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ACT V SCENE II Setting: The same. The field of battle.
Alarum. Enter BRUTUS and MESSALA.
| BRUTUS | 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 demeanor in Octavius' wing, | ||
| And sudden push gives them the overthrow. | 5 | |
| Ride, ride, Messala: let them all come down. | ||
| Exeunt |
ACT V SCENE III Setting: Another part of the field.
Alarums. Enter CASSIUS and TITINIUS.
| CASSIUS | 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. | ||
| TITINIUS | O Cassius, Brutus gave the word too early; | 5 |
| Who, having some advantage on Octavius, | ||
| Took it too eagerly: his soldiers fell to spoil, | ||
| Whilst we by Antony are all enclosed. | ||
| Enter PINDARUS. | ||
| PINDARUS | Fly further off, my lord, fly further off; | |
| Mark Antony is in your tents, my lord | 10 | |
| Fly, therefore, noble Cassius, fly far off. | ||
| CASSIUS | This hill is far enough. Look, look, Titinius; | |
| Are those my tents where I perceive the fire? | ||
| TITINIUS | They are, my lord. | |
| CASSIUS | Titinius, if thou lovest me, | 15 |
| 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 assured | ||
| Whether yond troops are friend or enemy. | ||
| TITINIUS | I will be here again, even with a thought. | |
| Exit | ||
| CASSIUS | Go, Pindarus, get higher on that hill; | 20 |
| My sight was ever thick; regard Titinius, | ||
| And tell me what thou notest about the field. | ||
| PINDARUS ascends the hill. | ||
| This day I breathed first: time is come round, | ||
| And where I did begin, there shall I end; | ||
| My life is run his compass. Sirrah, what news? | 25 | |
| PINDARUS | Above | |
| CASSIUS | What news? | |
| PINDARUS | Above | |
| With horsemen, that make to him on the spur; | ||
| Yet he spurs on. Now they are almost on him. | 30 | |
| Now, Titinius! Now some light. O, he lights too. | ||
| He's ta'en. | ||
| Shout | ||
| And, hark! they shout for joy. | ||
| CASSIUS | Come down, behold no more. | |
| O, coward that I am, to live so long, | ||
| To see my best friend ta'en before my face! | 35 | |
| PINDARUS descends. | ||
| 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 shouldst attempt it. Come now, keep thine oath; | 40 | |
| Now be a freeman: and with this good sword, | ||
| That ran through Caesar's bowels, search this bosom. | ||
| Stand not to answer: here, take thou the hilts; | ||
| And, when my face is cover'd, as 'tis now, | ||
| Guide thou the sword. | ||
| PINDARUS stabs him. | ||
| Caesar, thou art revenged, | 45 | |
| Even with the sword that kill'd thee. | ||
| Dies | ||
| PINDARUS | 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, | 49 | |
| Where never Roman shall take note of him. | ||
| Exit | ||
| Re–enter TITINIUS with MESSALA. | ||
| MESSALA | It is but change, Titinius; for Octavius | |
| Is overthrown by noble Brutus' power, | ||
| As Cassius' legions are by Antony. | ||
| TITINIUS | These tidings will well comfort Cassius. | |
| MESSALA | Where did you leave him? | |
| TITINIUS | All disconsolate, | 55 |
| With Pindarus his bondman, on this hill. | ||
| MESSALA | Is not that he that lies upon the ground? | |
| TITINIUS | He lies not like the living. O my heart! | |
| MESSALA | Is not that he? | |
| TITINIUS | No, this was he, Messala, | |
| But Cassius is no more. O setting sun, | 60 | |
| 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. | 65 | |
| MESSALA | 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 conceived, | ||
| Thou never comest unto a happy birth, | 70 | |
| But kill'st the mother that engender'd thee! | ||
| TITINIUS | What, Pindarus! where art thou, Pindarus? | |
| MESSALA | Seek him, Titinius, whilst I go to meet | |
| The noble Brutus, thrusting this report | ||
| Into his ears; I may say, thrusting it; | 75 | |
| For piercing steel and darts envenomed | ||
| Shall be as welcome to the ears of Brutus | ||
| As tidings of this sight. | ||
| TITINIUS | Hie you, Messala, | |
| And I will seek for Pindarus the while. | ||
| Exit MESSALA. | ||
| Why didst thou send me forth, brave Cassius? | 80 | |
| Did I not meet thy friends? and did not they | ||
| Put on my brows this wreath of victory, | ||
| And bid me give it thee? Didst thou not hear their shouts? | ||
| Alas, thou hast misconstrued every thing! | ||
| But, hold thee, take this garland on thy brow; | 85 | |
| 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. | ||
| Kills himself. |
Alarum. Re–enter MESSALA, with BRUTUS, CATO, STRATO, VOLUMNIUS, and LUCILIUS.
| BRUTUS | Where, where, Messala, doth his body lie? | |
| MESSALA | Lo, yonder, and Titinius mourning it. | |
| BRUTUS | Titinius' face is upward. | |
| CATO | He is slain. | |
| BRUTUS | O Julius Caesar, thou art mighty yet! | |
| Thy spirit walks abroad and turns our swords | 95 | |
| In our own proper entrails. | ||
| Low alarums. | ||
| CATO | Brave Titinius! | |
| Look, whether he have not crown'd dead Cassius! | ||
| BRUTUS | Are yet two Romans living such as these? | |
| The last of all the Romans, fare thee well! | ||
| It is impossible that ever Rome | 100 | |
| Should breed thy fellow. Friends, I owe more tears | ||
| To this dead man than you shall see me pay. | ||
| I shall find time, Cassius, I shall find time. | ||
| Come, therefore, and to Thasos send his body: | ||
| His funerals shall not be in our camp, | 105 | |
| 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, Romans, yet ere night | 109 | |
| We shall try fortune in a second fight. | ||
| Exeunt |
ACT V SCENE IV Setting: Another part of the field.
Alarum. Enter fighting, Soldiers of both armies; then BRUTUS, CATO, LUCILIUS, and others.
| BRUTUS | Yet, countrymen, O, yet hold up your 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; | 5 | |
| I am the son of Marcus Cato, ho! | ||
| BRUTUS | And I am Brutus, Marcus Brutus, I; | |
| Brutus, my country's friend; know me for Brutus! | ||
| Exit | ||
| LUCILIUS | O young and noble Cato, art thou down? | |
| Why, now thou diest as bravely as Titinius; | 10 | |
| And mayst be honour'd, being Cato's son. | ||
| First Soldier | Yield, or thou diest. | |
| LUCILIUS | 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. | ||
| First Soldier | We must not. A noble prisoner! | 15 |
| Second Soldier | Room, ho! Tell Antony, Brutus is ta'en. | |
| First Soldier | I'll tell the news. Here comes the general. | |
| Enter ANTONY | ||
| Brutus is ta'en, Brutus is ta'en, my lord. | ||
| ANTONY | Where is he? | |
| LUCILIUS | Safe, Antony; Brutus is safe enough: | 20 |
| I dare assure thee that no enemy | ||
| Shall ever take alive the noble Brutus: | ||
| The gods defend him from so great a shame! | ||
| When you do find him, or alive or dead, | ||
| He will be found like Brutus, like himself. | 25 | |
| ANTONY | This is not Brutus, friend; but, I assure you, | |
| A prize no less in worth: keep this man safe; | ||
| Give him all kindness: I had rather have | ||
| Such men my friends than enemies. Go on, | ||
| And see whether Brutus be alive or dead; | 30 | |
| And bring us word unto Octavius' tent | ||
| How every thing is chanced. | ||
| Exeunt |
ACT IV SCENE I Setting: A house in Rome.
