The Works of William Shakespeare

Meet to be sent on errands: is it fit,
The three-fold world divided, he should stand
One of the three to share it?
Oct.
So you thought him;
And took his voice who should be prick'd to die,
In our black sentence and proscription.

Ant. Octavius, I have seen more days than

you:

And though we lay these honours on this man,
To ease ourselves of divers slanderous loads,
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,
Like to the empty ass, to shake his ears,
And graze in commons.

Oct.
You may do your will;
But he's a tried and valiant soldier.

Ant. So is my horse, Octavius; and for that

I do appoint him store of provender:

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;
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,
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,
How covert matters may be best disclosed,
And open perils surest answered.

Drum. Enter BRUTUS, LUCILIUS, LUCIUS, and Soldiers; TITINIUS and PINDARUS meeting them.

Bru. Stand, ho!

Lucil. Give the word, ho! and stand.
Bru. What now, Lucilius! is Cassius near?
Lucil. He is at hand; and Pindarus is come
To do you salutation from his master.
Bru. He greets me well.

darus,

A hot friend cooling: ever note, Lucilius,
When love begins to sicken and decay,
It useth an enforced ceremony.
There are no tricks in plain and simple faith;
But hollow men, like horses hot at hand,
Make galiant show and promise of their mettle;
But when they should endure the bloody spur,
They fall their crests, and, like deceitful jades,
Sink in the trial. Comes his army on?

Lucil. They mean this night in Sardis to be
quarter'd;

The greater part, the horse in general,
Are come with Cassius.

Bru.

Hark! he is arrived. 30 [Low march within.

March gently on to meet him.

Enter CASSIUS and his powers.

Cas. Stand, ho!

Bru. Stand, ho! Speak the word along.
First Sol. Stand!

wrongs;
And when you do them-
Bru.
Cassius, be content;
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.

Cas.

Pindarus,
Bid our commanders lead their charges off
A little from this ground.

Bru. Lucilius, do you the like; and let no

Come to our tent till we have done our conference.
Let Lucius and Titinius guard our door. [Exeunt.

SCENE III. Brutus's tent.

Enter BRUTUS and CASSIUS.
Cas. 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;
Your master, Pin- Wherein my letters, praying on his side,
Because I knew the man, were slighted off.
Bru. You wrong'd yourself to write in such a

And chastisement doth therefore hide his head. Chastisement!

Cas. Bru.

Remember March, the ides of March
remember:
Did not great Julius bleed for justice' sake?
What villain touch'd his body, that did stab,
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
For so much trash as may be grasped thus?
I had rather be a dog, and bay the moon,
Than such a Roman.

Cas.
Brutus, bay not me;
I'll not endure it: you forget yourself,
To hedge me in; I am a soldier, I,
Older in practice, abler than yourself
To make conditions.

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

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!
I denied you not.

Cas.

Bru. You did.

Cas. I did not: he was but a fool that brought My answer back. Brutus hath rived my heart: A friend should bear his friend's infirmities, 30 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

Go to; you are not, Cassius.

I say you are not.

Cas. Urge me no more, I shall forget myself; Have mind upon your health, tempt me no farther. Bru. Away, slight man! Cas. Is't possible? Bru.

Hear me, for I will speak. Must I give way and room to your rash choler? Shall I be frighted when a madman stares? Cas. O ye gods, ye gods! must I endure all this?

Bru.

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
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.

Cas.
Is it come to this?
Bru. 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.

Cas. You wrong me every way; you wrong me, Brutus;

I said, an elder soldier, not a better:
Did I say 'better'?

Bru.

If you did, I care not.

Cas. When Cæsar lived, he durst not thus have moved me.

Bru. Peace, peace! you durst not so have

tempted him.

Cas. I durst not!

Cas. What, durst not tempt him! Bru. For your life you durst not. Cas. Do not presume too much upon my love; I may do that I shall be sorry for.

Bru. 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: For I can raise no money by vile means:

As huge as high Olympus.

Cas. Come, Antony, and young Octavius, come, Revenge yourselves alone on Cassius,

For Cassius is aweary of the world;
Hated by one he loves; braved by his brother;
Check'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,
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 Cæsar; for, I know,
When thou didst hate him worst, thou lovedst
him better

Than ever thou lovedst Cassius.
Bru.

