Julius Caesar Read online

  CASSIUS And died so?

  BRUTUS Even so.

  CASSIUS O ye immortal gods!

  Enter Boy [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’erswell237 the cup:

  Drinks

  I cannot drink too much of Brutus’ love.

  [Exit Lucius]

  Enter Titinius and Messala

  BRUTUS Come in, Titinius. Welcome, good Messala.

  Now sit we close about this taper here

  And call in question241 our necessities.

  They sit

  CASSIUS Portia, art thou gone?

  BRUTUS No more, I pray you.—

  Messala, I have here receivèd letters,

  Shows letters

  That young Octavius and Mark Antony

  Come down upon us with a mighty power,

  Bending their expedition toward Philippi247.

  MESSALA Myself have letters of the selfsame tenor248.

  BRUTUS With what addition?

  MESSALA That by proscription and bills of outlawry250,

  Octavius, Antony and Lepidus

  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?

  MESSALA Cicero is dead,

  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.

  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 once270,

  I have the patience to endure it now.

  MESSALA Even so272 great men great losses should endure.

  CASSIUS I have as much of this in art273 as you,

  But yet my nature could not bear it274 so.

  BRUTUS Well, to our work alive275. What do you think

  Of marching to Philippi presently?

  CASSIUS I do not think it good.

  BRUTUS Your reason?

  CASSIUS This it is:

  ’Tis better that the enemy seek us,

  So shall he waste his means, weary his soldiers,

  Doing himself offence282, whilst we, lying still,

  Are full of rest, defence and nimbleness.

  BRUTUS Good reasons must of force give place284 to better:

  The people ’twixt Philippi and this ground

  Do stand but in a forced affection286,

  For they have grudged us contribution287.

  The enemy, marching along by them,

  By them shall make a fuller number up289,

  Come on refreshed, new-added290 and encouraged,

  From which advantage shall we cut him off

  If at Philippi we do face him there,

  These people at our back293.

  CASSIUS Hear me, good brother.

  BRUTUS Under your pardon295. You must note beside

  That we have tried296 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 flood301, leads on to fortune:

  Omitted302, all the voyage of their life

  Is bound in shallows303 and in miseries.

  On such a full sea are we now afloat,

  And we must take the current when it serves,

  Or lose our ventures306.

  CASSIUS Then with your will go on:

  We’ll along308 ourselves, and meet them at Philippi.

  BRUTUS The deep of night is crept upon our talk,

  And nature must obey necessity,

  Which we will niggard311 with a little rest.

  There is no more to say.

  CASSIUS No more. Goodnight.

  Early tomorrow will we rise, and hence.

  Enter Lucius

  BRUTUS Lucius. My gown315.—

  [Exit Lucius]

  Farewell, good Messala.—

  Goodnight, Titinius.— Noble, noble Cassius,

  Goodnight, and good repose.

  CASSIUS O my dear brother,

  This was an ill beginning of the night:

  Never come such division ’tween our souls.

  Let it not, Brutus.

  Enter Lucius with the gown

  BRUTUS Everything is well.

  CASSIUS Goodnight, my lord.

  BRUTUS Goodnight, good brother.

  TITINIUS andMESSALA Goodnight, Lord Brutus.

  BRUTUS Farewell, every one.

  Exeunt [Cassius, Titinius and Messala]

  Give me the gown. Where is thy instrument327?

  LUCIUS Here in the tent.

  BRUTUS What, thou speak’st drowsily?

  Poor knave, I blame thee not: thou art o’er-watched330.

  Call Claudio and some other of my men.

  I’ll have them sleep on cushions in my tent.

  LUCIUS Varrus and Claudio!

  Calls

  Enter Varrus and Claudio

  VARRUS Calls my lord?

  BRUTUS I pray you, sirs, lie in my tent and sleep.

  It may be I shall raise336 you by and by

  On business to my brother Cassius.

  VARRUS So please you, we will stand and watch your pleasure338.

  BRUTUS I will not have it so: lie down, good sirs,

  It may be I shall otherwise bethink me340.

  They lie down

  Look, Lucius, here’s the book I sought for so:

  I put it in the pocket of my gown.

  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

  And touch346 thy instrument a strain or two?

  LUCIUS Ay, my lord, an’t347 please you.

