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;" they knewe that he was one of Cassius' chiefest friendes, they showted out for joy: and they that were familiarly acquainted with him, lighted from their horses, and went and imbraced him. The rest compassed him in rounde about a horsebacke, with songs of victorie and great rushing of their harnes, so that they made all the field ring againe for joy. But this marred all. For Cassius thinking in deed that Titinius was taken of the enemies, he then spake these wordes: desiring too much to liue, I haue liued to see one of my best freendes taken, for my sake, before my face. After that, he gotte into a tent where no bodye was, and tooke Pindarus with him, one of his freed bondmen, whom he reserued ever for suche a pinche, since the cursed battell of the Parthians, where Crassus was slaine, though he notwithstanding scaped from that ouerthrow; but then casting his cloke ouer his head, & holding out his bare neck vnto Pyndarus, he gaue him his head to be striken off. So the head was found seuered from the bodie: but after that time Pyndarus was neuer seene more." STEEVENS. 5 even with a thought.] The same expression occurs again in Antony and Cleopatra: 6 "That, which is now a horse, even with a thought • Go, Pindarus,] This dialogue between Cassius and Pindarus, is beautifully imitated by Beaumont and Fletcher, in their tragedy of Bonduca, Act III. sc. v. STEEVENS. get higher on that hill ;] Our author perhaps wrote on But there is no need of this hill; for Cassius is now on a hill. My sight was ever thick; regard Titinius, CAS. What news? PIN. Titinius is Enclosed round about with horsemen, that They shout for joy. CAS. [Shout. Come down, behold no more. change. He means a hillock somewhat higher than that on which he now is. The editor of the second folio arbitrarily reads thither for higher, and all the subsequent editors adopted his alteration. MALONE. Mr. Malone has sufficiently justified the reading in the text; and yet the change offered by the second folio is not undefensible. STEEVENS. 8 time is come round,] So, in King Lear, the Bastard, dying, says: 9 "The wheel is come full circle." STEEVENS. Sirrah, what news?] Sirrah, as appears from many of our old plays, was the usual address in speaking to servants, and children. Mr. Pope, not adverting to this, reads-Now, what news? See Vol. X. p. 244, n. 5. MALOne. 1 0 my lord! &c.] Perhaps this passage, designed to form a single verse, originally stood thus: Pin. Cas. Pin. O my good lord! What news? Titinius is- 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; Thou should'st attempt it. Come now, keep thine oath! Now be a freeman; and, with this good sword, That ran through Cæsar's bowels, search this bo som. Stand not to answer: Here, take thou the hilts; [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. Re-enter TITINIUS, with MESSala. [Exit. 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 TIT. He lies not like the living. MES. Is not that he? TIT. No, this was he, Messala, But Cassius is no more.-O setting sun! 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. 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 And bid me give 't thee? Didst thou not hear their shouts ? Alas, thou hast misconstrued every thing. 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. 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.2 [Low Alarums, Brave Titinius! CATO. Look, whe'r he have not crown'd dead Cassius! BRU. Are yet two Romans living such as these? and turns our swords In our own proper entrails.] So, Lucan, Lib. I: -populumque potentem "In sua victrici conversum viscera dextra." STEEVENS. |