Cas. Hath Cassius lived 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 hand. Bru. And my heart too. Cas. O Brutus! Bru. What's the matter? Cas. Have not you love enough to bear with me, When that rash humour which my mother gave me Makes me forgetful?

Bru. Yes, Cassius; and, from henceforth, When you are over-earnest with your Brutus, He'll think your mother chides, and leave

Cas. Bear with him, Brutus; 'tis his fashion. Bru. I'll know his humour, when he knows his time:

What should the wars do with these jigging fools?
Companion, hence!
Cas.

Away, away, be gone!

140

[Exit Poet. Bru. Lucilius and Titinius, bid the commanders Prepare to lodge their companies to-night. Cas. And come yourselves, and bring Messala with you Immediately to us.

[Exeunt Lucilius and Titinius. Bru. Lucius, a bowl of wine! [Exit Lucius. Cas. I did not think you could have been, so angry.

Bru. Ó Cassius, I am sick of many griefs.
Cas. Of your philosophy you make no use,

If you give place to accidental evils.
Bru. No man bears sorrow better.

dead.

Cas. Ha! Portia !

Bru. She is dead.

Portia is

of wine.

Give me a bowl

161

In this I bury all unkindness, Cassius.
Cas. 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.
Bru. 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.
Cas. Portia, art thou gone?
Bru.
No more,
Messala, I have here received letters,
That young Octavius and Mark Antony
Come down upon us with a mighty power,
Bending their expedition toward Philippi.
Mes. Myself have letters of the selfsame tenour.
Bru. With what addition?

pray you.

170

Mes. That by proscription and bills of outlawry,

Octavius, Antony, and Lepidus,

Have put to death an hundred senators.
Bru Therein our letters do not well agree;
Mine speak of seventy senators that died
By their proscriptions, Cicero being one.
Cas. Cicero one!
Cicero is dead,

Mes.

180

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 in yours?

Mes. No, my lord.

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 forced affection;

For they have grudged us contribution:
The enemy, marching along by them,
By them shall make a fuller number up,
Come on refresh'd, new-added, and encouraged;
From which advantage shall we cut him off, 210
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 bound 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.

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 Cassius.

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

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

250

It may be I shall otherwise bethink me. Look, Lucius, here's the book I sought for so; it in the pocket of my gown.

I put [Var. and Clau. 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't please you.
Bru.

It does, my boy: I trouble thee too much, but thou art willing. Luc. It is my duty, sir.

260

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 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; 269

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 turn'd down

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

Enter the Ghost of CESAR.

SCENE I.

It shall be done, my lord. 309 [Exeunt.

ACT V.

The plains of Philippi. Enter OCTAVIUS, ANTONY, and their army. Oct. Now, Antony, our hopes are answered: But keep the hills and upper regions: You said the enemy would not come down, 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 so.

Mess.

Enter a Messenger. Prepare you, generals: The enemy comes on in gallant show; Their bloody sign of battle is hung out,

How ill this taper burns! Ha! who comes here? And something to be done immediately.

[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?
Ant. No, Cæsar, 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.
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 Cæsar's heart,
Crying 'Long live! hail, Cæsar!'

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;
you have stol'n their buzzing, Antony,
And very wisely threat before you sting.

For

Ant. Villains, you did not so, when your vile daggers

Hack'd one another in the sides of Cæsar: 40
You show'd your teeth like apes, and fawn'd like
hounds,

And bow'd like bondmen, kissing Cæsar's feet;
Whilst damned Casca, like a cur, behind
Struck Cæsar on the neck. O you flatterers!
Cas. Flatterers! Now, Brutus, thank your-
self:

This tongue had not offended so to-day,

If Cassius might have ruled.

Oct.

Come, Antony, away!
Defiance, traitors, hurl we in your teeth:
If you dare fight to-day, come to the field;
If not, when you have stomachs.

[Exeunt Octavius, Antony, and their army.
Cas. Why, now, blow wind, swell billow and
swim bark!

The storm is up, and all is on the hazard.
Bru. Ho, Lucilius! hark, a word with you.
Lucil.
[Standing forth] My lord?
[Brutus and Lucilius converse apart.
Messala !

Cas.
Mes. [Standing forth] What says my general?
Cas. 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
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; 90

For I am fresh of spirit and resolved
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 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?

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,

Oct. Come, come, the cause: if arguing make 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.

100

Cas.
Then, if we lose this battle,
You are contented to be led in triumph
Thorough the streets of Rome?
Bru. 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.
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.

121

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