ANTONY, OCTAVIUS, and LEPIDUS, seated at a table.
| ANTONY | These many, then, shall die; their names are prick'd. | |
| OCTAVIUS | Your brother too must die; consent you, Lepidus? | |
| LEPIDUS | I do consent–– | |
| OCTAVIUS | Prick him down, Antony. | |
| LEPIDUS | Upon condition Publius shall not live, | |
| Who is your sister's son, Mark Antony. | 5 | |
| ANTONY | He shall not live; look, with a spot I damn him. | |
| But, Lepidus, go you to Caesar's house; | ||
| Fetch the will hither, and we shall determine | ||
| How to cut off some charge in legacies. | ||
| LEPIDUS | What, shall I find you here? | 10 |
| OCTAVIUS | Or here, or at the Capitol. | |
| Exit LEPIDUS. | ||
| ANTONY | This is a slight unmeritable man, | |
| Meet to be sent on errands: is it fit, | ||
| The three–fold world divided, he should stand | ||
| One of the three to share it? | ||
| OCTAVIUS | So you thought him; | |
| And took his voice who should be prick'd to die, | ||
| In our black sentence and proscription. | ||
| ANTONY | Octavius, I have seen more days than you: | |
| And though we lay these honours on this man, | ||
| To ease ourselves of divers slanderous loads, | 20 | |
| He shall but bear them as the ass bears gold, | ||
| To groan and sweat under the business, | ||
| Either led or driven, as we point the way; | ||
| And having brought our treasure where we will, | ||
| Then take we down his load, and turn him off, | 25 | |
| Like to the empty ass, to shake his ears, | ||
| And graze in commons. | ||
| OCTAVIUS | You may do your will; | |
| But he's a tried and valiant soldier. | ||
| ANTONY | So is my horse, Octavius; and for that | |
| I do appoint him store of provender: | 30 | |
| It is a creature that I teach to fight, | ||
| To wind, to stop, to run directly on, | ||
| 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; | 35 | |
| A barren–spirited fellow; one that feeds | ||
| On abjects, orts and imitations, | ||
| Which, out of use and staled by other men, | ||
| Begin his fashion: do not talk of him, | ||
| But as a property. And now, Octavius, | 40 | |
| Listen great things:––Brutus and Cassius | ||
| Are levying powers: we must straight make head: | ||
| Therefore let our alliance be combined, | ||
| Our best friends made, our means stretch'd | ||
| And let us presently go sit in council, | 45 | |
| How covert matters may be best disclosed, | ||
| And open perils surest answered. | ||
| OCTAVIUS | 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, | 50 | |
| Millions of mischiefs. | ||
| Exeunt |
ACT IV SCENE II Setting: Camp near Sardis. Before BRUTUS's tent.
Drum. Enter BRUTUS, LUCILIUS, LUCIUS, and Soldiers; TITINIUS and PINDARUS meeting them.
| BRUTUS | Stand, ho! | |
| LUCILIUS | Give the word, ho! and stand. | |
| BRUTUS | What now, Lucilius! is Cassius near? | |
| LUCILIUS | He is at hand; and Pindarus is come | |
| To do you salutation from his master. | 5 | |
| BRUTUS | 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. | ||
| PINDARUS | I do not doubt | 10 |
| But that my noble master will appear | ||
| Such as he is, full of regard and honour. | ||
| BRUTUS | He is not doubted. A word, Lucilius; | |
| How he received you, let me be resolved. | ||
| LUCILIUS | With courtesy and with respect enough; | 15 |
| But not with such familiar instances, | ||
| Nor with such free and friendly conference, | ||
| As he hath used of old. | ||
| BRUTUS | Thou hast described | |
| A hot friend cooling: ever note, Lucilius, | ||
| When love begins to sicken and decay, | 20 | |
| 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, | 25 | |
| They fall their crests, and, like deceitful jades, | ||
| Sink in the trial. Comes his army on? | ||
| LUCILIUS | They mean this night in Sardis to be quarter'd; | |
| The greater part, the horse in general, | ||
| Are come with Cassius. | ||
| BRUTUS | Hark! he is arrived. | 30 |
| Low march within | ||
| March gently on to meet him. | ||
| Enter CASSIUS and his powers. | ||
| CASSIUS | Stand, ho! | |
| BRUTUS | Stand, ho! Speak the word along. | |
| First Soldier | Stand! | |
| Second Soldier | Stand! | 35 |
| Third Soldier | Stand! | |
| CASSIUS | Most noble brother, you have done me wrong. | |
| BRUTUS | Judge me, you gods! wrong I mine enemies? | |
| And, if not so, how should I wrong a brother? | ||
| CASSIUS | Brutus, this sober form of yours hides wrongs; | |
| And when you do them–– | ||
| BRUTUS | Cassius, be content. | 41 |
| 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. | ||
| CASSIUS | Pindarus, | |
| Bid our commanders lead their charges off | ||
| A little from this ground. | ||
| BRUTUS | Lucilius, do you the like; and let no man | 50 |
| Come to our tent till we have done our conference. | ||
| Let Lucius and Titinius guard our door. | ||
| Exeunt |
ACT IV SCENE III Setting: Brutus's tent.
Enter BRUTUS and CASSIUS.
| CASSIUS | That you have wrong'd me doth appear in this: | |
| You have condemn'd and noted Lucius Pella | ||
| For taking bribes here of the Sardians; | ||
| Wherein my letters, praying on his side, | ||
| Because I knew the man, were slighted off. | 5 | |
| BRUTUS | You wronged yourself to write in such a case. | |
| CASSIUS | In such a time as this it is not meet | |
| That every nice offence should bear his comment. | ||
| BRUTUS | Let me tell you, Cassius, you yourself | |
| Are much condemn'd to have an itching palm; | 10 | |
| To sell and mart your offices for gold | ||
| To undeservers. | ||
| CASSIUS | I an itching palm! | |
| You know that you are Brutus that speak this, | ||
| Or, by the gods, this speech were else your last. | ||
| BRUTUS | The name of Cassius honours this corruption, | |
| And chastisement doth therefore hide his head. | 16 | |
| CASSIUS | Chastisement! | |
| BRUTUS | Remember March, the ides of March remember: | |
| Did not great Julius bleed for justice' sake? | ||
| What villain touch'd his body, that did stab, | 20 | |
| And not for justice? What, shall one of us | ||
| That struck the foremost 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 | 25 | |
| For so much trash as may be grasped thus? | ||
| I had rather be a dog, and bay the moon, | ||
| Than such a Roman. | ||
| CASSIUS | Brutus, bay not me; | |
| I'll not endure it: you forget yourself, | ||
| To hedge me in; I am a soldier, I, | 30 | |
| Older in practise, abler than yourself | ||
| To make conditions. | ||
| BRUTUS | Go to; you are not, Cassius. | |
| CASSIUS | I am. | |
| BRUTUS | I say you are not. | |
| CASSIUS | Urge me no more, I shall forget myself; | 35 |
| Have mind upon your health, tempt me no further. | ||
| BRUTUS | Away, slight man! | |
| CASSIUS | Is't possible? | |
| BRUTUS | Hear me, for I will speak. | |
| Must I give way and room to your rash choler? | ||
| Shall I be frighted when a madman stares? | 40 | |
| CASSIUS | O ye gods, ye gods! must I endure all this? | |
| BRUTUS | 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 | 45 | |
| 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. | ||
| CASSIUS | Is it come to this? | 50 |
| BRUTUS | 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. | ||
| CASSIUS | You wrong me every way; you wrong me, Brutus; | 55 |
| I said, an elder soldier, not a better: | ||
| Did I say 'better'? | ||
| BRUTUS | If you did, I care not. | |
| CASSIUS | When Caesar lived, he durst not thus have moved me. | |
| BRUTUS | Peace, peace! you durst not so have tempted him. | |
| CASSIUS | I durst not! | 60 |
| BRUTUS | No. | |
| CASSIUS | What, durst not tempt him! | |
| BRUTUS | For your life you durst not! | |
| CASSIUS | Do not presume too much upon my love; | |
| I may do that I shall be sorry for. | 65 | |
| BRUTUS | 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: | 70 | |
| 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 | 75 | |
| 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, | 80 | |
| Be ready, gods, with all your thunderbolts; | ||
| Dash him to pieces! | ||
| CASSIUS | I denied you not. | |
