Comparison of Plutarch and Shakespeare’s Funeral Speeches for Julius Caesar
Plutarch’s Lives
of Noble Grecians
and Romans
The Life of Marcus Brutus
But Brutus and his party
SCENE II. The Forum.
Enter BRUTUS and CASSIUS, and a throng of Citizens
Citizens
We will be satisfied; let us be satisfied.
marched up to the capitol,
in their way showing their
hands all bloody, and their
naked swords, and
proclaiming liberty to the
people. At first all places
were filled with cries and
shouts; and the wild
running to and fro,
occasioned by the sudden
surprise and passion that
BRUTUS
Then follow me, and give me audience, friends.
Cassius, go you into the other street,
And part the numbers.
Those that will hear me speak, let 'em stay here;
Those that will follow Cassius, go with him;
And public reasons shall be rendered
Of Caesar's death.
First Citizen
I will hear Brutus speak.
Second Citizen
I will hear Cassius; and compare their reasons,
When severally we hear them rendered.
CASSIUS, with some of the Citizens. BRUTUS goes into the pulpit
everyone was in, increased
the tumult in the city. But
no other bloodshed
following, and no
plundering of the goods in
the streets, the senators
and many of the people
took courage and went up
to the men in the capitol;
and, a multitude being
gathered together, Brutus
made an oration to them,
very popular, and proper
for the state that affairs
were then in. Therefore,
when they applauded his
speech, and cried out to
him to come down, they
all took confidence and
descended into the forum;
the rest promiscuously
Third Citizen
The noble Brutus is ascended: silence!
BRUTUS
Be patient till the last.
Romans, countrymen, and lovers! hear me for my
cause, and be silent, that you may hear: believe me
for mine honour, and have respect to mine honour, that
you may believe: censure me in your wisdom, and
awake your senses, that you may the better judge.
If there be any in this assembly, any dear friend of
Caesar's, to him I say, that Brutus' love to Caesar
was no less than his. If then that friend demand
why Brutus rose against Caesar, this is my answer:
--Not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved
Rome more. Had you rather Caesar were living and
die all slaves, than that Caesar were dead, to live
all free men? As Caesar loved me, I weep for him;
as he was fortunate, I rejoice at it; as he was
valiant, I honour him: but, as he was ambitious, I
slew him. There is tears for his love; joy for his
fortune; honour for his valour; and death for his
ambition. Who is here so base that would be a
bondman? If any, speak; for him have I offended.
Who is here so rude that would not be a Roman? If
any, speak; for him have I offended. Who is here so
vile that will not love his country? If any, speak;
for him have I offended. I pause for a reply.
mingled with one another,
All
None, Brutus, none.
but many of the most
BRUTUS
1
Click here to
listen to the
speeches.
JC 3.2
Comparison of Plutarch and Shakespeare’s Funeral Speeches for Julius Caesar
eminent persons, attending
Brutus, conducted him in
the midst of them with
great honor from the
capitol, and placed him in
the rostra. At the sight of
Brutus, the crowd, though
consisting of a confused
mixture and all disposed
to make a tumult, were
struck with reverence, and
expected what he would
Then none have I offended. I have done no more to
Caesar than you shall do to Brutus. The question of
his death is enrolled in the Capitol; his glory not
extenuated, wherein he was worthy, nor his offences
enforced, for which he suffered death.
(Enter ANTONY and others, with CAESAR's body)
Here comes his body, mourned by Mark Antony: who,
though he had no hand in his death, shall receive
the benefit of his dying, a place in the
commonwealth; as which of you shall not? With this
I depart,--that, as I slew my best lover for the
good of Rome, I have the same dagger for myself,
when it shall please my country to need my death.
All
Live, Brutus! live, live!
First Citizen
Bring him with triumph home unto his house.
say with order and with
silence, and, when he
began to speak, heard him
with quiet and attention.
But that all were not
pleased with this action
they plainly showed when,
Cinna beginning to speak
and accuse Caesar, they
broke out into a sudden
rage, and railed at him in
such language, that the
whole party thought fit
again to withdraw to the
capitol.
[The next day]
…After these things [the
pardon of the conspirators
and conferring of land
awards on them], they
began to consider of
Caesar's will, and the
ordering of his funeral.
Antony desired that the
will might be read, and
that the body should not
Second Citizen
Give him a statue with his ancestors.
Third Citizen
Let him be Caesar.
Fourth Citizen
Caesar's better parts
Shall be crown'd in Brutus.
First Citizen
We'll bring him to his house
With shouts and clamours.
BRUTUS
My countrymen,-Second Citizen
Peace, silence! Brutus speaks.
First Citizen
Peace, ho!
