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O Cassius, you are yoked with a lamb,
That carries anger, as the flint bears fire,
Who, much enforced, shews a hasty spark,
And straight is cold again.

Cus. Hath Cassius liv'd

To be but mirth and laughter to his Brutus,
When grief, and blood ill-temper'd, vexeth him?10
Bru. When I spoke that, I was ill-temper'd too.
Cas. Do you confess so much? Give me your
Bru. And my heart too.

Cas. O Brutus !

Bru. What's the matter?

[hand.

Cas. Have not you love enough to bear with me, When that rash humour, which my mother gave Makes me forgetful?

[me,

Bru. Yes, Cassius; and, from henceforth,
When you are over-earnest with your Brutus,
He'll think your mother chides, and leave you so.
[A noise within.
Poet. [within.] Let me go in to see the generals
There is some grudge between them, 'tis not meet
They be alone.

Luc. [within.] You shall not come to them.
Poet. [within.]Nothing but death shall stay me.

Enter Poet.

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20

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Cas. How now? What's the matter? [mean?
Poct. For shame, you generals; What do you 30
Love, and be friends, as two such men should be,
For I have seen more years, I am sure, than ye.

Cas. Ha, ha; how vilely doth this cynic rhime!
Bru. Get you hence,sirrah; saucy fellow, hence.
Cas. Bear with him, Brutus; 'tis his fashion.
Bru. I'll know his humour, when he knows
his time:

[fools

What should the wars do with these jigging
Companion', hence.

Cas. Away, away, begone.

35

[Exit Poet. 40

Enter Lucilius, and Titinius.

Bru. Lucilius and Titinius, bid the commanders Prepare to lodge their companies to-night.

Cas. And come yourselves, and bring Messala

with you

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1451

Bru. Even so.

Cas. O ye immortal gods!

Enter Lucius, with wine, Bru. Speak no more of her.of wine:

In this I bury all unkindness, C

Cas. My heart is thirsty for tha
Fill, Lucius, 'till the wine o'er-s
I cannot drink too much of Bru
Re-enter Titinius, and
Bru. Come in, Titinius :-
Messala.
Now sit we close about this tape
And call in question our necessi
Cas. Portia! art thou gone?
Bru. No more, I pray you.-
Messala, I have here received l
That young Octavius, and Mar
Come down upon us with a mig
Bending their expedition toward
Mes. Myself have letters of the
Bru. With what addition?

Mes. That by proscription, and
Octavius, Antony, and Lepidus,
Have put to death a hundred ser

Bru. Therein our letters do no
Mine speak of seventy senators, t
By their proscriptions, Cicero b
Cas Cicero one.

Mes. Cicero is dead,
And by that order of proscription
Had you your letters from your
Bru. No, Messala.

Mes. Nor nothing in your lette
Bru. Nothing, Messala.

Mes. That, inethinks, is strang
Bru. Why ask you? Hear yo
in yours?
Mes. No, my lord.

Bru. Now, as you are a Roman
Mes. Then like a Roman bear
For certain she is dead, and by str
Bru. Why, farewell, Portià.-
Messala:

With meditating that she must die
50I have the patience to endure it no
Mes. Even so great men great lo
Cas. I have as much of this in an
But yet my nature could not bear it
Bru. Well, to our work alive.
Of marching to Philippi presently?
Cas. I do not think it good.
Bru. Your reason?

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Cas. How 'scap'd I killing, when I cross'd you
O insupportable and touching loss !---
Upon what sickness?

Bru. Impatient of my absence;

And grief, that young Octavius with Mark Antony 60 Have made themselves so strong;-for with her death

1i. c. fellow.

Cas. This it is:

'Tis better, that the enemy seck us
So shall he waste his means, weary
Doing himself offence; whilst we,
Are full of rest, defence, and nimbl

This circumstance is taken from Plutarch, and is also mentioned by V Pliny, however, reports her to have died at Rome of a lingering illness, while Brutus w

1

Bru. Good reasons must, of force, give place to better.

