[Alarums. Enter Cassius and Titinius.]
Cassius
O, look, Titinius, look, the villains fly!
Myself have, to mine own, turned 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,
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.
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
Cassius
Titinius, if thou lovest me,
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 Titinius.]
Cassius
Go, Pindarus, get higher on that hill;
My sight was ever thick. Regard Titinius,
And tell me what thou not'st about the field.
[Pindarus ascends the hill.]
This day I breathèd first — time is come round,
And where I did begin, there shall I end.
My life is run his compass. [To Pindarus] Sirrah, what news?
Pindarus
[From above the stage] O my lord!
Cassius
Pindarus
[Above] Titinius is enclosèd round about
With horsemen that make to him on the spur;
Yet he spurs on. Now they are almost on him.
Now, Titinius! Now some light. O, he lights too!
He's ta'en! [Shouting] 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.
[Pindarus descends.]
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.
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 covered, as 'tis now,
[Pindarus stabs him.]
Caesar, thou art revenged,
Even with the sword that kill'd thee.
[Cassius 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,
Where never Roman shall take note of him.
[Exit Pindarus. 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
Titinius
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
Titinius
No, this was he, Messala,
But Cassius is no more. O setting sun,
As in thy red rays thou dost sink tonight,
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.
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 com'st unto a happy birth,
But kill'st the mother that engendered 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,
For piercing steel and darts envenomèd
Shall be as welcome to the ears of Brutus
As tidings of this sight.
Titinius
And I will seek for Pindarus the while.
[Exit Messala.]
Why didst thou send me forth, brave Cassius?
Did I not meet thy friends, and did not they
Put on my brows this wreath of victory,
And bid me give it thee? Didst thou not hear their shouts?
Alas, thou hast misconstrued everything!
But hold thee, take this garland on thy brow —
Thy Brutus bid me give it thee, and I
Will do his bidding. Brutus, come apace,
And see how I regarded Caius Cassius.
By your leave, gods; this is a Roman's part —
Come, Cassius' sword, and find Titinius' heart.
[Kills himself. Trumpets. 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
Brutus
O Julius Caesar, thou art mighty yet!
Thy spirit walks abroad and turns our swords
In our own proper entrails.
[Low trumpets.]
Cato
Look whe'er he have not crowned 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
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
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
We shall try fortune in a second fight.
[Exit, bearing off the bodies.]
