Текст книги "William Shakespeare: The Complete Works 2nd Edition"

Автор книги: William Shakespeare

сообщить о нарушении

Текущая страница: 121 (всего у книги 250 страниц)

3.2 Enter Brutus and Cassius, with the Plebeians

ALL THE PLEBEIANS

We will be satisfied! Let us be satisfied!

BRUTUS

Then follow me, and give me audience, friends.

(Aside to Cassius) Cassius, go you into the other street,

And part the numbers.

(To the Plebeians)

Those that will hear me speak, let ’em stay here;

Those that will follow Cassius, go with him;

And public reasons shall be rendered

Of Caesar’s death.

Brutus ascends to the pulpit

FIRST PLEBEIAN I will hear Brutus speak.

SECOND PLEBEIAN

I will hear Cassius, and compare their reasons

When severally we hear them rendered.

Exit Cassius, with some PlebeiansEnter⌉ Brutus ⌈above⌉in the pulpit

THIRD PLEBEIAN

The noble Brutus is ascended. Silence.

BRUTUS Be patient till the last.

Romans, countrymen, and lovers, hear me for my

cause, and be silent that you may hear. Believe me for

mine honour, and have respect to mine honour, that

you may believe. Censure me in your wisdom, and

awake your senses, that you may the better judge. If

there be any in this assembly, any dear friend of

Caesar’s, to him I say that Brutus’ love to Caesar was

no less than his. If then that friend demand why Brutus

rose against Caesar, this is my answer: not that I loved

Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more. Had you

rather Caesar were living, and die all slaves, than that

Caesar were dead, to live all free men? As Caesar loved

me, I weep for him. As he was fortunate, I rejoice at

it. As he was valiant, I honour him. But as he was

ambitious, I slew him. There is tears for his love, joy

for his fortune, honour for his valour, and death for

his ambition. Who is here so base that would be a

bondman? If any, speak, for him have I offended. Who

is here so rude that would not be a Roman? If any,

speak, for him have I offended. Who is here so vile that

will not love his country? If any, speak, for him have

I offended. I pause for a reply.

ALL THE PLEBEIANS None, Brutus, none.

BRUTUS Then none have I offended. I have done no more to Caesar than you shall do to Brutus. The question of his death is enrolled in the Capitol, his glory not extenuated wherein he was worthy, nor his offences enforced for which he suffered death.

Enter Mark Antony, with ⌈others bearing⌉ Caesar’s body ⌈in a coffin⌉‪‪‪‫‎

Here comes his body, mourned by Mark Antony, who, though he had no hand in his death, shall receive the benefit of his dying: a place in the commonwealth—as which of you shall not? With this I depart: that as I slew my best lover for the good of Rome, I have the same dagger for myself when it shall please my country to need my death.

ALL THE PLEBEIANS Live, Brutus, live, live!

FIRST PLEBEIAN

Bring him with triumph home unto his house.

⌈FOURTH⌉ PLEBEIAN

Give him a statue with his ancestors.

THIRD PLEBEIAN

Let him be Caesar.

⌈FIFTH⌉ PLEBEIAN Caesar’s better parts

Shall be crowned in Brutus.

FIRST PLEBEIAN

We’ll bring him to his house with shouts and

clamours.

BRUTUS

My countrymen.

⌈FOURTH⌉ PLEBEIAN Peace, silence. Brutus speaks.

FIRST PLEBEIAN Peace, ho!

BRUTUS

Good countrymen, let me depart alone,

And, for my sake, stay here with Antony.

Do grace to Caesar’s corpse, and grace his speech

Tending to Caesar’s glories, which Mark Antony,

By our permission, is allowed to make.

I do entreat you, not a man depart

Save I alone till Antony have spoke. Exit

FIRST PLEBEIAN

Stay, ho, and let us hear Mark Antony.

THIRD PLEBEIAN

Let him go up into the public chair.

We’ll hear him. Noble Antony, go up.

ANTONY

For Brutus’ sake I am beholden to you.

Antony ascends to the pulpit

⌈FIFTH⌉ PLEBEIAN

What does he say of Brutus?

THIRD PLEBEIAN He says, for Brutus’ sake

He finds himself beholden to us all.

