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No Fear Shakespheare

Julius Caesar

William Shakespeare

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Act 5, Scene 1, Page 3

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ANTONY
Not stingless too?
 ANTONY
I took their strings too, wouldn’t you say?



BRUTUS
Oh, yes, and soundless too.
For you have stol'n their buzzing, Antony,
And very wisely threat before you sting.
 BRUTUS
Oh, yes, and you’ve left them silent too, because you stole their buzzing, Antony. You very wisely warn us before you sting.

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45		 ANTONY
Villains, you did not so when your vile daggers
Hacked one another in the sides of Caesar.
You showed your teeth like apes, and fawned like hounds,
And bowed like bondmen, kissing Caesar’s feet,
Whilst damnèd Casca, like a cur, behind
Struck Caesar on the neck. O you flatterers!
 ANTONY
Villains, you didn’t do even that much when your vile daggers struck each other as they hacked up Caesar’s sides. You smiled like apes and fawned like dogs and bowed like servants, kissing Caesar’s feet. And all the while, damned Casca, like a dog, struck Caesar on the neck from behind. Oh, you flatterers!



CASSIUS
Flatterers?—Now, Brutus, thank yourself.
This tongue had not offended so today
If Cassius might have ruled.
 CASSIUS
Flatterers! Now, Brutus, you have only yourself to thank. Antony wouldn’t be here to offend us today if you’d listened to me earlier.


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55		 OCTAVIUS
Come, come, the cause. If arguing make us sweat,
The proof of it will turn to redder drops.
(draws his sword) Look, I draw a sword against conspirators.
When think you that the sword goes up again?
Never, till Caesar’s three and thirty wounds
Be well avenged, or till another Caesar
Have added slaughter to the sword of traitors.
 OCTAVIUS
Come, come, let’s remember why we’re here. If arguing makes us sweat, the real trial will turn that water to blood. (he draws his sword) Look: I draw my sword against conspirators. When do you think I’ll put it away? Never, until Caesar’s thirty-three wounds are well avenged, or until I too have been killed by you.


BRUTUS
Caesar, thou canst not die by traitors' hands
Unless thou bring’st them with thee.
 BRUTUS
Caesar, you’re not going to be killed by a traitor—unless you kill yourself..


OCTAVIUS
     So I hope.
I was not born to die on Brutus' sword.
 OCTAVIUS
I hope you’re right. I wasn’t born to die on your sword.


60		 BRUTUS
O, if thou wert the noblest of thy strain,
Young man, thou couldst not die more honorable.
 BRUTUS
If you were the noblest of your family, young man, you couldn’t die more honorably.
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