  BRUTUS It does, my boy.

  I trouble thee too much, but thou art willing.

  LUCIUS It is my duty, sir.

  BRUTUS I should not urge thy duty past thy might351.

  I know young bloods look for352 a time of rest.

  LUCIUS I have slept, my lord, already.

  BRUTUS It was well done, and thou shalt sleep again.

  I will not hold355 thee long. If I do live,

  I will be good to thee.

  Music, and a song

  Lucius falls asleep

  This is a sleepy tune:— O murderous357 slumber!

  Lay’st thou thy leaden mace358 upon my boy,

  That plays thee music?— Gentle knave, goodnight.

  I will not do thee so much wrong to wake thee:

  If thou dost nod, thou break’st thy instrument,

  I’ll take it from thee. And, good boy, goodnight.

  Takes away the instrument and reads

  Let me see, let me see; is not the leaf turned down

  Where I left reading? Here it is, I think.

  Enter the Ghost of Caesar

  How ill this taper burns. Ha? Who comes here?

  I think it is the weakness of mine eyes

  That shapes this monstrous367 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 stare370?

  Speak to me what thou art.

  GHOST Thy evil spirit, Brutus.

  BRUTUS Why comest thou?

  GHOST To tell thee thou shalt see me at Philippi.

  BRUTUS Well: then I shall see thee again?

  GHOST Ay, at Philippi.

  BRUTUS Why, I will see thee at Philippi, then.

  [Exit Ghost]

  Now I have taken heart378, thou vanishest.

  Ill spirit, I would hold more talk with thee.—

  Boy, Lucius, Varrus, Claudio! Sirs, awake! Claudio!

  LUCIUS The strings, my lord, are false381.

  BRUTUS He thinks he still is at his instrument.—

  Lucius, awake!

  LUCIUS My lord?

  BRUTUS Didst thou dream, Lucius, that thou so cried’st out?

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

  BRUTUS Yes, that thou didst: didst thou see anything?

  LUCIUS Nothing, my lord.

  BRUTUS Sleep again, Lucius. Sirrah Claudio,

  Fellow thou390, awake!

  To Varrus

  VARRUS My lord?

  CLAUDIO My lord?

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

  BOTH Did we, my lord?

  They get up

  BRUTUS Ay: saw you anything?

  VARRUS No, my lord, I saw nothing.

  CLAUDIO Nor I, my lord.

  BRUTUS Go and commend me398 to my brother Cassius:

  Bid him set on his powers betimes before399

  And we will follow.

  BOTH It shall be done, my lord.

  Exeunt

  Act 5 [Scene 1]

  running scene 10

  Enter Octavius, Antony and their army

  OCTAVIUS Now, Antony, our hopes are answerèd.

  You said the enemy would not come down,

  But keep3 the hills and upper regions:

  It proves not so: their battles4 are at hand.

  They mean to warn5 us at Philippi here,

  Answering before we do demand of6 them.

  ANTONY Tut, I am in their bosoms7, and I know

  Wherefore they do it: they could be content8

  To visit other places, and come down9

  With fearful bravery, thinking by this face10

  To fasten11 in our thoughts that they have courage;

  But ’tis not so12.

  Enter a Messenger

  MESSENGER Prepare you, generals.

  The enemy comes on in gallant14 show:

  Their bloody sign of battle15 is hung out,

  And something to16 be done immediately.

  ANTONY Octavius, lead your battle softly17 on,

  Upon the left hand of the even18 field.

  OCTAVIUS Upon the right hand I: keep thou the left.

  ANTONY Why do you cross me in this exigent20?

  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 parley22.

  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 charge25.

  Make forth26, the generals would have some words.

  OCTAVIUS Stir not until the signal.

  To his officers

  BRUTUS Words before blows: is it so, countrymen?

  The armies advance towards each other

  OCTAVIUS Not that we love words better, as you do.

  BRUTUS Good words are better than bad

  strokes30, 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 blows35 are yet unknown

  But for your words, they rob the Hybla36 bees,

  And leave them honeyless.

  ANTONY Not stingless too?

  BRUTUS O yes, and soundless too,

  For you have stol’n their buzzing40, Antony,

  And very wisely threat41 before you sting.