⌈FIFTH⌉ PLEBEIAN

’Twere best he speak no harm of Brutus here!

FIRST PLEBEIAN

This Caesar was a tyrant.

THIRD PLEBEIAN Nay, that’s certain.

We are blessed that Rome is rid of him.

⌈Enter⌉ Antony in the pulpit

⌈FOURTH⌉ PLEBEIAN

Peace, let us hear what Antony can say.

ANTONY

You gentle Romans. ALL THE PLEBEIANS Peace, ho! Let us hear him.

ANTONY

Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears.

I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him.

The evil that men do lives after them;

The good is oft interred with their bones.

So let it be with Caesar. The noble Brutus

Hath told you Caesar was ambitious.

If it were so, it was a grievous fault,

And grievously hath Caesar answered it.

Here, under leave of Brutus and the rest—

For Brutus is an honourable man,

So are they all, all honourable men—

Come I to speak in Caesar’s funeral.

He was my friend, faithful and just to me.

But Brutus says he was ambitious,

And Brutus is an honourable man.

He hath brought many captives home to Rome,

Whose ransoms did the general coffers fill.

Did this in Caesar seem ambitious?

When that the poor have cried, Caesar hath wept.

Ambition should be made of sterner stuff.

Yet Brutus says he was ambitious,

And Brutus is an honourable man.

You all did see that on the Lupercal

I thrice presented him a kingly crown,

Which he did thrice refuse. Was this ambition?

Yet Brutus says he was ambitious,

And sure he is an honourable man.

I speak not to disprove what Brutus spoke,

But here I am to speak what I do know.

You all did love him once, not without cause.

What cause withholds you then to mourn for him?

O judgement, thou art fled to brutish beasts,

And men have lost their reason!

He weeps Bear with me.

My heart is in the coffin there with Caesar,

And I must pause till it come back to me.

FIRST PLEBEIAN

Methinks there is much reason in his sayings.

⌈FOURTHmlk,⌉ PLEBEIAN

If thou consider rightly of the matter,

Caesar has had great wrong.

THIRD PLEBEIAN Has he not, masters?

I fear there will a worse come in his place.

⌈FIFTH⌉ PLEBEIAN

Marked ye his words? He would not take the crown,

Therefore ’tis certain he was not ambitious.

FIRST PLEBEIAN

If it be found so, some will dear abide it.

⌈FOURTH⌉ PLEBEIAN

Poor soul, his eyes are red as fire with weeping.

THIRD PLEBEIAN

There’s not a nobler man in Rome than Antony.

⌈FIFTH⌉ PLEBEIAN

Now mark him; he begins again to speak.

ANTONY

But yesterday the word of Caesar might

Have stood against the world. Now lies he there,

And none so poor to do him reverence.

O masters, if I were disposed to stir

Your hearts and minds to mutiny and rage,

I should do Brutus wrong, and Cassius wrong,

Who, you all know, are honourable men.

I will not do them wrong. I rather choose

To wrong the dead, to wrong myself and you,

Than I will wrong such honourable men.

But here’s a parchment with the seal of Caesar.

I found it in his closet. ’Tis his will.

Let but the commons hear this testament—

Which, pardon me, I do not mean to read—

And they would go and kiss dead Caesar’s wounds,

And dip their napkins in his sacred blood,

Yea, beg a hair of him for memory,

And, dying, mention it within their wills,

Bequeathing it as a rich legacy

Unto their issue.

⌈FIFTH⌉ PLEBEIAN

We’ll hear the will. Read it, Mark Antony.

ALL THE PLEBEIANS

The will, the will! We will hear Caesar’s will.

ANTONY

Have patience, gentle friends, I must not read it.

It is not meet you know how Caesar loved you.

You are not wood, you are not stones, but men;

And, being men, hearing the will of Caesar,

It will inflame you, it will make you mad.

’Tis good you know not that you are his heirs,

For if you should, O what would come of it?

⌈FIFTH⌉ ‪PLEBEIAN

Read the will. We’ll hear it, Antony.

You shall read us the will, Caesar’s will.

ANTONY

Will you be patient? Will you stay a while?

I have o’ershot myself to tell you of it.

