No Fear Shakespeare
Julius Caesar
Get this No Fear to go!
Act 3, Scene 1, Page 9
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165 170 |
If I myself, there is no hour so fit
As Caesar’s death’s 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 mean of death,
As here by Caesar, and by you cut off,
The choice and master spirits of this age.
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If it’s me, there’s no time as good as this hour
of Caesar’s death, and no weapon better than your swords,
covered with the noblest blood in the world. I ask you, if you have
a grudge against me, to kill me now, while your stained hands still
reek of blood. I could live a thousand years and I wouldn’t
be as ready to die as I am now. There’s no place
I’d rather die than here by Caesar, and no manner of death
would please me more than being stabbed by you, the masters of this
new era.
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175 180 185 |
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.
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BRUTUS
Oh, Antony, don’t beg us to kill you. Though we seem
bloody and cruel right now, with our bloody hands and this deed
we’ve done, you’ve only seen our hands and their
bloody business; you haven’t looked into our hearts. They
are full of pity for Caesar. But a stronger pity, for the wrongs
committed against Rome, drove out our pity for Caesar, as fire
drives out fire, and so we killed him. For you, our swords have
blunt edges, too dull to harm you, Mark Antony. Our arms, which can
be strong and cruel, and our hearts, filled with brotherly love,
embrace you with kind love, good thoughts, and reverence.
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CASSIUS
Your voice shall be as strong as any man’s
In the disposing of new dignities.
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CASSIUS
Your vote will be as strong as anyone’s in the reordering
of the government.
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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.
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BRUTUS
But just be patient until we’ve calmed the masses, who
are beside themselves with fear. Then we’ll explain to you
why I, who loved Caesar even while I stabbed him, have taken this
course of action.
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