The Dramatic Works of William Shakspeare

Bra. 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,
I have the patience to endure it now.

Mes. Even so great men great losses should endure.

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.

Bru. Your reason?

Cas. This it is:

'Tis better that the enemy seek us:

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;
For they have grudg'd us contribution;
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 tried 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,
Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune;
Omitted, all the voyage of their life

Is hound 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;

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 Cassins.

Var. So please you, we will stand, and watch your pleasure.

Bru. I will not have it so; lie down, good
Siis;

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.

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.

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 cleep 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 turu'd down,

Where I left reading? Here it is, I think.

[He sits down. Enter the GHOST of CESAR.

How ill this taper burns!-Ha! who comes here?

We'll along ourselves, and meet them at Phi-I think, it is the weakness of mine eyes

lippi.

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.] Fare-
well, good Messala ;-

Good night, Titinius :-Noble, noble Cassius,
Good night, and good repose.

Cus. O my dear brother!

This was an ill beginning of the night:

Never come such division 'tween our souls!

That shapes this monstrous apparition,
It comes upon me :-Art thou any thing?
Art thou some god, some angel, or some devil,
That inak'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. Ay, at Philippi.

This tongue had not offended so to-day,
If Cassius might have rul'd.

Var. Clau. Did we, my lord?

Bru. Ay: Saw you any thing?

Var. No, my lord, I saw nothing.
Clas. Nor I, my lord.

Cassius;

Oct. Come, come, the cause: If arguing make us sweat,

Bru. Go, and commend me to my brother The proof of it will turn to redder drops.

Bid him set on his powers betimes before,

And we will follow.

Var. Clau. It shall be done, my lord.

[Exeunt.

ACT V.

SUENE I.-The Plains of Philippi.
Enter OCTAVIUS ANTONY, and their Army.
Oct. Now, Antony, our hopes are answered :
You said, the enemy would not come down,
But keep the hills and upper regions;

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 se.

Enter a MESSENGER.

Mess. Prepare you, generals:
The enemy comes on in gallant show;
Their bloody sign of battle is hung out,
And something to be done immediately.

Ant. Octavius, lead your battle softly on.
Upon the left hand of the even field.

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.

[March. 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

talk.

and

Oct. Mark Antony, shall we give sign of bat

tle ?

Ant. No, Cesar, we will answer on their

charge.

Make forth, the generals would have some words.
Oct. Stir not until the signal.

Bru. Words before blows: Is it so, country

men ?

Oct. Not that we love words better, as you do.
Bra. Good words are better than bad strokes,
Octavius.

Ant. In your bad strokes, Brutus, you give
good words:

Witness the hole you made in Cesar's heart,
Crying, Long live! hail, Cesar!

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. Oh! yes, and soundless too;

For you have stol'n their buzzing, Antony,

And, very wisely, threat before you sting.

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,

Ant. Villains, you did not so, when your vile But I do find it cowardly and vile,

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.
Bru. Why then, lead on.-Oh! 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!
[Exeunt.
SCENE II.-The same.-The Field of Battle.
Alarum.-Enter BRUTUS and MESSALA.
Bru. Ride, ride, Messala, ride, and give these
bills

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.

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 eargerly; his soldiers fell to spoil,
Whilst we by Antony are all enclos'd.

Enter PINDARUS.

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 didst thou show to the apt thoughts of men
The things that are not? O error, soon con-
ceiv'd,

Pin. Fly further off, my lord, fly further off; Thon never com'st unto a happy birth,
Mark Antony is in your tents, my lord!
Fly therefore, noble Cassius, fly far off.

Cas. This hill is far enough. Look, look, 'Ti-
tinius ;

Are those my tents, where I perceive the fire?
Tit. They are, my lord.

Cas. Titinius, if thou lov'st me,

Mount thon 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 bill;
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 has run his compass.-Sirrab, 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 :-Oh! he 'lights too :-he's
ta'en; and, hark!

They shout for joy.

[Shout.

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!

Billets containing directions.

But kill'st the mother that engender'd thee.
Tit. What, Pindarus! Where art thou, Pin-

darus ?

Mcs. 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 Put on my brows this wreath of victory, And bid me give't thee? Didst thou not hear their shouts ? thing. Alas! thou hast misconstrued every 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 Lv.

Look, whe'r he bave not crown'd dead Cassius!
Bru. Are yet two Romaus 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.-
1 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, Romaus, yet e'er night
We shall try fortune in a second fight.

[Exeunt.

SCENE IV.-Another part of the field.

Alarum.-Enter, fighting, Soldiers of both Armies; then BRUTUS, CATO, LUCILIUS, and others.

C. 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 Cesar hath appear'd to me
Two several times by night at Sardis, once;

Bru. Yet, countrymen, oh! yet hold up your And this last night, here in Philippi' fields. 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, iny 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.
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, hol Tell Antony, Brutus is

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 Volum-
nius,

Thou know'st that we two went to school toge.
ther;

Even for that our love of old, I pray thee,
Hold thou my sword-lilts, 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 nine 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-

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.
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 Cesar :
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
him,

With all respect and rites of burial.
Within my tent his bones to-night shall lie,
Most like a soldier, order'd bonourably.
So, call the field to rest: and let's away,
To part the glories of this happy day.

use

'Exeunt.

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The Dramatic Works of William Shakspeare: With Glossarial Notes, a Sketch of ...