I fear I wrong the honourable men

Whose daggers have stabbed Caesar; I do fear it.

⌈FIFTH⌉ PLEBEIAN They were traitors. Honourable men?

ALL THE PLEBEIANS The will, the testament!

⌈FOURTH⌉ PLEBEIAN They were villains, murderers. The will, read the will!

ANTONY

You will compel me then to read the will?

Then make a ring about the corpse of Caesar,

And let me show you him that made the will.

Shall I descend? And will you give me leave?

ALL THE PLEBEIANS

Come down.

⌈FOURTH⌉ PLEBEIAN Descend.

THIRD PLEBEIAN

You shall have leave.

Antony descends from the pulpit

⌈FIFTH⌉ PLEBEIAN A ring.

Stand round.

FIRST PLEBEIAN

Stand from the hearse. Stand from the body.

⌈FOURTH⌉ PLEBEIAN

Room for Antony, most noble Antony!

⌈Enter Antony below⌉

ANTONY

Nay, press not so upon me. Stand farre off.

ALL THE PLEBEIANS Stand back! Room! Bear back!

ANTONY

If you have tears, prepare to shed them now.

You all do know this mantle. I remember

The first time ever Caesar put it on.

’Twas on a summer’s evening in his tent,

That day he overcame the Nervii.

Look, in this place ran Cassius’ dagger through.

See what a rent the envious Casca made.

Through this the well-beloved Brutus stabbed;

And as he plucked his cursèd steel away,

Mark how the blood of Caesar followed it,

As rushing out of doors to be resolved

If Brutus so unkindly knocked or no—

For Brutus, as you know, was Caesar’s angel.

Judge, O you gods, how dearly Caesar loved him!

This was the most unkindest cut of all.

For when the noble Caesar saw him stab,

Ingratitude, more strong than traitors’ arms,

Quite vanquished him. Then burst his mighty heart,

And in his mantle muffling up his face,

Even at the base of Pompey’s statue,

Which all the while ran blood, great Caesar fell.

O, what a fall was there, my countrymen!

Then I, and you, and all of us fell down,

Whilst bloody treason flourished over us.

O now you weep, and I perceive you feel

The dint of pity. These are gracious drops.

Kind souls, what, weep you when you but behold

Our Caesar’s vesture wounded? Look you here.

Here is himself, marred, as you see, with traitors.

He uncovers Caesar’s body

FIRST PLEBEIAN

O piteous spectacle!

⌈FOURTH⌉ PLEBEIAN O noble Caesar!

THIRD PLEBEIAN O woeful day!

⌈FIFTH⌉ PLEBEIAN

O traitors, villains!

FIRST PLEBEIAN O most bloody sight!

⌈FOURTH⌉ PLEBEIAN We will be revenged.

⌈ALL THE PLEBEIANS⌉

Revenge! About! Seek! Burn! Fire! Kill! Slay!

Let not a traitor live !

ANTONY Stay, countrymen.

FIRST PLEBEIAN Peace there, hear the noble Antony.

⌈FOURTH⌉ PLEBEIAN We’ll hear him, we’ll follow him, we’ll die with him!

ANTONY

Good friends, sweet friends, let me not stir you up

To such a sudden flood of mutiny.

They that have done this deed are honourable.

What private griefs they have, alas, I know not,

That made them do it. They are wise and honourable,

And will no doubt with reasons answer you.

I come not, friends, to steal away your hearts.

I am no orator as Brutus is,

But, as you know me all, a plain blunt man

That love my friend; and that they know full well

That gave me public leave to speak of him.

For I have neither wit, nor words, nor worth,

Action, nor utterance, nor the power of speech,

To stir men’s blood. I only speak right on.

I tell you that which you yourselves do know,

Show you sweet Caesar’s wounds, poor poor dumb

mouths,

And bid them speak for me. But were I Brutus,

And Brutus Antony, there were an Antony

Would ruffle up your spirits, and put a tongue

In every wound of Caesar that should move

The stones of Rome to rise and mutiny.

ALL THE PLEBEIANS

We’ll mutiny.

FIRST PLEBEIAN We’ll burn the house of Brutus.

THIRD PLEBEIAN

Away then! Come, seek the conspirators.