BRUTUS
Good countrymen, let me depart alone,
And, for my sake, stay here with Antony:
Do grace to Caesar's corpse, and grace his speech
Tending to Caesar's glories; which Mark Antony,
By our permission, is allow'd to make.
I do entreat you, not a man depart,
Save I alone, till Antony have spoke.
First Citizen
Stay, ho! and let us hear Mark Antony.
Third Citizen
Let him go up into the public chair;
We'll hear him. Noble Antony, go up.
ANTONY
For Brutus' sake, I am beholding to you. Goes into the pulpit
have a private or
Fourth Citizen
What does he say of Brutus?
dishonorable interment,
Third Citizen
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Comparison of Plutarch and Shakespeare’s Funeral Speeches for Julius Caesar
lest that should further
exasperate the people.
…it appearing by the will
that Caesar had
bequeathed to the Roman
people seventy-five
drachmas a man, and
given to the public his
gardens beyond Tiber
(where now the temple of
Fortune stands), the whole
city was fired with a
wonderful affection for
him, and a passionate
sense of the loss of him.
And when the body was
brought forth into the
forum, Antony, as the
custom was, making a
funeral oration in the
praise of Caesar, and
finding the multitude
moved with his speech,
passing into the pathetic
tone, unfolded the bloody
garment of Caesar,
showed them in how many
places it was pierced, and
the number of his wounds.
Now there was nothing to
be seen but confusion;
some cried out to kill the
murderers, others (as was
formerly done when
Clodius led the people)
tore away the benches and
tables out of the shops
round about, and, heaping
He says, for Brutus' sake,
He finds himself beholding to us all.
Fourth Citizen
'Twere best he speak no harm of Brutus here.
First Citizen
This Caesar was a tyrant.
Third Citizen
Nay, that's certain:
We are blest that Rome is rid of him.
Second Citizen
Peace! let us hear what Antony can say.
ANTONY
You gentle Romans,-Citizens
Peace, ho! let us hear him.
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;
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.
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:
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?
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
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,
But here I am to speak what I do know.
You all did love him once, not without cause:
What cause withholds you then, to mourn for him?
O judgment! thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason. Bear with me;
My heart is in the coffin there with Caesar,
And I must pause till it come back to me.
them all together, built a
First Citizen
Methinks there is much reason in his sayings.
great funeral pile, and,
Second Citizen
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Comparison of Plutarch and Shakespeare’s Funeral Speeches for Julius Caesar
having put the body of
Caesar upon it, set it on
fire, the spot where this
was done being moreover
surrounded with a great
many temples and other
consecrated places, so that
they seemed to burn the
body in a kind of sacred
solemnity. As soon as the
fire flamed out, the
multitude, flocking in
some from one part and
some from another,
snatched the brands that
were half burnt out of the
pile, and ran about the city
to fire the houses of the
murderers of Caesar. But
they, having beforehand
well fortified themselves,
repelled this danger.
The Life of Julius Caesar
(68-69)
If thou consider rightly of the matter,
Caesar has had great wrong.
Third Citizen
Has he, masters?
I fear there will a worse come in his place.
Fourth Citizen
Mark'd ye his words? He would not take the crown;
Therefore 'tis certain he was not ambitious.
First Citizen
If it be found so, some will dear abide it.
Second Citizen
Poor soul! his eyes are red as fire with weeping.
Third Citizen
There's not a nobler man in Rome than Antony.
Fourth Citizen
Now mark him, he begins again to speak.
ANTONY
But yesterday the word of Caesar might
Have stood against the world; now lies he there.
And none so poor to do him reverence.
O masters, if I were disposed to stir
Your hearts and minds to mutiny and rage,
I should do Brutus wrong, and Cassius wrong,
Who, you all know, are honourable men:
I will not do them wrong; I rather choose
To wrong the dead, to wrong myself and you,
Than I will wrong such honourable men.
But here's a parchment with the seal of Caesar;
I found it in his closet, 'tis his will:
Let but the commons hear this testament-Which, pardon me, I do not mean to read-And they would go and kiss dead Caesar's wounds
And dip their napkins in his sacred blood,
Yea, beg a hair of him for memory,
And, dying, mention it within their wills,
Bequeathing it as a rich legacy
Unto their issue.
On the next day Brutus
came down and held a
discourse, and the people
listened to what was said
without either expressing
resentment at what had
been done or appearing to
approve of it; they
showed, however, by their
deep silence, that while
they pitied Caesar, they
respected Brutus. The
Fourth Citizen
We'll hear the will: read it, Mark Antony.
All
The will, the will! we will hear Caesar's will.
ANTONY
Have patience, gentle friends, I must not read it;
It is not meet you know how Caesar loved you.
You are not wood, you are not stones, but men;
And, being men, bearing the will of Caesar,
It will inflame you, it will make you mad:
'Tis good you know not that you are his heirs;
For, if you should, O, what would come of it!
