His corporal motion govern'd by my spirit. And, in some taste, is Lepidus but so;
He must be taught, and train'd, and bid go forth:
A barren-spirited fellow; one that feeds
On objects, arts, and imitations;
Which, out of use, and stal'd by other men,
Begin his fashion: Do not talk of him,
But as a property. And now, Octavius,
Listen great things-Brutus and Cassius
Are levying powers: we must straight make head:
Therefore, let our alliance be combin'd,
Our best friends made, and our best means stretch'd out;
And let us presently go sit in council,
How covert matters may be best disclos'd,
And open perils surest answer'd.
Oct. Let us do so; for we are at the stake, And bay'd' about with many enemies; And some, that smile, have in their hearts, I fear, Millions of mischief. [Exeunt. SCENE II.-Before Brutus's tent, in the camp near Sardis. Drum. Enter Brutus, Lucilius, Lucius, and soldiers: Titinius and Pindarus meeting them..
Luc. Give the word, ho! and stand.
Bru. What now, Lucilius? is Cassius near? Luc. He is at hand; and Pindarus is come To do you salutation from his master.
[Pindarus gives a letter to Brutus. Bru. He greets me well.-Your master, Pindarus,
In his own change, or by ill officers,
Hath given me some worthy cause to wish
Things done, undone: but, if he be at hand,
I shall be satisfied.
Pin.
I do not doubt,
But that my noble master will appear
Such as he is, full of regard, and honour.
Bru. He is not doubted.-A word, Lucilius:
How he receiv'd you, let me be resolved.
Luc. With courtesy, and with respect enough; But not with such familiar instances, Nor with such free and friendly conference, As he hath us'd of old.
Bru. Thou hast describ'd A hot friend cooling: Ever note, Lucilius, When love begins to sicken and decay It useth an enforced ceremony. There are no tricks in plain and simple faith: But hollow men, like horses hot at hand, Make gallant show and promise of their mettle: But when they should endure the bloody spur, They fall their crests, and, like deceitful jades, Sink in the trial. Comes his army on?
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And, if not so, how should I wrong a brother? Cas. Brutus, this sober form of yours hides wrongs;
And when you do them
Bru. Cassius, be conter Speak your griefs' softly,-I do know you well:Before the eyes of both our armies here, Which should perceive nothing but love from us, Let us not wrangle: Bid them move away; Then in my tent, Cassius, enlarge your griefs, And I will give you audience.
Cas Pindarus, Bid our commanders lead their charges off A little from this ground.
Bru. Lucilius, do the like; and let no man Come to our tent, till we have done our conference. Let Lucius and Titinius guard our door.
SCENE III.-Within the tent of Brutus. cius and Titinius, at some distance from it. En ter Brutus and Cassius.
And chastisement doth therefore hide his head.
Cas. Chastisement!
Bru. Remember March, the ides of March re member!
Did not great Julius bleed for justice' sake?
What villain touch'd his body, that did stab,
And not for justice? What, shall one of us,
That struck the foremast man of all this world,
But for supporting robbers; shall we now
Contaminate our fingers with base bribes?
And sell the mighty space of our large honours,
For so much trash, as may be grasped thus ?-
I had rather be a dog, and bays the moon,
Luc. They mean this night in Sardis to be quar-Than such a Roman."
Cas. Brutus, bay not me, I'll not endure it: you forget yourself, To hedge me in ; I am a soldier, I, Older in practice, abler than yourself To make conditions."
Go to; you're not, Cassius.
Must I give way and room to your rash choler?
Shall I be frighted, when a madman stares?
Cas. O ye gods! yeg is! Must I endure all this?
Bru. All this? ay, more: Fret, till your proud
heart break;
Go, show your slaves how choleric you are,
And make your bondmen tremble. Must I budge?
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.
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,
Brutus ;
I said, an elder soldier, not a better:
Did I say, better?
Bru.
If you did, I care not.
Cas. When Cæsar liv'd, he durst not thus have mov'd me.
Bru. Peace, peace: you durst not so have tempted him.
Cas. I durst not?
Bru. No.
Cas. What? durst not tempt him?
For your life you durst not. Cas. Do not presume too much upon my love, I may do that I shall be sorry for.
Bru. You have done that you should be sorry for.
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 denied me ;-
For I can raise no money by vile means:
By heaven, I had rather coin my heart,
And drop my blood for drachmas,' than to wring
From the hard hands of peasants their vile trash,
By any indirection. I did send
To you for gold to pay my legions,
Which you denied me: Was that done like Cassius?
Should I have answer'd Caius Cassius so?
When Marcus Brutus grows so covetous,
To lock such rascal counters from his friends,
Be ready, gods, with all your thunderbolts,
Dash him to pieces!
I denied you not.
I did not:-he was but a fool,
That brought my answer back.-Brutus hath riv'd2
A friend should bear his friend's infirmities, But Brutus makes mine greater than they are. Bru. I do not, till you practise them on me. Cas. You love me not.
I do not like your faults.
Bru.
Cas. A friendly eye could neve: see such faults.