The people, 'twixt Philippi, and this ground,
Do stand but in a forc'd affection;
For they have grudg'd us contribution:
The enemy, marching along by them,
By them shall make a fuller number up,
Come on refresh'd, new-added, and encourag'd;
From which advantage shall we cut him off,
If at Philippi we do face him there,
These people at our back.

Cas. Hear me, good brother.

[side,
Bru. Under your pardon.-You must note be-
That we have try'd 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. Bear with me, good boy; I am much f
getful.

Can'st thou hold up thy heavy eyes a while,
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.

Bru. I should not urge thy duty past thy mig I know, young bloods look for a time of rest. Luc. I have slept, my lord, already. [agai Bru. It was well done; and thou shalt sle I will not hold thee long: if I do live, I will be good to thee. [Musick, and a sor 15This is a sleepy tune:-O murd'rous slumber Lay'st thou thy leaden mace1 upon my boy, Thatplaystheemusick?--Gentle knave,good nig

I will not do thee so much wrong to wake thee. If thou dost nod, thou break'st thy instrumen 20 I'll take it from thee: and, good boy, good nig Let me see, let me see :-Is not the leaf turi

Cas. Then, with your will, go on; we will along 25
Ourselves, and meet them at Philippi.

Bru. The deep of night is crept upon our talk,
And nature must obey necessity;
Which we will niggard with a little rest.
There is no more to say?

Cas. No more. Good night:

Early to-morrow will we rise, and hence.

Bru. Lucius, my gown. [Exit Luc.] Farewell,
good Messala;-

Good night, Titinius:-Noble, noble Cassius,
Good night, and good repose.

Cas. O my dear brother!

This was an ill beginning of the night:

Never come such division 'tween our souls!
Let it not, Brutus.

Bru. Every thing is well.

Cas. Good night, my lord.

Bru. Good night, good brother.

Tit. Mes. Good night, lord Brutus.

Bru. Farewell, every one.

Re-enter Lucius, with the

gown.

down,

Where I left reading? Here it is, I think. [He sits down to rec Enter the Ghost of Cæsar. How ill this taper burns!-Ha! who comes her I think, it is the weakness of mine eyes That shapes this monstrous apparition. It comes upon me: Art thou any thing? 30 Art thou some god, some angel, or some devi That mak'st my blood cold, and my hair to sta Speak to me, what thou art.

35

Ghost. Thy evil spirit, Brutus.

Bru. Why coms't thou?

Ghost. To tell thee, thou shalt see me at Philip
Bru. Well; Then I shall see thee again?
Ghost. Ay, at Philippi.

[Exit Gho Bru. Why, I will see thee at Philippi then.Now I have taken heart, thou vanishest:

40 Ill spirit, I would hold more talk with thee.— Boy! Lucius!-Varro! Claudius! Sirs, awak Claudius!

Luc. The strings, my lord, are false.
Bru. He thinks, he still is at the instrument.

[Exeunt. 45 Lucius, awake.

Give me the gown. Where is thy instrument?

Luc. Here in the tent.

Bru. What; thou speak'st drowsily?

Poor knave, I blame thee not; thou art o'er-50

watch'd.

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Luc. My lord!

Bru. Didst thou dream, Lucius, that thou cry'dst out?

Luc. My lord, I do not know that I did cry Bru. Yes, that thou didst: Didst thou see a

thing?

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SCENE I.

The Plains of Philippi.

A CTV.

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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,
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.

Enter a Messenger.

Mes. Prepare you, generals:
The enemy comes on in gallant shew;
Their bloody sign of battle is hung out,
And something's to be done immediately.
Ant. Octavius, lead your battle softly on,
Upon the left hand of the even field.
Octa. Upon the right hand I, keep thou the left.
Ant. Why do you cross me in this exigent?
Octa. I do not cross you; but I will do so.

[March.

And bow'd like bondmen, kis
Whilst damned Casca, like ad
Struck Cæsar on the neck.

Cas. Flatterers! Now, Brut 5 This tongue had not offended If Cassius might have rul’d.

