Cas. I did not think, you could have been so angry. Bru. O Cassins, I am sick of many griefs. Cas. Of your philosophy you make no use, If you give place to accidental evils.
Bru. No man bears sorrow better. -Portia is dead. Cas. Ha! Portia?
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
better.
The people, 'twixt Philippi and this ground,
Do stand but in a forc'd affection;
Cas. How 'scap'd I killing, when I cross'd you│For they have grudg'd us contribution: so?
Enter LUCIUS, with wine and tapers.
The enemy, marching along by them,
By them shall make a fuller number up,
Come on refresh'd, new-added, and encourag'd;
From which advantage shall we cut him off,
If at Philippi we do face him there,
These people at our back.
Cas. Hear me, good brother!
Bru. Under your pardon! - You must note beside,
That we have try'd the utmost of our friends,
Our legions are brim-full, our cause is ripe:
The enemy increaseth every day;
We, at the height, are ready to decline.
There is a tide in the affairs of men,
Bru. Speak no more of her. — Give me a bowl of Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune; wine!
In this I bury all unkindness, Cassius.
Cas. My heart is thirsty for that noble pledge:-
Fill, Lucius, till the wine o'erswell the cup;
I cannot drink too much of Brutus' love. [Drinks.
Re-enter TITINIUS with MESSALA.
Bru. Come in, Titinius! - Welcome, good Messala!
Now sit we close about this taper here,
And call in question our necessities.
Cas. Portia, art thou gone?
Bru. No more, I pray you!
Messala, I have here received letters,
That young Octavius, and Mark Antony,
Come down upon us with a mighty power,
Bending their expedition toward Philippi.
Mes. Myself have letters of the self-same tenour.
Bru. With what addition?
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;
Mine speak of seventy senators, that died
By their proscriptions, Cieero being one.
Cas. Cicero one?
Mes. Ay, Cicero is dead,
And by that order of proscription.
Had you your letters from your wife, my lord?
Bru. No, Messala.
Mes. Nor nothing in your letters writ of her?
Bru. Nothing, Messala.
Mes. That, methinks, is strange.
Omitted, all the voyage of their life
Is bound in shallows, and in miseries.
On such a full sea are we now afloat;
And we must take the current when it serves,
Or lose our ventures.
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. No more. Good night!
Early to-morrow will we rise, and hence!
Bru. Lucius, my gown! [Exit Lucius.] Farewell, good Messala!
Good night, Titinius! - Noble, noble Cassius,
Good night, and good repose!
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. et Mes. Good night, lord Brutus!
Bru. Farewell, every one!
[Exeunt Cas. Tit. and Mes. Re-enter LUCIUS, with the gown.
Give me the gown. Where is thy instrument?
Luc. Here in the tent.
Bru. What, thou speak'st drowsily?
Poor knave, I blame thee not; thou art o'erwatch'd.
Bru. Why ask you? Hear you aught of her in Call Claudius, and some other of my men; yours?
I'll have them sleep on cushions in my tent. Luc. Varro, and Claudius!
Enter VARRO and CLAUDIUS.
Var. Calls my lord?
Bru. I pray you, sirs, lie in my tent, and sleep; It may be, I shall raise you by and by On business to my brother Cassius. Var. So please you, we will stand, and watch your pleasure.
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.
[Serv. 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, And touch thy instrument a strain or two?
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.
[Music, and a song. O murd'rous slumber!
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.
This is a sleepy tune.
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!-1s not the leaf turn'd down,
Where I left reading? Here it is, I think.
[He sits down.
![[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small]](https://books.google.co.in/books/content?id=uyQkAAAAMAAJ&output=html_text&pg=PA622&img=1&zoom=3&hl=en&q=Exeunt&cds=1&sig=ACfU3U0luSCFU59CcZkdkYlrPce4ry0EfQ&edge=0&edge=stretch&ci=976,93,27,228)
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.
Enter a Messenger.
Mess. Prepare you, generals!
The enemy comes on in gallaut show;
Their bloody sign of battle is hung out,
And something to be done immediately.
Ant. Octavius, lead your battle softly on
Oct. Upon the right hand I, keep thou the left.
Upon the left hand of the even field.
Ant. Why do you cross me in this exigent?
Drum. Enter BRUTUS, CASSIUS, and their Army;
Oct. I do not cross you; but I will do so. [March.
LUCILIUS, 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, Caesar, we will answer on their charge.
Make forth, the generals would have some words.
Oct. Stir not until the signal.
Enter the Ghost of CAESAR.
How ill this taper burns! - Ha! who comes here?