| BRUTUS | You did. | |
| CASSIUS | I did not: he was but a fool that brought | |
| My answer back. Brutus hath rived my heart: | 85 | |
| A friend should bear his friend's infirmities, | ||
| But Brutus makes mine greater than they are. | ||
| BRUTUS | I do not, till you practise them on me. | |
| CASSIUS | You love me not. | |
| BRUTUS | I do not like your faults. | |
| CASSIUS | A friendly eye could never see such faults. | 90 |
| BRUTUS | A flatterer's would not, though they do appear | |
| As huge as high Olympus. | ||
| CASSIUS | Come, Antony, and young Octavius, come, | |
| Revenge yourselves alone on Cassius, | ||
| For Cassius is aweary of the world; | 95 | |
| Hated by one he loves; braved by his brother; | ||
| Cheque'd like a bondman; all his faults observed, | ||
| Set in a note–book, learn'd, and conn'd by rote, | ||
| To cast into my teeth. O, I could weep | ||
| My spirit from mine eyes! There is my dagger, | 100 | |
| 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 Caesar; for, I know, | 105 | |
| When thou didst hate him worst, thou lovedst him better | ||
| Than ever thou lovedst Cassius. | ||
| BRUTUS | Sheathe 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 | 110 | |
| That carries anger as the flint bears fire; | ||
| Who, much enforced, shows a hasty spark, | ||
| And straight is cold again. | ||
| CASSIUS | Hath Cassius lived | |
| To be but mirth and laughter to his Brutus, | ||
| When grief, and blood ill–temper'd, vexeth him? | ||
| BRUTUS | When I spoke that, I was ill–temper'd too. | 115 |
| CASSIUS | Do you confess so much? Give me your hand. | |
| BRUTUS | And my heart too. | |
| CASSIUS | O Brutus! | |
| BRUTUS | What's the matter? | |
| CASSIUS | Have not you love enough to bear with me, | |
| When that rash humour which my mother gave me | ||
| Makes me forgetful? | ||
| BRUTUS | Yes, Cassius; and, from henceforth, | 120 |
| When you are over–earnest with your Brutus, | ||
| He'll think your mother chides, and leave you so. | ||
| Poet | WithinLet me go in to see the generals; | |
| There is some grudge between 'em: 'tis not meet | ||
| They be alone. | ||
| LUCILIUS | WithinYou shall not come to them. | 125 |
| Poet | WithinNothing but death shall stay me. | |
| Enter Poet, followed by LUCILIUS, TITINIUS, and LUCIUS. | ||
| CASSIUS | How now! what's the matter? | |
| Poet | For shame, you generals! what do you mean? | |
| Love, and be friends, as two such men should be; | ||
| For I have seen more years, I'm sure, than ye. | 130 | |
| CASSIUS | Ha, ha! how vilely doth this cynic rhyme! | |
| BRUTUS | Get you hence, sirrah; saucy fellow, hence! | |
| CASSIUS | Bear with him, Brutus; 'tis his fashion. | |
| BRUTUS | I'll know his humour, when he knows his time: | |
| What should the wars do with these jigging fools? | 135 | |
| Companion, hence! | ||
| CASSIUS | Away, away, be gone. | |
| Exit Poet | ||
| BRUTUS | Lucilius and Titinius, bid the commanders | |
| Prepare to lodge their companies to–night. | ||
| CASSIUS | And come yourselves, and bring Messala with you | |
| Immediately to us. | ||
| Exeunt LUCILIUS and TITINIUS. | ||
| BRUTUS | Lucius, a bowl of wine! | |
| Exit LUCIUS. | ||
| CASSIUS | I did not think you could have been so angry. | 141 |
| BRUTUS | O Cassius, I am sick of many griefs. | |
| CASSIUS | Of your philosophy you make no use, | |
| If you give place to accidental evils. | ||
| BRUTUS | No man bears sorrow better. Portia is dead. | |
| CASSIUS | Ha! Portia! | |
| BRUTUS | She is dead. | |
| CASSIUS | How 'scaped I killing when I cross'd you so? | |
| O insupportable and touching loss! | ||
| Upon what sickness? | ||
| BRUTUS | Impatient of my absence, | 150 |
| 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. | ||
| CASSIUS | And died so? | |
| BRUTUS | Even so. | |
| CASSIUS | O ye immortal gods! | 155 |
| Re–enter LUCIUS, with wine and taper. | ||
| BRUTUS | Speak no more of her. Give me a bowl of wine. | |
| In this I bury all unkindness, Cassius. [Drinks.] | ||
| CASSIUS | 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.] | 160 | |
| BRUTUS | Come in, Titinius! | |
| Exit LUCIUS. | ||
| Re–enter TITINIUS, with MESSALA | ||
| Welcome, good Messala. | ||
| Now sit we close about this taper here, | ||
| And call in question our necessities. | ||
| CASSIUS | Portia, art thou gone? | |
| BRUTUS | No more, I pray you. | |
| Messala, I have here received letters, | 165 | |
| That young Octavius and Mark Antony | ||
| Come down upon us with a mighty power, | ||
| Bending their expedition toward Philippi. | ||
| MESSALA | Myself have letters of the selfsame tenor. | |
| BRUTUS | With what addition? | 170 |
| MESSALA | That by proscription and bills of outlawry, | |
| Octavius, Antony, and Lepidus, | ||
| Have put to death an hundred senators. | ||
| BRUTUS | Therein our letters do not well agree; | |
| Mine speak of seventy senators that died | 175 | |
| By their proscriptions, Cicero being one. | ||
| CASSIUS | Cicero one! | |
| MESSALA | Cicero is dead, | |
| And by that order of proscription. | ||
| Had you your letters from your wife, my lord? | ||
| BRUTUS | No, Messala. | 180 |
| MESSALA | Nor nothing in your letters writ of her? | |
| BRUTUS | Nothing, Messala. | |
| MESSALA | That, methinks, is strange. | |
| BRUTUS | Why ask you? hear you aught of her in yours? | |
| MESSALA | No, my lord. | 184 |
| BRUTUS | Now, as you are a Roman, tell me true. | |
| MESSALA | Then like a Roman bear the truth I tell: | |
| For certain she is dead, and by strange manner. | ||
| BRUTUS | Why, farewell, Portia. We must die, Messala: | |
| With meditating that she must die once, | ||
| I have the patience to endure it now. | 190 | |
| MESSALA | Even so great men great losses should endure. | |
| CASSIUS | I have as much of this in art as you, | |
| But yet my nature could not bear it so. | ||
| BRUTUS | Well, to our work alive. What do you think | |
| Of marching to Philippi presently? | ||
| CASSIUS | I do not think it good. | |
| BRUTUS | Your reason? | |
| CASSIUS | 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, defense, and nimbleness. | 200 | |
| BRUTUS | Good reasons must, of force, give place to better. | |
| The people 'twixt Philippi and this ground | ||
| Do stand but in a forced affection; | ||
| For they have grudged us contribution: | ||
| The enemy, marching along by them, | 205 | |
| By them shall make a fuller number up, | ||
| Come on refresh'd, new–added, and encouraged; | ||
| From which advantage shall we cut him off, | ||
| If at Philippi we do face him there, | ||
| These people at our back. | ||
| CASSIUS | Hear me, good brother. | 210 |
| BRUTUS | 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. | 215 | |
| 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. | ||
| On such a full sea are we now afloat; | 220 | |
| And we must take the current when it serves, | ||
| Or lose our ventures. | ||
| CASSIUS | Then, with your will, go on; | |
| We'll along ourselves, and meet them at Philippi. | ||
| BRUTUS | The deep of night is crept upon our talk, | |
| And nature must obey necessity; | 225 | |
| Which we will niggard with a little rest. | ||
| There is no more to say? | ||
| CASSIUS | No more. Good night: | |
| Early to–morrow will we rise, and hence. | ||
| BRUTUS | Lucius! | |
| Enter LUCIUS. | ||
| My gown. | ||
| Exit LUCIUS | ||
| Farewell, good Messala: | ||
| Good night, Titinius. Noble, noble Cassius, | 230 | |
| Good night, and good repose. | ||
| CASSIUS | O my dear brother! | |
| This was an ill beginning of the night: | ||
| Never come such division 'tween our souls! | ||
| Let it not, Brutus. | ||
| BRUTUS | Every thing is well. | |
| CASSIUS | Good night, my lord. | |
| BRUTUS | Good night, good brother. | 235 |
| TITINIUSMESSALA | | Good night, Lord Brutus. | |
| BRUTUS | Farewell, every one. | |
| Exeunt all but BRUTUS. | ||
| Re–enter LUCIUS, with the gown. | ||
| Give me the gown. Where is thy instrument? | ||
| LUCIUS | Here in the tent. | |
