t note:[1] "The following is taken from
the famous English play _Julius Caesar_ and may be regarded as a
masterpiece. When Julius Caesar was killed, Antonius secured permission
from Brutus and the other conspirators to speak at his funeral. The
people, whose minds were full of the prosperity to come, were satisfied
with Caesar's murder and regarded the murderers as benefactors. Antonius
spoke so as to turn their minds from rejoicing to regret at a great
man's untimely death and so as to justify himself and win the hearts of
the populace. And in what a masterly way Antonius won them! We shall
render, along with the oration, the interjected remarks of the crowd,
inasmuch as they too are evidences of Shakespeare's understanding of
the human soul and his realization of the manner in which the oration
gradually brought about the purpose toward which he aimed:"

[1. It has been thought best to give such citations for the most
part in translation.]

Antonius:
Venner, Medborgere, giver mig Gehor, jeg kommer for at jorde Caesars
Legeme, ikke for at rose ham. Det Onde man gjor lever endnu efter
os; det Gode begraves ofte tilligemed vore Been. Saa Vaere det ogsaa
med Caesar. Den aedle Brutus har sagt Eder, Caesar var herskesyg. Var
han det saa var det en svaer Forseelse: og Caesar har ogsaa dyrt
maattet bode derfor. Efter Brutus og de Ovriges Tilladelse--og
Brutus er en hederlig Mand, og det er de alle, lutter hederlige
Maend, kommer jeg hid for at holde Caesars Ligtale. Han var min Ven,
trofast og oprigtig mod mig! dog, Brutus siger, han var herskesyg,
og Brutus er en hederlig Mand. Han har bragt mange Fanger med til
Rom, hvis Losepenge formerede de offentlige Skatter; synes Eder det
herskesygt af Caesar--naar de Arme skreeg, saa graed Caesar--Herskesyge
maate dog vel vaeves af staerkere Stof.--Dog Brutus siger han var
herskesyg; og Brutus er en hederlig Mand. I have alle seet at jeg
paa Pans Fest tre Gange tilbod ham en kongelig Krone, og at han tre
Gange afslog den. Var det herskesygt?--Dog Brutus siger han var
herskesyg, og i Sandhed, han er en hederlig Mand. Jeg taler ikke for
at gjendrive det, som Brutus har sagt; men jeg staar her, for at
sige hvad jeg veed. I alle elskede ham engang, uden Aarsag; hvad for
en Aarsag afholder Eder fra at sorge over ham? O! Fornuft! Du er
flyed hen til de umaelende Baester, og Menneskene have tabt deres
Forstand. Haver Taalmodighed med m