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Stand not to answer; Here, take thou the hilts;
And, when my face is cover'd, as 'tis now,
Guide thou the sword. Cæsar, thou art reveng'd,
Even with the sword that kill'd thee.
[Dies.
Pin. So, I am free; yet would not so have been,
Durst I have done my will. O Cassius!
Far from this country Pindarus shall run,
Where never Roman shall take note of him. [Exit.

Re-enter TITINIUS, with MBSSALA.

Mes. It is but change, Titinius; for Octavius Is overthrown by noble Brutus' power,

As Cassius' legions are by Antony.

Tit. These tidings will well comfort Cassius.
Mes. Where did you leave him?
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 show 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.

Hie you, Messala,

Tit. 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 giv't thee!") Didst thou not hear their shouts ?

Alas, thou hast misconstrued every thing.
But hold thee, take this garland on thy brow;
Thy Brutus bid me give it thee, and I
Will do his bidding. Brutus, come apace,
And see how I regarded Caius Cassius.
By your leave, gods: - This is a Roman's part:
Come, Cassius' sword, and find Titinius' heart. [Dies.
Alarum. Re-enter MESSALA, with BRUTUS, young
CATO, STRATO, VOLUMNIUS, and LUCILIUS.
Bru. Where, where, Messala, doth his body lie?
Mes. Lo, yonder; and Titinius mourning it.
Bru. Titinius' face is upward.

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. Brave Titinius!

Cato.
Look, whe'r he have not crown'd dead Cassius!
Bru. Are yet two Romans living such as these? -
The last of all the Romans, fare thee well!
It is impossible, that ever Rome

Should breed thy fellow. - Friends, I owe more tears
To this dead man, than you shall see me pay.
I shall find time, Cassius, I shall find time.
Come, therefore, and to Thassos send his body;

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SCENE IV.

Another part of the Field.

Alarum. Enter fighting, Soldiers of both Armies;
then BRUTUS, CATO, LUCILIUS, and others.
Bru. Yet countrymen, O, yet hold up your heads!
Cato. What bastard doth not? Who will go with me?
I will proclaim my name about the field:
I am the son of Marcus Cato, ho!

A foe to tyrants, and my country's friend;

--

I am the son of Marcus Cato, ho! [Charges the Enemy. Bru. And I am Brutus, Marcus Brutus I; Brutus, my country's friend; know me for Brutus. [Exit, charging the Enemy. CATO is overpowered, and falls.

Luc. O young and noble Cato, art thou down? Why, now thou diest as bravely as Titinius; And may'st be honour'd being Cato's son. 9) 1 Sold. Yield, or thou diest. Luc. Only I yield to die. There is so much, that thou wilt kill me straight; [Offering Money.

Kill Brutus, and be honour'd in his death. 1 Sold. We must not. A noble prisoner! 2 Sold. Room, ho! Tell Antony, Brutus is ta'en. 1 Sold. I'll tell the news. Here comes the ge

neral:

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Brutus is ta'en, Brutus is ta'en, my lord.
Ant. Where is he?

Luc. Safe, Antony; Brutus is safe enough;
I dare assure thee, that no enemy
Shall ever take alive the noble Brutus:
The gods defend him from so great a shame!
When you do find him, or alive, or dead,
He will be found like Brutus, like himself.
Ant. This is not Brutus, friend; but, I assure you,
A prize no less in worth: keep this man safe,
Give him all kindness: I had rather have
Such men my friends, than enemies. Go on,
And see whe'r Brutus be alive, or dead:
And bring us word, unto Octavius' tent,
How every thing is chanc'd.

SCENE V.

Another part of the Field.

[Exeunt.

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Dar. To kill him, Clitus: Look, he meditates.
Cli. Now is that noble vessel full of grief,
That it runs over even at his eyes.

Bru. Come hither, good Volumnius: list a word.
Vol. What says my lord?
Bru.

Why, this, Volumnius:
The ghost of Cæsar hath appeared to me
Two several times by night: at Sardis, once;
And this last night, here in Philippi' fields.
I know, my hour is come.

Vol.

Not so, my lord.

Bru. Nay, I am sure it is, Volumnius. Thou see'st the world, Volumnius, how it goes; Our enemies have beat us to the pit: It is more worthy, to leap in ourselves, Than tarry till they push us. Good Volumnius, Thou know'st, that we two went to school together; Even for that our love of old, I pray thee, Hold thou my sword-hilts, whilst I run on it. Vol. That's not an office for a friend, my lord. [Alarum still. Cli. Fly, fly, my lord; there is no tarrying here.

