Nor stony tower, nor walls of beaten brass, ACT II. AMBITION CLOTHED IN SPECIOUS HUMILITY. But 'tis a common proof,* That lowliness is young ambition's ladder, Looks in the clouds, scorning the base degrees† CONSPIRACY DREADFUL TILL EXECUTED. Between the acting of a dreadful thing BRUTUS'S APOSTROPHE TO CONSPIRACY. Sham'st thou to show thy dangerous brow by night, racy; Hide in it smiles, and affability: For if thou path thy native semblance§ on, To hide thee from prevention. * Experience. Walk in thy true form. AGAINST CRUELTY. Gentle friends, And after seem to chide them. SLEEP. Enjoy the honey-heavy dew of slumber:] Thou hast no figures,* nor no fantasies, Which busy care draws in the brains of men; Therefore thou sleep'st so sound. PORTIA'S SPEECH TO BRutus. You have ungently, Brutus, Stole from my bed; and yesternight at supper, I urg'd you further; then you scratch'd your head, CALPHURNIA'S ADDRESS TO CESAR ON THE PRODIGIES SEEN THE NIGHT BEFORE HIS DEATH. Cal. Cesar, I never stood on ceremonies,‡ Yet now they fright me. There is one within, Shapes created by imagination. † Temper. ‡ Never paid a regard to prodigies or omens. Besides the things that we have heard and seen, And graves have yawn'd, and yielded up their dead: In ranks, and squadrons, and right form of war, The noise of battle hurtled* in the air, And ghosts did shriek, and squealt about the streets. And I do fear them. What can be av ided, Ces. Cal. When beggars die, there are no comets seen; The heavens themselves blazé forth the death ef princes. AGAINST THE FEAR OF DEATH. 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. DANGER. Danger knows full well That Cesar is more dangerous than he. 'ENVY. My heart laments that virtue cannot live Out of the teeth of emulation.‡ ACT III. ANTONY'S ADDRESS TO THE CORPSE OF CESAR. O, mighty Cesar! Dost thou lie so low? * Encountered. + Cry with pain. + Envy. Are all thy conquests, glories, triumphs, spoils, ANTONY'S SPEECH TO THE CONSPIRATORS, As Cesar's death's hour; nor no instrument I do beseech ye, if you bear me hard, Now, whilst your purpled hands do reek and smoke, No place will please me so, no mean of death, REVENGE. Cesar's spirit, ranging for revenge, BRUTUS'S SPEECH TO THE PEOPLE. If there be any in this assembly, any dear friend of Cesar's; to him I say, that Brutus's love to Cesar was no less than his. If then that friend demand, why Brutus rose against Cesar, this is my answer, -Not that I loved Cesar less, but that I loved Rome more. Had you rather Cesar were living, and die all slaves; than that Cesar were dead, to live all freemen? As Cesar 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 have I offended. Who is here so * Grown too high for the public safety. †The signal for giving no quarter. To let slip a dog at a deer, &c. was the technical phrase of Shakspeare's time. rude, that would not be a Roman? if any, speak; for him have 1 offended. Who is here so vile, that will not love his country? If any, speak; for him have I offended. ANTONY'S FUNERAL ORATION. Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears; I come to bury Cesar, 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 Cesar. The noble Brutus Hath told you, Cesar was ambitious: If it were so, it was a grievous fault; And grievously hath Cesar answer'd it. Here, under leave of Brutus, and the rest, (For Brutus is an honourable man; So are they all, all honourable men;) Com♦ I to speak in Cesar'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, Did this in Cesar seem ambitious? When that the poor have cried, Cesar hath wept: Yet Brutus says, he was ambitious; I thrice presented him a kingly crown, Which he did thrice refuse. Was this ambition? And, sure, he is an honourable man. I speak not to disprove what Brutus spoke, |