Be ready, gods, with all your thunderbolts, Dash him to pieces! Cus. I denied you not. Bru. You did. Cus. I did not :-he was but a fool, That brought my answer back.-Brutus hath riv'd my heart: 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. Bru. I do not like your faults. Cas. A friendly eye could never see such faults. Bru. A flatterer's would not, though they do appear As huge as high Olympus. Cas. Come, Antony, and young Octavius, Revenge yourselves alone on Cassius! [come, For Cassius is aweary of the world: Hated by one he loves; brav'd by his brother: Check'd like a bondman; all his faults observ'd, [rote, Set in a note-book, learn'd, and conn'd by To cast unto my teeth. O, I could weep My spirit from mine eyes!-There is my dagger, And here my naked breast; within, a heart Dearer than Plutus' mine, richer than gold: If that thou be'st a Roman, take it forth; I, that denied thee gold, will give my heart: Strike, as thou didst at Cesar; for, I know, When thou didst hate him worse, thou lov'dst him better Than ever thou lov'dst Cassius. Bru. Sheath your dagger: Be angry when you will, it shall have scope; 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 Bru. And my heart too. Bru. What's the matter? Cas. Have you not love enough to bear with Cas. Cicero one? Mess. 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 Give me the gown. Where is thy instrument? in yours? Mes. No, my lord. 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 man 'Tis better, that the enemy seek us: Bru. Good reasons must, of force, give place to better. The people, 'twixt Philippi and this ground, From which advantage shall we cut him off, Cas. Hear me, good brother. Bru. Under your pardon.-You must note beside, That we have tried the utmost of our friends, Or lose our ventures. Cas. Then, with your will, go on; [lippi. We'll along ourselves, and meet them at PhiBru. The deep of night is crept upon our And nature must obey necessity; Which we will niggard with a little rest. There is no more to say? [talk, 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. Luc. Here in the tent. Bru. What, thou speak'st drowsily? Poor knave, I blame thee not; thou art o'er. watch'd. Call Claudius, and some other of my men; 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 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. Canst thou hold up thy heavy eyes awhile, I trouble thee too much, but thou art willing. 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. [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 I will not do thee so much wrong to wake thee. night; If thou dost nod, thou break'st thy instrument; I'll take it from thee; and, good boy, good Let me see, let me see;-Is not the leaf turn'd night. [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? I think, it is the weakness of mine eyes, Ghost. Thy evil spirit, Brutus. * Sceptre. SCENE 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 courBut 'tis not so. 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. [age; 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 and talk. Oct. Mark Antony, shall we give sign of battle? ⚫ Summon. Ant. No, Cesar, we will answer on their charge. [words. Make forth, the generals would have some 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. Bru. 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. O, yes, and soundless too; Ant. Villains, you did not so, when your vile daggers Hack'd one another in the sides of Cesar: You show'd your teeth like apes, and fawn'd like hounds, [feet; And bow'd like bondmen, kissing Cesar's Whilst damned Casca, like a cur, behind, Struck Cesar on the neck. O flatterers! Cas. Flatterers!-Now, Brutus, thank your self: This tongue had not offended so to-day, Oct. Come, come, the cause: If arguing The proof of it will turn to redder drops. I draw a sword against conspirators; Never, till Cesar's three and twenty wounds I was not born to die on Brutus' sword. Cas. A peevish schoolboy, worthless of such Join'd with a masker and a reveller. Oct. Come, Antony; away. Defiance, traitors, hurl we in your teeth: [Exeunt OCTAVIUS, ANTONY, and their Cas. Why now, blow, wind; swell, billow; The storm is up, and all is on the hazard. and swim, bark! Bru. Ho! Upon one battle all our liberties. Fly o'er our heads, and downward look on us, Cas. I but believe it partly; For I am fresh of spirit, and resolv'd Cus. Now, most noble Brutus, The gods to-day stand friendly; that we may, Let's reason with the worst that may befall. Bru. Even by the rule of that philosophy, To stay the providence of some high powers, Cas. Then, if we lose this battle, Bru. No, Cassius, no: think not, thou noble That ever Brutus will go bound to Rome; If we do meet again, we'll smile indeed; The end of this day's business, ere it come! Pin. Fly further off, my lord, fly further off; Cas. This hill is far enough. Look, look, Ti- Are those my tents, where I perceive the fire? Cas. Titinius, if thou lov'st me, [him, [Exit. Cas. Go, Pindarus, get higher on that hill; And where I did begin, there I shall end;, news? Stand not to answer: Here, take thou the hilts; Bru. Ride, ride, Messala, ride, and give Even with the sword that kill'd thee. [Dies. Pin. So, I am free; yet would not so have been, these billst 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. Durst I have done my will. O Cassius! Re-enter TITINIUS, with MESSALA. Tit. These tidings will well comfort Cassius. Tit. All disconsolate, With Pindarus his bondman, on this hill. Tit. No, this was he, Messala, Mistrust of my success hath done this deed. this deed. O hateful error, melancholy's child! Thou never com'st unto a happy birth, Mes. Seek him, Titinius: whilst I go to meet Tit. Hie you, Messala, And I will seek for Pindarus the while. Alas, thou hast misconstrued every thing. 711 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 I will proclaim my name about the field:- [Charges the Enemy. [Exit, charging the Enemy. CATO is overpowered, and falls. Luc. O young and noble Cato, art thou Why, now thou diest as bravely as Titinius; - 1 Sold. Yield, or thou diest. Kill Brutus, and be honour'd in his death. 1 Sold. I'll tell the news.-Here comes the A prize no less in worth: keep this man safe, [Exeunt. 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, 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 Bru. Peace then, no words. Bru. Hark thee, Dardanius! [Whispers him. Cli. What ill request did Brutus make to * Whether. |