Bru. Farewell to you and you; and you,

Volumnius.

Strato, thou hast been all this while asleep:
Farewell to thee too, Strato. Countrymen,
My heart doth joy, that yet, in all my life,
I found no man, but he was true to me.

I shall have glory by this losing day,
More than Octavius and Mark Antony,
By this vile conquest shall attain unto.

So, fare you well at once; for Brutus' tongue
Hath almost ended his life's history;

Night hangs upon mine eyes; my bones would rest,
That have but labour'd to attain this hour.
[Alarum. Cry within: Fly, fly, fly.

Cli. Fly, my lord, fly. Bru.

Hence; I will follow thee. '') [Exeunt CLITUS, DARDANIUS, and VOLUMNIUS. I pr'ythee, Strato, stay thou by thy lord: Thou art a fellow of a good respect; Thy life hath had some smatch of honour in it:

Hold then my sword, and turn away thy face,
While I do run upon it. Wilt thou, Strato?
Stra. Give me your hand first: Fare you well,
my lord.

Bru. Farewell, good Strato.- Cæsar, now be still: I kill'd not thee with half so good a will.

[He runs on his Sword, and dies.

Alarum. Retreat. Enter OCTAVIUS, ANTONY, MESSALA, LUCILIUS, and their Army.

Oct. What man is that? Mes. My master's man. master?

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Strato, where is thy

Stra. Free from the bondage you are in, Messala.
The conquerors can but make a fire of him;
For Brutus only overcame himself,

And no man else hath honour by his death.
Luc. So Brutus should be found. I thank thee,
Brutus,

That thou hast prov'd Lucilius' saying true. 12)
Oct. All that serv'd Brutus, I will entertain them. 13)
Fellow, wilt thou bestow thy time with me?
Stra. Ay, if Messala will prefer me to you. 14)
Oct. Do so, Messala. 15)
Mes.
How died my master, Strato?
Stra. I held the sword, and he did run on it.
Mes. Octavius, then take him to follow thee,
That did the latest service to my master.
Ant. This was the noblest Roman of them all:
All the conspirators, save only he,

Did that they did in envy of great Cæsar;
He only, in a general honest thought,
And common good to all, made one of them.
His life was gentle; and the elements
So mix'd in him, that Nature might stand up,
And say to all the world, This was a man!
Oct. According to his virtue let us use him,
With all respect and rites of burial.
Within my tent his bones to-night shall lie,
Most like a soldier, order'd honourably.
So call the field to rest: and let's away,
To part the glories of this happy day.

[Exeunt.

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PHILO,

MECENAS,

AGRIPPA,

DOLABELLA,

Friends to Cæsar.

PROCULEIUS,

THYREUS,

GALLUS,

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MENAS,

MENECRATES,

VARRIUS,

Friends of Pompey.

TAURUS, Lieutenant-General to Cæsar.

CANIDIUS, Lieutenant-General to Antony,

SILIUS, an Officer in Ventidius's Army.

EUPHRONIUS, an Ambassador from Antony to Cæsar. ALEXAS, MARDIAN, SELBUCUS, and DIOMEDES; Attendants on Cleopatra.

A Soothsayer.

A Clown.

CLEOPATRA, Queen of Egypt.

OCTAVIA, Sister to Cæsar, and Wife to Antony.
CHARMIAN,
IRAS,

} Attendants on Cleopatra.

Officers, Soldiers, Messengers, and other Attendants.

dispersed; in several Parts of the Roman Empire.

SCENE I. Alexandria. A Room in Cleopatra's Palace.

Enter DEMETRIUS and PHILO.

Philo.

NAY, but this dotage of our general's,
O'erflows the measure: those his goodly eyes,
That o'er the files and musters of the war
Have glow'd like plated Mars, now bend, now turn,
The office and devotion of their view
Upon a tawny front: his captain's heart,
Which in the scuffles of great fights hath burst
The buckles on his breast, reneges) all temper;
And is become the bellows, and the fan,
To cool a gipsy's lust. Look, where they come!
Flourish. Enter ANTONY and CLEOPATRA,
their Trains; Eunuchs fanning her.
Take but good note, and you shall see in him
The triple pillar 2) of the world transform'd
Into a strumpet's fool: behold and see.

with

Cleo. If it be love indeed, tell me how much.
Ant. There's beggary in the love that can be reckon❜d.
Cleo. I'll set a bourn 3) how far to be belov'd.
Ant. Then must thou needs find out new heaven,
new earth.