Fourth Citizen
Read the will; we'll hear it, Antony;
You shall read us the will, Caesar's will.
senate, too, trying to make
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Comparison of Plutarch and Shakespeare’s Funeral Speeches for Julius Caesar
a general amnesty and
reconciliation, voted to
give Caesar divine
honours and not to disturb
even the most insignificant
ANTONY
Will you be patient? will you stay awhile?
I have o'ershot myself to tell you of it:
I fear I wrong the honourable men
Whose daggers have stabb'd Caesar; I do fear it.
Fourth Citizen
They were traitors: honourable men!
measure which he had
adopted when in power;
while to Brutus and his
partisans it distributed
provinces and gave
suitable honours, so that
everybody thought that
matters were decided and
settled in the best possible
manner.
All
The will! the testament!
Second Citizen
They were villains, murderers: the will! read the will.
ANTONY
You will compel me, then, to read the will?
Then make a ring about the corpse of Caesar,
And let me show you him that made the will.
Shall I descend? and will you give me leave?
Several Citizens
Come down.
Second Citizen
Descend.
(69) But when the will of
Caesar was opened and it
was found that he had
given every Roman citizen
a considerable gift, and
when the multitude saw
his body carried through
the forum all disfigured
with its wounds, they no
longer kept themselves
within the restraints of
order and discipline, but
after heaping round the
body benches, railings,
and tables from the forum
they set fire to them and
burned it there; then,
lifting blazing brands on
high, they ran to the
houses of the murders
with intent to burn them
down, while others went
every whither through the
city seeking to seize the
Third Citizen
You shall have leave.
ANTONY comes down
Fourth Citizen
A ring; stand round.
First Citizen
Stand from the hearse, stand from the body.
Second Citizen
Room for Antony, most noble Antony.
ANTONY
Nay, press not so upon me; stand far off.
Several Citizens
Stand back; room; bear back.
ANTONY
If you have tears, prepare to shed them now.
You 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:
See what a rent the envious Casca made:
Through this the well-beloved Brutus stabb'd;
And as he pluck'd his cursed steel away,
Mark how the blood of Caesar follow'd it,
As rushing out of doors, to be resolved
If Brutus so unkindly knock'd, 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,
Ingratitude, more strong than traitors' arms,
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Comparison of Plutarch and Shakespeare’s Funeral Speeches for Julius Caesar
men themselves and tear
them to pieces.
The Life of Marcus Antonius
Antony then convened the
senate, and spoke in favor
of an act of oblivion, and
the appointment of Brutus
and Cassius to provinces.
These measures the senate
passed; and resolved that
all Caesar's acts should
Quite vanquish'd him: then burst his mighty heart;
And, in his mantle muffling up his face,
Even at the base of Pompey's statua,
Which all the while ran blood, great Caesar fell.
O, what a fall was there, my countrymen!
Then I, and you, and all of us fell down,
Whilst bloody treason flourish'd over us.
O, now you weep; and, I perceive, you feel
The dint of pity: these are gracious drops.
Kind souls, what, weep you when you but behold
Our Caesar's vesture wounded? Look you here,
Here is himself, marr'd, as you see, with traitors.
First Citizen
O piteous spectacle!
Second Citizen
O noble Caesar!
Third Citizen
O woful day!
remain in force. Thus
Antony went out of the
senate with the highest
possible reputation and
esteem; for it was apparent
that he had prevented a
civil war, and had
composed, in the wisest
and most statesman-like
way, questions of the
greatest difficulty and
embarrassment. But these
temperate counsels were
soon swept away by the
tide of popular applause,
and the prospects, if
Brutus were overthrown,
of being without doubt the
ruler-in-chief. As Caesar's
body was conveying to the
tomb, Antony, according
to the custom, was making
his funeral oration in the
market; place, and,
perceiving the people to
be infinitely affected with
what he had said, he began
Fourth Citizen
O traitors, villains!
First Citizen
O most bloody sight!
Second Citizen
We will be revenged.
All
Revenge! About! Seek! Burn! Fire! Kill! Slay!
Let not a traitor live!
ANTONY
Stay, countrymen.
First Citizen
Peace there! hear the noble Antony.
Second Citizen
We'll hear him, we'll follow him, we'll die with him.
ANTONY
Good friends, sweet friends, let me not stir you up
To such a sudden flood of mutiny.
They that have done this deed are honourable:
What private griefs they have, alas, I know not,
That made them do it: they are wise and honourable,
And will, no doubt, with reasons answer you.
