  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 CIMBER  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 CIMBER  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. 

 CASSIUS  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 every one 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 BRUTUS  Great Caesar,-- 

 CAESAR  Doth not Brutus bootless kneel? 

 CASCA  Speak, hands for me! 



 CASCA first, then the other Conspirators and 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 stiff: ambition's debt is paid. 

 CASCA  Go to the pulpit, Brutus. 

 DECIUS BRUTUS  And Cassius too. 

 BRUTUS  Where's Publius? 

 CINNA  Here, quite confounded with this mutiny. 

 METELLUS CIMBER  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 BRUTUS  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 last 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 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  Shakespeare homepage  |  Julius Caesar  | Act 3, Scene 1 

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