2 Cit. It is no matter, his name's Cinna; pluck | Things done, undone; but, if he be at hand, ACT IV. Prick him down, Antony. The Capitol. Or here, or at [Exit Lepidus. Ant. This is a slight unmeritable man, Ant. Octavius, I have seen more days than you: Oct. You may do your will; But he's a tried and valiant soldier. Ant. So is my horse, Octavius; and, for that, It is a creature that I teach to fight, His corporal motion govern'd by my spirit. He must be taught, and train'd, and bid go forth: [out; Our best friends made, and our best means stretch'd Oct. Let us do so: for we are at the stake, And some, that smile, have in their hearts, I fear, [Exeunt. SCENE II. Before Brutus' Tent, in the Camp near Sardis. Drum. Enter BRUTUS, LUCILIUS, LUCIUS, and Luc. Give the word, ho! and stand. Bru. What now, Lucilius? is Cassius near? (Pindarus gives a letter to Brutus.) I do not doubt, Bru. He is not doubted.-A word, Lucilius: Bru. Thou hast describ'd A hot friend cooling: Ever note, Lucilius, There are no tricks in plain and simple faith: Bru. [ter'd; (March within.) Hark, he is arriv'd:March gently on to meet him. Enter CASSIUS and Soldiers. Cas. Stand, ho! Bru. Stand, ho! Speak the word along. Within. Stand. Cas. Most noble brother, you have done me Cas. Bru. Lucilius, do the like; and let no man Cas. That you have wrong'd me, doth appear in You have condemn'd and noted Lucius Pella, Bru. You wrong'd yourself, to write in such a Cas. Is't possible? Bru. Hear me, for I will speak. Must I give way and room to your rash choler? Shall I be frighted, when a madman stares? Cas. O ye gods! ye gods! Must I endure all this? Bru. All this? ay, more: Fret, till your proud heart break; o, shew your slaves how choleric you are, And make your bondmen tremble. Must I badge? Must I observe you! Must I stand and crouch Under your testy humour? By the gods, You shall digest the venom of your spleen, Though it do split you; for, from this day forth, I'll use you for my mirth, yea, for my laughter, When you are waspish. Cas. Is it come to this? Bru. You say, you are a better soldier : Let it appear so; make your vaunting true, And it shall please me well: For mine own part, I shall be glad to learn of noble men. Cas. You wrong me every way, you wrong me, I said, an elder soldier, not a better: [Brutus ; Did I say, better? Bru. If you did, I care not. Cas. When Cæsar liv'd, he durst not thus have imov'd me. [him. Bru. Peace, peace; you durst not so have tempted Cas. I durst not? Bru. A flatterer's would not, though they do apAs huge as high Olympus. [pear Cas. Come, Antony, and young Octavius, come, Revenge yourselves alone on Cassius, For Cassius is a-weary of the world: Hated by one he loves; brav'd by his brother; Check 'd like a bondman; all his faults observ'd, Set in a note-book, learn'd and conn'd by rote, To cast into my teeth. O, I could weep My spirit from mine eyes!-There is my dagger, And here my naked breast; within, a heart Dearer than Plutus' mine, richer than gold: If that thou be'st a Roman, take it forth, I, that denied thee gold, will give my heart: Strike, as thou didst at Cæsar; for, I know, When thou didst hate him worst, thou lov'dst him Than ever thou lov'dst Cassius. [better Bru. Sheath your dagger: Be angry when you will, it shall have scope; Do what you will, dishonour shall be humour. O Cassius, you are yoked with a lamb, That carries anger, as the flint bears fire; Who, much enforced, shews a hasty spark, And straight is cold again. Cas. Hath Cassius liv'd To be but mirth and laughter to his Brutus, When grief, and blood ill-temper'd, vexeth him? Bru. When I spoke that, I was ill-temper'd too. Cas. Do you confess so much? Give me your Bru. And my heart too. [band. Cas. Bru. O Brutus !— What's the matter? Cas. Have you not love enough to bear with me, When that rash humour, which my mother gave me, Makes me forgetful? Bru. Yes, Cassius; and, henceforth, When you are over-earnest with your Brutus, He'll think your mother chides, and leave you so. (Noise within.) Poet. (Within.) Let me go in to see the generals; There is some grudge between them, 'tis not meet They be alone. Luc. (Within.) You shall not come to them. Poet. (Within.) Nothing but death shall stay me. Enter Poet. Cas. How now? What's the matter? [mean? Poet. For shame, you generals; what do you Love, and be friends, as two such men should be; For I have seen more years, I am sure, than ye. Cas. Ha, ha; how vilely doth this cynic rhyme! Bru. Get you hence, sirrah; saucy .ellow, hence. Cas. Bear with him, Brutus; 'tis his fashion. Bru. I'll know his humour, when he knows his Bru. You have done that, you should be sorry There is no terror, Cassius, in your threats; For I am arm'd so strong in honesty, That they pass by me as the idle wind, Which I respect not. I did send to you For certain sums of gold, which you deny'd me ;- Companion, hence. Cas. For I can raise no money by vile means: To you for gold to pay my legions, Which you denied me: Was that done like Cassius? Cas. Bru. You did. Cas. I denied you not. I did not :-he was but a fool, That brought my answer back.