Cassius. I did not think you could have been so angry. Brutus. O Cassius, I am sick of many griefs! Cassius. Of your philosophy you make no use, If you give place to accidental evils. Brutus. No man bears sorrow better.-Portia is dead. Cassius. Ha! Portia? Brutus. She is dead. Cassius. How scap'd I killing, when I cross'd you so?— O insupportable and touching loss!— Upon what sickness? Brutus. Impatient of my absence, And grief that young Octavius with Mark Antony Cassius. And died so? 150 Brutus. Cassius. Even so. O ye immortal gods! Enter LUCIUS, with wine and tapers. Brutus. Speak no more of her. Give me a bowl of wine. In this I bury all unkindness, Cassius. [Drinks. Cassius. My heart is thirsty for that noble pledge. Fill, Lucius, till the wine o'erswell the cup; I cannot drink too much of Brutus' love. Enter TITINIUS, with MESSALA. 159 [Drinks. Brutus. Come in, Titinius.-Welcome, good Messala. Now sit we close about this taper here, And call in question our necessities. No more, I pray you. Messala, I have here received letters, Come down upon us with a mighty power, Messala. Myself have letters of the selfsame tenour. Messala. That by proscription and bills of outlawry, Have put to death an hundred senators. Brutus. Therein our letters do not well agree; Mine speak of seventy senators that died By their proscriptions, Cicero being one. Cassius. Cicero one? And by that order of proscription. Had you your letters from your wife, my lord? Brutus. No, Messala. Messala. Nor nothing in your letters writ of her? Brutus. Nothing, Messala. Messala. That, methinks, is strange. 170 180 Brutus. Why ask you? Hear you aught of her in yours? Messala. No, my lord. Brutus. Now, as you are a Roman, tell me true. Messala. Then like a Roman bear the truth I tell; For certain she is dead, and by strange manner. Brutus. Why, farewell, Portia.—We must die, Messala. With meditating that she must die once, I have the patience to endure it now. Messala. Even so great men great losses should endure. Cassius. I have as much of this in art as you, But yet my nature could not bear it so. Brutus. Well, to our work alive. Of marching to Philippi presently? Cassius. I do not think it good. Brutus. Cassius. What do you think 190 Your reason? This it is: 'T is better that the enemy seek us; So shall he waste his means, weary his soldiers, Are full of rest, defence, and nimbleness. 200 Brutus. Good reasons must, of force, give place to better. The people 'twixt Philippi and this ground For they have grudg'd us contribution. These people at our back. Cassius. Hear me, good brother. Brutus. Under your pardon.-You must note beside That we have tried 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. Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune; Is bound in shallows and in miseries. And we must take the current when it serves, Cassius. Then, with your will, go on; We'll along ourselves and meet them at Philippi. Brutus. 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? Cassius. No more. Early to-morrow will we rise and hence. Good night! 210 220 Brutus. Lucius, my gown.-[Exit Lucius.] Farewell, good Messala! Good night, Titinius!-Noble, noble Cassius, Cassius. O my dear brother, This was an ill beginning of the night; Never come such division 'tween our souls! Let it not, Brutus. 230 Farewell, every one!— Titinius, Messala. Good night, lord Brutus ! Give me the gown. [Exeunt Cassius, Titinius, and Messala. Where is thy instrument? Lucius. Here, in the tent. Brutus. What thou speak'st drowsily? Poor knave, I blame thee not; thou art o'er-watch'd. Call Claudius and some other of my men ; I'll have them sleep on cushions in my tent. Lucius. Varro and Claudius ! Enter VARRO and CLAUDIUS. Varro. Calls my lord? Brutus. 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. 240 Varro. So please you, we will stand and watch your pleasure. Brutus. 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. 250 [Servants lie down. Lucius. I was sure your lordship did not give it me. Brutus. Bear with me, good boy; I am much forgetful. Canst thou hold up thy heavy eyes awhile, Brutus. It does, my boy; I trouble thee too much, but thou art willing. Brutus. I should not urge thy duty past thy might; Brutus. It was well done, and thou shalt sleep again; I will not hold thee long: if I do live, I will be good to thee.— 260 [Music and a song. This is a sleepy tune.-O murtherous slumber, That plays thee music!-Gentle knave, good night; Enter the Ghost of Cæsar. 270 He sits down. How ill this taper burns!-Ha! who comes here? 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? Ghost. Thy evil spirit, Brutus. Ghost. To tell thee thou shalt see me at Philippi. Why com'st thou ? 280 Ay, at Philippi. |