Who, much enforced, shows a hasty spark,
And straight is cold again.

Cas. Hath Cassius liv'd

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

Bru. And my heart too.
Cas. O Brutus !-

Bru. What's the matter?

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

Makes me forgetful?

Bru. Yes, Cassius; and, henceforth, When you are over-earnest with your Brutus, He'll think your mother chides, and leave you so. [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.

Cas. 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 am sure, than ye. Cas. Ha, ha; how vilely doth this cynic rhyme! 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:

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

Cas. Away, away, be gone.

[Exit Poet.

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,
Immediately to us.

[Exeunt Lucilius and Titinius. Bru. Lucius, a bowl of wine.

Cas. I did not think, you could have been so angry.

Bru. O Cassius, I am sick of many griefs. Cas. Of your philosophy you make no use,

If you give place to accidental evils,

Bru. No man bears sorrow better:-Portia is dead.

Cas. Ha! Portia?

Bru. She is dead.

Bru. With what addition?

Mes. That by proscription, and bills of out-
lawry,

Octavius, Antony, and Lepidus,
Have put to death an hundred senators.

Bru. Therein our letters do not well agree;
Mine speak of seventy senators, that died
By their proscriptions, Cicero being one.
Cas. Cicero one?

Mes. Ay, Cicero is dead,

| And by that order of proscription.—
Had you your letters from your wife, my lord?
Bru. No, Messala.

Mes. Nor nothing in your letters writ of her?
Bru. Nothing, Messala.

Mes. That, methinks, is strange.

Bru. Why ask you? Hear you aught of her in yours?

Mes. No, my lord.

you so?

I have the patience to endure it now.

Mes. Even so great men great losses should endure.

Cas. I have as much of this in art as you, But yet my nature could not bear it so.

Bru. Well, to our work alive. What do you think

Of marching to Philippi presently?
Cas. I do not think it good.
Bru. Your reason?

Cas. This it is:

'Tis better, that the enemy seek us:

So shall he waste his means, weary his soldiers, Doing himself offence; whilst we, lying still, Are full of rest, defence, and nimbleness.

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.

Bru. Under your pardon.-You must note beside,

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.

Cas. Then, with your will, go on; We'll along 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?

Cus. No more. Good night; Early to-morrow will we rise, and hence. Bru. Lucius, my gown. [Exit Lucius.] 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.

[Exeunt Cas. Tit. and Mes.

Re-enter LUCIUS, with the gown.

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'erwatch'd.

Call Claudius, and some other of my men ;
I'll have them sleep on cushions in my tent.
Luc. Varro, and Claudius!

Enter VARRO and CLAUDIUS.

Var. Calls my lord?

Bru. 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.

Var. So please you, we will stand, and watch your pleasure.

Bru. I will not have it so: lie down, good sirs; It may be, I shall otherwise bethink me. Look, Lucius, here's the book I sought for so; I put it in the pocket of my gown.

[Serv. lie down. Luc. I was sure, your lordship did not give

it me.

Bru. 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?
Luc. Ay, my lord, an it 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 might;

I know, young bloods look for a time of rest. Luc. I have slept, my lord, already.

Bru. It is well done; and thou shalt sleep again; I will not hold thee long: if I do live, I will be good to thee. [Music, and a song, This is a sleepy tune :-O murd'rous slumber! Lay'st 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 turn'd down,

Where I left reading? Here it is, I think. [He sits down.

Enter the Ghost of CESAR.

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. Thy evil spirit, Brutus.
Bru. Why com'st thou ?

SCENE I.-The Plains of Phi ippi. Enter OCTAVIUS, ANTONY, and their army. Oct. Now, Antony, our hopes are answered: 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, Tofasten in our thoughts that they have courage; But 'tis not so.

Enter a Messenger.

Mess. Prepare you, generals:
The enemy comes on in gallant show;
Their bloody sign of battle is hung out,
And something to be done immediately.

Ant. Octavius, lead your battle softly on
Upon the left hand of the even field.

Oct. Upon the right hand I, keep thou the left. Ant. Why do you cross me in this exigent? Oct. I do not cross you; but I will do so.

[March. Drum. Enter BRUTUS, CASSIUS, and their Army; LUCILIUS, TITINIUS, MESSALA, and Others.

Bru. They stand, and would have parley. Cas. Stand fast, Titinius: We must out and

talk.

Oct. Mark Antony, shall we give sign of battle? Ant. No, Cæsar, we will answer on their charge. Make forth, the generals would have some words. Oct. Stir not until the signal.

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

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

And bow'd like bondmen, kissing Cæsar's feet; Whilst damned Casca, like a cur, behind, Struck Cæsar on the neck. O flatterers !

Cas. Flatterers !-Now, Brutus, thank yourself:

This tongue had not offended so to-day,
If Cassius might have rul'd.

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 aveng'd; or till another Cæsar
Have added slaughter to the sword of traitors.
Bru. Cæsar, thou can'st not die by traitors,
Unless thou bring'st them with thee.

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,

Thou should'st 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 cover'd, as 'tis now, Guide thou the sword.-Cæsar, thou art reveng'd, Even with the sword that kill'd thee.

[Dies.

Pin. 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.

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.
Mes. Where did you leave him?
Tit. All disconsolate,

With Pindarus his bondman, on this hill.
Mes. Is not that he, that lies upon the ground?
Tit. He lies not like the living. O my heart!
Mes. Is not that he?

Tit. No, this was he, Messala,
But Cassius is no more.-O setting sun!
As in thy red rays thou dost sink to night,
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. 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 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, Pin-
darus?

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.
[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't 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 Titinius' heart.
[Dies.

Alarum. Re-enter MESSALA, with BRUTUS, young CATO, STRATO, VOLUMNIUS, and Lu

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 fighting, Soldiers of both armies ; then BRUTUS, CATO, LUCILIUS, and Others. Bru. Yet, countrymen, O, yet hold up your heads!