Ant. In your bad strokes, Brutus, you give good words: Cas. Antony, The posture of your blows are yet unknown; Ant. Not stingless too. Bru. Oh, yes! and soundless too; For you have stolen their buzzing, Antony, And, very wisely, threat before you sting. Ant. Villains, you did not so when your vile daggers Hacked one another in the sides of Cæsar: You showed your teeth like apes, and fawned like hounds, Whilst damned Casca, like a cur, behind, Struck Cæsar on the neck. O you flatterers! If Cassius might have ruled. Oct. 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 Cæsar's three and twenty wounds Be well avenged, or till another Cæsar Have added slaughter to the sword of traitors. Bru. Cæsar, thou canst not die by traitors' hands Unless thou bring'st them with thee. Oct. So I hope : I was not born to die on Brutus' sword. Bru. Oh! if thou wert the noblest of thy strain, Ant. Old Cassius still! 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. My lord! Cas. Messala! [BRUTUS and LUCILIUS converse apart. very day This is my birthday; as this Was Cassius born. Give me thy hand, Messala. Be thou my witness, that against my will, As Pompey was, am I compelled to set This morning are they fled away, and gone; Our army lies, ready to give up the ghost. Cas. I but believe it partly; For I am fresh of spirit, and resolved Cas. Now, most noble Brutus, The gods to-day stand friendly, that we may, But, since the affairs of men rest still uncertain, Bru. Even by the rule of that philosophy For fear of what might fall, so to prevent Cas. Then, if we lose this battle, You are contented to be led in triumph Through 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 If not, 'tis true, this parting was well made. Bru. Why, then, lead on. Oh that a man might know The end of this day's business ere it come! And then the end is known. Come, ho! away! [Exeunt. Bru. Ride, ride, Messala, ride! and give these bills [Loud alarum. [Exeunt. SCENE III. The Same. Another Part of the Field. Cas. Oh, look, Titinius, look! the villains fly: Tit. O Cassius! Brutus gave the word too early; Enter PINDARUS. Pin. Fly farther off, my lord, fly farther off! Mark Antony is in your tents, my lord! Fly therefore, noble Cassius! fly far off! Cas. This hill is far enough. Look, look, Titinius! Are those my tents where I perceive the fire? Tit. They are, my lord. Cas. Titinius, if thou lov'st me, Mount thou my horse, and hide thy spurs in him Tit. I will be here again even with a thought. Pin. [Above.] O my lord! Cas. What news? Sirrah! what news? Pin. Titinius is inclosed round about With horsemen that make to him on the spur; Yet he spurs on. Now, Titinius ! - Now they are almost on him: Now some light! Oh, he lights too: [Exit. [Exit PINDARUS. [Shout. He's ta'en; and, hark! They shout for joy. Cas. Come down! behold no more. O coward that I am to live so long, To see my best friend ta'en before my face! Come hither, sirrah! Enter PINDARUS. 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! That ran through Cæsar's bowels, search this bosom. Stand not to answer: here, take thou the hilts; Guide thou the sword. Cæsar, thou art revenged [Dies. Pin. So I am free; yet would not so have been, Durst I have done my will. O Cassius! [Exit. Re-enter TITINIUS with MESSALA. Mes. It is but change, Titinius; for Octavius Is overthrown by noble Brutus' power, As Cassius' legions are by Antony. Tit. These tidings will well comfort Cassius. Tit. All disconsolate, With Pindarus his bondman, on this hill. Mes. Is not that he that lies upon the ground? Tit. No: this was he, Messala ; But Cassius is no more. O setting sun! Clouds, dews, and dangers come; our deeds are done : Mes. 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, But kill'st the mother that engendered thee. Tit. What, Pindarus! Where art thou, Pindarus? Mes. 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 envenomed, Shall be as welcome to the ears of Brutus As tidings of this sight. Tit. Hie you, Messala; And I will seek for Pindarus the while. 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, [Exit MESSALA. And bid me give it thee? Didst thou not hear their shouts ? But hold thee; take this garland on thy brow: Thy Brutus bid me give it thee; and I By your leave, gods (this is a Roman's part), Come, Cassius' sword, and find Titinius' heart. [Dies. Alarum. Re-enter MESSALA, with BRUTUS, young CATO, STRATO, VOLUMNIUS, und LUCILIUS. Bru. Where, where, Messala, doth his body lie? Mes. Lo, yonder! and Titinius mourning it. Cato. He is slain. Bru. O Julius Cæsar, thou art mighty yet! Thy spirit walks abroad, and turns our swords In our own proper entrails. Cato. Brave Titinius! Look, whe'r he have not crowned dead Cassius! It is impossible that ever Rome Should breed thy fellow. Friends, I owe more tears I shall find time, Cassius; I shall find time. Lest it discomfort us. · Lucilius, come; 'Tis three o'clock; and, Romans, yet ere night [Low alarums. [Exeunt. Alarum. Enter, fighting, Soldiers of both Armies; then BRUTUS, CAto, Lucilius, and Others. Bru. Yet, countrymen, oh, 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; I am the son of Marcus Cato, ho! Bru. And I am Brutus, Marcus Brutus, I; [Charges the enemy. [Exit, charging the enemy. CATO is overpowered, and falls. Brutus, my country's friend: know me for Brutus. |