| BRUTUS | 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: | 240 | |
| I'll have them sleep on cushions in my tent. | ||
| LUCIUS | Varro and Claudius! | |
| Enter VARRO and CLAUDIUS. | ||
| VARRO | Calls my lord? | |
| BRUTUS | I pray you, sirs, lie in my tent and sleep; | |
| It may be I shall raise you by and by | 245 | |
| On business to my brother Cassius. | ||
| VARRO | So please you, we will stand and watch your pleasure. | |
| BRUTUS | 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; | 250 | |
| I put it in the pocket of my gown. | ||
| VARRO and CLAUDIUS lie down. | ||
| LUCIUS | I was sure your lordship did not give it me. | |
| BRUTUS | 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? | 255 | |
| LUCIUS | Ay, my lord, an't please you. | |
| BRUTUS | It does, my boy: | |
| I trouble thee too much, but thou art willing. | ||
| LUCIUS | It is my duty, sir. | |
| BRUTUS | I should not urge thy duty past thy might; | |
| I know young bloods look for a time of rest. | 260 | |
| LUCIUS | I have slept, my lord, already. | |
| BRUTUS | It was 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 murderous 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. | 270 | |
| Let me see, let me see; is not the leaf turn'd down | ||
| Where I left reading? Here it is, I think. | ||
| Enter the Ghost of CAESAR. | ||
| How ill this taper burns! Ha! who comes here? | ||
| I think it is the weakness of mine eyes | ||
| That shapes this monstrous apparition. | 275 | |
| It comes upon me. Art thou any thing? | ||
| Art thou some god, some angel, or some devil, | ||
| That makest my blood cold and my hair to stare? | ||
| Speak to me what thou art. | ||
| GHOST | Thy evil spirit, Brutus. | |
| BRUTUS | Why comest thou? | 280 |
| GHOST | To tell thee thou shalt see me at Philippi. | |
| BRUTUS | Well; then I shall see thee again? | |
| GHOST | Ay, at Philippi. | |
| BRUTUS | Why, I will see thee at Philippi, then. | |
| Exit Ghost. | ||
| Now I have taken heart thou vanishest: | 285 | |
| Ill spirit, I would hold more talk with thee. | ||
| Boy, Lucius! Varro! Claudius! Sirs, awake! Claudius! | ||
| LUCIUS | The strings, my lord, are false. | |
| BRUTUS | He thinks he still is at his instrument. | 290 |
| Lucius, awake! | ||
| LUCIUS | My lord? | |
| BRUTUS | Didst thou dream, Lucius, that thou so criedst out? | |
| LUCIUS | My lord, I do not know that I did cry. | |
| BRUTUS | Yes, that thou didst: didst thou see any thing? | |
| LUCIUS | Nothing, my lord. | |
| BRUTUS | Sleep again, Lucius. Sirrah Claudius! | |
| To VARRO. | ||
| Fellow thou, awake! | ||
| VARRO | My lord? | |
| CLAUDIUS | My lord? | 300 |
| BRUTUS | Why did you so cry out, sirs, in your sleep? | |
| VARROCLAUDIUS | Did we, my lord? | |
| BRUTUS | Ay: saw you any thing? | |
| VARRO | No, my lord, I saw nothing. | |
| CLAUDIUS | Nor I, my lord. | |
| BRUTUS | Go and commend me to my brother Cassius; | |
| Bid him set on his powers betimes before, | 305 | |
| And we will follow. | ||
| VARROCLAUDIUS | It shall be done, my lord. | |
| Exeunt |
ACT V SCENE I Setting: The plains of Philippi.
Enter OCTAVIUS, ANTONY, and their army.
| OCTAVIUS | 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, | 5 | |
| Answering before we do demand of them. | ||
| ANTONY | 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 | 10 | |
| To fasten in our thoughts that they have courage; | ||
| But 'tis not so. | ||
| Enter a Messenger. | ||
| Messenger | Prepare you, generals: | |
| The enemy comes on in gallant show; | ||
| Their bloody sign of battle is hung out, | ||
| And something to be done immediately. | 15 | |
| ANTONY | Octavius, lead your battle softly on, | |
| Upon the left hand of the even field. | ||
| OCTAVIUS | Upon the right hand I; keep thou the left. | |
| ANTONY | Why do you cross me in this exigent? | 19 |
| OCTAVIUS | I do not cross you; but I will do so. | |
| March |
Drum. Enter BRUTUS, CASSIUS, and their Army; LUCILIUS, TITINIUS, MESSALA, and others.
| BRUTUS | They stand, and would have parley. | |
| CASSIUS | Stand fast, Titinius: we must out and talk. | |
| OCTAVIUS | Mark Antony, shall we give sign of battle? | |
| ANTONY | No, Caesar, we will answer on their charge. | |
| Make forth; the generals would have some words. | 25 | |
| OCTAVIUS | Stir not until the signal. | |
| BRUTUS | Words before blows: is it so, countrymen? | |
| OCTAVIUS | Not that we love words better, as you do. | |
| BRUTUS | Good words are better than bad strokes, Octavius. | |
| ANTONY | In your bad strokes, Brutus, you give good words: | |
| Witness the hole you made in Caesar's heart, | ||
| Crying 'Long live! hail, Caesar!' | ||
| CASSIUS | Antony, | |
| The posture of your blows are yet unknown; | ||
| But for your words, they rob the Hybla bees, | ||
| And leave them honeyless. | ||
| ANTONY | Not stingless too. | 35 |
| BRUTUS | O, yes, and soundless too; | |
| For you have stol'n their buzzing, Antony, | ||
| And very wisely threat before you sting. | ||
| ANTONY | Villains, you did not so, when your vile daggers | |
| Hack'd one another in the sides of Caesar: | 40 | |
| You show'd your teeth like apes, and fawn'd like hounds, | ||
| And bow'd like bondmen, kissing Caesar's feet; | ||
| Whilst damned Casca, like a cur, behind | ||
| Struck Caesar on the neck. O you flatterers! | ||
| CASSIUS | Flatterers! Now, Brutus, thank yourself: | 45 |
| This tongue had not offended so to–day, | ||
| If Cassius might have ruled. | ||
| OCTAVIUS | 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 Caesar's three and thirty wounds | ||
| Be well avenged; or till another Caesar | ||
| Have added slaughter to the sword of traitors. | 55 | |
| BRUTUS | Caesar, thou canst not die by traitors' hands, | |
| Unless thou bring'st them with thee. | ||
| OCTAVIUS | So I hope; | |
| I was not born to die on Brutus' sword. | ||
| BRUTUS | O, if thou wert the noblest of thy strain, | |
| Young man, thou couldst not die more honourable. | 60 | |
| CASSIUS | A peevish schoolboy, worthless of such honour, | |
| Join'd with a masker and a reveller! | ||
| ANTONY | Old Cassius still! | |
| OCTAVIUS | Come, Antony, away! | |
| Defiance, traitors, hurl we in your teeth: | ||
| If you dare fight to–day, come to the field; | 65 | |
| If not, when you have stomachs. | ||
| Exeunt OCTAVIUS, ANTONY, and their army. | ||
| CASSIUS | Why, now, blow wind, swell billow and swim bark! | |
| The storm is up, and all is on the hazard. | ||
| BRUTUS | Ho, Lucilius! hark, a word with you. | |
| LUCILIUS | Standing forth.My lord? | 70 |
| BRUTUS and LUCILIUS converse apart. | ||
| CASSIUS | Messala! | |
| MESSALA | ||
| CASSIUS | Messala, | |
| 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 | 75 | |
| 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 | 80 | |
| 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, | 85 | |
| 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. | ||
| MESSALA | Believe not so. | |
| CASSIUS | I but believe it partly; | 90 |
| For I am fresh of spirit and resolved | ||
| To meet all perils very constantly. | ||
| BRUTUS | Even so, Lucilius. | |
| CASSIUS | 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 incertain, | ||
| 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? | 100 | |
| BRUTUS | 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. | ||
| CASSIUS | Then, if we lose this battle, | |
| You are contented to be led in triumph | ||
| Thorough the streets of Rome? | 110 | |
| BRUTUS | 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. | ||
| CASSIUS | For ever, and for ever, farewell, Brutus! | 120 |
| If we do meet again, we'll smile indeed; | ||
| If not, 'tis true this parting was well made. | ||
| BRUTUS | Why, then, lead on. O, that a man might know | |
| The end of this day's business ere it come! | ||
| But it sufficeth that the day will end, | 125 | |
| And then the end is known. Come, ho! away! | ||
| Exeunt |
ACT I SCENE I Setting: Rome. A street.