I think, it is the weakness of mine eyes,
That shapes this moustrous 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.
Ghost. Thy evil spirit, Brutus.
Bru. Why com'st thou?
Bru. Words before blows: is it so, countrymen?
Oct. Not that we love words better, as you do.
Bru. Good words are better, than bad strokes,
Octavius.
Ant. In your bad strokes, Brutus, you give good
Ghost. To tell thee, thou shalt see me at Philippi. Witness the hole you made in Caesar's heart,
Bru. Well;
Then I shall see thee again?
Ghost. Ay, at Philippi.
Bru. Why, I will see thee at Philippi then.
Now I have taken heart, thou vanishest:
Ill spirit, I would hold more talk with thee. —
Boy! Lucius!-Varro! Claudius! Sirs, awake!
Claudius!
Luc. The strings, my lord, are false.
Bru. He thinks, he still is at his instrument. Lucius, awake!
Bru. Didst thou dream, Lucius, that thou so cry'dst out?
Luc. My lord, I do not know that I did cry. Bru. Yes, that thou didst. Didst thou see thing?
Bru. Sleep again, Lucius!-Sirrah, Claudius! Fellow thou! awake!
Var. My lord.
Clau. My lord.
Crying, Long live! hail, Caesar!
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;
For you have stol'n their buzzing, Antony,
And, very wisely, threat before you sting.
Ant. Villains, you did not so, when your vile daggers
Hack'd one another in the sides of Caesar:
You show'd your teeth like apes,
And bow'd like bondmen, kissing Caesar's feet;
Whilst damned Casca, like a cur, behind,
Struck Caesar on the neck. O flatterers!
Cas. Flatterers! Now, Brutus, thank yourself:
This tongue had not offended so to-day,
If Cassius might have rul'd.
Oct. Come, come, the cause. If arguing make us
The proof of it will turn to redder drops.
Bru. Why did you so cry out, sirs, in your sleep? Look!
Var. et Clau. Did we, my lord?
Bru. Ay; saw you any thing?
Var. No, my lord, I saw nothing.
Clau. Nor I, my lord.
Bru. Go, and commend me to my brother Cassius;
Bid him set on his powers betimes before,
And we will follow.
Var. et Clau. It shall be done, my lord! [Exeunt.
I draw a sword against conspirators;
When think you that the sword goes up again?-
Never, till Caesar's three and twenty wounds
Be well aveng'd; or till another Caesar
Have added slaughter to the sword of traitors.
Bru. Caesar, thon can'st not die by traitors,
Unless thou bring'st them with
Oct. So I hope;
I was not born to die on Brutus' sword.
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 honour,
Join'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.
Bru. Ho!
Lucilius; hark, a word with you!
Unto the legions on the other side: [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.
[Brutus and Lucilius converse apart. SCENE III. - The same. Another part of the field.
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This is my birth-day; at this very day
Was Cassius born. Give me thy hand, Messala!
Be thou my witness, that, against my will,
As Pompey was, am I compell'd to set
Upon one battle all our liberties.
You know, that I held Epicurus strong,
And his opinion: now I change my mind,
And partly credit things that do presage.
Coming from Sardis, on our former ensign
Two mighty eagles fell; and there they perch'd,
Gorging and feeding from our soldiers' hands;
Who to Philippi here consorted us:
This morning are they fled away, and gone;
And in their steads, do ravens, crows, and kites,
Fly o'er our heads, and downward look on us,
As we were sickly prey; their shadows seem
A canopy most fatal, under which
Our army lies, ready to give up the ghost.
Mes. Believe not so.
Cas. I but believe it partly;.
For I am fresh of spirit, and resolv'd
To meet all perils very constantly.
Bru. Even so, Lucilius.
Cas. Now, most noble Brutus,
The gods to-day stand friendly; that we may,
Lovers in peace, lead on our days to age!
But, since the affairs of men rest still uncertain,
Let's reason with the worst that may befall.
If we do lose this battle, then is this
The very last time we shall speak together;
What are you then determined to do?
Bru. Even by the rule of that philosophy,
By which I did blame Cato for the death
Which he did give himself. I know not how,
But I do find it cowardly and vile,
For fear of what might fall, so to prevent
The time of life: -arming myself with patience,
To stay the providence of some high powers,
That govern us below.
Cas. Then, if we lose this battle,
You are contented to be led in triumph
Thorough the streets of Rome?
Bru. No, Cassius, no: think not, thou noble Roman,
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 begun;
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.
Cus. 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!-0, that a man might
know
The end of this day's business, ere it come!
But it sufficeth, that the day will end,
And then the end is known.- Come, ho! away!
