To wind, to stop, to run directly on;

His corporal motion govern'd by my spirit.
And, in some taste, is Lepidus but so;

He must be taught, and train'd, and bid go forth: 30
A barren-spirited fellow; one that feeds
On objects, arts, and imitations;

Which, out of use, and stal'd by other men,
Begin his fashion: Do not talk of him,
But as a property. And now, Octavius,
Listen great things.--Brutus and Cassius
Are levying powers: we must straight make head:
Therefore let our alliance be combin'd, [out;
Ourbestfriends made,and our best meansstretch'd
And let us presently go sit in council,
How covert matters may be best disclos'd,
And open perils surest answered.

Octa. Let us do so: for we are at the stake,
And bay'd about with many enemies;

And some, that smile, have in their hearts, I fear, 45
Millions of mischief.
[Exeunt.

Before Brutus' Tent, in the Camp near Sardis. 50 Drum. Enter Brutus, Lucilius, and Soldiers :} Titinius and Pindarus meeting them.

SCENE III.

The inside of Brutus' Tent.
Enter Brutus, and Cassius.

55 Cas. That you have wrong'd me, doth appear

You have condemn'd and noted Lucius Pella,
For taking bribes here of the Sardians;
Wherein, my letter, praying on his side,

60 Because I knew the man, was slighted off. [case.
Bru. You wrong'd yourself, to write in such a
Cas. In such a time as this, it is not meet
That every nice' offence should bear his comment.

2i.e. small trifling offence.

Bru. If you did, I care not.

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,
Or, by the gods, this speech were else your last.
Bru. ThenameofCassiushonoursthis corruption,
And chastisement doth therefore hide his head.
Cas. Chastisement !

5

[member! 10

Bru. Remember March, the ides of March re-
Did 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,
I'll not endure it: you forget yourself,
To hedge me in2; I am a soldier, I,
Older in practice, abler than yourself
To make conditions'.

Bru. Go to; you are not, Cassius.
Cas. I am.

Bru. I say, you are not.

[mov'd me.

Cas. When Cæsar liv'd, he durst not thus have
Bru. Peace, peace; you durst not so have
Cas. I durst not?
[tempted him.

Bru. No.

Cas. What? durst not tempt him?

Bru. For your life you durst not.

Cas. Do not presume too much upon my love, may do that I shall be sorry for.

[for.

Bru. You have done that you should be sorry
There is no terror, Cassius, in your threats;
For I am arm'd so strong in honesty,

That they pass by me, as the idle wind,
Which I respect not. I did send to you

15 For certain sums of gold, which you deny'd me ;-
For I can raise no money by vile means:
By heaven, I had rather coin my heart,
And drop my blood for drachmas, than to wring
From the hard hands of peasants their vile trash,
20 By any indirection. I did send

To you for gold to pay my legions, [sius?
Which you deny'd me: Was that done like Cas
Should I have answered Caius Cassius so?
When Marcus Brutus grows so covetous,
25 To lock such rascal counters from his friends,
Be ready, gods, with all your thunderbolts,
Dash him to pieces!

Cas. Urge me no more, I shall forget myself; 30 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 proud
heart break;

Go, shew 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. [Brutus:
Cas. You wrong me every way, you wrong me,
I said, an elder soldier, not a better:
Did I say, better?

35

Cas. I deny'd you not.

Bru. You did.

Cas. 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,
But Brutus makes mine greater than they are.
Bru. I do not, 'till you practise them on me.
Cas. You love me not.

Bru. I do not like your faults.

Cas. A friendly eye could never see such faults. Bru. A flatterer's would not, though they do 40 As huge as high Olympus. [appear Cas. Come, Antony, and youngOctavius, come, Revenge yourselves alone on Cassius, For Cassius is aweary of the world: Hated by one he loves; brav'd by his brother; 45 Check'd like a bondman; all his faults observ'd, Set in a note-book, learn'd, and conn'd by rote, To cast into my teeth. O, I could weep My spirit from mine eyes!-There is my dagger, And here my naked breast; within, a heart 50 Dearer than Plutus' mine, richer than gold: If that thou be'st a Roman, take it forth; I, that deny'd thee gold, will give my heart: Strike, as thou didst at Cæsar; for, I know, [better When thou didst hate him worst, thou lov'dst him 55 Than ever thou lov'dst Cassius.

