Julius Caesar Act 3 Scene 1 Important Quotes

CAESAR:

March 15th is here.

CAESAR:

"The ides of March are come." (3.1.1)

ARTEMIDORUS:

Caesar, read my letter first, because my letter contains information

That relates to you personally. Read my letter, Caesar.

ARTEMIDORUS:

"O Caesar, read mine first, for mine's a suit

That touches Caesar nearer. Read it, great Caesar." (3.1.6-7)

BRUTUS:

What did Popilius Lena say?

Cassius:

He said he hopes our plan goes well today.

I'm afraid he knows about our intentions to assassinate Caesar.

BRUTUS:

"What said Popilius Lena?"

CASSIUS

"He wished today our enterprise might thrive.

I fear our purpose is discoverèd." (3.1.17-19)

CASSIUS:

Casca - be quick! I'm afraid people will try to interfere with our plan.

Brutus - what should we do? If people know about our plan,

We can't reverse what we've done

Because I will kill myself.

CASSIUS

"Casca, be sudden, for we fear prevention.—

Brutus, what shall be done? If this be known,

Cassius or Caesar never shall turn back,

For I will slay myself." (3.1.21-24)

BRUTUS:

Cassius, calm down.

Popilius Lena isn't talking about our assassination plan.

Look - he's smiling - and Caesar hasn't done anything different.

BRUTUS

"Cassius, be constant.

Popilius Lena speaks not of our purposes,

For look, he smiles, and Caesar doth not change." (3.1.25-27)

BRUTUS:

I'm kissing your hand not to flatter you, but to show I respect you.

I'm asking you to reverse the banishment of Publius Cimber

Immediately.

BRUTUS:

"I kiss thy hand, but not in flattery, Caesar,

Desiring thee that Publius Cimber may

Have an immediate freedom of repeal." (3.1.57-59)

CAESAR:

I was constant in my decision to banish Cimber

And I'm going to remain constant in that decision to keep him banished.

CAESAR:

"I was constant Cimber should be banished,

And constant do remain to keep him so." (3.1.78-79)

CAESAR:

You too, Brutus?!? Then I must die.

CAESAR:

"Et tu, Brute? -- Then fall, Caesar!" (3.1.85)

BRUTUS:

People and Senators - don't be afraid.

Don't run away; stay here. We have saved Rome from having to pay the price of Caesar's ambition.

BRUTUS:

"People and Senators, be not affrighted.

Fly not; stand still. Ambition's debt is paid." (3.1.90-91)

BRUTUS:

Bend down, guys, bend down

And let's wash our hands in Caesar's blood

Up to our elbows. Let's also put his blood on our swords.

BRUTUS:

"Stoop, Romans, stoop,

And let us bathe our hands in Caesar's blood

Up to the elbows and besmear our swords."

(3.1.117-118)

BRUTUS:

How many times will Caesar bleed in show?

Now he lays at the base of Pompey's statue

As worthless as dust.

BRUTUS:

"How many times shall Caesar bleed in sport,

That now on Pompey's basis lies along

No worthier than the dust!"

(3.1.127-129)

SERVANT:

If Brutus will promise that Antony

Can come here safely and be told

Why you thought Caesar deserved to die

Mark Antony will not love dead Caesar

As much as he will love Brutus who is alive

SERVANT:

"If Brutus will vouchsafe that Antony

May safely come to him and be resolv'd

How Caesar hath deserv'd to lie in death,

Mark Antony shall not love Caesar dead

So well as Brutus living..."

(3.1.145-149)

BRUTUS:

Tell Antony that if he comes here

He will be satisfied with the reasons why we killed Caesar and I give my word

That he will not be harmed

BRUTUS:

"Tell him [Antony], so please him come unto this place,

He shall be satisfied and by my honour

Depart untouch'd" (3.1.155-157)

ANTONY:

Oh great Caesar! You are now so low.

Are all of your victories and achievements

Reduced to this lowness? Farewell. =(

ANTONY:

"O mighty Caesar! Dost thou lie so low?

Are all thy conquests, glories, triumphs, spoils

Shrunk to this little measure? Fare thee well!" (3.1.164-166)

ANTONY:

I don't know, guys, what else you are planning to do

I don't know who else you are planning on killing, or who else you feel is corrupt.