Br A flatterer's would not, though they do
Than ever thou lov'dst Cassius.
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, shows 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
hand.
Bru. And my heart too.
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?
Poet. For shame, you generals; What do you
Bru. O Cassius, I am sick of many griefs.
Cas. Of your philosophy you make no use,
Cas. Come, Antony, and young Octavius, come, If you give place to accidental evils.
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 her.-Give me a bowl That we have try'd the utmost of our friends,
[Drinks.
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
sala.-
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,
Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune;
Omitted, all the voyage of their life
Is bound in shallows, and in miseries.
Mes-On such a full sea are we now afloat;
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 towards Philippi.
Mes. Myself have letters of the self-same tenor.
Bru. With what addition?
Mes. That by proscription, and bills of outlawry,
Octavius, Antony, and Lepidus,
Have put to death a hundred senators.
Bru. Therein our letters do not well agree;
Mine speak of seventy senators, that died
By their proscriptions, Cicero being one.
Cas. Cicero one?
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. Bru. Why ask you? Hear you aught of her in yours?
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:
With meditating that she must die once,2
I have the patience to endure it now.
Mes. Even so great men great losses should en-
dure.
Cas. I have as much of this in art as you, But yet my nature could not bear it so.
Bru. Well, to our work alive. What do you think
Of marching to Philippi presently?
Cas. I do not think it good.
'Tis better, that the enemy seek us:
So shall we waste his means, weary his soldiers,
Doing himself offence; whilst we, laying still,
Are full of rest, defence, and nimbleness.
And we must take the current when it serves,
Or lose our ventures.
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.
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.
This was an ill beginning of the night:
Never come such division 'tween our souls!
Let it not, Brutus.
Good night, good brother.
Cas. Good night, my lord.
Bru.
Tit. Mes. Good night, lord Brutus.
Bru.
Farewell, every one. [Exeunt Cas. Tit. and Mes
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.
[Servants lie down. Luc. I was sure, your lordship did not give it me. Bru. Bear with me, good boy, I am much forgetful.
Bru. Good reasons must, of force, give place to Canst thou hold up thy heavy eyes a while,
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.
Bru. I shou 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,
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.
Prepare you, generals:
Their bloody sign of battle is hung out,
The enemy comes on in gallant show;
And something to be done immediately.
Ant. Octavius, lead your battle softly on,
[He sits down. Upon the left hand of the even field.
Enter the Ghost of Cæsar.
Where I left reading? Here it is, I think.
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.
Ghost. Thy evil spirit, Brutus.
Bru.
Why com'st thou ?
Ghost. To tell thee, thou shalt see me at Philippi.
Bru. Well;
Then I shall see thee again?
[Ghost vanishes. 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.
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.
Drum. Enter Brutus, Cassius, and their army,
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?
Make forth, the generals would have some words.
Ant. No, Caesar, we will answer on their charge.
Oct. Stir not until the signal.
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
words:
Boy! Lucius!--Varro! Claudius! sirs, awake!-Witness the hole you made in Caesar's heart,
Crying, long live! hail Cæsar!
The posture of your blows are yet unknown;
But for your words, they rob the Hybla bees,
And leave them honeyless.
Bru. O, yes, and soundless too;
And, very wisely, threat before you sting.
For you have stol'n their buzzing, Antony;
Ant. Villains, you did not so, when your vile
Hack'd one another in the sides of Cæsar:
You show'd your teeth like apes, and fawn'd like
Whilst damned Casca, like a cur, behind,
And bow'd like bondmen, kissing Cæsar's feet;
Struck Cæsar 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 sweat,
The proof of it will turn to redder drops.
Look;
I draw a sword against conspirators;
When think you that the sword goes up again ?-
Never, till Cæsar's three and twenty wounds
Be well aveng'd; or till another Cæsar
Have added slaughter to the sword of traitors.
Unless thou bring'st them with thee.
Bru. Cæsar, thou canst not die by traitors,
I was not born to die on Brutus' sword.
Bru. O, if thou wert the noblest of thy strain,
Young man, thou couldst 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.
Luc.
My lord.
[Brutus and Lucilius converse apart.
This is my birth-day; as 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.
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.
(1) Throw. (2) Foremost. (3) Accompanied.
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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.
Pin. Fly further off, my lord, fly further off;
Mark Antony is in your tents, my lord!
Fly therefore, noble Cassius, fly far off.
Cas. This hill is far enough. Look, look, Titi-
nius ;
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
Enclosed round about with horsemen, that
Make to him on the spur;-Yet he spurs on.-
Now they are almost on him; now, Titinius!--
Now some 'light:-O, he lights too :-he's ta'en ;-
and, hark!
[Shout,
They shout for joy.
Cas.
Come down, behold no more.-
O, coward, that I am, to live so long,
To see my best friend ta'en before my face!
Enter Pindarus.
Come, hither, sirrah:
In Parthia did I take thee prisoner:
And then I swore thee, saving of thy life,
That whatsoever I did bid thee do,
Thou should'st attempt it. Come now, keep thine
oath:
(4) Directions for the officers.
|