Julius Caesar (Folger Shakespeare Library)

by William Shakespeare

The skies are painted with unnumbered sparks; 69 They are all fire, and every one doth shine.

Et tu, Brutè?—

CAESAR Et tu, Brutè?—Then fall, Caesar. 85 < He > dies.

How many ages hence 124 Shall this our lofty scene be acted over 125 In <states> unborn and accents yet unknown!

CASSIUS Stoop then, and wash. 123 < They smear their hands and swords with Caesar’s blood. > How many ages hence 124 Shall this our lofty scene be acted over 125 In < states > unborn and accents yet unknown! 126 [Act 3 Scene 1]

You see we do, yet see you but our hands 183 And this the bleeding business they have done. 184 Our hearts you see not; they are pitiful;

O pardon me, thou bleeding piece of earth, 280 That I am meek and gentle with these butchers.

Cry “Havoc!” and let slip the dogs of war,

ANTONY . . . And Caesar’s spirit, ranging for revenge, 296 With Ate by his side come hot from hell, 297 Shall in these confines with a monarch’s voice 298 Cry “Havoc!” and let slip the dogs of war, 299 That this foul deed shall smell above the earth 300 With carrion men groaning for burial. 301 . . .

not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved 23 Rome more.

As he was valiant, I 27 honor him. But, as he was ambitious, I slew him.

Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears. 82 I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him.

ANTONY Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears. 82 I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him. 83 The evil that men do lives after them; 84 The good is oft interrèd with their bones. 85 So let it be with Caesar. The noble Brutus 86 Hath told you Caesar was ambitious. 87 If it were so, it was a grievous fault, 88 And grievously hath Caesar answered it. 89 Here, under leave of Brutus and the rest 90 (For Brutus is an honorable man; 91 So are they all, all honorable men), 92 Come I to speak in Caesar’s funeral. 93 He was my friend, faithful and just to me, 94 But Brutus says he was ambitious, 95 And Brutus is an honorable man. 96 He hath brought many captives home to Rome, 97 Whose ransoms did the general coffers fill. 98 Did this in Caesar seem ambitious? 99 When that the poor have cried, Caesar hath wept; 100 Ambition should be made of sterner stuff. 101 Yet Brutus says he was ambitious, 102 And Brutus is an honorable man. 103 You all did see that on the Lupercal 104 I thrice presented him a kingly crown, 105 Which he did thrice refuse. Was this ambition? 106 Yet Brutus says he was ambitious, 107 And sure he is an honorable man. 108 I speak not to disprove what Brutus spoke, 109 But here I am to speak what I do know. 110 You all did love him once, not without cause. 111 What cause withholds you, then, to mourn for 112 him?—113 O judgment, thou < art > fled to brutish beasts, 114 And men have lost their reason!—Bear with me; 115 My heart is in the coffin there with Caesar, 116 And I must pause till it come back to me. 117 < He weeps. >

The evil that men do lives after them; 84 The good is oft interrèd with their bones.

But Brutus says he was ambitious, 95 And Brutus is an honorable man.

I thrice presented him a kingly crown, 105 Which he did thrice refuse. Was this ambition?

O judgment, thou <art> fled to brutish beasts, 114 And men have lost their reason!—

But yesterday the word of Caesar might 130 Have stood against the world.

ANTONY But yesterday the word of Caesar might 130 Have stood against the world. Now lies he there, 131 And none so poor to do him reverence. 132 O masters, if I were disposed to stir 133 Your hearts and minds to mutiny and rage, 134 I should do Brutus wrong and Cassius wrong, 135 Who, you all know, are honorable men. 136 I will not do them wrong. I rather choose 137 To wrong the dead, to wrong myself and you, 138 Than I will wrong such honorable men. 139 But here’s a parchment with the seal of Caesar. 140 I found it in his closet. ’Tis his will. 141 Let but the commons hear this testament, 142 Which, pardon me, I do not mean to read, 143 And they would go and kiss dead Caesar’s wounds 144 And dip their napkins in his sacred blood—145 Yea, beg a hair of him for memory 146 And, dying, mention it within their wills, 147 Bequeathing it as a rich legacy 148 Unto their issue. 149

If you have tears, prepare to shed them now.

