The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) (895 page)

Cassius

Where's Antony?

Where is Antony?

Trebonius

Fled to his house amazed.


Men, wives, and children stare, cry out, and run,


As it were doomsday.

He ran to his house, awestruck. Men, wives, and children cry out and run like it is the end of the world.

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.

We will soon know what Fate has in store for us. We will all die someday, although, we will try to postpone it.

Cassius

Why, he that cuts off twenty years of life


Cuts off so many years of fearing death.

If one cuts off twenty years from his life, that’s twenty years he doesn’t fear 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!"

That’s true, so we are Caesar’s friends because we have shortened his life of fearing death. Bend, gentlemen, and soak your hands in Caesar’s blood up to the elbow. Smear the blood on your sword, and let’s walk to the market-place and cry, “Peace, freedom, and liberty.”

Cassius

Stoop then, and wash. How many ages hence


Shall this our lofty scene be acted o'er


In States unborn and accents yet unknown!

Bend and wash yourselves in Caesar’s blood. How many times will our scene be repeated around the world!

Brutus

How many times shall Caesar bleed in sport,


That now on Pompey's basis lies along


No worthier than the dust!

How many times will this be replayed even though Caesar now lies in the dirt!

Cassius

So oft as that shall be,


So often shall the knot of us be call'd


The men that gave their country liberty

However many times, we will be the men who freed their fellow countrymen.

Decius Brutus

What, shall we forth?

Shall we go?

Cassius

Ay, every man away:


Brutus shall lead; and we will grace his heels


With the most boldest and best hearts of Rome.

Yes, let’s go everyone. Brutus leads and we will follow him, the boldest men in all of Rome.

Enter a servant.

Brutus

Soft, who comes here?

Shh! Who is this? 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 honor 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, my master told me to kneel. Mark Antony told me to fall down and say, “Brutus is noble wise, valiant, and honest. Caesar was mighty, bold, royal, and loving. I love Brutus and I honor him. I was afraid of Caesar, but I honored and loved him. If Brutus can promise his safety, Antony will come to him and listen to how Caesar came to deserve to die. Mark Antony will not love Caesar, dead, more than the living Brutus. He will follow Brutus and be faithful to him.”

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.

Your master is a wise and brave Roman. I never thought poorly of him. Tell him to come here and he will not be touched.

Servant

I'll fetch him presently.

I will go get him right now.

Exit.

Brutus

I know that we shall have him well to friend.

It will benefit us to have him as a 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.

I hope so, but I am afraid of him.

Brutus

But here comes Antony.--

Here he comes.

Re-enter Antony.

Welcome, Mark 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,


Fulfill your pleasure. Live a thousand years,


I shall not find myself so apt to die:


No place will please me so, no means of death,


As here by Caesar, and by you cut off,


The choice and master spirits of this age.

Oh mighty Caesar! You lie so low. All of your triumphs and glories have some to this. Goodbye. I do not know what you gentlemen are thinking, but who else has to die? Me? If so, now’s the time. Do it with those swords drenched in noble blood. I beg you, if you have something against me, take care of it now. If I live a thousand years, I will not be more prepared to die as I am right now. No place will please me more, as to die by Caesar.

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 amity, and our hearts


Of brothers' temper, do receive you in


With all kind love, good thoughts, and reverence.

Oh, Antony, don’t beg us to kill you. I know we must appear bloody and cruel, but you do not know our hearts. They are sad and sad for Rome. You see our swords, Mark Antony, and you see malice, but we receive you with love and acceptance.

Cassius

Your voice shall be as strong as any man's


In the disposing of new dignities.

You will be as strong as any man in the development of a new senate.

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.

Only be patient while we take care of the people who are beside themselves with fear. Then, we will tell you why we killed Caesar.

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 least 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 Antony 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 death.--


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!

I don’t doubt your wisdom. Let me shake each of your hands, first, Marcus Brutus and Caius Cassius. Now, Decius Brutus give me your hand and Metellus. Let me shake yours, Cinna and brave Casca. Last but not least, give me your hand Trebonius. What can I say, gentlemen? You must be unsure of how to take me, coward or flatterer. I did love Caesar, and if his spirit is watching us now, I hope he is not grieved by me making peace with his enemies. If I had as many eyes as you have wounds, I would still look better than the act of becoming friends with your murderers. Forgive me, Julius! Here, you were hunted and killed like a deer, stabbed by the swords of many princes!

Cassius

Mark Antony,--

Mark Antony…

Antony

Pardon me, Caius Cassius:


The enemies of Caesar shall say this;


Then, in a friend, it is cold modesty.

Forgive me, Caius Cassius. Even the enemies of Caesar would say the same thing.

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?

I don’t blame you for praising Caesar, but what is your purpose? Are you our friend or can’t we depend on you.