Complete Plays, The Read online

  Lucius

  The strings, my lord, are false.

  Brutus

  He thinks he still is at his instrument.

  Lucius, awake!

  Lucius

  My lord?

  Brutus

  Didst thou dream, Lucius, that thou so criedst out?

  Lucius

  My lord, I do not know that I did cry.

  Brutus

  Yes, that thou didst: didst thou see any thing?

  Lucius

  Nothing, my lord.

  Brutus

  Sleep again, Lucius. Sirrah Claudius!

  To Varro

  Fellow thou, awake!

  Varro

  My lord?

  Claudius

  My lord?

  Brutus

  Why did you so cry out, sirs, in your sleep?

  Varro

  Claudius

  Did we, my lord?

  Brutus

  Ay: saw you any thing?

  Varro

  No, my lord, I saw nothing.

  Claudius

  Nor I, my lord.

  Brutus

  Go and commend me to my brother Cassius;

  Bid him set on his powers betimes before,

  And we will follow.

  Varro

  Claudius

  It shall be done, my lord.

  Exeunt

  ACT V

  SCENE I. THE PLAINS OF PHILIPPI.

  Enter Octavius, Antony, and their army

  Octavius

  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.

  Antony

  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

  To fasten in our thoughts that they have courage;

  But ’tis not so.

  Enter a Messenger

  Messenger

  Prepare you, generals:

  The enemy comes on in gallant show;

  Their bloody sign of battle is hung out,

  And something to be done immediately.

  Antony

  Octavius, lead your battle softly on,

  Upon the left hand of the even field.

  Octavius

  Upon the right hand I; keep thou the left.

  Antony

  Why do you cross me in this exigent?

  Octavius

  I do not cross you; but I will do so.

  March

  Drum. Enter Brutus, Cassius, and their Army; Lucilius, Titinius, Messala, and others

  Brutus

  They stand, and would have parley.

  Cassius

  Stand fast, Titinius: we must out and talk.

  Octavius

  Mark Antony, shall we give sign of battle?

  Antony

  No, Caesar, we will answer on their charge.

  Make forth; the generals would have some words.

  Octavius

  Stir not until the signal.

  Brutus

  Words before blows: is it so, countrymen?

  Octavius

  Not that we love words better, as you do.

  Brutus

  Good words are better than bad strokes, Octavius.

  Antony

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

  Witness the hole you made in Caesar’s heart,

  Crying ‘Long live! hail, Caesar!’

  Cassius

  Antony,

  The posture of your blows are yet unknown;

  But for your words, they rob the Hybla bees,

  And leave them honeyless.

  Antony

  Not stingless too.

  Brutus

  O, yes, and soundless too;

  For you have stol’n their buzzing, Antony,

  And very wisely threat before you sting.

  Antony

  Villains, you did not so, when your vile daggers

  Hack’d one another in the sides of Caesar:

  You show’d your teeth like apes, and fawn’d like hounds,

  And bow’d like bondmen, kissing Caesar’s feet;

  Whilst damned Casca, like a cur, behind

  Struck Caesar on the neck. O you flatterers!

  Cassius

  Flatterers! Now, Brutus, thank yourself:

  This tongue had not offended so to-day,

  If Cassius might have ruled.

  Octavius

  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 Caesar’s three and thirty wounds

  Be well avenged; or till another Caesar

  Have added slaughter to the sword of traitors.

  Brutus

  Caesar, thou canst not die by traitors’ hands,

  Unless thou bring’st them with thee.

  Octavius

  So I hope;

  I was not born to die on Brutus’ sword.

  Brutus

  O, if thou wert the noblest of thy strain,

  Young man, thou couldst not die more honourable.

  Cassius

  A peevish schoolboy, worthless of such honour,

  Join’d with a masker and a reveller!

  Antony

  Old Cassius still!

  Octavius

  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 their army

  Cassius

  Why, now, blow wind, swell billow and swim bark!

  The storm is up, and all is on the hazard.

  Brutus

  Ho, Lucilius! hark, a word with you.

  Lucilius

  [Standing forth] My lord?

  Brutus and Lucilius converse apart

  Cassius

  Messala!

  Messala

  [Standing forth] What says my general?

  Cassius

  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

  And his opinion: now I change my mind,

  And partly credit things that do presage.

  Coming from Sardis, on our former ensign

  Two mighty eagles fell, and there they perch’d,

  Gorging and feeding from our soldiers’ hands;

  Who to Philippi here consorted us:

  This morning are they fled 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

  A canopy most fatal, under which

  Our army lies, ready to give up the ghost.

  Messala

  Believe not so.

  Cassius

  I but believe it partly;

  For I am fresh of spirit and resolved

  To meet all perils very constantly.

  Brutus

  Even so, Lucilius.

  Cassius

  Now, most noble Brutus,

  The gods to-day stand friendly, that we may,

  Lovers in peace, lead on our days to age!

  But since the affairs of men rest still incertain,

  Let’s reason
with the worst that may befall.

  If we do lose this battle, then is this

  The very last time we shall speak together:

  What are you then determined to do?

  Brutus

  Even by the rule of that philosophy

  By which I did blame Cato for the death

  Which he did give himself, I know not how,

  But I do find it cowardly and vile,

  For fear of what might fall, so to prevent

  The time of life: arming myself with patience

  To stay the providence of some high powers

  That govern us below.

  Cassius

  Then, if we lose this battle,

  You are contented to be led in triumph

  Thorough the streets of Rome?

  Brutus

  No, Cassius, no: think not, thou noble Roman,

  That ever Brutus will go bound to Rome;

  He bears too great a mind. But this same day

  Must end that work the ides of March begun;

  And whether we shall meet again I know not.