Enter FLAVIUS, MARULLUS, and certain Commoners.
| FLAVIUS | Hence! home, you idle creatures get you home: | |
| Is this a holiday? What! know you not, | ||
| Being mechanical, you ought not walk | ||
| Upon a labouring day without the sign | ||
| Of your profession? Speak, what trade art thou? | 5 | |
| First Commoner | Why, sir, a carpenter. | |
| MARULLUS | Where is thy leather apron and thy rule? | |
| What dost thou with thy best apparel on? | ||
| You, sir, what trade are you? | ||
| Second Commoner | Truly, sir, in respect of a fine workman, I am but, | |
| as you would say, a cobbler. | ||
| MARULLUS | But what trade art thou? answer me directly. | |
| Second Commoner | A trade, sir, that, I hope, I may use with a safe | |
| conscience; which is, indeed, sir, a mender of bad soles. | ||
| MARULLUS | What trade, thou knave? thou naughty knave, what trade? | |
| Second Commoner | Nay, I beseech you, sir, be not out with me: yet, | |
| if you be out, sir, I can mend you. | ||
| MARULLUS | What meanest thou by that? mend me, thou saucy fellow! | |
| Second Commoner | Why, sir, cobble you. | 20 |
| FLAVIUS | Thou art a cobbler, art thou? | |
| Second Commoner | Truly, sir, all that I live by is with the awl: I | |
| meddle with no tradesman's matters, nor women's | ||
| matters, but with awl. I am, indeed, sir, a surgeon | ||
| to old shoes; when they are in great danger, I | ||
| recover them. As proper men as ever trod upon | ||
| neat's–leather have gone upon my handiwork. | ||
| FLAVIUS | But wherefore art not in thy shop today? | |
| Why dost thou lead these men about the streets? | ||
| Second Commoner | Truly, sir, to wear out their shoes, to get myself | |
| into more work. But, indeed, sir, we make holiday, | ||
| to see Caesar and to rejoice in his triumph. | ||
| MARULLUS | Wherefore rejoice? What conquest brings he home? | |
| What tributaries follow him to Rome, | ||
| To grace in captive bonds his chariot–wheels? | 35 | |
| You blocks, you stones, you worse than senseless things! | ||
| O you hard hearts, you cruel men of Rome, | ||
| Knew you not Pompey? Many a time and oft | ||
| Have you climb'd up to walls and battlements, | ||
| To towers and windows, yea, to chimney–tops, | ||
| Your infants in your arms, and there have sat | ||
| The live–long day, with patient expectation, | ||
| To see great Pompey pass the streets of Rome: | ||
| And when you saw his chariot but appear, | ||
| Have you not made an universal shout, | 45 | |
| That Tiber trembled underneath her banks, | ||
| To hear the replication of your sounds | ||
| Made in her concave shores? | ||
| And do you now put on your best attire? | ||
| And do you now cull out a holiday? | ||
| And do you now strew flowers in his way | ||
| That comes in triumph over Pompey's blood? Be gone! | ||
| Run to your houses, fall upon your knees, | ||
| Pray to the gods to intermit the plague | 55 | |
| That needs must light on this ingratitude. | ||
| FLAVIUS | Go, go, good countrymen, and, for this fault, | |
| Assemble all the poor men of your sort; | ||
| Draw them to Tiber banks, and weep your tears | ||
| Into the channel, till the lowest stream | 60 | |
| Do kiss the most exalted shores of all. | ||
| [Exeunt all the Commoners.] | ||
| See whether their basest metal be not moved; | ||
| They vanish tongue–tied in their guiltiness. | ||
| Go you down that way towards the Capitol; | ||
| This way will I disrobe the images, | 65 | |
| If you do find them deck'd with ceremonies. | ||
| MARULLUS | May we do so? | |
| You know it is the feast of Lupercal. | ||
| FLAVIUS | It is no matter; let no images | |
| Be hung with Caesar's trophies. I'll about, | 70 | |
| And drive away the vulgar from the streets: | ||
| So do you too, where you perceive them thick. | ||
| These growing feathers pluck'd from Caesar's wing | ||
| Will make him fly an ordinary pitch, | ||
| Who else would soar above the view of men | ||
| And keep us all in servile fearfulness. | ||
| Exeunt |
ACT I SCENE II Setting: A public place.
Flourish. Enter CAESAR; ANTONY, for the course; CALPURNIA, PORTIA, DECIUS BRUTUS, CICERO, BRUTUS, CASSIUS, and CASCA; a great crowd following, among them a Soothsayer.