SCENE II. The same. The field of battle. Alarum. Enter BRUTUS and MESSALA. Bru. Ride, ride, Messala, ride, and give these bills
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! Mark Antony is in your tents, my lord!
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Fly therefore, noble Cassius, fly far off!
Cas. This hill is far enough. Look, look, Titinius!
Are those my tents, where I perceive the fire?
Tit. They are, my lord.
Cas. Titinius, if thou lov'st me,
Mount thou my horse, and hide thy spurs in him,
Till he have brought thee up to yonder troops,
And here again; that I may rest assur'd,
Whether yond' troops are friend or enemy.
Tit. I will be here again, even with a thought. [Exit.
Cas. Go, Pindarus, get higher on that hill;
My sight was ever thick; regard Titinius,
And tell me what thou not'st about the field. -
[Exit Pindarus.
This day I breathed first: time is come round,
And where I did begin, there I shall end;
My life is run his compass.- Sirrah, what news?
Pin. [Above.] O my lord!
Cas. What news?
Pin. Titinius is
Now be a freeman; and, with this good sword,
That ran through Caesar's bowels, search this bosom.
Stand not to answer. Here, take thou the hilts;
And, when my face is cover'd, as 'tis now,
Guide thou the sword. Caesar, 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 MESSALA.
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 Cassins.
Mes. Where did you leave him?
Tit. All disconsolate,
With Pindarus his bondman, on this hill.
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!
A foe to tyrants, and my country's friend;
I am the son of Marcus Cato, ho!
Bru. And I am Brutus, Marcus Brutus, I;
Brutus, my country's friend: know me for Brutus.
[Exit, charging the enemy. Cato is over
powered, and falls.
young and noble Cato, art thou down?
Clouds, dews, and dangers come; our deeds are Why, now thou diest as bravely, as Titinius;
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 hin, 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
And may'st be honour'd, being Cato's son.
1 Sold. Yield, or thou diest!
Luc. Only I yield to die:
There is so much that thou wilt kill me straight;
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 general.Enter ANTONY.
[Dies.
Alarum. Re-enter MESSALA, with BRUTUS, young
Cato, Strato, VOLUMNIUS, antl Lucilius.
Bru. Where, where, Messala, doth his body lie?
Mes. Lo, yonder; and Titinius mourning it.
Bru. Titinius' face is upward.
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.
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;
His funeral shall not be in our camp,
Lest it discomfort us. —Lucilius, come! ·
And come, young Cato; let us to the field!-
Labeo, and Flavius, set our battles on
'Tis three o'clock; and, Romans, yet ere night
We shall try fortune in a second fight.
[Exeunt. SCENE V. Another part of the field. Enter BRUTUS, DARDANIUS, CLITUS, STRATO, and Vo
Bru. Come, poor remains of friends, rest on this rock.
Cli. Statilius show'd the torch-light; but, my lord, He came not back; he is or ta'en, or slain. Bru. Sit thee down, Clitus! Slaying is the word; It is a deed in fashion. Hark thee, Clitus!
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!
Cli. What, I, my lord? No, not for all the world.
Bru. Peace then, no words!
Cli. I'll rather kill myself.
Bru. Hark thee, Dardanius!
Dar. I do such a deed?
Cli. O, Dardanius!
Dar. O, Clitus!
Cli. What ill request did Brutus make to thee? 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 Caesar hath appear'd 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.
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!
Mes. My master's man.-Strato,where is thy master?
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.
That thou hast prov'd Lucilius' saying true.
Oct. All that serv'd Brutus, I will entertain them.
Fellow, wilt thou bestow thy time with me?
Stra. Ay, if Messala will prefer me to you.
Oct. Do so, Messala!
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 Caesar;
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,
Bru. Farewell, good Strato!-Caesar, now be still! With all respect, and rites of burial!
I kill'd not thee with half so good a will.
Within my tent his bones to-night shall lie,
[He runs on his sword, and dies. Most like a soldier, order'd honourably.
Alarum. Retreat. Enter OCTAVIUS, ANTONY, MESSA-SO, call the field to rest: and let's away,
LA, LUCILIUS, and their Army.
To part the glories of this happy day.
Officers, Soldiers, Messengers, and other
SCENE, dispersed; in several parts of the Roman Empire.
That o'er the files and musters of the war
Have glow'd, like plated Mars, now bend, now turn,
Alexandria. A room in CLEOPATRA'S The office and devotion of their view
Enter DEMETRIUS and PHILO.
O'erflows the measure: those his goodly eyes,
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,
Phi. Nay, but this dotage of our general's
|