SCENE V. Another Part of the Field. Enter Brutus, DARDANIUŞ, CLITUS, STRATO, and VOLUMNIUS. Bru. Come, poor remains of friends, rest on this rock. Cli. Statilius show'd the torch-light; but, my lord, He came not back; he is or ta'en, or slain. Bru. Sit thee down, Clitus: Slaying is the word; It is a deed in fashion... Hark thée, Clitus. [Whispering Cli. What, I, my lord? No, not for all the world. Bru. Peace then, no words. Cli. I'll rather kill myself. Bru. Hark thee, Dardanius! [Whispers him. Dar. I do such a deed? Cli. Now is that noble vessel full of grief, Bru. Come hither, good Volumnius: list a word. Why, this, Volumnius: Not so, my lord. Bru. Nay, I am sure it is, Volumnius. Thou see'st the world, Volumnius, how it goes; Our enemies have beat us to the pit: It is more worthy to leap in ourselves, Than tarry till they pash us. Good Volumnius, Thou know'st, that we two went to school together; Even for that our love of old, I pray thee, Hold thou my sword-hilts, whilst I run on it. Vol. That's not an office for a friend, my lord. (Alarum still. Cli. Fly, fly, my lord ; there is no tarrying here. Bru. Farewell to you ;--and you ;-and you, Vo lumnius. Strato, thou hast been all this while asleep; Farewell to thee too, Strato.-Countrymen, My heart doth joy, that yet, in all my life, I found no man, but he was true to me. I shall have glory by this losing day, More than Octavius, and Mark Antony, By this vile conquest shall attain unto. So, fare you well at once; for Brutus tongue Hath almost ended his life's history: Night hangs upon mine eyes; ' my bones would rest, That have but labour'd to attain this hour. Alarum. Cry within, Fly, fly, fly. Cli. Fly, my lord, fly. Bru. Hence; I will follow thee. [Exeunt Clitus, Dardanius, and Volumnius. I prythee, Strato, stay thou by thy lord: Thou art a fellow of a good respect; Thy life bath had some smatch of honour in it: Hold then my sword, and turn away thy face, While I do run upon it. Wilt thou, Strato? [lord. Stra. Give me your hand first : Fare you well, my Bru. Farewell, good Strato.-Cæsar, now be still: I kill'd not thee with half so good a will. [He runs on his Sword and dies. Alarum. Retreat. , ' Enter OCTAVIUS, ANTONY, Mes SALA, LUCILIUS, and their Army. Brutus, Oct. All that serv'd Brutus, I will entertain them. Stru. Ay, if Messala will prefer mé lo you. How died my master, Strato? Mes. Octavius, then take bim to follow thee, Ant. This was the noblest Roman of them all : Oct. According to his virtue let us use him, [Exeunt. Of this tragedy many particular passages deserve regard, and the contention and reconcilement of Brutus and Cassius is universally celebrated; but I have never been strongly agitated in perusing it, and think it somewhat cold and unaffecting, compared with some other of Shakspeare's plays: his adherence to the real story, and to the Roman manners, seems to have impeded the natural vigour of his genius. JOHNSON. C. Whittingham, Printer, Chiswick. } M. Antony, Triumvirs. Friends of Antony. Friends of Cæsar. on Cleopatra. Charmian , } Attendants on Cleopatra. Officers, Soldiers, Messengers, and other Attendants. ȘCENE, dispersed ; in several Parts of the Roman Empire. |