ANTONY

Yet hear me, countrymen, yet hear me speak.

ALL THE PLEBEIANS

Peace, ho! Hear Antony, most noble Antony.

ANTONY

Why, friends, you go to do you know not what.

Wherein hath Caesar thus deserved your loves?

Alas, you know not. I must tell you’ then.

You have forgot the will I told you of.

ALL THE PLEBEIANS

Most true. The will. Let’s stay and hear the will.

ANTONY

Here is the will, and under Caesar’s seal.

To every Roman citizen he gives—

To every several man—seventy-five drachmas.

⌈FOURTH⌉ PLEBEIAN

Most noble Caesar! We’ll revenge his death.

THIRD PLEBEIAN

O royal Caesar!

ANTONY Hear me with patience.

ALL THE PLEBEIANS Peace, ho!

ANTONY

Moreover he hath left you all his walks,

His private arbours, and new-planted orchards,

On this side Tiber. He hath left them you,

And to your heirs for ever—common pleasures

To walk abroad and recreate yourselves.

Here was a Caesar. When comes such another?

FIRST PLEBEIAN

Never, never! Come, away, away!

We’ll burn his body in the holy place,

And with the brands fire the traitors’ houses.

Take up the body.

⌈FOURTH⌉ PLEBEIAN Go, fetch fire!

THIRD PLEBEIAN Pluck down benches!

⌈FIFTH⌉ PLEBEIAN Pluck down forms, windows, anything!

Exeunt Plebeians ⌈with Caesar’s body⌉

ANTONY

Now let it work. Mischief, thou art afoot.

Take thou what course thou wilt.

Enter ⌈Octavius’⌉ Servant

How now, fellow?

SERVANT

Sir, Octavius is already come to Rome.

ANTONY Where is he?

SERVANT

He and Lepidus are at Caesar’s house.

ANTONY

And thither will I straight to visit him.

He comes upon a wish. Fortune is merry,

And in this mood will give us anything.

SERVANT

I heard him say Brutus and Cassius

Are rid like madmen through the gates of Rome.

ANTONY

Belike they had some notice of the people,

How I had moved them. Bring me to Octavius.

Exeunt

3.3 Enter Cinna the poet

CINNA

I dreamt tonight that I did feast with Caesar,

And things unlucky charge my fantasy.

I have no will to wander forth of doors,

Yet something leads me forth.

Enter the Plebeians

FIRST PLEBEIAN What is your name?

SECOND PLEBEIAN Whither are you going?

THIRD PLEBEIAN Where do you dwell?

FOURTH PLEBEIAN Are you a married man or a bachelor?

SECOND PLEBEIAN Answer every man directly.

FIRST PLEBEIAN Ay, and briefly.

FOURTH PLEBEIAN Ay, and wisely.

THIRD PLEBEIAN Ay, and truly, you were best.

CINNA What is my name? Whither am I going? Where do I dwell? Am I a married man or a bachelor? Then to answer every man directly and briefly, wisely and truly: wisely, I say, I am a bachelor.

SECOND PLEBEIAN That’s as much as to say they are fools that marry. You’ll bear me a bang for that, I fear. Proceed directly.

CINNA Directly I am going to Caesar’s funeral.

FIRST PLEBEIAN As a friend or an enemy?

CINNA As a friend.

SECOND PLEBEIAN That matter is answered directly.

FOURTH PLEBEIAN For your dwelling—briefly.

CINNA Briefly, I dwell by the Capitol.

THIRD PLEBEIAN Your name, sir, truly.

CINNA Truly, my name is Cinna.

FIRST PLEBEIAN Tear him to pieces! He’s a conspirator.

CINNA I am Cinna the poet, I am Cinna the poet.

FOURTH PLEBEIAN Tear him for his bad verses, tear him for his bad verses.

CINNA I am not Cinna the conspirator.

FOURTH PLEBEIAN It is no matter, his name’s Cinna. Pluck but his name out of his heart, and turn him going.

THIRD PLEBEIAN Tear him, tear him!

⌈They set upon Cinna⌉

Come, brands, ho! Firebrands! To Brutus’, to Cassius’!