Octa. Come, come, the caus The proof of it will turn to red Look, I draw a sword against 10 When think you that the sword Never, 'till Cæsar's three-andBe well aveng'd; or 'till anoth Have added slaughter to the s Bru.Cæsar,thou can'st not die 15 Unless thou bring'st them with Octa. So I hope;

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25

Drum. Enter Brutus, Cassius, and their Army; 30
Lucilius, Titinius, Messala, &c.

Bru. They stand, and would have parley.
Cas. Stand fast, Titinius: We must out and talk.
Octa. Mark Antony, shall we give sign of battle?
Ant. No, Cæsar, we will answer on their charge. 35
Make forth, the generals would have some words.
Octa. Stir not until the signal.
[men?

Bru. Words before blows: Is it so, country-
Octa. Not that we love words better, as you do.
Bru. Good words are better than bad strokes, 40
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;
For you have stol'n their buzzing, Antony,
And, very wisely, threat before you sting.
Ant. Villains, you did not so, when your vile
daggers

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

I was not born to die on Brutus
Bru. O, if thou wert the no
Young man, thou could'st not

If

able.

Cas. A peevish school-boy,

honour,

Join'd with a masker and a rev
Ant. Old Cassius still!
Octa. Come, Antony: away.
Defiance, traitors, hurl we in y
you dare fight to-day, come
If not, when you have stomach
[Exeunt Octavius, A
Cas. Why now, blow, wind
and swim, bark!
The storm is up, and all is on t
Bru. Ho, Lucilius; hark, a
[Lucilius and Me
Luc. My lord. [Brutus speaks
Cas. Messala.

Mes. What says my general?
Cas. Messala,

This is my birth-day; as this ve
Was Cassius born. Give me thy
Be thou my witness, that, again
As Pompey was, am I compell'
Upon one battle all our liberties.
You know, that I held Epicurus
45 And his opinion: now I change
And partly credit things that do
Coming from Sardis, on our fore
Two mighty eagles fell; and the
Gorging and feeding from our s
50 Who to Philippi here consorted
This morning are they fled away
And, in their steads, do ravens, c
Fly o'er our heads, and downwar
As we were sickly prey; their sh
55 A canopy most fatal, under whic
Our army lies, ready to give up
Mes. Believe not so.
Cas. I but believe it partly;

For I am fresh of spirit, and resolv'd
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 uncertain,
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,
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.

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

[Roman,

Bru. No, Cassius, no: think not, thou noble 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 began; 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.

5

15

Enter Pindarus:

Pin. Fly further off, my lord, fly further off Mark Antony is in your tents, my lord:

Fly therefore, noble Cassius, fly far off.
Cas. This hill is far enough.-Look, loc
Titinius;

Are those my tents, where I perceive the fire?
Tit. They are, my lord.

Cas. Titinius, if thou lov'st me,

10 Mount thou my horse, and hide thy spurs in hi Till he have brought thee up to yonder troops And here again; that I may rest assur'd, Whether yon troops are friend or enemy. Tit. I will be here again, even with a thoug [Ex Cas. Go, Pindarus, get thither on that hill; My sight was ever thick; regard Titinius, And tell me what thou not'st about the field.[Exit Pindar 20 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 new Pind. [above.] O my lord!

25

Cas. What news?

Pind. Titinius is enclosed round about With horsemen, that make to him on the spur Yet he spurs on.-Now they are almost on hir

now,

Titinius!-Now some 'light:-O, he 'lights to 30 He's ta'en;-and, hark, they shout for joy. [Sho

Bru. Why then, lead on.- -O, that a man 35
might know

The end of this day's business, ere it come!
But it sufficeth, that the day will end,
And then the end is known.-Come, ho! away!

SCENE II.

[Exeunt.

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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! Re-enter Pindarus.

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, [oat 40 Thou should'st attempt it. Come now, keep th Now be a freeman; and, with this good sword That ran thro' Casar's bowels, search this boso Stand not to answer: Here, take thou the hil And when my face is cover'd, as 'tis now, Guide thou the sword.-Cæsar, thou art reveng Even with the sword that kill'd thee.

