Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears
Encyclopedia
Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears is the first line of a famous and often-quoted speech by Mark Antony
in the play Julius Caesar
, by William Shakespeare
. It is taken from Act III, scene II.
Antony uses many rhetorical questions to persuade the people to go against the conspirators and support him and Caesar's goals. Brutus is a respectable man and is himself honourable, but most importantly he has mastered the art of rhetoric. Antony states in his speech that "[Brutus] Hath told you Caesar was ambitious", and then Antony retorts with "I thrice presented him [Caesar] a kingly crown which he did thrice refuse." By doing that, Antony carefully rebuts Brutus' statement that Caesar was ambitious and starts turning the crowd against the conspirators.
Throughout his speech Antony continues with his pledge to the conspirators by calling them "honourable men", but the crowd feels a sense of sarcasm each time he calls them that. He then says "You [the crowd] all did love him once, not without cause. What cause withholds you then to mourn for him?" This rhetorical question goes against Brutus by questioning his speech in which he so greatly demonized and demeaned Caesar. Now the crowd is starting to turn against the conspirators and follow Antony.
Antony then teases the crowd with Caesar's will, which they beg him to read, but he refuses. Antony tells the crowd to "have patience" and expresses his feeling that he will "wrong the honourable men whose daggers have stabbed Caesar" if he is to read the will. The crowd yells out "they were traitors" and have at this time completely turned against the conspirators and are inflamed about Caesar's death.
To refute Brutus' claim that Caesar was a heartless tyrant Antony recounts "how dearly he [Caesar] loved him [Brutus]". Next, Antony humbles himself as "no orator, as Brutus is" hinting that Brutus used trickery in his speech to deceive the crowd. After that Antony deals his final blow by revealing to the crowd Caesar's will, in which "To every Roman citizen he gives, to every several man seventy-five drachmas" as well as land. He then asks the crowd, "Here was a Caesar, when comes such another?", which questions the conspirators' ability to lead. Finally, Antony releases the crowd and utters, "Now let it work. Mischief, thou art afoot. Take thou what course thou wilt." After this the crowd riots and searches out the traitors in an attempt to kill them.
Even though in his speech Antony never directly calls the conspirators traitors, he is able to call them "honourable" in a sarcastic manner that the crowd is able to understand. He starts out by citing that Caesar had thrice refused the crown, which refutes the conspirators' main cause for killing Caesar. He reminds them of Caesar's kindness and love for all, humanizing Caesar as innocent. Next he teases them with the will until they demand he read it, and he reveals Caesar's 'gift' to the citizens. Finally, Mark Antony leaves them with the question, was there ever a greater one than Caesar?, which infuriates the crowd. He then turns and weeps.
Antony uses the "Ceremonial" mode of persuasion in order to convince his audience that Caesar is not worthy of honor and praise. Antony must use "pathos" in order to appeal to the emotion of the audience. He must understand the disposition of the audience in order to successfully persuade his audience that Caesar truly was an ambitious man.
used the line
"lend me your ears and I'll sing you a song"
in "With a Little Help from My Friends
", 1967
The line
Friends, Romans, Countrymen, lend your ears to me
appears in "Stabbed in the back" song about the murder of Julius Caesar in "Histeria" TV series.
André 3000
of Outkast
opens his verse of Goodie Mob
's 1998 single "Black Ice (Sky High)" with the line "Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your eardrums...".
In the song "Act III Scene 2", by Saul Williams, he sings the lyrics "This one goes out to my man, taking cover in the trenches with a gun in his hand. Then gets home and no one flinches when he can't feed his fam. But Brutus is an honorable man." The title of the song refers to Shakespeare's "Julius Caesar", Act 3 Scene 2, the very scene the "honorable man" quote derives from.
The line "Here ye, here ye, friends and Romans, countrymen" appears in Frank Turner
's song, I Still Believe
from the 2011 album England Keep My Bones
.
The line "Friends, Romans, Countrymen, lend your ears" appears in the Talib Kweli song, "Listen" from the 2007 album, "Eardrum."
.
Indeed, comparisons have been drawn between this famous speech and political speeches throughout history in terms of the rhetorical devices employed to win over a crowd; see, for instance, the 1935 essay by Kenneth Burke
titled "Antony in Behalf of the Play," which ventriloquizes Antony's speech in order to reveal its manipulative devices (in Kenneth Burke on Shakespeare 2007). Bertolt Brecht
has a demagogue trained in political rhetoric by an actor using this speech in The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui
. It is also a demonstration of political populism
.
