as becomes a friend, 230
Speak in the order of his funeral.
[Note 226: /you, Antony/ Theobald | you Antony Ff.]
[Note 217. /prick'd/: marked on the list. The image is of a
list of names written out, and some of them having holes
pricked in the paper against them. Cf. IV, i, 1. See Century
under 'pricking for sheriffs.']
[Note 225: /full of good regard/: the result of noble
considerations.]
[Note 229: 'Produce' here implies 'motion towards'--the
original Latin sense. Hence the preposition
'to.'--/market-place/. Here, and elsewhere in the play, 'the
market-place' is the Forum, and the _rostra_ provided there
for the purposes of public speaking Shakespeare calls
'pulpits.' In this, as in so much else, he followed North.]
[Note 231: /the order of his funeral:/ the course of the
funeral ceremonies. "Then Antonius, thinking good ... that his
body should be honourably buried, and not in hugger-mugger,[A]
lest the people might thereby take occasion to be worse
offended if they did otherwise: Cassius stoutly spake against
it. But Brutus went with the motion, and agreed unto
it."--Plutarch, _Marcus Brutus_.]
[Note A: i.e. in secrecy. Ascham has the form 'huddermother'
and Skelton 'hoder-moder.' Cf. "In hugger-mugger to inter
him," _Hamlet_, IV, v, 84.]
[Page 96]
BRUTUS. You shall, Mark Antony.
CASSIUS. Brutus, a word with you.
[_Aside to_ BRUTUS] You know not what you do; do not consent
That Antony speak in his funeral:
Know you how much the people may be mov'd 235
By that which he will utter?
BRUTUS. By your pardon:
I will myself into the pulpit first,
And show the reason of our Caesar's death:
What Antony shall speak, I will protest
He speaks by leave and by permission, 240
And that we are contented Caesar shall
Have all true rites and lawful ceremonies.
It shall advantage more than do us wrong.
CASSIUS. I know not what may fall; I like it not.
BRUTUS. Mark Antony, here, take you Caesar's body. 245
You shall not in your funeral speech blame us,
But speak all good you can devise of Caesar,
And say you do 't by our permission;
Else shall you not have any hand at all
About his funeral: and you shall speak 250
In the same pulpit whereto I am going,
After my speech is ended.
[Note 233: [_Aside to_ BRUT
|