| CAESAR | Calpurnia! | |
| CASCA | Peace, ho! Caesar speaks. | |
| CAESAR | Calpurnia! | |
| CALPURNIA | Here, my lord. | |
| CAESAR | Stand you directly in Antonius' way, | |
| When he doth run his course. Antonius! | ||
| ANTONY | Caesar, my lord? | |
| CAESAR | Forget not, in your speed, Antonius, | |
| To touch Calpurnia; for our elders say, | ||
| The barren, touched in this holy chase, | ||
| Shake off their sterile curse. | ||
| ANTONY | I shall remember: | |
| When Caesar says "do this, " it is perform'd. | 10 | |
| CAESAR | Set on; and leave no ceremony out. | |
| [Flourish] | ||
| Soothsayer | Caesar! | |
| CAESAR | Ha! who calls? | |
| CASCA | Bid every noise be still: peace yet again! | |
| CAESAR | Who is it in the press that calls on me? | 15 |
| I hear a tongue, shriller than all the music, | ||
| Cry "Caesar!" Speak; Caesar is turn'd to hear. | ||
| Soothsayer | Beware the ides of March. | |
| CAESAR | What man is that? | |
| BRUTUS | A soothsayer bids you beware the ides of March. | |
| CAESAR | Set him before me; let me see his face. | 20 |
| CASSIUS | Fellow, come from the throng; look upon Caesar. | |
| CAESAR | What say'st thou to me now? speak once again. | |
| Soothsayer | Beware the ides of March. | |
| CAESAR | He is a dreamer; let us leave him: pass. | |
| [Sennet. Exeunt all except BRUTUS and CASSIUS.] | ||
| CASSIUS | Will you go see the order of the course? | |
| BRUTUS | Not I. | |
| CASSIUS | I pray you, do. | |
| BRUTUS | I am not gamesome: I do lack some part | |
| Of that quick spirit that is in Antony. | ||
| Let me not hinder, Cassius, your desires; | 30 | |
| I'll leave you. | ||
| CASSIUS | Brutus, I do observe you now of late: | |
| I have not from your eyes that gentleness | ||
| And show of love as I was wont to have: | ||
| You bear too stubborn and too strange a hand | 35 | |
| Over your friend that loves you. | ||
| BRUTUS | Cassius, | |
| Be not deceived: if I have veil'd my look, | ||
| I turn the trouble of my countenance | ||
| Merely upon myself. Vexed I am | ||
| Of late with passions of some difference, | 40 | |
| Conceptions only proper to myself, | ||
| Which give some soil perhaps to my behaviors; | ||
| But let not therefore my good friends be grieved–– | ||
| Among which number, Cassius, be you one–– | ||
| Nor construe any further my neglect, | 45 | |
| Than that poor Brutus, with himself at war, | ||
| Forgets the shows of love to other men. | ||
| CASSIUS | Then, Brutus, I have much mistook your passion; | |
| By means whereof this breast of mine hath buried | ||
| Thoughts of great value, worthy cogitations. | 50 | |
| Tell me, good Brutus, can you see your face? | ||
| BRUTUS | No, Cassius; for the eye sees not itself, | |
| But by reflection, by some other things. | ||
| CASSIUS | Tis just: | |
| And it is very much lamented, Brutus, | 55 | |
| That you have no such mirrors as will turn | ||
| Your hidden worthiness into your eye, | ||
| That you might see your shadow. I have heard, | ||
| Where many of the best respect in Rome, | ||
| Except immortal Caesar, speaking of Brutus | 60 | |
| And groaning underneath this age's yoke, | ||
| Have wish'd that noble Brutus had his eyes. | ||
| BRUTUS | Into what dangers would you lead me, Cassius, | |
| That you would have me seek into myself | ||
| For that which is not in me? | 65 | |
| CASSIUS | Therefore, good Brutus, be prepared to hear: | |
| And since you know you cannot see yourself | ||
| So well as by reflection, I, your glass, | ||
| Will modestly discover to yourself | ||
| That of yourself which you yet know not of. | 70 | |
| And be not jealous on me, gentle Brutus: | ||
| Were I a common laugher, or did use | ||
| To stale with ordinary oaths my love | ||
| To every new protester; if you know | ||
| That I do fawn on men and hug them hard | 75 | |
| And after scandal them; or if you know | ||
| That I profess myself in banqueting | ||
| To all the rout, then hold me dangerous. | ||
| [Flourish, and shout.] | ||
| BRUTUS | What means this shouting? I do fear, the people | |
| Choose Caesar for their king. | ||
| CASSIUS | Ay, do you fear it? | 80 |
| Then must I think you would not have it so. | ||
| BRUTUS | I would not, Cassius; yet I love him well. | |
| But wherefore do you hold me here so long? | ||
| What is it that you would impart to me? | ||
| If it be aught toward the general good, | 85 | |
| Set honour in one eye and death i' the other, | ||
| And I will look on both indifferently, | ||
| For let the gods so speed me as I love | ||
| The name of honour more than I fear death. | ||
| CASSIUS | I know that virtue to be in you, Brutus, | 90 |
| As well as I do know your outward favour. | ||
| Well, honour is the subject of my story. | ||
| I cannot tell what you and other men | ||
| Think of this life; but, for my single self, | ||
| I had as lief not be as live to be | 95 | |
| In awe of such a thing as I myself. | ||
| I was born free as Caesar; so were you: | ||
| We both have fed as well, and we can both | ||
| Endure the winter's cold as well as he: | ||
| For once, upon a raw and gusty day, | 100 | |
| The troubled Tiber chafing with her shores, | ||
| Caesar said to me "Darest thou, Cassius, now | ||
| Leap in with me into this angry flood, | ||
| And swim to yonder point?" Upon the word, | ||
| Accoutred as I was, I plunged in | 105 | |
| And bade him follow; so indeed he did. | ||
| The torrent roar'd, and we did buffet it | ||
| With lusty sinews, throwing it aside | ||
| And stemming it with hearts of controversy; | ||
| But ere we could arrive the point proposed, | 110 | |
| Caesar cried 'Help me, Cassius, or I sink!' | ||
| I, as Aeneas, our great ancestor, | ||
| Did from the flames of Troy upon his shoulder | ||
| The old Anchises bear, so from the waves of Tiber | ||
| Did I the tired Caesar. And this man | 115 | |
| Is now become a god, and Cassius is | ||
| A wretched creature and must bend his body, | ||
| If Caesar carelessly but nod on him. | ||
| He had a fever when he was in Spain, | ||
| And when the fit was on him, I did mark | 120 | |
| How he did shake: 'tis true, this god did shake; | ||
| His coward lips did from their colour fly, | ||
| And that same eye whose bend doth awe the world | ||
| Did lose his lustre: I did hear him groan: | ||
| Ay, and that tongue of his that bade the Romans | 125 | |
| Mark him and write his speeches in their books, | ||
| Alas, it cried "Give me some drink, Titinius," | ||
| As a sick girl. Ye gods! it doth amaze me | ||
| A man of such a feeble temper should | ||
| So get the start of the majestic world | 130 | |
| And bear the palm alone. | ||
| [Shout. Flourish.] | ||
| BRUTUS | Another general shout! | |
| I do believe that these applauses are | ||
| For some new honours that are heap'd on Caesar. | ||
| CASSIUS | Why, man, he doth bestride the narrow world | |
| Like a Colossus, and we petty men | 136 | |
| Walk under his huge legs and peep about | ||
| To find ourselves dishonourable graves. | ||
| Men at some time are masters of their fates: | ||
| The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, | 140 | |
| But in ourselves, that we are underlings. | ||
| Brutus and Caesar: what should be in that "Caesar"? | ||
| Why should that name be sounded more than yours? | ||
| Write them together, yours is as fair a name; | ||
| Sound them, it doth become the mouth as well; | 145 | |
| Weigh them, it is as heavy; conjure with 'em, | ||
| Brutus will start a spirit as soon as Caesar. | ||
| Now, in the names of all the gods at once, | ||
| Upon what meat doth this our Caesar feed, | ||
| That he is grown so great? Age, thou art shamed! | 150 | |
| Rome, thou hast lost the breed of noble bloods! | ||
| When went there by an age, since the great flood, | ||
| But it was famed with more than with one man? | ||
| When could they say till now, that talk'd of Rome, | ||
| That her wide walls encompassed but one man? | 155 | |
| Now is it Rome indeed and room enough, | ||
| When there is in it but one only man. | ||
| O, you and I have heard our fathers say, | ||
| There was a Brutus once that would have brook'd | ||
| The eternal devil to keep his state in Rome | 160 | |
| As easily as a king. | ||
| BRUTUS | That you do love me, I am nothing jealous; | |
| What you would work me to, I have some aim: | ||
| How I have thought of this and of these times, | ||