Burn all! Some to Decius’ house, and some to Casca’s;

some to Ligarius‘. Away, go!

Exeunt all the Plebeians, with Cinna

4.1 Enter Antony with papers, Octavius, and Lepidus

ANTONY

These many, then, shall die; their names are pricked.

OCTAVIUS (to Lepidus)

Your brother too must die. Consent you, Lepidus?

LEPIDUS

I do consent.

OCTAVIUS Prick him down, Antony.

LEPIDUS

Upon condition Publius shall not live,

Who is your sister’s son, Mark Antony.

ANTONY

He shall not live. Look, with a spot I damn him.

But Lepidus, go you to Caesar’s house;

Fetch the will hither, and we shall determine

How to cut off some charge in legacies.

LEPIDUS What, shall I find you here?

OCTAVIUS Or here or at the Capitol. Exit Lepidus

ANTONY

This is a slight, unmeritable man,

Meet to be sent on errands. Is it fit,

The three-fold world divided, he should stand

One of the three to share it?

OCTAVIUS So you thought him,

And took his voice who should be pricked to die

In our black sentence and proscription.

ANTONY

Octavius, I have seen more days than you,

And though we lay these honours on this man

To ease ourselves of divers sland’rous loads,

He shall but bear them as the ass bears gold,

To groan and sweat under the business,

Either led or driven as we point the way;

And having brought our treasure where we will,

Then take we down his load, and turn him off,

Like to the empty ass, to shake his ears

And graze in commons.

OCTAVIUS You may do your will;

But he’s a tried and valiant soldier.

ANTONY

So is my horse, Octavius, and for that

I do appoint him store of provender.

It is a creature that I teach to fight,

To wind, to stop, to run directly on,

His corporal motion governed by my spirit;

And in some taste is Lepidus but so.

He must be taught, and trained, and bid go forth—

A barren-spirited fellow, one that feeds

On objects, arts, and imitations,

Which, out of use and staled 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 combined,

Our best friends made, our meinies stretched,

And let us presently go sit in council,

How covert matters may be best disclosed,

And open perils surest answered.

OCTAVIUS

Let us do so, for we are at the stake

And bayed about with many enemies;

And some that smile have in their hearts, I fear,

Millions of mischiefs. Exeunt

4.2 Drum. Enter Brutus, Lucius, and the army. ⌈Lucillius,⌉ Titinius, and Pindarus meet them

BRUTUS Stand, ho!

⌈SOLDIER⌉ Give the word ‘ho’, and stand.

BRUTUS

What now, Lucillius: is Cassius near?

LUCILLIUS

He is at hand, and Pindarus is come

To do you salutation from his master.

BRUTUS

He greets me well. Your master, Pindarus,

In his own change or by ill officers,

Hath given me some worthy cause to wish

Things done undone. But if he be at hand,

I shall be satisfied.

PINDARUS I do not doubt

But that my noble master will appear

Such as he is, full of regard and honour.

BRUTUS

He is not doubted.—A word, Lucillius.

Brutus and Lucillius speak apart

How he received you let me be resolved.

LUCILLIUS

With courtesy and with respect enough,

But not with such familiar instances,

Nor with such free and friendly conference,

As he hath used of old.

BRUTUS Thou hast described

A hot friend cooling. Ever note, Lucillius:

When love begins to sicken and decay

It useth an enforced ceremony.

There are no tricks in plain and simple faith;

But hollow men, like horses hot at hand,

Make gallant show and promise of their mettle;

Low march within

But when they should endure the bloody spur,

They fall their crests and, like deceitful jades,

Sink in the trial. Comes his army on?

LUCILLIUS

They mean this night in Sardis to be quartered.

The greater part, the horse in general,

Are come with Cassius.

Enter Cassius and his powers

BRUTUS Hark, he is arrived.

March gently on to meet him.

The armies march

CASSIUS Stand, ho!

BRUTUS Stand, ho! Speak the word along.

⌈FIRST SOLDIER⌉ Stand!

⌈second SOLDIER⌉ Stand!

⌈THIRD SOLDIER⌉ Standl

CASSIUS

Most noble brother, you have done me wrong.

BRUTUS

Judge me, you gods: wrong I mine enemies?

