[Drum. Enter Brutus, Lucilius, Lucius, and Soldiers; Titinius and Pindarus meeting them.]
Brutus
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.
Brutus
He greets me well. [To Pindarus] 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
Pindarus
But that my noble master will appear
Such as he is — full of regard and honor.
Brutus
He is not doubted. [Aside to Lucilius] A word, Lucilius,
How he received you, let me be resolved.
Lucilius
With courtesy, and with respect enough,
But not with such familiar instances
Nor with such free and friendly conference
Brutus
A hot friend cooling. Ever note, Lucilius,
When love begins to sicken and decay,
It useth an enforcèd 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;
[Low marching music offstage.]
But when they should endure the bloody spur,
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 quartered.
The greater part, the horse in general,
[Enter Cassius and his his army.]
Brutus
[Low march music offstage.]
March gently on to meet him.
Cassius
Brutus
Stand, ho! Speak the word along.
First Soldier
Second Soldier
Third Soldier
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,
Brutus
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
Bid our commanders lead their charges off
A little from this ground.
Brutus
Lucilius, do you the like, and let no man
Come to our tent till we have done our conference.
Let Lucius and Titinius guard our door.
[Exit all but Brutus and Cassius.]
Cassius
That you have wronged me doth appear in this:
You have condemned 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.
Brutus
You wronged yourself to write in such a case.
Cassius
In such a time as this it is not meet
That every nice offense should bear his comment.
Brutus
Let me tell you, Cassius, you yourself
Are much condemned to have an itching palm,
To sell and mart your offices for gold
Cassius
You know that you are Brutus that speak this,
Or, by the gods, this speech were else your last.
Brutus
The name of Cassius honors this corruption,
And chastisement doth therefore hide his head.
Cassius
Brutus
Remember March, the Ides of March remember.
Did not great Julius bleed for justice' sake?
What villain touched 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 honors
For so much trash as may be graspèd thus?
I had rather be a dog and bay the moon
Cassius
I'll not endure it. You forget yourself
To hedge me in. I am a soldier, I,
Older in practice, abler than yourself
Brutus
Go to! You are not, Cassius.
Cassius
Brutus
Cassius
Urge me no more, I shall forget myself.
Have mind upon your health; tempt me no further.
Brutus
Cassius
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?
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
Under your testy humor? 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,
Cassius
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.
I said an elder soldier, not a better.
Brutus
Cassius
When Caesar lived he durst not thus have moved me.
Brutus
Peace, peace, you durst not so have tempted him.
Cassius
Brutus
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.
Brutus
You have done that you should be sorry for.
There is no terror, Cassius, in your threats,
For I am armed 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.
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 answered Caius Cassius so?
When Marcus Brutus grows so covetous,
To lock such rascal counters from his friends,
Be ready, gods, with all your thunderbolts,
Cassius
Brutus
Cassius
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,
But Brutus makes mine greater than they are.
Brutus
I do not, till you practice them on me.
Cassius
Brutus
I do not like your faults.
Cassius
A friendly eye could never see such faults.
Brutus
A flatterer's would not, though they do appear
Cassius
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,
Checked like a bondman, all his faults observed,
Set in a notebook, learned and conned 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 Caesar; for I know,
When thou didst hate him worst, thou lov'dst him better
Than ever thou lov'dst Cassius.
Brutus
Be angry when you will, it shall have scope.
Do what you will, dishonor shall be humor.
O Cassius, you are yokèd with a lamb
That carries anger as the flint bears fire,
Who, much enforcèd, shows a hasty spark,
And straight is cold again.
Cassius
To be but mirth and laughter to his Brutus,
When grief and blood ill-tempered vexeth him?
Brutus
When I spoke that, I was ill-tempered too.
Cassius
Do you confess so much? Give me your hand.
Brutus
Cassius
Brutus
Cassius
Have not you love enough to bear with me,
When that rash humor which my mother gave me
Brutus
Yes, Cassius, and from henceforth,
When you are over-earnest with your Brutus,
He'll think your mother chides, and leave you so.
[Poet, Lucilius, Titinius, and Lucius all enter.]
Poet
Let me go in to see the generals!
There is some grudge between 'em; 'tis not meet
Lucilius
You shall not come to them.
