JULIUS CAESAR

DRAMATIS PERSONAE

(PAGINA 4)

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 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 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 offence; 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 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 to-morrow 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:

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 |

| Good night, Lord Brutus.

MESSALA |



BRUTUS Farewell, every one.

[Exeunt all but BRUTUS]

[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 will 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.

[VARRO and CLAUDIUS 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.

[Music, and a song]

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 break'st 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.

[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.

[Exit Ghost]

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 |

| Did we, my lord?

CLAUDIUS |



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 |

| It shall be done, my lord.

CLAUDIUS |



[Exeunt]







JULIUS CAESAR



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]







JULIUS CAESAR



ACT V





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]







JULIUS CAESAR



ACT V





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 that 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]







JULIUS CAESAR



ACT V





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.

ANTONY Where is he?

LUCILIUS Safe, Antony; Brutus is safe enough:

I dare assure thee that no enemy

Shall ever take alive the noble Brutus:

The gods defend him from so great a shame!

When you do find him, or alive or dead,

He will be found like Brutus, like himself.

ANTONY This is not Brutus, friend; but, I assure you,

A prize no less in worth: keep this man safe;

Give him all kindness: I had rather have

Such men my friends than enemies. Go on,

And see whether Brutus be alive or dead;

And bring us word unto Octavius' tent

How every thing is chanced.

[Exeunt]







JULIUS CAESAR



ACT V





SCENE V Another part of the field.



[Enter BRUTUS, DARDANIUS, CLITUS, STRATO, and

VOLUMNIUS]

BRUTUS Come, poor remains of friends, rest on this rock.

CLITUS Statilius show'd the torch-light, but, my lord,

He came not back: he is or ta'en or slain.

BRUTUS Sit thee down, Clitus: slaying is the word;

It is a deed in fashion. Hark thee, Clitus.

[Whispers]

CLITUS What, I, my lord? No, not for all the world.

BRUTUS Peace then! no words.

CLITUS I'll rather kill myself.

BRUTUS Hark thee, Dardanius.

[Whispers]

DARDANIUS Shall I do such a deed?

CLITUS O Dardanius!

DARDANIUS O Clitus!

CLITUS What ill request did Brutus make to thee?

DARDANIUS To kill him, Clitus. Look, he meditates.

CLITUS Now is that noble vessel full of grief,

That it runs over even at his eyes.

BRUTUS Come hither, good Volumnius; list a word.

VOLUMNIUS What says my lord?

BRUTUS Why, this, Volumnius:

The ghost of Caesar hath appear'd to me

Two several times by night; at Sardis once,

And, this last night, here in Philippi fields:

I know my hour is come.

VOLUMNIUS Not so, my lord.

BRUTUS Nay, I am sure it is, Volumnius.

Thou seest the world, Volumnius, how it goes;

Our enemies have beat us to the pit:

[Low alarums]

It is more worthy to leap in ourselves,

Than tarry till they push us. Good Volumnius,

Thou know'st that we two went to school together:

Even for that our love of old, I prithee,

Hold thou my sword-hilts, whilst I run on it.

VOLUMNIUS That's not an office for a friend, my lord.

[Alarum still]

CLITUS Fly, fly, my lord; there is no tarrying here.

BRUTUS Farewell to you; and you; and you, Volumnius.

Strato, thou hast been all this while asleep;

Farewell to thee too, Strato. Countrymen,

My heart doth joy that yet in all my life

I found no man but he was true to me.

I shall have glory by this losing day

More than Octavius and Mark Antony

By this vile conquest shall attain unto.

So fare you well at once; for Brutus' tongue

Hath almost ended his life's history:

Night hangs upon mine eyes; my bones would rest,

That have but labour'd to attain this hour.

[Alarum. Cry within, 'Fly, fly, fly!']

CLITUS Fly, my lord, fly.

BRUTUS Hence! I will follow.

[Exeunt CLITUS, DARDANIUS, and VOLUMNIUS]

I prithee, Strato, stay thou by thy lord:

Thou art a fellow of a good respect;

Thy life hath had some smatch of honour in it:

Hold then my sword, and turn away thy face,

While I do run upon it. Wilt thou, Strato?

STRATO Give me your hand first. Fare you well, my lord.

BRUTUS Farewell, good Strato.

[Runs on his sword]

Caesar, now be still:

I kill'd not thee with half so good a will.

[Dies]

[Alarum. Retreat. Enter OCTAVIUS, ANTONY, MESSALA,

LUCILIUS, and the army]

OCTAVIUS What man is that?

MESSALA My master's man. Strato, where is thy master?

STRATO Free from the bondage you are in, Messala:

The conquerors can but make a fire of him;

For Brutus only overcame himself,

And no man else hath honour by his death.

LUCILIUS So Brutus should be found. I thank thee, Brutus,

That thou hast proved Lucilius' saying true.

OCTAVIUS All that served Brutus, I will entertain them.

Fellow, wilt thou bestow thy time with me?

STRATO Ay, if Messala will prefer me to you.

OCTAVIUS Do so, good Messala.

MESSALA How died my master, Strato?

STRATO I held the sword, and he did run on it.

MESSALA Octavius, then take him to follow thee,

That did the latest service to my master.

ANTONY This was the noblest Roman of them all:

All the conspirators save only he

Did that they did in envy of great Caesar;

He only, in a general honest thought

And common good to all, made one of them.

His life was gentle, and the elements

So mix'd in him that Nature might stand up

And say to all the world 'This was a man!'

OCTAVIUS According to his virtue let us use him,

With all respect and rites of burial.

Within my tent his bones to-night shall lie,

Most like a soldier, order'd honourably.

So call the field to rest; and let's away,

To part the glories of this happy day.

[Exeunt]


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