I come not, friends, to steal away your hearts:
I am no orator, as Brutus is;
But, as you know me all, a plain blunt man,
That love my friend; and that they know full well
That gave me public leave to speak of him:
For I have neither wit, nor words, nor worth,
Action, nor utterance, nor the power of speech,
To stir men's blood: I only speak right on;
I tell you that which you yourselves do know;
Show you sweet Caesar's wounds, poor poor dumb mouths,
And bid them speak for me: but were I Brutus,
And Brutus Antony, there were an Antony
Would ruffle up your spirits and put a tongue
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Comparison of Plutarch and Shakespeare’s Funeral Speeches for Julius Caesar
to mingle with his praises
language of
commiseration, and horror
at what had happened,
and, as he was ending his
speech, he took the underclothes of the dead, and
held them up, showing
them stains of blood and
the holes of the many
stabs, calling those that
had done this act villains
and bloody murderers. All
which excited the people
to such indignation, that
they would not defer the
funeral, but, making a pile
of tables and forms in the
very market-place, set fire
to it; and everyone, taking
a brand, ran to the
conspirators' houses, to
attack them.
For more information
about Plutarch click
here.
To read more from
Lives of Noble
Grecians and Romans,
click here.
In every wound of Caesar that should move
The stones of Rome to rise and mutiny.
All
We'll mutiny.
First Citizen
We'll burn the house of Brutus.
Third Citizen
Away, then! come, seek the conspirators.
ANTONY
Yet hear me, countrymen; yet hear me speak.
All
Peace, ho! Hear Antony. Most noble Antony!
ANTONY
Why, friends, you go to do you know not what:
Wherein hath Caesar thus deserved your loves?
Alas, you know not: I must tell you then:
You have forgot the will I told you of.
All
Most true. The will! Let's stay and hear the will.
ANTONY
Here is the will, and under Caesar's seal.
To every Roman citizen he gives,
To every several man, seventy-five drachmas.
Second Citizen
Most noble Caesar! We'll revenge his death.
Third Citizen
O royal Caesar!
ANTONY
Hear me with patience.
All
Peace, ho!
ANTONY
Moreover, he hath left you all his walks,
His private arbours and new-planted orchards,
On this side Tiber; he hath left them you,
And to your heirs for ever, common pleasures,
To walk abroad, and recreate yourselves.
Here was a Caesar! when comes such another?
[End of Antony’s Speech]
First Citizen
Never, never. Come, away, away!
We'll burn his body in the holy place,
And with the brands fire the traitors' houses.
Take up the body.
Second Citizen
Go fetch fire.
Third Citizen
Pluck down benches.
Fourth Citizen
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Comparison of Plutarch and Shakespeare’s Funeral Speeches for Julius Caesar
Pluck down forms, windows, any thing.
Exeunt Citizens with the body
ANTONY
Now let it work. Mischief, thou art afoot,
Take thou what course thou wilt!
Figure 1.1 Comparison of relative chronology of the speech in the lives of
Caesar, Plutarch and Shakespeare.
Julius Caesar
Plutarch
Shakespeare
Born
Wrote Speech/ attended funeral Died
100 B.C.E.
March 15, 44 B.C.E 44 B.C.E.
45
75
125
1564
1599
1616
Figure 1.2 Graph of the crowd’s reactions during the speeches.
The crowd changes drastically during both Brutus and Antony’s
speeches. They begin frightened and outraged at the murders, but by
the time Brutus finishes his speech, they are outraged at Caesar and
fiercely defensive of Brutus. During Antony’s speech this shifts again, to
love for Caesar and a desire for revenge.
Start of
Brutus’s
Speech
Middle of
Speech
End of
Speech
Start of
Antony’s
Speech
t
Tex
Middle of
Speech
Te
x
Respect for Brutus
8
t
End of
Speech
Here is a
graph showing
the crowd’s
respect for
Brutus as
Brutus and
Antony deliver
their funeral
speeches.
Comparison of Plutarch and Shakespeare’s Funeral Speeches for Julius Caesar
Photos of the Reconstructed Globe Theatre in London.
This is what the state would have looked like in
Shakespeare’s time. What challenges and advantages
does this theatre set up appear to have?
Figure 2.1
View of the
theatre from
the far right
corner of the
stage.
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Comparison of Plutarch and Shakespeare’s Funeral Speeches for Julius Caesar
Figure 2.2
View of the
stage from the
side. Notice
the door on
the left and
the ceiling
painted to
look like the
sky.
Figure 2.3 View of the stage, pit and balcony.
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Comparison of Plutarch and Shakespeare’s Funeral Speeches for Julius Caesar
Sources:
Plutarch Side Bust. <http://users.ucom.net/~vegan/ images/plutarch.gif>
Roman Forum Photo. UCLA Academic Technology Services. <http://www.ats.ucla.edu/news/
photos/romanforum1.jpg>
Reconstructed Globe Theatre. Elizabeth Johnson. 1997.
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