-Brutus bath riv'd my heart: A friend should bear his friend's infirmities, time: What should the wars do with these jigging fools? Away, away, be gone. Enter LUCILIUS and TITINIUS. Immediately to us. [Exeunt Lucilius and Titinius. If you give place to accidental evils. Bru. No man bears sorrow better:-Portia is Cas. Ha! Portia? Bru. She is dead. [dead. [so? Cas. How 'scap'd I killing, when I cross'd you O insupportable and touching loss!Upon what sickness? Bru. Impatient of my absence; And grief, that young Octavius with Mark Antony Have made themselves so strong;-for with her death That tidings came;-With this she fell distract, And her attendants absent, swallow'd fire. Cas. And died so? Bru. Even so. Cas. O ye immortal gods! Enter LUCIUS, with wine and tapers. Bru. Speak no more of ber.-Give me a bowl of wine: In this I bury all unkindness, Cassius. (Drinks.) Now sit we close about this taper here, That young Octavius, and Mark Antony, Mes. Myself have letters of the self-same tenour. Mes. That by proscription, and bills of outlawry, Octavius, Antony, and Lepidus, Have put to death an hundred senators. Bru. Therein our letters do not well agree; Mes. Mes. Nor nothing in your letters writ of her? Mes. Bru. Now, as you are a Roman, tell me true. Mes. Then like a Roman bear the truth I tell : For certain she is dead, and by strange manner. Bru. Why, farewell, Portia, We must die, Messala: [dure. With meditating that she must die once, But yet my nature could not bear it so. Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune; Is bound in shallows, and in miseries. And we must take the current when it serves, Cas. Then, with your will, go on; We'll along ourselves, and meet them at Philippi. Bru. The deep of night is crept upon our talk, And nature must obey necessity; Which we will niggard with a little rest. There is no more to say? Cas. Good night, Titinius :-Noble, noble Cassius, Cas. O my dear brother! This was an ill beginning of the night: Never come such division 'tween our souls! Let it not, Brutus. Bru. Every thing is well. Cas. Good night, my lord. Bru. Good night, good brother. Tit. & Mes. Good night, lord Brutus. Farewell, every one. [Exeunt Cas. Tit. and Mes. Re-enter LUCIUS, with the gown. Where is thy instrument? Give me the gown. Bru. I will not have it so: lie down, good sirs; It may be, I shall otherwise bethink me. Look, Lucius, here's the book I sought for so; I put it in the pocket of my gown. (Servants lie down) Luc. I was sure, your lordship did not give it me. Bru. Bear with me, good boy, I am much forgetful. Canst thou hold up thy heavy eyes awhile, Bru. Well, to our work alive. What do you And touch thy instrument a strain or two? think 'Tis better, that the enemy seek us: So shall he waste his means, weary his soldiers, Doing himself offence; whilst we, lying still, Are full of rest, defence, and nimbleness. Bru. Good reasons must, of force, give place to The people, 'twixt Philippi and this ground, We, at the height, are ready to decline. Luc. Ay, my lord, an it please you. Bru. It does, my boy: I trouble thee too much, but thou art willing. Luc. It is my duty, sir. Bru. I should not urge thy duty past thy might; I know, young bloods look for a time of rest. Luc. I have slept, my lord, already. Bru. It is well done; and thou shalt sleep again; I will not hold thee long: if I do live, I will be good to thee. (Music, and a Song.) This is a sleepy tune :-O murd'rous slumber! Lay'st thou thy leaden mace upon my boy, That plays thee music?-Gentle knave, good night; I will not do thee so much wrong to wake thee. If thou dost nod, thou break'st thy instrument; I'll take it from thee; and, good boy, good night. Let me see, let me see;-Is not the leaf turn'd down, Where I left reading? Here it is, I think. (He sits down.) Enter the Ghost of Cæsar. How ill this taper burns!-Ha! who comes here? I think it is the weakness of mine eyes, That shapes this monstrous apparition. It comes upon me:-Art thou any thing? Art thou some god, some angel, or some devil, That mak'st my blood cold, and my hair to stare? Speak to me, what thou art. SCENE I.-The Plains of Philippi. Enter OCTAVIUS, ANTONY, and their Army. Oct. Now, Antony, our hopes are answered: You said, the enemy would not come down, But keep the hills and upper regions; It proves not so: their battles are at hand; They mean to warn us at Philippi here, Answering before we do demand of them. Ant. Tut, I am in their bosoms, and I know Wherefore they do it: they could be content To visit other places; and come down With fearful bravery, thinking, by this face, To fasten in our thoughts that they have courage; But 'tis not so. Mess. Enter a Messenger. Prepare you, generals: The enemy comes on in gallant shew; Their bloody sign of battle is hung out, And something to be done immediately. Ant. Octavius, lead your battle softly on Upon the left hand of the even field. Oct. Upon the right hand I, keep thou the left. Ant. Why do you cross me in this exigent? Oct. I do not cross you; but I will do so. (March.) Drum. Enter