And, as he plucked his cursèd steel away, 189 Mark how the blood of Caesar followed it, 190 As rushing out of doors to be resolved 191 If Brutus so unkindly knocked or no;

This was the most unkindest cut of all.

For I have neither <wit,> nor words, nor worth, 233 Action, nor utterance, nor the power of speech 234 To stir men’s blood. I only speak right on. 235 I tell you that which you yourselves do know,

ANTONY Good friends, sweet friends, let me not stir you up 222 To such a sudden flood of mutiny. 223 They that have done this deed are honorable. 224 What private griefs they have, alas, I know not, 225 That made them do it. They are wise and honorable 226 And will no doubt with reasons answer you. 227 I come not, friends, to steal away your hearts. 228 I am no orator, as Brutus is, 229 But, as you know me all, a plain blunt man 230 That love my friend, and that they know full well 231 That gave me public leave to speak of him. 232 For I have neither < wit, > nor words, nor worth, 233 Action, nor utterance, nor the power of speech 234 To stir men’s blood. I only speak right on. 235 I tell you that which you yourselves do know, 236 Show you sweet Caesar’s wounds, poor poor dumb 237 mouths, 238 And bid them speak for me. But were I Brutus, 239 And Brutus Antony, there were an Antony 240 Would ruffle up your spirits and put a tongue 241 In every wound of Caesar that should move 242 The stones of Rome to rise and mutiny. 243

Now let it work. Mischief, thou art afoot; 275 Take thou what course thou wilt.

And some that smile have in their hearts, I fear, 54 Millions of mischiefs.

OCTAVIUS Let us do so, for we are at the stake 52 And bayed about with many enemies, 53 And some that smile have in their hearts, I fear, 54 Millions of mischiefs. 55 They exit.

When love begins to sicken and decay 23 It useth an enforcèd ceremony.

BRUTUS . . . When love begins to sicken and decay 23 It useth an enforcèd ceremony. 24 There are no tricks in plain and simple faith; 25 But hollow men, like horses hot at hand, 26 Make gallant show and promise of their mettle, 27

There are no tricks in plain and simple faith;

Remember March; the ides of March remember. 19 Did not great Julius bleed for justice’ sake? 20 What villain touched his body that did stab 21 And not for justice?

BRUTUS Remember March; the ides of March remember. 19 Did not great Julius bleed for justice’ sake? 20 What villain touched his body that did stab 21 And not for justice? What, shall one of us 22 That struck the foremost man of all this world 23 But for supporting robbers, shall we now 24 Contaminate our fingers with base bribes 25 And sell the mighty space of our large honors 26 For so much trash as may be graspèd thus? 27 I had rather be a dog and bay the moon 28 Than such a Roman. 29 [Act 4 Scene 3]

Must I observe you? Must I stand and crouch 49 Under your testy humor? By the gods, 50 You shall digest the venom of your spleen 51 Though it do split you. For, from this day forth, 52 I’ll use you for my mirth, yea, for my laughter, 53 When you are waspish.

BRUTUS . . . Must I observe you? Must I stand and crouch 49 Under your testy humor? By the gods, 50 You shall digest the venom of your spleen 51 Though it do split you. For, from this day forth, 52 I’ll use you for my mirth, yea, for my laughter, 53 When you are waspish. 54

Do not presume too much upon my love. 72 I may do that I shall be sorry for.

There is no terror, Cassius, in your threats, 75 For I am armed so strong in honesty

For I can raise no money by vile means. 80 By heaven, I had rather coin my heart 81 And drop my blood for drachmas than to wring 82 From the hard hands of peasants their vile trash 83 By any indirection.

BRUTUS . . . For I can raise no money by vile means. 80 By heaven, I had rather coin my heart 81 And drop my blood for drachmas than to wring 82 From the hard hands of peasants their vile trash 83 By any indirection. . . .