| I shall recount hereafter; for this present, | 165 | |
| I would not, so with love I might entreat you, | ||
| Be any further moved. What you have said | ||
| I will consider; what you have to say | ||
| I will with patience hear, and find a time | ||
| Both meet to hear and answer such high things. | 170 | |
| Till then, my noble friend, chew upon this: | ||
| Brutus had rather be a villager | ||
| Than to repute himself a son of Rome | ||
| Under these hard conditions as this time | ||
| Is like to lay upon us. | 175 | |
| CASSIUS | I am glad that my weak words | |
| Have struck but thus much show of fire from Brutus. | ||
| BRUTUS | The games are done and Caesar is returning. | |
| CASSIUS | As they pass by, pluck Casca by the sleeve; | |
| And he will, after his sour fashion, tell you | 180 | |
| What hath proceeded worthy note to–day. | ||
| [Re–enter CAESAR and his Train.] | ||
| BRUTUS | I will do so. But, look you, Cassius, | |
| The angry spot doth glow on Caesar's brow, | ||
| And all the rest look like a chidden train: | ||
| Calpurnia's cheek is pale; and Cicero | 185 | |
| Looks with such ferret and such fiery eyes | ||
| As we have seen him in the Capitol, | ||
| Being cross'd in conference by some senators. | ||
| CASSIUS | Casca will tell us what the matter is. | |
| CAESAR | Antonius! | 190 |
| ANTONY | Caesar? | |
| CAESAR | Let me have men about me that are fat; | |
| Sleek–headed men and such as sleep o' nights: | ||
| Yond Cassius has a lean and hungry look; | ||
| He thinks too much: such men are dangerous. | 195 | |
| ANTONY | Fear him not, Caesar; he's not dangerous; | |
| He is a noble Roman and well given. | ||
| CAESAR | Would he were fatter! But I fear him not: | |
| Yet if my name were liable to fear, | ||
| I do not know the man I should avoid | 200 | |
| So soon as that spare Cassius. He reads much; | ||
| He is a great observer and he looks | ||
| Quite through the deeds of men: he loves no plays, | ||
| As thou dost, Antony; he hears no music; | ||
| Seldom he smiles, and smiles in such a sort | 205 | |
| As if he mock'd himself and scorn'd his spirit | ||
| That could be moved to smile at any thing. | ||
| Such men as he be never at heart's ease | ||
| Whiles they behold a greater than themselves, | ||
| And therefore are they very dangerous. | 210 | |
| I rather tell thee what is to be fear'd | ||
| Than what I fear; for always I am Caesar. | ||
| Come on my right hand, for this ear is deaf, | ||
| And tell me truly what thou think'st of him. | ||
| [Sennet. Exeunt CAESAR and all his Train, but CASCA.] | ||
| CASCA | You pull'd me by the cloak; would you speak with me? | |
| BRUTUS | Ay, Casca; tell us what hath chanced to–day, | |
| That Caesar looks so sad. | ||
| CASCA | Why, you were with him, were you not? | |
| BRUTUS | I should not then ask Casca what had chanced. | |
| CASCA | Why, there was a crown offered him: and being | |
| offered him, he put it by with the back of his hand, | ||
| thus; and then the people fell a–shouting. | 222 | |
| BRUTUS | What was the second noise for? | |
| CASCA | Why, for that too. | |
| CASSIUS | They shouted thrice: what was the last cry for? | |
| CASCA | Why, for that too. | |
| BRUTUS | Was the crown offered him thrice? | |
| CASCA | Ay, marry, was't, and he put it by thrice, every | |
| time gentler than other, and at every putting–by | ||
| mine honest neighbours shouted. | 230 | |
| CASSIUS | Who offered him the crown? | |
| CASCA | Why, Antony. | |
| BRUTUS | Tell us the manner of it, gentle Casca. | |
| CASCA | I can as well be hanged as tell the manner of it: | |
| it was mere foolery; I did not mark it. I saw Mark | ||
| Antony offer him a crown;––yet 'twas not a crown | ||
| neither, 'twas one of these coronets;––and, as I told | ||
| you, he put it by once: but, for all that, to my | ||
| thinking, he would fain have had it. Then he | ||
| offered it to him again; then he put it by again: | ||
| but, to my thinking, he was very loath to lay his | ||
| fingers off it. And then he offered it the third | ||
| time; he put it the third time by: and still as he | ||
| refused it, the rabblement hooted and clapped their | ||
| chapped hands and threw up their sweaty night–caps | ||
| and uttered such a deal of stinking breath because | ||
| Caesar refused the crown that it had almost choked | ||
| Caesar; for he swounded and fell down at it: and | ||
| for mine own part, I durst not laugh, for fear of | ||
| opening my lips and receiving the bad air. | 248 | |
| CASSIUS | But, soft, I pray you: what, did Caesar swound? | |
| CASCA | He fell down in the market–place, and foamed at | |
| mouth, and was speechless. | ||
| BRUTUS | Tis very like: he hath the failing sickness. | |
| CASSIUS | No, Caesar hath it not; but you and I, | |
| And honest Casca, we have the falling sickness. | ||
| CASCA | I know not what you mean by that; but, I am sure, | |
| Caesar fell down. If the tag–rag people did not | ||
| clap him and hiss him, according as he pleased and | ||
| displeased them, as they use to do the players in | ||
| the theatre, I am no true man. | ||
| BRUTUS | What said he when he came unto himself? | 260 |
| CASCA | Marry, before he fell down, when he perceived the | |
| common herd was glad he refused the crown, he | ||
| plucked me ope his doublet and offered them his | ||
| throat to cut. An I had been a man of any | ||
| occupation, if I would not have taken him at a word, | ||
| I would I might go to hell among the rogues. And so | ||
| he fell. When he came to himself again, he said, | ||
| If he had done or said any thing amiss, he desired | ||
| their worships to think it was his infirmity. Three | ||
| or four wenches, where I stood, cried 'Alas, good | ||
| soul!' and forgave him with all their hearts: but | ||
| there's no heed to be taken of them; if Caesar had | ||
| stabbed their mothers, they would have done no less. | 272 | |
| BRUTUS | And after that, he came, thus sad, away? | |
| CASCA | Ay. | |
| CASSIUS | Did Cicero say any thing? | 275 |
| CASCA | Ay, he spoke Greek. | |
| CASSIUS | To what effect? | |
| CASCA | Nay, an I tell you that, I'll ne'er look you i' the | |
| face again: but those that understood him smiled at | ||
| one another and shook their heads; but, for mine own | 280 | |
| part, it was Greek to me. I could tell you more | ||
| news too: Marullus and Flavius, for pulling scarfs | ||
| off Caesar's images, are put to silence. Fare you | ||
| well. There was more foolery yet, if I could | ||
| remember it. | ||
| CASSIUS | Will you sup with me to–night, Casca? | 285 |
| CASCA | No, I am promised forth. | |
| CASSIUS | Will you dine with me to–morrow? | |
| CASCA | Ay, if I be alive and your mind hold and your dinner | |
| worth the eating. | ||
| CASSIUS | Good: I will expect you. | |
| CASCA | Do so. Farewell, both. | |
| Exit | ||
| BRUTUS | What a blunt fellow is this grown to be! | |
| He was quick mettle when he went to school. | ||
| CASSIUS | So is he now in execution | |
| Of any bold or noble enterprise, | 295 | |
| However he puts on this tardy form. | ||
| This rudeness is a sauce to his good wit, | ||
| Which gives men stomach to digest his words | ||
| With better appetite. | ||
| BRUTUS | And so it is. For this time I will leave you: | 300 |
| To–morrow, if you please to speak with me, | ||
| I will come home to you; or, if you will, | ||
| Come home to me, and I will wait for you. | ||
| CASSIUS | I will do so: till then, think of the world. | |
| Exit BRUTUS. | ||
| Well, Brutus, thou art noble; yet, I see, | 305 | |
| Thy honourable metal may be wrought | ||
| From that it is disposed: therefore it is meet | ||
| That noble minds keep ever with their likes; | ||
| For who so firm that cannot be seduced? | ||
| Caesar doth bear me hard; but he loves Brutus: | ||
| If I were Brutus now and he were Cassius, | ||
| He should not humour me. I will this night, | ||
| In several hands, in at his windows throw, | ||
| As if they came from several citizens, | ||
| Writings all tending to the great opinion | 315 | |
| That Rome holds of his name; wherein obscurely | ||
| Caesar's ambition shall be glanced at: | ||
| And after this let Caesar seat him sure; | ||
| For we will shake him, or worse days endure. | ||
| Exit |
ACT I SCENE III Setting: The same. A street.