Poet
Nothing but death shall stay me.
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.
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 humor when he knows his time.
What should the wars do with these jigging fools?
Cassius
[Exit Poet.]
Brutus
Lucilius and Titinius, bid the commanders
Prepare to lodge their companies tonight.
Cassius
And come yourselves, and bring Messala with you
[Exit Lucilius and Titinius.]
Brutus
[Exit Lucius.]
Cassius
I did not think you could have been so angry.
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
Brutus
Cassius
How scaped I killing when I crossed you so?
O insupportable and touching loss!
Brutus
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, swallowed fire.
Cassius
Brutus
Cassius
[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, Lucius exits, and Titinius and Messala enter.]
Brutus
Come in, Titinius. Welcome, good Messala.
Now sit we close about this taper here,
And call in question our necessities.
Cassius
[Aside] Portia, art thou gone?
Brutus
[Aside to Cassius] No more, I pray you.
Messala, I have here receivèd letters
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
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
By their proscriptions, Cicero being one.
Cassius
Messala
And by that order of proscription.
Had you your letters from your wife, my lord?
Brutus
Messala
Nor nothing in your letters writ of her?
Brutus
Messala
That, methinks, is strange.
Brutus
Why ask you? Hear you aught of her in yours?
Messala
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.
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
Brutus
Cassius
'Tis better that the enemy seek us;
So shall he waste his means, weary his soldiers,
Doing himself offense, whilst we, lying still,
Are full of rest, defense, and nimbleness.
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,
By them shall make a fuller number up,
Come on refreshed, 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
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.
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,
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,
Which we will niggard with a little rest.
Cassius
Early tomorrow will we rise, and hence.
Brutus
[Enter Lucius.]
[Exit Lucius.]
Good night, Titinius. Noble, noble Cassius,
Good night, and good repose.
Cassius
This was an ill beginning of the night.
Never come such division 'tween our souls!
Brutus
Cassius
Brutus
Good night, good brother.
Titinius and Messala
Brutus
[Exit all but Brutus. Re-enter Lucius, with the gown.]
Give me the gown. Where is thy instrument?
Lucius
Brutus
What, thou speak'st drowsily?
Poor knave, I blame thee not, thou art o'erwatched.
Call Claudius and some other of my men.
I'll have them sleep on cushions in my tent.
Lucius
[Enter Varro and Claudius.]
Varro
Brutus
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.
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.
[Varro and Claudius lie down.]
Look, Lucius, here's the book I sought for so;
I put it in the pocket of my gown.
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?
Lucius
Ay, my lord, an't please you.
Brutus
I trouble thee too much, but thou art willing.
Lucius
Brutus
I should not urge thy duty past thy might.
I know young bloods look for a time of rest.
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,
[Music, and a song. Lucius falls asleep.]
This is a sleepy tune. O murd'rous slumber!
Layest thou thy leaden mace upon my boy,
That plays thee music? Gentle knave, good night.
I will not do thee so much wrong to wake thee.
If thou dost nod, thou break'st thy instrument;
I'll take it from thee; and, good boy, good night.
Let me see, let me see — is not the leaf turned 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.
It comes upon me. Art thou any thing?
Art thou some god, some angel, or some devil,
That mak'st my blood cold and my hair to stare?
Speak to me what thou art.
Ghost
Brutus
Ghost
To tell thee thou shalt see me at Philippi.
Brutus
Well; then I shall see thee again?
Ghost
Brutus
Why, I will see thee at Philippi, then.
[Exit Ghost.]
Now I have taken heart, thou vanishest.
Ill spirit, I would hold more talk with thee.
Boy! Lucius! Varro! Claudius! Sirs, awake!
Lucius
The strings, my lord, are false.
Brutus
He thinks he still is at his instrument.
Lucius
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 anything?
Lucius
Brutus
Sleep again, Lucius. Sirrah Claudius!
[To Varro] Fellow, thou, awake!
Varro
Claudius
Brutus
Why did you so cry out, sirs, in your sleep?
Varro and Claudius
Brutus
Varro
No, my lord, I saw nothing.
Claudius
Brutus
Go and commend me to my brother Cassius.
Bid him set on his powers betimes before,
Varro and Claudius
It shall be done, my lord.
[Exit.]