Enter an Attendant.
Att. News, my good lord, from Rome.
Ant.
Grates me:
Cleo. Nay, hear them, 5) Antony:
Fulvia, perchance, is angry; Or, who knows
If the scarce-bearded Cæsar have not sent
His powerful mandate to you, Do this, or this;

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As I am Egypt's queen,
Call in the messengers.
Thou blushest, Antony; and that blood of thine
Is Cæsar's homager: else so thy cheek pays shame,
When shrill-tongu'd Fulvia scolds. The messengers.
Ant. Let Rome in Tyber melt! and the wide arch
Of the rang'd empire fall! Here is my space;
Kingdoms are clay: our dungy earth alike
Feeds beast as inan: the nobleness of life
Is, to do thus; when such a mutual pair, [Embracing.
And such a twain can do't, in which, I bind,
On pain of punishment, the world to weet, 8)
We stand up peerless.

Cleo.
Excellent falsehood!
Why did he marry Fulvia, and not love her? —
I'll seem the fool I am not; Antony
Will be himself.

Ant.
But stirr'd by Cleopatra. -
Now, for the love of Love, and her soft hours, ")
Let's not confound the time 10) with conference harsh:
There's not a minute of our lives should stretch
Without some pleasure now: What sport to-night?
Cleo. Hear the ambassadors.
Ant.

Fye, wrangling queen!
The sum. 4) Whom every thing becomes, to chide, to laugh,
To weep; whose every passion fully strives
To make itself, in thee, fair and admir'd!
No messenger; but thine and all alone, 11)
To-night we'll wander through the streets, and note
43*

1

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The qualities of people. Come, my queen;
Last night you did desire it: Speak not to us.
[Exeunt ANT. and CLEOP. with their Train.
Dem. Is Cæsar with Antonius priz'd so slight?
Phi. Sir, sometimes, when he is not Antony,
He comes too short of that great property
Which still should go with Antony.

Dem.
I'm full sorry,
That he approves the common liar, 12) who
Thus speaks of him at Rome: But I will hope
Of better deeds to-morrow, Rest you happy!

SCENE II.

[Exeunt.

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Eno. Bring in the banquet quickly; wine enough,
Cleopatra's health to drink.

Char. Good sir, give me good fortune.
Sooth. I make not, but foresce.

Char. Pray then, foresee me one.

Sooth. You shall be yet far fairer than you are.
Char. He means, in flesh.

Iras. No, you shall paint, when you are old.
Char. Wrinkles forbid!

Alex. Vex not his prescience; be attentive.
Char. Hush!

Sooth. You shall be more beloving, than beloved.
Char. I had rather heat my liver with drinking.
Alex. Nay, hear him.

Char. Good now, some excellent fortune! Let me be married to three kings in a forenoon, and widow them all: let me have a child at fifty, to whom Herod of Jewry may do homage: 14) find me to marry me with Octavius Cæsar, and companion me with my mistress.

Sooth. You shall outlive the lady whom you serve. Char. O excellent! I love long life better than figs. 15)

Sooth. You have seen and proved a fairer former

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Char. Nay, come, tell Iras hers.

Alex. We'll know all our fortunes.

Char. Even as the overflowing Nilus presageth famine.

Iras. Go, you wild bedfellow, you cannot soothsay. Char. Nay, if an oily palm be not a fruitful prognostication, I cannot scratch mine ear. - 'Pr'ythee, tell her but a worky-day fortune.

Sooth. Your fortunes are alike.

Iras. But how, but how? give me particulars.
Sooth. I have said.

Iras. Am I not an inch of fortune better than she?
Char. Well, if you were but an inch of fortune
better than I, where would you choose it?
Iras. Not in my husband's nose.

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Char. Our worser thoughts heavens mend! Alexas, come, his fortune, his fortune. O, let him marry a woman that cannot go, sweet Isis, I beseech thee! And let her die too, and give him a worse! and let worse follow worse, till the worst cuckold! Good Isis, hear me this prayer, though of all follow him laughing to his grave, fifty-fold a thou deny me a matter of more weight; good Isis,

I beseech thee!

Iras. Amen. Dear goddess, hear that prayer of the people! for, as it is a heart-breaking to see a handsome man loose-wived, so it is a deadly sorrow to behold a foul knave uncuckolded; Therefore, dear Isis, keep decorum, and fortune him accordingly! Char. Amen.

Alex. Lo, now! if it lay in their hands to make me a cuckold, they would make themselves whores, but they'd do't.

Eno. Hush! here comes Antony.
Char.

Not he, the queen.

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But soon that war had end, and the time's state
Made friends of them, jointing their force 'gainst
Cæsar;

Whose better issue in the war, from Italy,
Upon the first encounter, drave them.
Ant.
What worst?