A friend should bear his friend’s infirmities,

Strike as thou didst at Caesar, for I know 116 When thou didst hate him worst, thou lovedst him 117 better 118 Than ever thou lovedst Cassius.

CASSIUS Come, Antony, and young Octavius, come! 104 Revenge yourselves alone on Cassius, 105 For Cassius is aweary of the world—106 Hated by one he loves, braved by his brother, 107 Checked like a bondman, all his faults observed, 108 Set in a notebook, learned and conned by rote 109 To cast into my teeth. O, I could weep 110 My spirit from mine eyes! There is my dagger, 111 < Offering his dagger to Brutus. > And here my naked breast; within, a heart 112 Dearer than Pluto’s mine, richer than gold. 113 If that thou be’st a Roman, take it forth. 114 I that denied thee gold will give my heart. 115 Strike as thou didst at Caesar, for I know 116 When thou didst hate him worst, thou lovedst him 117 better 118 Than ever thou lovedst Cassius. 119

Of your philosophy you make no use 166 If you give place to accidental evils.

CASSIUS Of your philosophy you make no use 166 If you give place to accidental evils. 167 [Act 4 Scene 3] Footnotes 166. your philosophy: i.e., Stoicism, which taught that one should view the ups and downs of life with detachment 167. give place to: give in to; accidental evils: misfortunes brought about by chance

Fill, Lucius, till the wine o’erswell the cup;

Good reasons must of force give place to better.

There is a tide in the affairs of men 249 Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune; 250 Omitted, all the voyage of their life 251 Is bound in shallows and in miseries. 252 On such a full sea are we now afloat, 253 And we must take the current when it serves 254 Or lose our ventures.

BRUTUS Under your pardon. You must note besides 244 That we have tried the utmost of our friends, 245 Our legions are brim full, our cause is ripe. 246 The enemy increaseth every day; 247 We, at the height, are ready to decline. 248 There is a tide in the affairs of men 249 Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune; 250 Omitted, all the voyage of their life 251 Is bound in shallows and in miseries. 252 On such a full sea are we now afloat, 253 And we must take the current when it serves 254 Or lose our ventures. 255

I should not urge thy duty past thy might.

Good words are better than bad strokes, Octavius.

But since the affairs of men rests still incertain, 105 Let’s reason with the worst that may befall.

O, that a man might know 133 The end of this day’s business ere it come! 134 But it sufficeth that the day will end, 135 And then the end is known.—

BRUTUS Why then, lead on.—O, that a man might know 133 The end of this day’s business ere it come! 134 But it sufficeth that the day will end, 135 And then the end is known.—Come ho, away! 136 They exit. [Act 5 Scene 1]

O hateful error, melancholy’s child, 75 Why dost thou show to the apt thoughts of men 76 The things that are not? O error, soon conceived, 77 Thou never com’st unto a happy birth 78 But kill’st the mother that engendered thee!

MESSALA Mistrust of good success hath done this deed. 74 O hateful error, melancholy’s child, 75 Why dost thou show to the apt thoughts of men 76 The things that are not? O error, soon conceived, 77 Thou never com’st unto a happy birth 78 But kill’st the mother that engendered thee! 79 [Act 5 Scene 3]

Friends, I owe more 113 tears 114 To this dead man than you shall see me pay.— 115 I shall find time, Cassius; I shall find time.—

This was the noblest Roman of them all.

His life was gentle and the elements 79 So mixed in him that nature might stand up 80 And say to all the world “This was a man.”

ANTONY This was the noblest Roman of them all. 74 All the conspirators save only he 75 Did that they did in envy of great Caesar. 76 He only in a general honest thought 77 And common good to all made one of them. 78 His life was gentle and the elements 79 So mixed in him that nature might stand up 80 And say to all the world “This was a man.” 81

So call the field to rest, and let’s away 86 To part the glories of this happy day.

OCTAVIUS According to his virtue, let us use him 82 With all respect and rites of burial. 83 Within my tent his bones tonight shall lie, 84 Most like a soldier, ordered honorably. 85 So call the field to rest, and let’s away 86 To part the glories of this happy day. 87 They all exit. [Act 5 Scene 5]