The Tragedy of Julius Caesar/Act IV

SCENE I. Rome. A room in Antony's house.
[Antony, Octavius, and Lepidus, seated at a table.]

ANTONY.
 * These many then shall die; their names are prick'd.

OCTAVIUS.
 * 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 prick'd to die,
 * In our black sentence and proscription.

ANTONY.
 * Octavius, I have seen more days than you:
 * And, though we lay these honors on this man,
 * To ease ourselves of divers slanderous 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 govern'd by my spirit.
 * And, in some taste, is Lepidus but so;
 * He must be taught, and train'd, 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 means stretch'd;
 * 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 bay'd about with many enemies;
 * And some that smile have in their hearts, I fear,
 * Millions of mischiefs.

[Exeunt.]

SCENE II. Before Brutus' tent, in the camp near Sardis.
[Drum. Enter Brutus, Lucilius, Titinius, and Soldiers; Pindarus
 * meeting them; Lucius at some distance.]

BRUTUS.
 * Stand, ho!

LUCILIUS.
 * Give the word, ho! and stand.

BRUTUS.
 * What now, Lucilius! is Cassius near?

LUCILIUS.
 * He is at hand; and Pindarus is come
 * To do you salutation from his master.

[Pindarus gives a letter to Brutus.]

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, Lucilius:
 * How he received you, let me be resolved.

LUCILIUS.
 * 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, Lucilius,
 * 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;
 * But, when they should endure the bloody spur,
 * They fall their crests, and, like deceitful jades
 * Sink in the trial. Comes his army on?

LUCILIUS.
 * They meant his night in Sard is to be quarter'd:
 * The greater part, the Horse in general,
 * Are come with Cassius.

[March within.]

BRUTUS.
 * Hark! he is arrived.
 * March gently on to meet him.

[Enter Cassius and Soldiers.]

CASSIUS.
 * Stand, ho!

BRUTUS.
 * Stand, ho! Speak the word along.

FIRST SOLDIER.
 * Stand!

SECOND SOLDIER.
 * Stand!

THIRD SOLDIER.
 * Stand!

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.
 * Lucilius, do you the like; and let no man
 * Come to our tent till we have done our conference.—
 * Lucius and Titinius, guard our door.

[Exeunt.]

SCENE III. within the tent of Brutus.
[Enter Brutus and Cassius.]

CASSIUS.
 * That you have wrong'd me doth appear in this:
 * You have condemn'd and noted Lucius Pella
 * For taking bribes here of the Sardians;
 * Whereas my letters, praying on his side
 * Because I knew the man, were slighted off.

BRUTUS.
 * You wrong'd yourself to write in such a case.

CASSIUS.
 * In such a time as this it is not meet
 * That every nice offense should bear his comment.

BRUTUS.
 * 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.

CASSIUS.
 * I an itching palm!
 * You know that you are Brutus that speak this,
 * Or, by the gods, this speech were else your last.

BRUTUS.
 * The name of Cassius honors 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 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.

CASSIUS.
 * Brutus, bay not me,
 * I'll not endure it: you forget yourself,
 * To hedge me in; I am a soldier, ay,
 * 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 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 abler 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 arm'd 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 answer'd 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 a-weary of the world;
 * Hated by one he loves; braved by his brother;
 * Check'd like a bondman; all his faults observed,
 * 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
 * Dearer than Plutus' mine, richer than gold:
 * If that thou be'st 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 lovedst him better
 * Than ever thou lovedst Cassius.

BRUTUS.
 * Sheathe your dagger:
 * Be angry when you will, it shall have scope;
 * Do what you will, dishonor 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-temper'd, vexeth him?

BRUTUS.
 * When I spoke that, I was ill-temper'd too.

CASSIUS.
 * Do you confess so much? Give me your hand.

BRUTUS.
 * And my heart too.

CASSIUS.
 * O Brutus,—

BRUTUS.
 * What's the matter?

CASSIUS.
 * —Have not you love enough to bear with me,
 * When that rash humor 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.

[Noise within.]

POET.
 * [Within.] Let me go in to see the generals:
 * There is some grudge between 'em; 'tis not meet
 * They be alone.

LUCILIUS.
 * [Within.] You shall not come to them.

POET.
 * [Within.] Nothing but death shall stay me.

[Enter Poet, followed by Lucilius, and Titinius.]

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.
 * Get you hence, sirrah; saucy fellow, hence!