And if not so, how should I wrong a brother?

CASSIUS

Brutus, this sober form of yours hides wrongs,

And when you do them—

BRUTUS Cassius, be content.

Speak your griefs softly. I do know you well.

Before the eyes of both our armies here,

Which should perceive nothing but love from us,

Let us not wrangle. Bid them move away,

Then in my tent, Cassius, enlarge your griefs,

And I will give you audience.

CASSIUS Pindarus,

Bid our commanders lead their charges off

A little from this ground.

BRUTUS

Lucillius, do you the like; and let no man

Come to our tent till we have done our conference.

Let Lucius and Titinius guard our door.

Exeunt the armies Brutus and Cassius remain, ⌈with Titinius, and Lucius guarding the door⌉

CASSIUS

That you have wronged me doth appear in this:

You have condemned and noted Lucius Pella

For taking bribes here of the Sardians,

Wherein my letters praying on his side,

Because I knew the man, was slighted off.

BRUTUS

You wronged yourself to write in such a case.

CASSIUS

In such a time as this it is not meet

That every nice offence should bear his comment.

BRUTUS

Let me tell you, Cassius, you yourself

Are much condemned to have an itching palm,

To sell and mart your offices for gold

To undeservers.

CASSIUS I, an itching palm?

You know that you are Brutus that speaks this, 65

Or, by the gods, this speech were else your last.

BRUTUS

The name of Cassius honours this corruption,

And chastisement doth therefore hide his head.

CASSIUS Chastisement?

BRUTUS

Remember March, the ides of March, remember.

Did not great Julius bleed for justice’ sake?

What villain touched 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.

CASSIUS Brutus, bay not me.

I’ll not endure it. You forget yourself

To hedge me in. I am a soldier, I,

Older in practice, abler than yourself

To make conditions.

BRUTUS Go to, you are not, Cassius.

CASSIUS I am.

BRUTUS I say you are not.

CASSIUS

Urge me no more, I shall forget myself.

Have mind upon your health. Tempt me no farther.

BRUTUS Away, slight man.

CASSIUS Is’t possible?

BRUTUS Hear me, for I will speak.

Must I give way and room to your rash choler?

Shall I be frighted when a madman stares?

CASSIUS

O ye gods, ye gods! Must I endure all this?

BRUTUS

All this? Ay, more. Fret till your proud heart break.

Go show your slaves how choleric 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.

CASSIUS Is it come to this?

BRUTUS

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.

CASSIUS

You wrong me every way, you wrong me, Brutus.

I said an elder soldier, not a better.

Did I say better?

BRUTUS If you did, I care not.

CASSIUS

When Caesar lived he durst not thus have moved me.

BRUTUS

Peace, peace; you durst not so have tempted him.

CASSIUS I durst not?

BRUTUS No.

CASSIUS What, durst not tempt him?

BRUTUS For your life you durst not.

CASSIUS

Do not presume too much upon my love.

I may do that I shall be sorry for.

BRUTUS

You have done that you should be sorry for.

There is no terror, Cassius, in your threats,

For I am armed so strong in honesty

That they pass by me as the idle wind,

Which I respect not. I did send to you

For certain sums of gold, which you denied 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

By any indirection. I did send

To you for gold to pay my legions,

Which you denied me. Was that done like Cassius?

Should I have answered Caius Cassius so?

When Marcus Brutus grows so covetous

To lock such rascal counters from his friends,

Be ready, gods, with all your thunderbolts;

Dash him to pieces.

CASSIUS I denied you not.

BRUTUS

You did.

CASSIUS I did not. He was but a fool

That brought my answer back. Brutus hath rived my

heart.

A friend should bear his friend’s infirmities,

But Brutus makes mine greater than they are.

BRUTUS

I do not, till you practise them on me.

CASSIUS

You love me not.

BRUTUS I do not like your faults.

CASSIUS

A friendly eye could never see such faults.

BRUTUS

A flatterer’s would not, though they do appear

As huge as high Olympus.

CASSIUS

Come, Antony and young Octavius, come,

Revenge yourselves alone on Cassius;

For Cassius is aweary of the world,

Hated by one he loves, braved by his brother,

Checked like a bondman; all his faults observed,

Set in a notebook, learned and conned 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

Dearer than Pluto’s mine, richer than gold.