Warburton comments on this passage thus: "The poets and common people, who generally think and speak alike, suppose the dog bays the moon out of envy to its brightness; an allusion to this notion makes the beauty of the passage in question: Brutus hereby insinuates a covert accusation against his friend, that it was only envy at Caesar's glory which set Cassius on conspiring against him; and ancient history seems to countenance such a charge. Cassius understood him in this sense, and with much conscious pride retorts the charge by a like insinuation:" Brutus, bay not me." 2 i. e. to limit my authority by your direction or censure. That is, to know on what terms it

is fit to confer the offices which are at my disposal.
3 C 2

Bri.

To be but mirth and laughter to his Brutus,
When grief, and blood ill-temper'd, vexeth him?|10|
Bru. When I spoke that, I was ill-temper'd too.
Cas. Do you confess so much? Give me your
Bru. And my heart too.

Cas. O Brutus!

Bru. What's the matter?

[hand.

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

[me,]

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

15

20

25

Cas. How now? What's the matter? [mean?
Poet. For shame, you generals; What do you 30
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 rhine!
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:
[fools?-

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

Cas. Away, away, begone.

35

[Exit Poct. 40

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

45

That tidings came: With this she fell distract.
And, her attendants absent, swallow'd fire2.
Cas. And dy'd so?

Bru. Even so.

Cas. O ye immortal gods!

Enter Lucius, with wine, and tapers.

Bru. Speak no more of her.-Give me a bowl
of wine:-

In this I bury all unkindness, Cassius. [Drinks.
Cas. My heart is thirsty for that noble pledge:-
Fill, Lucius, 'till the wine o'er-swell the cup;
I cannot drink too much of Brutus' love.
Re-enter Titinius, and Messala.

Bru. Come in, Titinius :--Welcome, good
Messala.-

Now sit we close about this taper here,
And call in question our necessities.
Cas. Portia! art thou gone?

Bru. No more, I pray you.-
Messala, I have here received letters,
That young Octavius, and Mark Antony,
Come down upon us with a mighty power,
Bending their expedition towards Philippi.
Mes. My self have letters of the self-same tenour.
Bru. With what addition?

Mes. That by proscription, and bills of outlawry,
Octavius, Antony, and Lepidus,

Have put to death a hundred senators.

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

Bru. Now, as you are a Roman, tell me true.
Mes. Then like a Roman bear the truth Itell:
For certain she is dead, and by strange manner.
Bru. Why, farewell, Portia.-We must die,
Messala:

With meditating that she must die once,
50I have the patience to endure it now. [dure.
Mes. Even so great men great losses should en-
Cas. I have as much of this in art as you,
But yet my nature could not bear it so. [think
Bru. Well, to our work alive. What do you
Of marching to Philippi presently?
Cas. I do not think it good.

Cas. How 'scap'd I killing, when I cross'd you
O insupportable and touching loss!—
Upon what sickness?

Bru. Impatient of my absence;

And grief, that young Octavius with Mark Antony 60 Have made themselves so strong;-for with her death

1i. e. fellow.

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.

This circumstance is taken from Plutarch, and is also mentioned by Val. Maximus Pliny, however, reports her to have died at Rome of a lingering illness, while Brutus was abroad.

Bru

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 ine, good brother.

[side,

Bru. Under your pardon.-You must note be-
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.

Bru. Bear with me, good boy; I am much for-
getful.

Can'st thou hold up thy heavy eyes a while,
And touch thy instrument a strain or two?
Luc. Ay, my lord, an't 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; know, young bloods look for a time of rest. Luc. I have slept, my lord, already. [again Bru. It was well done; and thou shalt sleep will not hold thee long: if I do live, I will be good to thee. [Musick, and a song. 15 This is a sleepy tune:-O murd'rous slumber! Lay'st thou thy leaden mace upon my boy, Thatplaysthecinusick?--Gentle knave,goodnight; I will not do thee so much wrong to wake thee.If thou dost nod, thou break'st thy instrument; 20 I'll take it from thee: and, good boy, good night. Let me see, let me see :-Is not the leaf turn'd

Cas. Then, with your will, go on; we will along 25
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?

Cas. No more. Good night:

Early to-morrow will we rise, and hence.

Bru. Lucius, my gown. [Exit Luc.] 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.

Re-enter Lucius, with the

gown.

down,

1

Where I left reading? Here it is, I think.
[He sits down to read.
Enter the Ghost of Cæsar.
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?

