Ofta. Mark Antony, fhall we give fign of battle?
Ant. No, Cafar, we will anfwer on their charge.
Make forth, the Generals would have some words.
Octa. Stir not until the fignal.

Bru. Words before blows: is it fo, countrymen ?
Octa. Not that we love words better, as you do.
Bru. Good words are better than bad strokes, O&a-
vius.

Ant. In your bad ftrokes, Brutus, you give good

words.

Witness the hole you made in Cæfar's heart,
Crying, "long live! hail, Cæfar!
Caf. Antony,

The pofture of your blows are yet unknown;
But for your words, they rob the Hybla bees,
And leave them honeyless.

Ant. Not ftinglefs too.

Bru. O yes, and foundless too :

For

you have ftoln their buzzing, Antony ;

And very wifely threat, before you fting.

Ant. Villains! you did not fo, when your vile daggers

Hack'd one another in the fides of Cæfar.

You fhew'd your teeth like apes, and fawn'd like hounds, And bow'd like bond men, kiffing Cafar's feet;

Whilft damned Cafca, like a cur behind,

Struck Cæfar on the neck. O flatterers!

Caf Flatterers! now, Brutus, thank your

This tongue had not offended so to day,

If Caffius might have rul'd.

felf;

Octa. Come, come, the cause. If arguing make us fweat,

The proof of it will turn to redder drops.

Behold, I draw a fword against confpirators;

When think you, that the fword goes up again?
Never, 'till Cafar's three and twenty wounds (17)

Be

(17) Three and thirty wounds.] Thus all the Editions implicitly; but I have ventur'd to reduce this Number to three and twenty

from

Be well aveng'd; or 'till another Cæfar
Have added laughter to the fword of traitors.

Bru. Cæfar, thou canst not die by traitors' hands,
Unless thou bring'ft them with thee.

Octa. So I hope;

I was not born to die on Brutus' sword.

Bru. O, if thou wert the nobleft of thy Strain, Young man, thou couldft not die more honourable. Caf. A peevish school-boy, worthlefs of fuch ho

nour,

Join'd with a masker and a reveller.

Ant. Old Caffius ftill!,

Oda. 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 ftomachs.

[Exe. Octavius, Antony, and army.

Caf. Why, now blow wind, fwell billow, and swim

bark!

The ftorm is up, and all is on the hazard.

Caf. Meffala,

This is my birth-day; as this very day

Was Caffius born. Give me thy hand, Meffala;
Be thou my witnefs, that, againft my will,

As Pompey was, am I compell'd to fet

Upon one battle all our liberties.

You know, that I held Epicurus strong,
And his o inion; now I change my mind;
And partly credit thing, that do prefage.
Coming from Sardis, cn our foremost enfign
Two mighty eagles fell; and there they perch'd;
Gorging and feeding from our foldiers' hands,

from the joint Authorities of Appian, Plutarch, and Suetonius: and, I am perfwaded, the Error was not from the Poet but his Tranfcribers.

VOL. VII.

Ꭰ .

Who

Who to Philippi here conforted us:

This morning are they fled away and gone,
And, in their fteads, do ravens, crows and kites
Fly o'er our heads; and downward look on us,
As we were fickly prey; their fhadows feem
A canopy moft fatal, under which

Our army lies ready to give the ghost.
Mef. Believe not fo.

Caf. I but believe it partly;
For I am fresh of fpirit, and refolv'd
To meet all peril very conftantly.
Bru. Even fo, Lucilius.

Caf. Now, moft noble Brutus,

The Gods to day ftand friendly; that we may,
Lovers in peace, lead on our days to age!
But fince th' affairs of men reft ftill incertain,
Let's reafon with the worst that may befall.
If we do lofe this battel, then is this
The very last time we shall speak together.
What are you then determined to do?

Bru. Ev'n by the rule of that philofophy,
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, fo to prevent
The time of life; arming my felf with patience,
To stay the providence of fome high powers,
That govern us below.

