Julius Caesar Funeral Speeches

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BRUTUS BRUTUS

Be patient till the last. This won’t take long, be patient. Citizens, hear me so you
Romans, countrymen, and lovers! hear me for my can understand. Believe me, I know that you have honor
cause, and be silent, that you may hear: believe me and respect for me, so you can judge what I have to say. I
for mine honor, and have respect to mine honor, that loved Caesar just as much as you did. If you’re wondering
you may believe: censure me in your wisdom, and why I did this to Caesar, this is what I have to say. I chose
awake your senses, that you may the better judge. Rome over Caesar, not because I loved him any less. Would
If there be any in this assembly, any dear friend of you rather be slaves or free men? I supported Caesar, but he
Caesar's, to him I say, that Brutus' love to Caesar was too ambitious. We all loved him, but his damned
was no less than his. If then that friend demand ambition brought him death. Who here is so stupid that he’d
why Brutus rose against Caesar, this is my answer: want to be a slave? Who here is such a loser that he doesn’t
--Not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved want to be Roman? Who is so low that doesn’t love his
Rome more. Had you rather Caesar were living and country? Anybody?
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.

All All

None, Brutus, none. None of us, Brutus!

BRUTUS BRUTUS

Then none have I offended. I have done no more to Then I haven’t offended anyone. I didn’t do anything to
Caesar than you shall do to Brutus. The question of Caesar that you can’t do to me. The whole matter of his
his death is enrolled in the Capitol; his glory not death is on record in the capitol, his glory isn’t underrated,
extenuated, wherein he was worthy, nor his offences he was worthy, but his offenses brought him death.
enforced, for which he suffered death.
ANTONY and others, with CAESAR's body Enter
Enter ANTONY and others, with CAESAR's body
Here comes Marc Antony with his body; he didn’t
Here comes his body, mourned by Mark Antony: participate in the murder, but he will benefit from it, a place
who, in the nation, like the rest of you. I’m leaving, knowing that
though he had no hand in his death, shall receive I killed my best friend for the good of my Rome, and with
the benefit of his dying, a place in the the same dagger. I’ll kill myself for the good of our country.
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.
ANTONY ANTONY

Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears; My fellow Romans, please listen to me. I come to
I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him. bury Caesar, not to praise Caesar. The good things
The evil that men do lives after them; are always forgotten, and the bad things stay with the
The good is oft interred with their bones; dead. The noble Brutus told you that Caesar was
So let it be with Caesar. The noble Brutus ambitious--if he really was, it was a sad fault, and he
Hath told you Caesar was ambitious: has certainly paid for it. In front of all of you, I speak
If it were so, it was a grievous fault, in Caesar’s funeral. He was my faithful friend; but
And grievously hath Caesar answer'd it. Brutus says he was ambitious, and Brutus is an
Here, under leave of Brutus and the rest-- honorable man. Caesar has brought many captives
For Brutus is an honourable man; back to Rome which made the country rich. Did
So are they all, all honourable men-- Caesar seem ambitious? When the poor cried, Caesar
Come I to speak in Caesar's funeral. cried. Ambition should make a man tougher, yet
He was my friend, faithful and just to me: Brutus said he was ambitious. And he is an
But Brutus says he was ambitious; honorable man. You all saw how I presented him the
And Brutus is an honourable man. crown on the Lupercal. Yet he refused it three times
He hath brought many captives home to Rome —was that ambitious? Yet Brutus said he was
Whose ransoms did the general coffers fill: ambitious. I’m not disproving what Brutus said, but
Did this in Caesar seem ambitious? you all did love Caesar, with good reason. What
When that the poor have cried, Caesar hath wept: cause stops all of you from mourning for Caesar?
Ambition should be made of sterner stuff: Give me a minute, please. I can't go on right now.
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.
First Citizen First Citizen

Methinks there is much reason in his sayings. I think what he said is true.
Second Citizen Second Citizen

If thou consider rightly of the matter, If you think about it, Caesar has been treated
Caesar has had great wrong. unjustly.
Third Citizen Third Citizen

Has he, masters? Has he, friends? I’m afraid that someone worse will
I fear there will a worse come in his place. take over.
Fourth Citizen Fourth Citizen

Mark'd ye his words? He would not take the crown; Remember what he said, Caesar did not take the
Therefore 'tis certain he was not ambitious. crown. This means that 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.
First Citizen
If it is true, somebody is going to pay!
Second Citizen
Poor Antony! His eyes are as red as fire from all his
crying.
Third Citizen
No man in Rome is nobler than Antony.
Fourth Citizen
Listen, he’s speaking again.
ANTONY
Yesterday, anything Caesar said would stand against
the world. Now he’s lying there with no one
honoring him. Friends, if I were to change your
minds to revenge and anger, I shall hurt Brutus and
Cassius, the honorable men. I will not hurt them. I’d
rather kill the dead again than hurt the honorable
men. Here is a letter I found in Caesar’s bedroom. It
is his will. I don’t mean to read it, but if everyone
heard it, they would acknowledge his death and they
would fight for souvenirs and remembrances, which
they would pass along to their heirs like family
treasures.