discurso de Marco Antonio no funeral de Cesar

Discurso de Marco Antônio nos funerais de Júlio César


"Amigos, romanos, cidadãos dêm-me seus ouvidos.


Vim para enterrar Cezar, não para louvá-lo. O bem que se faz é enterrado com os nossos ossos, que seja assim com Cezar.


O nobre Brutus disse a vocês que Cezar era ambicioso. E se é verdade que era, a falta era muito grave, e Cezar pagou por ela com a vida, aqui, pelas mãos de Brutus e dos outros. Pois Brutus é um homem honrado, e assim são todos eles, todos homens honrados.


Venho para falar no funeral de Cezar. Ele era meu amigo, fiel e justo comigo. Mas Brutus diz que ele era ambicioso. E Brutus é um homem honrado.


Ele trouxe muitos prisioneiros para Roma que, para serem libertados, encheram os cofres de Roma. Isto parecia uma atitude ambiciosa de Cezar? Quando os pobres sofriam Cezar chorava. Ora a ambição torna as pessoas duras e sem compaixão. Entretanto, Brutus diz que Cezar era ambicioso. E Brutus é um homem honrado.


Vocês todos viram que na festa do Lupercal, eu, por três vezes, ofereci-lhe uma coroa real, a qual ele por três vezes recusou. Isto era ambição? Mas Brutus diz que ele era ambicioso, e Brutus, todos sabemos, é um homem honrado. Eu não falo aqui para discordar do que Brutus falou.


Mas eu tenho que falar daquilo que eu sei. Vocês todos já o amaram e tinham razões para amá-lo. Qual a razão que os impede agora de homenageá-lo na morte?"


Neste momento Marco Antônio faz uma pausa no discurso, e as pessoas do povo começam a refletir sobre o que ele disse, e a questionar se Cezar tinha afinal merecido a morte que teve.


Passado este interlúdio retorna Marco Antônio a falar:


"Ontem, a palavra de Cezar seria capaz de enfrentar o mundo, agora, jaz aqui morta. Ah! Se eu estivesse disposto a levar os seus corações e mentes para o motim e a violência, eu falaria mal de Brutus e de Cassius, os quais, como sabem, são homens honrados. Não vou falar mal deles.


Prefiro falar mal do morto. Prefiro falar mal de mim e de vocês do que destes homens honrados. Mas, eis aqui, um pergaminho com o selo de Cezar. Eu o achei no seu armário. É o seu testamento. Quando os pobres lerem o seu testamento (porque, perdoem-me, eu não pretendo lê-lo), e eles se arrojarão para beijar os ferimentos de Cezar, e molhar seus lenços no seu sagrado sangue."


O povo reclama de Marco Antônio e exige que ele o leia.


"Tenham paciência amigos, mas eu não devo lê-lo. Vocês não são de madeira ou de ferro, e sim humanos. E, sendo humanos, ao ouvir o testamento de Cezar vão se inflamar, ficarão furiosos. É melhor que vocês não saibam que são os herdeiros de Cezar! Pois se souberem... o que vai acontecer? Então vocês vão me obrigar a ler o testamento de Cezar? Então façam um círculo em volta do corpo e deixem-me mostrar-lhes Cézar morto, aquele que escreveu este testamento.


Cidadãos. Se vocês têm lágrimas, preparem-se para soltá-las. Vocês todos conhecem este manto. Vejam, foi neste lugar que a faca de Cassius penetrou. Através deste outro rasgão, Brutus, tão querido de Cezar, enfiou a sua faca, e, quando ele arrancou a sua maldita arma do ferimento, vejam como o sangue de Cezar escorreu.


E Brutus, como vocês sabem, era o anjo de Cezar. Oh! Deuses, como Cezar o amava. O golpe de Brutus foi, de todos o mais brutal e o mais perverso. Pois, quando o nobre Cezar viu que Brutus o apunhalava, a ingratidão, mais que a força do braço traidor, parou seu coração.


Oh! Que queda brutal meus concidadãos. Então eu e vocês e todos nós também tombamos, enquanto esta sanguinária traição florescia sobre nós.


Sim, agora vocês choram. Percebo que sentem um pouco de piedade por ele. Boas almas.


Choram ao ver o manto do nosso Cezar despedaçado.