Thunder and lightning. Enter from opposite sides, CASCA, with his sword drawn, and CICERO.
| CICERO | Good even, Casca: brought you Caesar home? | |
| Why are you breathless? and why stare you so? | ||
| CASCA | Are not you moved, when all the sway of earth | |
| Shakes like a thing unfirm? O Cicero, | ||
| I have seen tempests, when the scolding winds | ||
| Have rived the knotty oaks, and I have seen | ||
| The ambitious ocean swell and rage and foam, | ||
| To be exalted with the threatening clouds: | ||
| But never till to–night, never till now, | ||
| Did I go through a tempest dropping fire. | 10 | |
| Either there is a civil strife in heaven, | ||
| Or else the world, too saucy with the gods, | ||
| Incenses them to send destruction. | ||
| CICERO | Why, saw you any thing more wonderful? | |
| CASCA | A common slave––you know him well by sight–– | 15 |
| Held up his left hand, which did flame and burn | ||
| Like twenty torches join'd, and yet his hand, | ||
| Not sensible of fire, remain'd unscorch'd. | ||
| Besides––I ha' not since put up my sword–– | ||
| Against the Capitol I met a lion, | 20 | |
| Who glared upon me, and went surly by, | ||
| Without annoying me: and there were drawn | ||
| Upon a heap a hundred ghastly women, | ||
| Transformed with their fear; who swore they saw | ||
| Men all in fire walk up and down the streets. | 25 | |
| And yesterday the bird of night did sit | ||
| Even at noon–day upon the market–place, | ||
| Hooting and shrieking. When these prodigies | ||
| Do so conjointly meet, let not men say | ||
| These are their reasons; they are natural;' | 30 | |
| For, I believe, they are portentous things | ||
| Unto the climate that they point upon. | ||
| CICERO | Indeed, it is a strange–disposed time: | |
| But men may construe things after their fashion, | ||
| Clean from the purpose of the things themselves. | 35 | |
| Come Caesar to the Capitol to–morrow? | ||
| CASCA | He doth; for he did bid Antonius | |
| Send word to you he would be there to–morrow. | ||
| CICERO | Good night then, Casca: this disturbed sky | 39 |
| Is not to walk in. | ||
| CASCA | Farewell, Cicero. | |
| Exit CICERO. | ||
| Enter CASSIUS. | ||
| CASSIUS | Who's there? | |
| CASCA | A Roman. | |
| CASSIUS | Casca, by your voice. | |
| CASCA | Your ear is good. Cassius, what night is this! | |
| CASSIUS | A very pleasing night to honest men. | |
| CASCA | Who ever knew the heavens menace so? | |
| CASSIUS | Those that have known the earth so full of faults. | |
| For my part, I have walk'd about the streets, | 46 | |
| Submitting me unto the perilous night, | ||
| And, thus unbraced, Casca, as you see, | ||
| Have bared my bosom to the thunder–stone; | ||
| And when the cross blue lightning seem'd to open | ||
| The breast of heaven, I did present myself | ||
| Even in the aim and very flash of it. | ||
| CASCA | But wherefore did you so much tempt the heavens? | |
| It is the part of men to fear and tremble, | ||
| When the most mighty gods by tokens send | 55 | |
| Such dreadful heralds to astonish us. | ||
| CASSIUS | You are dull, Casca, and those sparks of life | |
| That should be in a Roman you do want, | ||
| Or else you use not. You look pale and gaze | ||
| And put on fear and cast yourself in wonder, | 60 | |
| To see the strange impatience of the heavens: | ||
| But if you would consider the true cause | ||
| Why all these fires, why all these gliding ghosts, | ||
| Why birds and beasts from quality and kind, | ||
| Why old men fool and children calculate, | 65 | |
| Why all these things change from their ordinance | ||
| Their natures and preformed faculties | ||
| To monstrous quality,––why, you shall find | ||
| That heaven hath infused them with these spirits, | ||
| To make them instruments of fear and warning | 70 | |
| Unto some monstrous state. | ||
| Now could I, Casca, name to thee a man | ||
| Most like this dreadful night, | ||
| That thunders, lightens, opens graves, and roars | ||
| As doth the lion in the Capitol, | 75 | |
| A man no mightier than thyself or me | ||
| In personal action, yet prodigious grown | ||
| And fearful, as these strange eruptions are. | ||
| CASCA | Tis Caesar that you mean; is it not, Cassius? | |
| CASSIUS | Let it be who it is: for Romans now | 80 |
| Have thews and limbs like to their ancestors; | ||
| But, woe the while! our fathers' minds are dead, | ||
| And we are govern'd with our mothers' spirits; | ||
| Our yoke and sufferance show us womanish. | ||
| CASCA | Indeed, they say the senators tomorrow | 85 |
| Mean to establish Caesar as a king; | ||
| And he shall wear his crown by sea and land, | ||
| In every place, save here in Italy. | ||
| CASSIUS | I know where I will wear this dagger then; | |
| Cassius from bondage will deliver Cassius: | 90 | |
| Therein, ye gods, you make the weak most strong; | ||
| Therein, ye gods, you tyrants do defeat: | ||
| Nor stony tower, nor walls of beaten brass, | ||
| Nor airless dungeon, nor strong links of iron, | ||
| Can be retentive to the strength of spirit; | 95 | |
| But life, being weary of these worldly bars, | ||
| Never lacks power to dismiss itself. | ||
| If I know this, know all the world besides, | ||
| That part of tyranny that I do bear | ||
| I can shake off at pleasure. | ||
| Thunder still | ||
| CASCA | So can I: | |
| So every bondman in his own hand bears | ||
| The power to cancel his captivity. | ||
| CASSIUS | And why should Caesar be a tyrant then? | |
| Poor man! I know he would not be a wolf, | ||
| But that he sees the Romans are but sheep: | 105 | |
| He were no lion, were not Romans hinds. | ||
| Those that with haste will make a mighty fire | ||
| Begin it with weak straws: what trash is Rome, | ||
| What rubbish and what offal, when it serves | ||
| For the base matter to illuminate | 110 | |
| So vile a thing as Caesar! But, O grief, | ||
| Where hast thou led me? I perhaps speak this | ||
| Before a willing bondman; then I know | ||
| My answer must be made. But I am arm'd, | ||
| And dangers are to me indifferent. | 115 | |
| CASCA | You speak to Casca, and to such a man | |
| That is no fleering tell–tale. Hold, my hand: | ||
| Be factious for redress of all these griefs, | ||
| And I will set this foot of mine as far | ||
| As who goes farthest. | ||
| CASSIUS | There's a bargain made. | 120 |
| Now know you, Casca, I have moved already | ||
| Some certain of the noblest–minded Romans | ||
| To undergo with me an enterprise | ||
| Of honourable–dangerous consequence; | ||
| And I do know, by this, they stay for me | 125 | |
| In Pompey's porch: for now, this fearful night, | ||
| There is no stir or walking in the streets; | ||
| And the complexion of the element | ||
| In favour's like the work we have in hand, | ||
| Most bloody, fiery, and most terrible. | 130 | |
| CASCA | Stand close awhile, for here comes one in haste. | |
| CASSIUS | Tis Cinna; I do know him by his gait; | |
| He is a friend. | ||
| Enter CINNA. | ||
| Cinna, where haste you so? | ||
| CINNA | To find out you. Who's that? Metellus Cimber? | |
| CASSIUS | No, it is Casca; one incorporate | 135 |
| To our attempts. Am I not stay'd for, Cinna? | ||
| CINNA | I am glad on 't. What a fearful night is this! | |
| There's two or three of us have seen strange sights. | ||
| CASSIUS | Am I not stay'd for? tell me. | |
| CINNA | Yes, you are. | |
| O Cassius, if you could | 140 | |
| But win the noble Brutus to our party–– | ||
| CASSIUS | Be you content: good Cinna, take this paper, | |
| And look you lay it in the praetor's chair, | ||
| Where Brutus may but find it; and throw this | ||
| In at his window; set this up with wax | 145 | |
| Upon old Brutus' statue: all this done, | ||
| Repair to Pompey's porch, where you shall find us. | ||
| Is Decius Brutus and Trebonius there? | ||
| CINNA | All but Metellus Cimber; and he's gone | |
| To seek you at your house. Well, I will hie, | 150 | |
| And so bestow these papers as you bade me. | ||
| CASSIUS | That done, repair to Pompey's theatre. | |
| Exit CINNA. | ||
| Come, Casca, you and I will yet ere day | ||
| See Brutus at his house: three parts of him | ||
| Is ours already, and the man entire | ||
| Upon the next encounter yields him ours. | ||
| CASCA | O, he sits high in all the people's hearts: | |
| And that which would appear offence in us, | ||
| His countenance, like richest alchemy, | ||
| Will change to virtue and to worthiness. | ||
| CASSIUS | Him and his worth and our great need of him | |
| You have right well conceited. Let us go, | ||
| For it is after midnight; and ere day | 163 | |
| We will awake him and be sure of him. | ||
| Exeunt |