45

[D

Pind. So, I am free; yet would not so have be Durst I have done my will. O Cassius! Far from this country Pindarus shall run, 50 Where never Roman shall take note of him. [E Re-enter Titinius, with Messala.

50

60

Mes. It is but change, Titinius; for Octaviu Is overthrown by noble Brutus' power, As Cassius' legions are by Antony.

Tit. These tidings will well comfort Cassius Mes. Where did you leave him?

Tit. All disconsolate,

With Pindarus his bondman, on this hill.

Mes. Is that not he, that lies upon the groun Tit. He lies not like the living. O my hear Mes, Is not that he?

Tit. No, this was he, Messala,

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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 5
done;

Mistrust of my success hath done this deed.

Mes. Mistrust of good success hath done this O hateful error, melancholy's child! [deed. Why dost thou shew to the apt thoughts of men 10 The things that are not? O error, soon conceiv'd, Thou never com'st unto a happy birth, But kill'st the mother that engender'd thee.

Tit. What, Pindarus! Where art thou, Pindarus? Mes. Seek him, Titinius; whilst I go to meet 15 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. [Exit Mes.
Why didst thou send me forth, brave Čassius?
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;
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 Titiniųs' heart.

20

A foc to tyrants, and my cou
I am the son of Marcus Cato,
Enter Soldiers, an

Bru. And I am Brutus, Ma
Brutus, my country's friend; k

Luc. O young and noble Ca Why, now thou dy'st as brave And may'st be honour'd being

1 Sold. Yield, or thou diest Luc. Only I yield to die: There is so much, that thou w

Kill Brutus, and be honour'd ī

1 Sold. We must not.-A n 2 Sold. Room, ho! Tell Anto 1 Sold. I'll tell the news.general:

Enter Antony Brutus is ta'en, Brutus is ta'en Ant. Where is he?

Luc. Safe, Antony; Brutus i 25I dare assure thee, that no ene: Shall ever take alive the noble The gods defend him from so When you do find him, or aliv He will be found like Brutus, I

30

[Dies. 35

Alarum. Enter Brutus, Messala, young Cato, Strato, Volumnius, and Lucilius. Bru.Where, where, Messala, doth his body lie? Mes. Lo, yonder: and Titinius mourning it. Bru. Titinius' face is upward.

Cato. He is slain.

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Look, whe'r he have not crown'd dead Cassius!
Bru. Are yet two Romans living such as these?-
Thou last of all the Romans, fare thee well!
It is impossible that ever Rome

[tears

140

145

55

Should breed thy fellow.-Friends, I owe more 50
To this dead man, than you shall see me pay.-
I shall find time, Cassius, I shall find time.-
Come, therefore, and to Thassos send his body;
His funeral 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, [Exeunt.
SCENE IV.

Another Part of the Field.

Alarum. Enter Brutus, Cato, Lucilius, and others. Bru. Yet, countrymen, O, yet, hold up your

heads!

[me?

160

Ant.This is not Brutus, friend; A prize no less in worth: keep Give him all kindness: I had r Such men my friends, than ene And see whe'r Brutus be alive And bring us word, unto Octav How every thing is chanc'd. SCENE Another Part of the Enter Brutus, Dardanius, Cli Volumnius. Bru. Come, poor remains of fr

rock.

Cli. Statilius shew'd the torc He came not back, he is or ta'e Bru. Sit thee down, Clitus: Sla It is a deed in fashion. Hark the

Cli. What I, my lord? No, not
Bru. Peace then, no words.
Cli. I'll rather kill myself.
Bru. Hark thee, Dardanius!
Dar. Shall I do such a deed?
Cli. O, Dardanius!

Dar. O, Clitus!

Chi. What ill request did Brutu Dar. To kill him, Clitus: Look Cli. Now is that noble vessel That it runs over even at his eye Bru. Come hither,good Volum Vol. What says my lord? Bru. Why, this, Volumnius: The ghost of Cæsar hath appear' Two several times by night: at S And, this last night, here in Phili

Cato, What bastard doth not? Who will go with 65|I know, my hour is come.

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