BRUTUS, CASSIUS, and their Army; LUCINIUS, TITINIUS, MESSALA, and others. Bru. They stand, and would have parley. Cas. Stand fast, Titinius: We must out and talk. Oct. Mark Antony, shall we give sign of battle? Ant. No, Cæsar, we will answer on their charge. Make forth, the generals would have some words. Oct. Stir not until the signal. [men? Bru. Words before blows: Is it so, countryOct. Not that we love words better, as you do. Bru. Good words are better than bad strokes, Octavius. [words: Ant. In your bad strokes, Brutus, you give good Witness the hole you made in Cæsar's heart, Crying, Long live! hail, Cæsar! Cas. Antony, The posture of your blows are yet unknown; But for your words, they rob the Hybla bees, And leave them honeyless. Ant. Not stingless too. Bru. O, yes, and soundless too; Ant. Villains, you did not so, when your vile daggers Hack'd one another in the sides of Cæsar : And bow'd like bondmen, kissing Cæsar's feet; [us sweat, I draw a sword against conspirators; So I hope; I was not born to die on Brutus' sword. nour, Bru. O, if thou wert the noblest of thy strain, Young man, thou could'st not die more honourable. Cas. A peevish schoolboy, worthless of such boJoin'd with a masker and a reveller. Ant. Old Cassius still! Oct. Come, Antony; away.— Defiance, traitors, hurl we in your teeth: If you dare fight to-day, come to the field; If not, when you have stomachs. [Exeunt Octavius, Antony, and their Army. Cas. Why now, blow, wind; swell, billow; and swim, bark! The storm is up, and all is on the hazard. Lucilius; hark, a word with you. My lord. (Brutus and Lucilius converse apart.) Cas. Messala,— Mes. Cas. What says my general? This is my birth-day; as this very day Messala, Was Cassius born. Give me thy hand, Messala: Upon one battle all our liberties. Bru. Even by the rule of that philosophy, Cas. [Roman, Bru. No, Cassius, no: think not, thou noble That ever Brutus will go bound to Rome; He bears too great a mind. But this same day Must end that work, the ides of March began; And whether we shall meet again, I know not. Therefore our everlasting farewell take :For ever, and for ever, farewell, Cassius! If we do meet again, why we shall smile; If not, why then this parting was well made. Cas. For ever, and for ever, farewell, Brutus! If we do meet again, we'll smile indeed; If not, 'tis true, this parting was well made. Bru. Why then, lead on.-O, that a man might know The end of this day's business, ere it come! [Exeunt. SCENE II.-The same. The Field of Battle. Alarum. Enter BRUTUS and MESSALA. Bru. Ride, ride, Messala, ride, and give these Unto the legions on the other side: [bills (Loud alarum.) Let them set on at once; for I perceive But cold demeanour in Octavius' wing, And sudden push gives them the overthrow. Ride, ride, Messala; let them all come down. [Exeunt. SCENE III.-The same. Another Part of the Field. Alarum. Enter CASSIUS and TITINIUS. Cas. O, look, Titinius, look, the villains fly! Myself have to mine own turn'd enemy: This ensign here of mine was turning back; I slew the coward, and did take it from him. Tit. O Cassius, Brutus gave the word too early: Who, having some advantage on Octavius, Took it too eagerly; his soldiers fell to spoil, Whilst we by Antony are all enclos'd. Enter PINDARUS. Pin. Fly further off, my lord, fly further off; [nius; Exit. Come hither, sirrah : In Parthia did I take thee prisoner; Tit. These tidings will well comfort Cassius. Tit. All disconsolate, With Pindarus his bondman, on this hill. Mes. Is not that he, that lies upon the ground? Tit. He lies not like the living. O my heart! Mes. Is not that he? Tit. No, this was he, Messala, But Cassius is no more.-O setting sun! As in thy red rays thou dost sink to-night, So in his red blood Cassius' day is set; The sun of Rome is set! Our day is gone; Clouds, dews, and dangers come; our deeds are done! Mistrust of my success hath done this deed. Mes. Mistrust of good success hath done this deed. O hateful error, melancholy's child! Why dost thou shew to the apt thoughts of men The things that are not? O error, soon conceiv'd, Thou never com'st unto a happy birth, But kill'st the mother that engender'd thee. Tit. What, Pindarus! Where art thou, Pindarus? Mes. Seek him, Titinius: whilst I go to meet The noble Brutus, thrusting this report Into his ears: I may say, thrusting it; For piercing steel, and darts envenomed, Shall be as welcome to the ears of Brutus, As tidings of this sight. Tit. Hie you, Messala, And I will seek for Pindarus the while. [Exit Messala. Why didst thou send me forth, brave Cassius? Did I not meet thy friends? and did not they Put on my brows this wreath of victory, And bid me give't thee? Didst thou not hear their shouts? Alas, thou hast misconstrued every thing. But hold thee, take this garland on thy brow; Cato. He is slain. Bru. O Julius Cæsar, thou art mighty yet! Thy spirit walks abroad, and turns our swords In our own proper entrails. (Low alarums.) Cato. Brave Titinius! Look whe'r he have not crown'd dead Cassius! Bru. Are yet two Romans living such as these?— |