CASSIUS.
 * Bear with him, Brutus; 'tis his fashion.

BRUTUS.
 * I'll know his humor when he knows his time:
 * What should the wars do with these jigging fools?—
 * Companion, hence!

CASSIUS.
 * Away, away, be gone!

[Exit Poet.]

BRUTUS.
 * Lucilius and Titinius, bid the commanders
 * Prepare to lodge their companies tonight.

CASSIUS.
 * And come yourselves and bring Messala with you
 * Immediately to us.

[Exeunt Lucilius 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 cross'd you so?—
 * O insupportable and touching loss!—
 * Upon what sickness?

BRUTUS.
 * Impatient 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 distract,
 * And, her attendants absent, swallow'd fire.

CASSIUS.
 * And died so?

BRUTUS.
 * Even so.

CASSIUS.
 * O ye immortal gods!

[Re-enter Lucius, with wine and a taper.]

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'erswell the cup;
 * I cannot drink too much of Brutus' love.

[Drinks.]

BRUTUS.
 * Come in, Titinius!—

[Exit Lucius.]

[Re-enter Titinius, with Messala.]

Welcome, good Messala.—
 * Now sit we close about this taper here,
 * And call in question our necessities.

CASSIUS.
 * Portia, art thou gone?

BRUTUS.
 * 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 toward Philippi.

MESSALA.
 * Myself have letters of the selfsame tenour.

BRUTUS.
 * With what addition?

MESSALA.
 * That by proscription and bills of outlawry
 * Octavius, Antony, and Lepidus
 * Have put to death an hundred Senators.

BRUTUS.
 * There in 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 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 offense; whilst we, lying still,
 * Are full of rest, defense, 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 refresh'd, 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 besides,
 * 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 to-morrow will we rise, and hence.

BRUTUS.
 * Lucius!—My gown.—Farewell now, 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.
 * Never come such division 'tween our souls!
 * Let it not, Brutus.

BRUTUS.
 * Every thing is well.

CASSIUS.
 * Good night, my lord.

BRUTUS.
 * Good night, good brother.

TITINIUS. MESSALA.
 * Good night, Lord Brutus.

BRUTUS.
 * Farewell, everyone.—

[Exeunt Cassius, Titinius, and Messala.]

[Re-enter Lucius, with the gown.]

Give me the gown. Where is thy instrument?

LUCIUS.
 * Here in the tent.

BRUTUS.
 * What, thou speak'st drowsily:
 * Poor knave, I blame thee not, thou art o'er-watch'd.
 * Call Claudius and some other of my men;
 * I'll have them sleep on cushions in my tent.

LUCIUS.
 * Varro and Claudius!

[Enter Varro and Claudius.]

VARRO.
 * Calls my lord?

BRUTUS.
 * I pray you, sirs, lie in my tent and sleep;
 * It may be I shall raise you by-and-by
 * On business to my brother Cassius.

VARRO.
 * So please you, we will stand and watch your pleasure.

BRUTUS.
 * I would not have it so; lie down, good sirs:
 * It may be I shall otherwise bethink me.—
 * Look, Lucius, here's the book I sought for so;
 * I put it in the pocket of my gown.

[Servants lie down.]

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 touch thy instrument a strain or two?

LUCIUS.
 * Ay, my lord, an't 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 might;
 * I know young bloods look for a time of rest.

LUCIUS.
 * I have slept, my lord, already.

BRUTUS.
 * It was well done; and thou shalt sleep again;
 * I will not hold thee long: if I do live,
 * I will be good to thee.—

[Lucius plays and sings till he falls asleep.]
 * This is a sleepy tune.—O murderous Slumber,
 * Lay'st thou thy leaden mace upon my boy,
 * That plays thee music?—Gentle knave, good night;
 * I will not do thee so much wrong to wake thee:
 * If thou dost nod, thou breakst thy instrument;
 * I'll take it from thee; and, good boy, good night.—
 * Let me see, let me see; is not the leaf turn'd down
 * Where I left reading? Here it is, I think.
 * 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 monstrous apparition.
 * It comes upon me.—Art thou any thing?
 * Art thou some god, some angel, or some devil,
 * That makest my blood cold and my hair to stare?
 * 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.

[Ghost vanishes.]
 * Now I have taken heart, thou vanishest:
 * Ill spirit, I would hold more talk with thee.—
 * Boy! Lucius!—Varro! Claudius! Sirs, awake!—Claudius!

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.]