Well,

Mess. The nature of bad news infects the teller. Ant. When it concerns the fool, or coward. — On : Things, that are past, are done, with me.- "Tis thus; Who tells me true, though in his tale lie death, I hear him as he flatter'd. Mess.

Labienus

(This is stiff news) hath, with his Parthian force,

Eno. Mine, and most of our fortunes, to-night,|| Extended Asia from Euphrates; 19) shall be drunk to bed.

His conquering banner shook, from Syria

Iras. There's a palm presages chastity, if nothing To Lydia, and to Ionia;

else.

Whilst

Ant.

Mess.

Antony, thou would'st say,

O, my lord! Ant. Speak to me home, mince not the general tongue;

Name Cleopatra as she's call'd in Rome:
Rail thou in Fulvia's phrase; and taunt my faults
With such full licence, as both truth and malice
Have power to utter. O, then we bring forth weeds,
When our quick winds lie still; 20) and our ills told us,
Is as our earing. Fare thee well a while.
Mess. At your noble pleasure.

[Exit. Ant. From Sicyon how the news? Speak there. 1 Att. The man from Sicyon. Is there such an

one?

2 Att. He stays upon your will.

Ant. Let him appear, These strong Egyptian fetters I must break,

Enter another Messenger.

Or lose myself in dotage. What are you? 2 Mess. Fulvia thy wife is dead. Ant.

Ant.

Where died she?

2 Mess. In Sicyon:
Her length of sickness, with what else more serious
Importeth thee to know, this bears. _[Gives a Letter.
Forbear me. —
[Exit Messenger.
There's a great spirit gone! Thus did I desire it:
What our contempts do often hurl from us,
We wish it ours again; the present pleasure,
By revolution lowering, does become

The opposite of itself: 21) she's good, being gone;
The hand could pluck her back, 22) that shov'd her on.
I must from this enchanting queen break off;
Ten thousand harms, more than the ills I know,
My idleness doth hatch. How now! Enobarbus!

-

Enter ENOBARBUS.

Eno. What's your pleasure, sir?
Ant. I must with haste from hence.

Eno. Why, then, we kill all our women: We see how mortal an unkindness is to them; if they suffer our departure, death's the word.

Ant. I must be gone.

Eno. Under a compelling occasion, let women die : It were pity to cast them away for nothing; though, between them and a great cause, they should be esteemed nothing. Cleopatra, catching but the least noise of this, dies instantly; I have seen her die twenty times upon far poorer moment: 23) I do think, there is mettle in death, which commits some loving act upon her, she hath such a celerity in dying.

Ant. She is cunning past man's thought. Eno. Alack, sir, no; her passions are made of nothing but the finest part of pure love: We cannot call her winds and waters, sighs and tears; they are greater storms and tempests than almanacs can report: this cannot be cunning in her; if it be, she makes a shower of rain as well as Jove.

Ant. 'Would I had never seen her!

Eno. O, sir, you had then left unseen a wonderful piece of work; which not to have been blessed withal, would have discredited your travel. Ant. Fulvia is dead.

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were no more women but Fulvia, then had you indeed a cut, and the case to be lamented; this grief is crowned with consolation; your old smock brings forth a new petticoat: and, indeed, the tears live in an onion, that should water this sorrow.

Ant. The business she hath broached in the state, Cannot endure my absence.

Eno. And the business you have broached here cannot be without you; especially that of Cleopatra's, which wholly depends on your abode. Ant. No more light answers. Let our officers Have notice what we purpose. I shall break The cause of our expedience 24) to the queen, And get her love to part. 25) For not alone The death of Fulvia, with more urgent touches, 26) Do strongly speak to us; but the letters too Of many our contriving friends in Rome Petition us at home: Sextus Pompeius Hath given the dare to Cæsar, and commands The empire of the sea: our slippery people (Whose love is never link'd to the deserver, Till his deserts are past,) begin to throw Pompey the great, and all his dignities, Upon his son; who, high in name and power, Higher than both in blood and life, stands up For the main soldier: whose quality, going on, The sides o'the world may danger: Much is breeding, Which, like the courser's hair, 27) hath yet but life, And not a serpent's poison. Say, our pleasure, To such whose place is under us, requires Our quick remove from hence. Eno. I shall do't.

SCENE III.

[Exeunt.

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What says the married woman? You may go;
'Would, she had never given you leave to come!
Let her not say, 'tis I that keep you here,
I have no power upon you; hers you are.
Ant. The gods best know,
Cleo.

O, never was there queen

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