ANTONY:

"I know not, gentlemen, what you intend,

Who else must be let blood, who else is rank." (3.1.167-168)

ANTONY:

If you are planning on killing me, there is no better time than this hour (Caesar's death hour) or no better weapon

Than the swords that are now covered with

The most noble blood in the world

ANTONY:

"If I myself, there is no hour so fit

As Caesar's death hour, nor no instrument

Of half that worth as those your swords made rich

With the most noble blood of all this world." (3.1.169-172)

BRUTUS:

Oh, Antony - don't ask us to kill you.

Although we probably look bloody and cruel

Because of our blood covered hands and what we have just done

You can see our bloody hands and the bloody results of what they have done

But you can't see our hearts, which are filled with pity for Caesar.

BRUTUS:

"O Antony, beg not your death of us.

Though now we must appear bloody and cruel,

As by our hands and this our present act

You see we do, yet see you but our hands

And this the bleeding business they have done.

Our hearts you see not, they are pitiful"

(3.1.180-185)

BRUTUS:

To you, Antony, our swords are dull and not sharp (we will not hurt you)

BRUTUS:

"To you our swords have leaden points, Mark Antony" (3.1.189)

ANTONY:

Caesar, it's true that I've loved you.

If your soul is looking down on us

It probably hurts you more than your death

To see your friend (me) making peace

And shaking the bloody hands of your enemies

In front of your dead body.

ANTONY:

"That I did love thee, Caesar, O, 'tis true.

If then thy spirit look upon us now,

Shall it not grieve thee dearer than thy death

To see thy Antony making his peace,

Shaking the bloody fingers of thy foes -

Most noble - in the presence of thy corpse?"

(3.1.213-218)

BRUTUS:

Mark Antony - here - take Caesar's body.

You can't blame us in your funeral speech.

All you can do is praise Caesar

And say that we've given you permission to speak

Otherwise we will not allow you to say anything.

And you will address the people

From the same place where I will speak

After I've finished my speech.

BRUTUS:

"Mark Antony, here, take you Caesar's body.

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

In the same pulpit whereto I am going,

After my speech is ended." (3.1.258-265)

ANTONY:

If I had as many eyes as you have wounds

And all my eyes were crying as many tears as your wounds are bleeding blood,

I would be better off than I am now that I am

Making friends with your enemies.

ANTONY:

"Had I as many eyes as thou hast wounds,

Weeping as fast as they stream forth thy blood,

It would become me better than to close

In terms of friendship with thine enemies."

(3.1.219-222)

ANTONY:

That's all I'm asking (for an explanation)

And also I want

To bring Caesar's body to the marketplace

And just like a good friend

I want to give a funeral speech.

ANTONY:

"That's all I seek;

And am, moreover, suitor that I may

Produce his body to the marketplace,

And in the pulpit, as becomes a friend,

Speak in the order of his funeral." (3.1.248-252)

CASSIUS:

Brutus, I'd like to speak with you.

You don't know what you're doing. Don't give Antony permission to give a funeral speech.

Don't you realize that he will persuade the people to turn against us?

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 moved

By that which he will utter?"

(3.1.254-259)

BRUTUS:

Mark Antony - here, take Caesar's body.

You cannot blame us in your funeral speech.

Say all good things about Caesar.

Tell the people you have our permission to speak

Otherwise you will not say anything.

And you are going to give your funeral speech

From the same place where I give my speech

After I have already spoken to the people.

BRUTUS:

"Mark Antony, here, take you Caesar's body.

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

In the same pulpit whereto I am going,

After my speech is ended."

(3.1.269-276)

ANTONY:

Forgive me, dead Caesar

For being polite and nice with these murderers.

ANTONY:

"O pardon me, thou bleeding piece of earth,

That I am meek and gentle with these butchers."

(3.1.280-281)

ANTONY:

I am standing over your wounded body and I am predicting what will happen in Rome.

Your wounds are like mouths that can't speak

But they are begging me to speak for them.

ANTONY:

"Over thy wounds now do I prophesy

(Which like dumb mouths do ope their ruby lips

To beg the voice and utterance of my tongue)"

(3.1.285-287)

ANTONY:

A curse will fall upon all people.

There will be anger and war within private homes and also in the entire country.

ANTONY:

"A curse shall light upon the limbs of men;

Domestic fury and fierce civil strife

Shall cumber all the parts of Italy"

(3.1.288-290)

ANTONY:

Caesar's spirit will come for revenge from hell

With the goddess of revenge next to him

And he will yell out in a king's voice

"Havoc!" and then will start an ugly war.

ANTONY:

"And Caesar's spirit, ranging for revenge,

With Ate by his side come hot from hell,

Shall in these confines with a monarch's voice

Cry "Havoc!" and let slip the dogs of war"

(3.1.296-299)