SCENE V. Another Part of the Field. Enter BRUTUS, DARDANIUS, CLITUS, STRATO, and VOLUMNIUS. BRU. Come, poor remains of friends, rest on this rock. CLI. Statilius show'd the torch-light; but, my lord, Statilius show'd the torch-light; &c.] So, in the old translation of Plutarch: "Furthermore, Brutus thought that there was no great number of men slaine in battell, and to know the trueth of it, there was one called Statilius, that promised to goe through his enemies (for otherwise it was impossible to goe see their campe,) and from thence if all were well, that he woulde lift vp a torch-light in the ayer, and then returne againe with speed to him. The torche-light was lift vp as he had promised, for Statilius went thither. Nowe Brutus seeing Statilius tarie long after, and that he came not again, he say'd: if Statilius be aliue, he will come againe. But his euil fortune was suche, that as he came backe, he lighted in his enemies hands, and was slaine. Now, the night being farre spent, Brutus as he sate, bowed towards Clitus one of his men, and told him somewhat in his eare; the other aunswered him not, but fell a weeping. Thereupon heproued Dardanus, and sayd somewhat also to him: at length he came to Volumnius him selfe, and speaking to him in Græke, prayed him for the studies sake which brought them acquainted together, that he woulde helpe him to put his hande to his sword, to thrust it in him to kill him. Volumnius denied his request, and so did many others: and amongest the rest, one of them sayd, there was no tarrying for them there, but that they must needes flie. Then Brutus rising vp, we must flie in deede, sayd he, but it must be with our hands, not with our 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.— [Whispering. 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! [Whispers him. DAR. CLI. O, Dardanius! DAR. O, Clitus! I do such a deed ?3 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? feete. Then taking euery man by the hand, he sayd these words vnto them with a chearfull countenance. It rejoyceth my hart that not one of my frends hath failed me at my neede, and I do not complaine of my fortune, but only for my contries sake: for, as for me, I thinke my selfe happier than they that have ouercome, considering that I leaue a perpetuall fame of our corage and manhoode, the which our enemies the conquerors shall neuer attaine vnto by force nor money, neither can let their posteritie to say, that they have been naughtie and unjust men, haue slaine good men, to vsurpe tyrannical power not pertaining to them. Hauing sayd so, he prayed euery man to shift for them selues, and then he went a litle aside," &c. "I do such a deed?] Old copy-Shall I do &c. STEEVENS. STEEVENS. BRU. Why, this, Volumnius: The ghost of Cæsar 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; It is more worthy to leap in ourselves, Good Volumnius, Thou know'st, that we two went to school together; Even for that our love of old, I pray thee, 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. my sword-hilts,] So in the old copy, and rightly. So before, p. 409: 66 with this good sword, "That ran through Cæsar's bowels, search this bosom. "Stand not to answer; here, take thou the hilts." Again, in The Mirror for Magistrates, 1587: 66 a naked sword he had, "That to the hilts was all with blood imbrued." Mr. Rowe and the other modern editors read, agreeably to the language of the present time,-my sword's hilt. MALONE. Thus also, in King Henry V: "And hides a sword from hilts unto the point" &c. Falstaff also, in King Henry IV. P. I. says: "Seven, by these hilts; I am a villain else.” STEEVENS. Strato, thou hast been all this while asleep; 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 VOLUM NIUS. I pr'ythee, Strato, stay thou by thy lord: Thy life hath had some smatch of honour in it: STRA. Give me your hand first: Fare you well, my lord. Farewell to thee too, Strato.] Thus the modern editions: I think, rightly. The old folio reads: Farewell to thee, to Strato, countrymen. JOHNSON. The correction was made by Mr. Theobald. MALOne. Hence; I will follow thee.] Thee, which is wanting in the old copy, was supplied, for the sake of metre, by Sir Thomas Hanmer. So, in Hamlet: "Go on, I'll follow thee." STEEVENS. 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.-Strato, where is thy master? STRA. Free from the bondage you are in, Mes sala; The conquerors can but make a fire of him; 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." OCT. All that serv'd Brutus, I will entertain them. 8 Fellow, wilt thou bestow thy time with me? STRA. Ay, if Messala will prefer me to you." 7 That thou hast prov'd Lucilius' saying true.] See p. 416. STEEVENS. 8 entertain them.] i. e. receive them into my service. So, in King Lear: "You, sir, I entertain for one of my hundred." STEEVENS. 9 Ay, if Messala will prefer me to you.] To prefer seems to have been the established phrase for recommending a servant. So, in The Merchant of Venice, Act III. sc. ii: 66 Shylock thy master spoke with me this day, "And hath preferr'd thee;" Again, in the Countess of Dorset's Memoirs: “ wher he & his daughter preferd William Pond to searve my lady." Seward's Anecdotes, Vol. IV. p. 316. REED. |