It useth an enforced ceremony. There are no tricks in plain and simple faith: Make gallant show and promise of their mettle: Luc. They mean this night in Sardis to be quarter'd; The greater part, the horse in general, Are come with Cassius. Bru. [March within. Hark, he is arriv'd: March gently on to meet him. Enter CASSIUS and Soldiers. Cas. Stand, ho! Bru, Stand, ho! Speak the word along. Within. Stand. Within. Stand. Within. Stand. Cas. Most noble brother, you have done me wrong. Bru. Judge me, you gods! Wrong I mine enemies? And, if not so, how should I wrong a brother? Cas. Brutus, this sober form of yours hides wrongs; And when you do them Bru. Which should perceive nothing but love from us, Cas. Pindarus, Bid our commanders lead their charges off A little from this ground. Bru. Lucilius, do the like; and let no man Come to our tent, till we have done our conference. Let Lucius and Titinius guard our door. [Exeunt. SCENE III.-Within the tent of Brutus. LUCIUS and TITINIUS at some distance from it. Enter BRUTUS and CASSIUS. Cas. That you have wrong'd me, doth appear in You have condemn'd and noted Lucius Pella, [this; For taking bribes here of the Sardians; Wherein, my letters, praying on his side, Because I knew the man, were slighted off. Bru. You wrong'd yourself, to write in such a case. Cas. In such a time as this, it is not meet That every nice offence' should bear his comment. Bru. Let me tell you, Cassius, you yourself Are much condemn'd to have an itching palm; To sell and mart your offices for gold, To undeservers. Cas. I an itching palm? You know, that you are Brutus that speak this, Cas. Chastisement! [ber! Bru, Remember March, the ides of March rememDid not great Julius bleed for justice' sake? What villain touch'd his body, that did stab, And not for justice? What, shall one of us, That struck the foremost man of all this world, But for supporting robbers; shall we now Contaminate our fingers with base bribes? And sell the mighty space of our large honours, For so much trash, as may be grasped thus?— I had rather be a dog, and bay the moon, Than such a Roman. Cas. Brutus, bay not me, 1 trifling offence. [J. CES. 58] I'll not endure it: you forget yourself, Bru. Cas. I am. Go to; you're not, Cassius. Bru. I say, you are not. Cas. Urge me no more, I shall forget myself; Have mind upon your health, tempt me no further. Bru. Away, slight man! Cas. Is't possible ? Bru. Hear me, for I will speak. Must I give way and room to your rash choler? Shall I be frighted, when a madman stares? Cas. O ye gods! ye gods! Must I endure all this? Bru. All this? ay, more: Fret till your roud heart break; Go, show your slaves how cholerick you are, And make your bondmen tremble. Must I budge? Must I observe you? Must I stand and crouch Under your testy humour? By the gods, You shall digest the venom of your spleen, Though it do split you: for, from this day forth, I'll use you for my mirth, yea, for my laughter, When you are waspish. Cas. Is it come to this? Bru. You say, you are a better soldier: Let it appear so; make your vaunting true, And it shall please me well: For mine own part, I shall be glad to learn of noble men. Cas. You wrong me every way, you wrong me, I said, an elder soldier, not a better: Did I say, better? Bru. If you did, I care not. [Brutus ; Cas. When Cæsar liv'd, he durst not thus have mov'd me. i. e. To judge on what terms it is fit to confer the offices which are at my disposal. [J. CES. 59] Bru. Peace, peace; you durst not so have tempted Cas. I durst not? Bru. No. Cas. What? durst not tempt him? Bru. [him. For your life you durst not. sorry for. Cas. Do not presume too much upon my love, I may do that I shall be sorry for. should be Bru. You have done that you For certain sums of gold, which you denied me;— By heaven, I had rather coin my heart, And drop my blood for drachmas, than to wring To you for gold to pay my legions, Which you denied me: Was that done like Cassius? Cas. Bru. You did. Cas. I denied you not. I did not :-he was but a fool, That brought my answer back.-Brutus hath riv'd my heart: A friend should bear his friend's infirmities, I do not like your faults. Bru. 'I do not look for your faults, I only see them when you force them into my notice by practising them on me. [J. CES. 60] Bru. A flatterer's would not, though they do appear As huge as high Olympus. Cas. Come, Antony, and young Octavius, come, Revenge yourselves alone on Cassius, For Cassius is aweary of the world: Hated by one he loves: brav'd by his brother; Bru. [better Sheath your dagger: Be angry when you will, it shall have scope; Do what you will, dishonour shall be humour. O Cassius, you are yoked with a lamb That carries anger, as the flint bears fire; 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. Bru. O Brutus! 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, [Noise within. [J. CES. 61] 2D5 |