If that thou beest a Roman, take it forth.

I that denied thee gold will give my heart.

Strike as thou didst at Caesar; for I know

When thou didst hate him worst, thou loved‘st him

better

Than ever thou loved’st Cassius.

BRUTUS Sheathe 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.

CASSIUS Hath Cassius lived

To be but mirth and laughter to his Brutus

When grief and blood ill-tempered vexeth him?

BRUTUS

When I spoke that, I was ill-tempered too.

CASSIUS

Do you confess so much? Give me your hand.

BRUTES

And my heart too.

⌈They embrace⌉

CASSIUS O Brutus!

BRUTUS What’s the matter?

CASSIUS

Have not you love enough to bear with me

When that rash humour which my mother gave me

Makes me forgetful?

BRUTUS Yes, Cassius, and from henceforth,

When you are over-earnest with your Brutus,

He’ll think your mother chides, and leave you so.

Enter ⌈Lucillius and⌉ a Poet

POET

Let me go in to see the generals.

There is some grudge between ’em; ’tis not meet

They be alone.

LUCILLIUS You shall not come to them.

POET

Nothing but death shall stay me.

CASSIUS How now! What’s the matter?

POET

For shame, you generals, what do you mean?

Love and be friends, as two such men should be,

For I have seen more years, I’m sure, than ye.

CASSIUS

Ha, ha! How vilely doth this cynic rhyme!

BRUTUS (to the Poet)

Get you hence, sirrah; saucy fellow, hence!

CASSIUS

Bear with him, Brutus, ’tis his fashion.

BRUTUS

I’ll know his humour when he knows his time.

What should the wars do with these jigging fools?

(To the Poet) Companion, hence!

CASSIUS (to the Poet) Away, away, be gone!

Exit Poet

BRUTUS

Lucillius and Titinius, bid the commanders

Prepare to lodge their companies tonight.

CASSIUS

And come yourselves, and bring Messala with you

Immediately to us.

Exeunt Lucillius and Titinius

BRUTUS Lucius, a bowl of wine.

Exit Lucius

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 scaped I killing when I crossed you so?

O insupportable and touching loss!

Upon what sickness?

BRUTUS Impatience of my absence,

And grief that young Octavius with Mark Antony

Have made themselves so strong—for with her death

That tidings came. With this, she fell distraught,

And, her attendants absent, swallowed fire.

CASSIUS

And died so?

BRUTUS Even so.

CASSIUS Oye immortal gods!

Enter Lucius, with wine and tapers

BRUTUS

Speak no more of her. (To Lucius) Give me a bowl of

wine.

(To Cassius) In this I bury all unkindness, Cassius.

He 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.

He drinks.

⌈Exit Lucius⌉ Enter Titinius and Messala

BRUTUS

Come in, Titinius; welcome, good Messala.

Now sit we close about this taper here,

And call in question our necessities.

CASSIUS (aside)

Portia, art thou gone?

BRUTUS No more, I pray you.

⌈They sit⌉

Messala, I have here received letters

That young Octavius and Mark Antony

Come down upon us with a mighty power,

Bending their expedition toward Philippi.

MESSALA

Myself have letters of the selfsame tenor.

BRUTUS With what addition?

MESSALA

That by proscription and bills of outlawry

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 Ay, Cicero is dead,

And by that order of proscription.

(To Brutus)

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 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. 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 offence; whilst we, lying still,

Are full of rest, defence, and nimbleness.

BRUTUS

Good reasons must of force give place to better.

The people ’twixt Philippi and this ground

Do stand but in a forced affection,

For they have grudged us contribution.

The enemy marching along by them

By them shall make a fuller number up,

Come on refreshed, new added, and encouraged;

From which advantage shall we cut him off,

If at Philippi we do face him there,

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.

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.

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. Good night.

Early tomorrow will we rise and hence.

BRUTUS

Lucius.

Enter Lucius

My gown.

Exit Lucius

Farewell, good Messala.

Good night, Titinius. Noble, noble, Cassius,

Good night and good repose.

CASSIUS O my dear brother,

This was an ill beginning of the night!