The character of Antony is later seen mocking Brutus
, saying that maybe his speech was too "cerebral" for the crowd.
The portion of the speech "But Brutus was an honourable man" is referenced in the opening scene of the West Wing Season 3 episode 18 "Enemies Foreign and Domestic
"
In episode #79 of Season 3 of The Cosby Show
Theo and Cockroach do a rap version of this speech.
Mark Antony
Marcus Antonius , known in English as Mark Antony, was a Roman politician and general. As a military commander and administrator, he was an important supporter and loyal friend of his mother's cousin Julius Caesar...
in the play Julius Caesar
Julius Caesar (play)
The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, also known simply as Julius Caesar, is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written in 1599. It portrays the 44 BC conspiracy against...
, by William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
. It is taken from Act III, scene II.
Setting
In Antony's funeral oration, he agrees by his agreement with Brutus not to place blame on the conspirators. However, he manages to turn the mob against the conspirators.Antony uses many rhetorical questions to persuade the people to go against the conspirators and support him and Caesar's goals. Brutus is a respectable man and is himself honourable, but most importantly he has mastered the art of rhetoric. Antony states in his speech that "[Brutus] Hath told you Caesar was ambitious", and then Antony retorts with "I thrice presented him [Caesar] a kingly crown which he did thrice refuse." By doing that, Antony carefully rebuts Brutus' statement that Caesar was ambitious and starts turning the crowd against the conspirators.
Throughout his speech Antony continues with his pledge to the conspirators by calling them "honourable men", but the crowd feels a sense of sarcasm each time he calls them that. He then says "You [the crowd] all did love him once, not without cause. What cause withholds you then to mourn for him?" This rhetorical question goes against Brutus by questioning his speech in which he so greatly demonized and demeaned Caesar. Now the crowd is starting to turn against the conspirators and follow Antony.
Antony then teases the crowd with Caesar's will, which they beg him to read, but he refuses. Antony tells the crowd to "have patience" and expresses his feeling that he will "wrong the honourable men whose daggers have stabbed Caesar" if he is to read the will. The crowd yells out "they were traitors" and have at this time completely turned against the conspirators and are inflamed about Caesar's death.
To refute Brutus' claim that Caesar was a heartless tyrant Antony recounts "how dearly he [Caesar] loved him [Brutus]". Next, Antony humbles himself as "no orator, as Brutus is" hinting that Brutus used trickery in his speech to deceive the crowd. After that Antony deals his final blow by revealing to the crowd Caesar's will, in which "To every Roman citizen he gives, to every several man seventy-five drachmas" as well as land. He then asks the crowd, "Here was a Caesar, when comes such another?", which questions the conspirators' ability to lead. Finally, Antony releases the crowd and utters, "Now let it work. Mischief, thou art afoot. Take thou what course thou wilt." After this the crowd riots and searches out the traitors in an attempt to kill them.
Even though in his speech Antony never directly calls the conspirators traitors, he is able to call them "honourable" in a sarcastic manner that the crowd is able to understand. He starts out by citing that Caesar had thrice refused the crown, which refutes the conspirators' main cause for killing Caesar. He reminds them of Caesar's kindness and love for all, humanizing Caesar as innocent. Next he teases them with the will until they demand he read it, and he reveals Caesar's 'gift' to the citizens. Finally, Mark Antony leaves them with the question, was there ever a greater one than Caesar?, which infuriates the crowd. He then turns and weeps.
Antony uses the "Ceremonial" mode of persuasion in order to convince his audience that Caesar is not worthy of honor and praise. Antony must use "pathos" in order to appeal to the emotion of the audience. He must understand the disposition of the audience in order to successfully persuade his audience that Caesar truly was an ambitious man.
Songs
The BeatlesThe Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
used the line
"lend me your ears and I'll sing you a song"
in "With a Little Help from My Friends
With a Little Help from My Friends
-Joe Cocker version:Joe Cocker's version was a radical re-arrangement of the original, in a slower, 6/8 meter, using different chords in the middle eight, and a lengthy instrumental introduction...
", 1967
The line
Friends, Romans, Countrymen, lend your ears to me
appears in "Stabbed in the back" song about the murder of Julius Caesar in "Histeria" TV series.
André 3000
André 3000
André Lauren Benjamin , better known by his stage name André 3000 is an American rapper, singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and actor, best known for being part of American hip-hop duo OutKast alongside fellow rapper Big Boi...
of Outkast
OutKast
Outkast is an American hip hop duo based in East Point, Georgia, consisting of Atlanta native André "André 3000" Benjamin and Savannah, Georgia-born Antwan "Big Boi" Patton. They were originally known as Two Shades Deep but later changed the group's name to OutKast...
opens his verse of Goodie Mob
Goodie Mob
Goodie Mob is a Hip Hop act based in Atlanta, Georgia that formed in 1991 and currently consists of members Cee-Lo Green, Khujo, T-Mo and Big Gipp.-History:The group's name acts as a double backronym...
