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ANTONY Nay, press not so upon me. Stand far off.
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ANTONY No, don’t press up against me. Stand further away.
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ALL Stand back. Room! Bear back.
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ALL Stand back. Give him room.
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ANTONY If you have tears, prepare to shed them now.
165You all do know this mantle. I remember
The first time ever Caesar put it on.
'Twas on a summer’s evening in his tent,
That day he overcame the Nervii.
Look, in this place ran Cassius' dagger through.
170See what a rent the envious Casca made.
Through this the well-belovèd Brutus stabbed.
And as he plucked his cursèd steel away,
Mark how the blood of Caesar followed it,
As rushing out of doors, to be resolved
175If Brutus so unkindly knocked, or no.
For Brutus, as you know, was Caesar’s angel.
Judge, O you gods, how dearly Caesar loved him!
This was the most unkindest cut of all.
For when the noble Caesar saw him stab,
180Ingratitude, more strong than traitors' arms,
Quite vanquished him. Then burst his mighty heart,
And, in his mantle muffling up his face,
Even at the base of Pompey’s statue,
Which all the while ran blood, great Caesar fell.
185O, what a fall was there, my countrymen!
Then I, and you, and all of us fell down,
Whilst bloody treason flourished over us.
Oh, now you weep, and, I perceive, you feel
The dint of pity. These are gracious drops.
190Kind souls, what, weep you when you but behold
Our Caesar’s vesture wounded? Look you here,
Here is himself, marred, as you see, with traitors.
(lifts up
CAESAR's mantle)
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ANTONY If you have tears, prepare to shed them now. You all know this
cloak. I remember the first time Caesar ever put it on. It was a
summer’s evening; he was in his tent. It was the day he
overcame the Nervii warriors. Look, here’s where
Cassius’s dagger pierced it. See the wound that Casca made.
Through this hole beloved Brutus stabbed. And when he pulled out his
cursed dagger, see how Caesar’s blood came with it, as if
rushing out a door to see if it was really Brutus who was knocking
so rudely. For Brutus, as you know, was Caesar’s angel. The
gods know how dearly Caesar loved him! This was the most unkind cut
of all. For when the noble Caesar saw him stab, he understood his
beloved Brutus’s ingratitude; it was stronger than the
violence of traitors, and it defeated him, bursting his mighty
heart. And at the base of Pompey’s statue, with his cloak
covering his face, which was dripping with blood the whole time,
great Caesar fell. Oh, what a fall it was, my countrymen! Then you
and I and all of us fell down, while bloody treason triumphed. Oh,
now you weep, and I sense that you feel pity. These are gracious
tears. But if it overwhelms you to look at Caesar’s wounded
cloak, how will you feel, kind men, now? Look at this, here is the
man—scarred, as you can see, by traitors.
(he lifts up
CAESAR's cloak)
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