  ANTONY Villains, you did not so42, when your vile daggers

  Hacked one another in the sides of Caesar:

  You showed your teeth like apes44, and fawned like hounds,

  And bowed like bondmen, kissing Caesar’s feet;

  Whilst damnèd Casca, like a cur46, behind

  Struck Caesar on the neck. O you flatterers!

  CASSIUS Flatterers? Now, Brutus, thank yourself.

  This tongue had not offended so today49

  If Cassius might have ruled.

  OCTAVIUS Come, come, the cause51. If arguing make us sweat,

  The proof52 of it will turn to redder drops:

  Look, I draw a sword against conspirators.

  Draws

  When think you that the sword goes up54 again?

  Never, till Caesar’s three and thirty wounds

  Be well avenged, or till another Caesar56

  Have added slaughter to57 the sword of traitors.

  BRUTUS Caesar, thou canst not die by traitors’ hands

  Unless thou bring’st them with thee59.

  OCTAVIUS So I hope:

  I was not born to die on Brutus’ sword.

  BRUTUS O, if thou wert the noblest of thy strain62,

  Young man, thou couldst not die more honourable63.

  CASSIUS A peevish64 schoolboy, worthless of such honour,

  Joined with a masquer65 and a reveller.

  ANTONY Old Cassius still.

  OCTAVIUS Come, Antony, away.

  Defiance, traitors, hurl we in your teeth.

  If you dare fight today, come to the field;

  If not, when you have stomachs70.

  Exeunt Octavius, Antony and army

  CASSIUS Why now, blow wind, swell billow and swim bark71:

  The storm is up and all is on the hazard72.

  BRUTUS Ho, Lucilius, hark, a word with you.

  Lucilius and Messala stand forth

  LUCILIUS My lord.

  Brutus and Lucilius speak apart

  CASSIUS Messala.

  MESSALA What says my general?

  CASSIUS Messala,

  This is my birthday: as this78 very day

  Was Cassius born. Give me thy hand, Messala:

  Be thou my witness that against my will —

  As Pompey was — am I compelled to set81

  Upon one battle all our liberties.

  You know that I held Epicurus83 strong

  And his opinion: now I change my mind

  And partly credit things that do presage85.

  Coming from Sardis, on our former ensign86

  Two mighty eagles fell87, and there they perched,

  Gorging and feeding from our soldiers’ hands,

  Who to Philippi here consorted89 us:

  This morning are they fled away and gone,

  And in their steads do ravens, crows and kites91

  Fly o’er our heads and downward look on us

  As93 we were sickly prey; their shadows seem

  A canopy most fatal94, 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 constantly99.

  BRUTUS Even so, Lucilius100.

  To Cassius

  CASSIUS Now, most noble Brutus,

  The102 gods today stand friendly, that we may,

  Lovers103 in peace, lead on our days to age.

  But since the affairs of men rests still104 incertain,

  Let’s reason with105 the worst that may befall.

  If we do lose this battle, then is this

  Th
e very last time we shall speak together:

  What are you then determinèd to do?

  BRUTUS Even by the rule of that philosophy109

  By which I did blame Cato110 for the death

  Which he did give himself — I know not how111,

  But I do find it cowardly and vile,

  For fear of what might fall, so to prevent113

  The time of life — arming myself with patience

  To stay115 the providence of some high powers

  That govern us below.

  CASSIUS Then, if we lose this battle,

  You are contented to be led in triumph118

  Through the streets of Rome?

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

  That ever Brutus will go bound to Rome.

  He bears too great122 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

  [Act 5 Scene 2]

  running scene 10 continues

  Alarum. Enter Brutus and Messala

  BRUTUS Ride, ride, Messala, ride, and give these bills1

  Gives orders

  Unto the legions on the other side2.

  Loud alarum

  Let them set on3 at once, for I perceive

  But cold demeanour in Octavio’s wing4,

  And sudden push5 gives them the overthrow.

  Ride, ride, Messala: let them all come down6.

  Exeunt

  [Act 5 Scene 3]

  running scene 10 continues

  Alarums. Enter Cassius and Titinius

  CASSIUS O, look, Titinius, look, the villains1 fly:

  Myself have to mine own2 turned enemy:

  This ensign3 here of mine was turning back.

  I slew the coward, and did take it4 from him.