Final answer:
The famous quote is from Shakespeare's play 'Julius Caesar' and is said by the character Mark Antony during Caesar's funeral.
Step-by-step explanation:
The quote “Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears! I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him.” is from William Shakespeare's play Julius Caesar. It is a speech made by the character Mark Antony to the Roman public after the assassination of Julius Caesar, where Antony is requesting the attention of the people to hear his oration at Caesar's funeral. This speech is renowned for its rhetorical skill and manipulation, as Antony seeks to sway the populace against the conspirators without openly opposing them, leading to a riot and the eventual downfall of the conspirators.