  Therefore our everlasting farewell take:

  For ever, and for ever, farewell, Cassius!

  If we do meet again, why, we shall smile;

  If not, why then, this parting was well made.

  Cassius

  For ever, and for ever, farewell, Brutus!

  If we do meet again, we’ll smile indeed;

  If not, ’tis true this parting was well made.

  Brutus

  Why, then, lead on. O, that a man might know

  The end of this day’s business ere it come!

  But it sufficeth that the day will end,

  And then the end is known. Come, ho! away!

  Exeunt

  SCENE II. THE SAME. THE FIELD OF BATTLE.

  Alarum. Enter Brutus and Messala

  Brutus

  Ride, ride, Messala, ride, and give these bills

  Unto the legions on the other side.

  Loud alarum

  Let them set on at once; for I perceive

  But cold demeanor in Octavius’ wing,

  And sudden push gives them the overthrow.

  Ride, ride, Messala: let them all come down.

  Exeunt

  SCENE III. ANOTHER PART OF THE FIELD.

  Alarums. Enter Cassius and Titinius

  Cassius

  O, look, Titinius, look, the villains fly!

  Myself have to mine own turn’d enemy:

  This ensign here of mine was turning back;

  I slew the coward, and did take it from him.

  Titinius

  O Cassius, Brutus gave the word too early;

  Who, having some advantage on Octavius,

  Took it too eagerly: his soldiers fell to spoil,

  Whilst we by Antony are all enclosed.

  Enter Pindarus

  Pindarus

  Fly further off, my lord, fly further off;

  Mark Antony is in your tents, my lord

  Fly, therefore, noble Cassius, fly far off.

  Cassius

  This hill is far enough. Look, look, Titinius;

  Are those my tents where I perceive the fire?

  Titinius

  They are, my lord.

  Cassius

  Titinius, if thou lovest me,

  Mount thou my horse, and hide thy spurs in him,

  Till he have brought thee up to yonder troops,

  And here again; that I may rest assured

  Whether yond troops are friend or enemy.

  Titinius

  I will be here again, even with a thought.

  Exit

  Cassius

  Go, Pindarus, get higher on that hill;

  My sight was ever thick; regard Titinius,

  And tell me what thou notest about the field.

  Pindarus ascends the hill

  This day I breathed first: time is come round,

  And where I did begin, there shall I end;

  My life is run his compass. Sirrah, what news?

  Pindarus

  [Above] O my lord!

  Cassius

  What news?

  Pindarus

  [Above] Titinius is enclosed round about

  With horsemen, that make to him on the spur;

  Yet he spurs on. Now they are almost on him.

  Now, Titinius! Now some light. O, he lights too.

  He’s ta’en.

  Shout

  And, hark! they shout for joy.

  Cassius

  Come down, behold no more.

  O, coward that I am, to live so long,

  To see my best friend ta’en before my face!

  Pindarus descends

  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 shouldst 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.

  Pindarus stabs him

  Caesar, thou art revenged,

  Even with the sword that kill’d thee.

  Dies

  Pindarus

  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

  Messala

  It is but change, Titinius; for Octavius

  Is overthrown by noble Brutus’ power,

  As Cassius’ legions are by Antony.

  Titinius

  These tidings will well comfort Cassius.

  Messala

  Where did you leave him?

  Titinius

  All disconsolate,

  With Pindarus his bondman, on this hill.

  Messala

  Is not that he t hat lies upon the ground?

  Titinius

  He lies not like the living. O my heart!

  Messala

  Is not that he?

  Titinius

  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.

  Messala

  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 conceived,

  Thou never comest unto a happy birth,

  But kill’st the mother that engender’d thee!

  Titinius

  What, Pindarus! where art thou, Pindarus?

  Messala

  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.

  Titinius

  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 it 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.

  Kills himself

  Alarum. Re-enter Messala, with Brutus, Cato, Strato, Volumnius, and Lucilius

  Brutus

  Where, where, Messala, doth his body lie?

  Messala

  Lo, yonder, and Titinius mourning it.

  Brutus

  Titinius’ face is upward.

  Cato

  He is slain.

  Brutus

  O Julius Caesar, thou art mighty yet!

  Thy spirit walks abroad and turns our swords

  In our own proper entrails.

  Low alarums

  Cato

  Brave Titinius!

  Look, whether he have not crown’d dead Cassius!

  Brutus

  Are yet two Romans living such as these?

  The last of all the Romans, fare thee well!

  It is impossible that ever Rome

  Should breed thy fellow. Friends, I owe more tears

  To this dead man than you shall see me pay.

  I shall find time, Cassius, I shall find time.

  Come, therefore, and to Thasos send his body:

  His funerals 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

  Brutus

  Yet, countrymen, O, yet hold up your heads!

  Cato

  What bastard doth not? Who will go with me?

  I will proclaim my name about the field:

  I am the son of Marcus Cato, ho!

  A foe to tyrants, and my country’s friend;

  I am the son of Marcus Cato, ho!

  Brutus

  And I am Brutus, Marcus Brutus, I;

  Brutus, my country’s friend; know me for Brutus!

  Exit

  Lucilius

  O young and noble Cato, art thou down?

  Why, now thou diest as bravely as Titinius;

  And mayst be honour’d, being Cato’s son.

  First Soldier

  Yield, or thou diest.

  Lucilius

  Only I yield to die:

  There is so much that thou wilt kill me straight;

  Offering money

  Kill Brutus, and be honour’d in his death.

  First Soldier

  We must not. A noble prisoner!

  Second Soldier

  Room, ho! Tell Antony, Brutus is ta’en.

  First Soldier

  I’ll tell the news. Here comes the general.

  Enter Antony

  Brutus is ta’en, Brutus is ta’en, my lord.