's 1998 single "Black Ice (Sky High)" with the line "Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your eardrums...".
In the song "Act III Scene 2", by Saul Williams, he sings the lyrics "This one goes out to my man, taking cover in the trenches with a gun in his hand. Then gets home and no one flinches when he can't feed his fam. But Brutus is an honorable man." The title of the song refers to Shakespeare's "Julius Caesar", Act 3 Scene 2, the very scene the "honorable man" quote derives from.
The line "Here ye, here ye, friends and Romans, countrymen" appears in Frank Turner
Frank Turner
Frank Turner is an English folk/punk singer-songwriter from Meonstoke, Winchester. Initially the vocalist of post-hardcore band Million Dead, Turner embarked upon a primarily acoustic-based solo career following the band's split in 2005. To date, Turner has released four solo albums, two rarities...
's song, I Still Believe
I Still Believe (Frank Turner Song)
"I Still Believe" is the ninth single by UK based songwriter Frank Turner, and the first of his fourth EP Rock & Roll. It was released on 28 October 2010.The song was also featured on his fourth full-length studio album England Keep My Bones....
from the 2011 album England Keep My Bones
England Keep My Bones
England Keep My Bones is the fourth studio album by London-based singer-songwriter Frank Turner, released on June 6, 2011, on Xtra Mile in the United Kingdom, and on June 7, 2011, on Epitaph Records worldwide...
.
The line "Friends, Romans, Countrymen, lend your ears" appears in the Talib Kweli song, "Listen" from the 2007 album, "Eardrum."
As an icon of rhetoric
The speech is a famous example of the use of emotionally charged rhetoricRhetoric
Rhetoric is the art of discourse, an art that aims to improve the facility of speakers or writers who attempt to inform, persuade, or motivate particular audiences in specific situations. As a subject of formal study and a productive civic practice, rhetoric has played a central role in the Western...
.
Indeed, comparisons have been drawn between this famous speech and political speeches throughout history in terms of the rhetorical devices employed to win over a crowd; see, for instance, the 1935 essay by Kenneth Burke
Kenneth Burke
Kenneth Duva Burke was a major American literary theorist and philosopher. Burke's primary interests were in rhetoric and aesthetics.-Personal history:...
titled "Antony in Behalf of the Play," which ventriloquizes Antony's speech in order to reveal its manipulative devices (in Kenneth Burke on Shakespeare 2007). Bertolt Brecht
Bertolt Brecht
Bertolt Brecht was a German poet, playwright, and theatre director.An influential theatre practitioner of the 20th century, Brecht made equally significant contributions to dramaturgy and theatrical production, the latter particularly through the seismic impact of the tours undertaken by the...
has a demagogue trained in political rhetoric by an actor using this speech in The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui
The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui
The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui is a play by the German dramatist Bertolt Brecht, originally written in 1941...
. It is also a demonstration of political populism
Populism
Populism can be defined as an ideology, political philosophy, or type of discourse. Generally, a common theme compares "the people" against "the elite", and urges social and political system changes. It can also be defined as a rhetorical style employed by members of various political or social...
.
Television
The famous speech is alluded to in the television series Rome, though the speech itself is left unheard.The character of Antony is later seen mocking Brutus
Brutus
Brutus is the cognomen of the Roman gens Junia, a prominent family of the Roman Republic. The plural of Brutus is Bruti, and the vocative form is Brute, as immortalized in the quotation "Et tu, Brute?", from Shakespeare's play, Julius Caesar....
, saying that maybe his speech was too "cerebral" for the crowd.
The portion of the speech "But Brutus was an honourable man" is referenced in the opening scene of the West Wing Season 3 episode 18 "Enemies Foreign and Domestic
Enemies Foreign and Domestic
"Enemies Foreign and Domestic" is episode 62 of The West Wing. Dulé Hill, who plays Charlie Young, was nominated for an Emmy in 2002 for his performances in this and the Hartsfield's Landing episodes.-Plot:...
"
In episode #79 of Season 3 of The Cosby Show
The Cosby Show
The Cosby Show is an American television situation comedy starring Bill Cosby, which aired for eight seasons on NBC from September 20, 1984 until April 30, 1992...
Theo and Cockroach do a rap version of this speech.