3c 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.

35

Ghost. Thy evil spirit, Brutus.

Bru. Why coms't thou?

Ghost. To tell thee,thou shalt see me at Philippi
Bru. Well; Then I shall see thee again?
Ghost. Ay, at Philippi.

[Exit Ghost.

Bru. Why, I will see thee at Philippi then.Now I have taken heart, thou vanishest :

40 Ili spirit, I would hold more talk with thee.— Boy! Lucius!-Varro! Claudius! Sirs, awake! Claudius!

Luc. The strings, my lord, are false.

Bru. He thinks, he still is at the instrument.

[Exeunt. 45 Lucius, awake.

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'er-50

watch'd.

Luc. My lord!

Bru. Didst thou dream, Lucius, that thou so
cry'dst out?

Luc. My lord, I do not know that I did cry.
Bru. Yes, that thou didst: Didst thou see any

thing?

Luc. Nothing, my lord.

Bru. Sleep again, Lucius.-Sirrah, Claudius! Fellow thou! awake.

A mace is the ancient term for a sceptre.

my lord.

[Exeunt.

ACT

Octa.

SCENE I.

The Plains of Philippi.

АСТ V.

Enter Octavius, Antony, and their Army.
NOW, Antony, our hopes are

swer'd:

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.

an

And bow'd like bondmen, kissing Cæsar's feet;
Whilst damned Casca, like a cur, behind,
Struck Casar on the neck. O you flatterers!
Cas. Flatterers! Now, Brutus, thank yourself:
5 This tongue had not offended so to-day,
If Cassius might have rul'd.

Lus sweat,
Octa. Come, come, the cause: If arguing make
The proof of it will turn to redder drops.
Look, I draw a sword against conspirators;
10 When think you that the sword goes up again?-
Never, 'till Cæsar's three-and-twenty wounds
Be well aveng'd; or 'till another Cåsar
Have added slaughter to the sword of traitors.
Bru.Cæsar,thou can'st not die by traitor's hands,
15 Unless thou bring'st them with thee.
Octa. So I hope;

20

25

Drum. Enter Brutus, Cassius, and their Army; 30
Lucilius, Titinius, Messala, &c.

Bru. They stand, and would have parley.
Cas. Stand fast, Titinius: We must out and talk.
Octa. Mark Antony,shall we give sign of battle?
Ant. No, Cæsar, we will answer on their charge. 35|
Make forth, the generals would have some words.
Octa. Stir not until the signal.
[men?

Bru. Words before blows: Is it so, country-
Octa. Not that we love words better, as you do.
Bru. Good words are better than bad strokes, 40
Octavius.

Ant. In your bad strokes, Brutus, you give good
words:

Witness the hole you made in Cæsar's heart,
Crying, Long live! hail, Cæsar!

Cas. Antony,

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

Ant. Not stingless too.

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 shew'd your teeth like apes, and fawn'd
kike hounds,

I was not born to die on Brutus' sword.

Bru. O, if thou wert the noblest of thy strain, Young man, thou could'st not die more honourable.

Cas. A peevish school-boy, worthless of such

honour,

Join'd with a masker and a reveller.

Ant. Old Cassius still!

Octa. 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 stomachs.

[Exeunt Octavius, Antony, and Army. Cas. Why now, blow, wind; swell, billow; and swim, bark!

The storm is up, and all is on the hazard.
Bru. Ho, Lucilius; hark, a word with you.
[Lucilius and Messala stand forth.
Luc. My lord. [Brutus speaks apart to Lucilius.
Cas. Messala.

Mes. What says my general?

Cas. Messala,

This is my birth-day; as this very day
Was Cassius born. Give me thy hand, Messala:
Be thou my witness, that, against my will,
As Pompey was, am I compell'd to set
Upon one battle all our liberties.

You know, that I held Epicurus strong,
45 And his opinion: now I change my mind,
And partly credit things that do presage.
Coming from Sardis, on our foremost ensign
Two mighty eagles fell; and there they perch'd,
Gorging and feeding from our soldiers' hands;
50 Who to Philippi here consorted us:

This morning are they filed away, and gone;
And, in their steads, do ravens, crows, and kites,
Fly o'er our heads, and downward look on us,
As we were sickly prey; their shadows seem
55 A canopy most fatal, under which

Our army lies, ready to give up the ghost.
Mes. Believe not so.

Cas. I but believe it partly;

For