ALL. Peace, ho! Let us hear him.

[Note 62: Scene VI Pope.]

[Note 70: /blest/ F1 | glad F2 F3 F4.]

[Note 65: /beholding./ This Elizabethan corruption of
'beholden' occurs constantly in the Folios of 1623, 1632, and
1664. The Fourth Folio usually has 'beholden.' Here Camb has
'Goes into the pulpit.']

[Note 72: "Afterwards when Caesar's body was brought into the
market-place, Antonius making his funeral oration in praise of
the dead, according to the ancient custom of Rome, and
perceiving that his words moved the common people to
compassion, he framed his eloquence to make their hearts yearn
the more; and taking Caesar's gown all bloody in his hand, he
laid it open to the sight of them all, shewing what a number
of cuts and holes it had upon it. Therewithal the people fell
presently into such a rage and mutiny, that there was no more
order kept amongst the common people."--Plutarch, _Marcus
Brutus_.[A] How Shakespeare elaborates this!]

[Note A: There is a similar passage in Plutarch, _Marcus
Antonius_.]

[Page 104]

ANTONY. Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears:
I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him.
The evil that men do lives after them: 75
The good is oft interred with their bones;
So let it be with Caesar. The noble Brutus
Hath told you Caesar was ambitious:
If it were so, it was a grievous fault,
And grievously hath Caesar answer'd it. 80
Here, under leave of Brutus and the rest,--
For Brutus is an honourable man;
So are they all, all honourable men,--
Come I to speak in Caesar's funeral.
He was my friend, faithful and just to me: 85
But Brutus says he was ambitious;
And Brutus is an honourable man.
He hath brought many captives home to Rome,
Whose ransoms did the general coffers fill:
Did this in Caesar seem ambitious? 90
When that the poor have cried, Caesar hath wept:
Ambition should be made of sterner stuff:
Yet Brutus says he was ambitious;
And Brutus is an honourable man.
You all did see that on the Lupercal 95
I thrice presented him a kingly crown,
Which he did thrice refuse: was this ambition?
Yet Brutus says he was ambitious;
And, sure, he is an honourable man.
I speak not to disprove what Brutus spoke, 100
But here I am to speak what I do know.