Caf. Then, if we lose this battle,

You are contented to be led in triumph

Thorough the ftreets of Rome?

Bru. No, Caffius, no; think not, thou noble Ro

man,

That ever Brutus will go bound to Rome;

He bears too great a mind. But this fame day
Muft end that Work, the Ides of March begun;
And, whether we fhall meet again, I know not;
Therefore our everlasting farewel take;
For ever, and for ever, farewel, Caffius!
If we do meet again, why, we shall imile;

If not, why, then this parting was well made.
Caf: For ever, and for ever, farewel, Brutus!
If we do meet again, we'll fmile indeed;

If not, 'tis true, this parting was well made.

Bru. Why then, lead on. O, that a man might know The end of this day's business ere it come!

But it fufficeth, that the day will end;

And then the end is known.

Come, ho, away.

Alarum. Enter Brutus and Meffala.

[Exeunt.

[Loud alarum.

[Exe

Bru. Ride, ride, Meffala; ride, and give thefe bills Unto the legions, on the other fide. Let them fet on at once; for I perceive But cold demeanor in Octavius' wing ; And sudden Push gives them the overthrow. Ride, ride, Messala; let them all come down. Alarum. Enter Caffius and Titinius. Caf. O look, Titinius, look, the villains fly! My felf have to mine own turn'd enemy; This enfign here of mine was turning back, I flew the coward, and did take it from him. Tit. O Caffius, Brutus gave the word too early; Who, having fome advantage on Octavius, Took it too eagerly; his foldiers fell to spoil, Whilft we by Antony were all inclos'd.

Enter Pindarus.

Pin. Fly further off, my lord, fly further off; Mark Antony is in your Tents, my lord;

Fly therefore, noble Caffius, fly far off.

Caf. This hill is far enough. Look, look, Titinius,

Are thofe my Tents, where I perceive the fire?

Tit. They are, my lord.

Caf. Titinius, if thou lov'ft me,

Mount thou my horfe, and hide thy fpurs in him, 'Till he have brought thee up to yonder troops, And here again; that I may reft affur'd,

Whether yond troops are friend or enemy.

Tit. I will be here again, ev'n with a thought. [Exit

D 2

Caf.

Caf. Go, Pindarus, get higher on that hill,
My fight was ever thick; regard Titinius,
And tell me what thou not'ft about the field.
This day I breathed firft; time is come round;
And, where I did begin, there fhall I end;
My life is run its compafs. Now, what news?
Pind. above. Oh, my lord!
Caf. What news?

Pind. Titinius is enclofed round about
With horsemen, that make to him on the fpur;
Yet he fpurs on. Now they are almoft on him;
Titinius now fome light. -oh, he lights too-
He's ta'en and hark, they fhout for joy.
Caf. Come down, behold no more;
Oh, coward that I am, to live fo long,
To fee my best friend ta'en before
my face!

Come hither, firrah;

Enter Pindarus.

In Parthia did I take thee prisoner;

And then I fwore thee, faving of thy life,

That whatsoever I did bid thee do,

[Shout.

Thou shouldft attempt it. Come, now keep thine oath,
Now be a freeman; and, with this good fword,

That ran through Cafar's bowels, fearch this bofom.
Stand not to answer; here, take thou the hilt;

And when my face is cover'd, as 'tis now,

Guide thou the fword

-Cefar, thou art reveng'd, [Kills himself. Pind. So, I am free; yet would not fo have been, Durft I have done my Will. Oh, Caffius!

Ev'n with the fword that kill'd thee-

Far from this country Pindarus fhall run,
Where never Roman fhall take note of him,

Enter Titinius, and Meffala.

Mef. It is but change, Titinius; for Octavius Is overthrown by noble Brutus' power,

As Caffius' legions are by Antony.

Tit. Thefe tidings will well comfort Caffius.
Mef. Where did you leave him?

[Exit.