Bons amigos, queridos amigos, não quero estimular a revolta de vocês. Aqueles que praticaram este ato são honrados. Quais queixas e interesses particulares os levaram a fazer o que fizeram, não sei. Mas são sábios e honrados e tenho certeza que apresentarão a vocês as suas razões.


Eu não vim para roubar seus corações. Eu não sou um bom orador como Brutus. Sou um homem simples e direto, que amo os meus amigos."


Seguem-se novamente comentários das pessoas, já agora lamentando o assassinato e condenando os assassinos.


Volta Marco Antônio:


"Aqui está o testamento, com o selo de Cezar. A cada cidadão ele deixou 75 dracmas. Mais, para vocês ele deixou seus bens. Seus sítios neste lado do Tibre, com suas árvores, seu pomar, para vocês e para os herdeiros de vocês e para sempre.


Este era Cezar. Quando aparecerá outro como ele?"

ACT III SCENE II	The Forum.
	Enter BRUTUS and CASSIUS, and a throng of Citizens.
Citizens	We will be satisfied; let us be satisfied.
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;	5
	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.	10
	Exit CASSIUS, with some of the Citizens. BRUTUS goes into the pulpit.
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.	33
All	None, Brutus, none.
BRUTUS	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.	39
	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.	46
All	Live, Brutus! live, live!
First Citizen	Bring him with triumph home unto his house.
Second Citizen	Give him a statue with his ancestors.
Third Citizen	Let him be Caesar.
Fourth Citizen	Caesar's better parts	50
	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,	55
	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,	60
	Save I alone, till Antony have spoke.
	Exit
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.	65
	Goes into the pulpit
Fourth Citizen	What does he say of Brutus?
Third Citizen	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.	70
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;	75
	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.	80
	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:	85
	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?	90
	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	95
	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,	100
	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;	105
	My heart is in the coffin there with Caesar,
	And I must pause till it come back to me.
First Citizen	Methinks there is much reason in his sayings.
Second Citizen	If thou consider rightly of the matter,
	Caesar has had great wrong.
Third Citizen	Has he, masters?	110
	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.	116
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.	120
	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	125
	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--	130
	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,	135
	Bequeathing it as a rich legacy
	Unto their issue.
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.	141
	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;	145
	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.
ANTONY	Will you be patient? will you stay awhile?
	I have o'ershot myself to tell you of it:	150
	I fear I wrong the honourable men
	Whose daggers have stabb'd Caesar; I do fear it.
Fourth Citizen	They were traitors: honourable men!
All	The will! the testament!
Second Citizen	They were villains, murderers: the will! read the will.	155
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?	160
Several Citizens	Come down.
Second Citizen	Descend.
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.	166
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	170
	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:	175
	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;	180
	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,	185
	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!	190
	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	195
	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!	200
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.	205
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:	210
	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.	215
	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:	220
	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,	226
	And Brutus Antony, there were an Antony
	Would ruffle up your spirits and put a tongue
	In every wound of Caesar that should move
	The stones of Rome to rise and mutiny.	230
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.	240
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,	250
	And to your heirs for ever, common pleasures,
	To walk abroad, and recreate yourselves.
	Here was a Caesar! when comes such another?
First Citizen	Never, never. Come, away, away!
	We'll burn his body in the holy place,	255
	And with the brands fire the traitors' houses.
	Take up the body.
Second Citizen	Go fetch fire.
Third Citizen	Pluck down benches.
Fourth Citizen	Pluck down forms, windows, any thing.
	Exeunt Citizens with the body.
ANTONY	Now let it work. Mischief, thou art afoot,	261
	Take thou what course thou wilt!
	Enter a Servant
	How now, fellow!
Servant	Sir, Octavius is already come to Rome.
ANTONY	Where is he?
Servant	He and Lepidus are at Caesar's house.
ANTONY	And thither will I straight to visit him:
	He comes upon a wish. Fortune is merry,
	And in this mood will give us any thing.
Servant	I heard him say, Brutus and Cassius	269
	Are rid like madmen through the gates of Rome.
ANTONY	Belike they had some notice of the people,
	How I had moved them. Bring me to Octavius.
	Exeunt

Next: Julius Caesar, Act 3, Scene 3