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.
Cass. 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.

Bru. 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.

Bru. Ride, ride, Messala, ride, and give these bills Unto the legions on the other side :1

with another. But, sith the gods have so ordained it, that the greatest and chiefest things amongst men are most uncertain, and that if the battle fall out otherwise to-day than we wish or look for, we shall hardly meet again, what art thou determined to do, to fly, or die?" Brutus answered him, being yet but a young man, and not over greatly experienced in the world, "I trust (I know not how) a certain rule of philosophy, by the which I did greatly blame and reprove Cato for killing himself, as being no lawful nor godly act, touching the gods; nor, concerning men, valiant; not to give place and yield to divine providence, and not constantly and patiently to take whatsoever it pleaseth him to send us, but to draw back and fly: but, being now in the midst of the danger, I am of a contrary mind. For, if it be not the will of God that this battle fall out fortunate for us, I will look no more for hope, neither seek to make any new supply for war again, but will rid me of this miserable world, and content me with my fortune." — PLUTARCH.

1 "The legions on the other side" are those commanded by Cassius; the left wing, in fact, of the joint army of Brutus and Cassius. Brutus wants

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.

SCENE III.

Another Part of the Field.

Alarum. Enter CASSIUS and TITINIUS.

Cass. 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.2

Tit. 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.

Pin. Fly further off, my lord, fly further off;

Mark Antony is in your tents, my lord:

Fly, therefore, noble Cassius, fly far' off.

[Exeunt.

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

Are those my tents where I perceive the fire?

Tit. They are, my lord.

Cass.

Titinius, if thou lovest me,

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

Cassius to attack the enemy at the same time that he himself does. In the next scene, Messala and his escort are met by Titinius coming from Cassius.

2 Ensign was used, as it is still, either for the flag or for the bearer of it: here it is used for both at once. It was in killing the cowardly ensign that Cassius "to his own turn'd enemy."

Till he have brought thee up to yonder troops,3
And here again; that I may rest assured
Whether yond troops are friend or enemy.

Tit. I will be here again, even with a thought.
Cass. Go, Pindarus, get higher on that hill: 4
My sight was ever thick: regard Titinius,
And tell me what thou notest about the field.

[Exit.

[PINDARUS goes up.

This day I breathed first: time is come round,
And where I did begin, there shall I end;

My life is run his compass.

Pin. [Above.] O my lord!

Cass. What news?

Sirrah, what news?

Pin. 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.5 O, he 'lights too:
He's ta'en; [Shout.] and, hark! they shout for joy.
Cass. Come down; behold no more.

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

To see my best triend 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;

8 "Yonder troops" are Messala and his escort coming from Brutus. 4 Cassius is now on a hill: he therefore means a hill somewhat higher than that he is on. - ·Cassius was, in fact, what we now call near-sighted. 5 Some alight, or dismount.

Now be a freeman; and with this good sword,
That ran through Cæsar's bowels, search this bosom.
Stand not to answer: here, take thou the hilts ; 6
And, when my face is cover'd, as 'tis now,

Guide thou the sword. - Cæsar, thou art revenged,

Even with the sword that kill'd thee.7

[Dies.

Pin. 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.8

[Exit.

6 Hilts, plural, for hilt was the common usage in the Poet's time. So too with funerals, later in this play.

But

7 It was a dagger, not a sword, that Cassius stabbed Cæsar with. the same weapon is put for the same owner; a common figure of speech. 8 Cassius was at length compelled to fly, with a few about him, unto a little hill, from whence they might easily see what was done in all the plain: howbeit Cassius himself saw nothing, for his sight was very bad, saving that he saw (and yet with much ado) how the enemies spoiled his camp before his eyes. He also saw a great troop of horsemen, whom Brutus sent to aid him, and thought that they were his enemies that followed him; but yet he sent Titinius, one of them that was with him, to go and know what they were. Brutus's horsemen saw him coming afar off, whom when they knew that he was one of Cassius's chiefest friends, they shouted out for joy; and they that were familiarly acquainted with him lighted from their horses, and went and embraced him. The rest compassed him in round about on horseback, with songs of victory and great rushing of their harness, so that they made all the field ring again for joy. But this marred all. For Cassius, thinking indeed that Titinius was taken of the enemies, he then spake these words: "Desiring too much to live, I have lived to see one of my best friends taken, for my sake, before my face." After that, he got into a tent where nobody was, and took Pindarus with him, one of his bondsmen whom he reserved ever for such a pinch, since the cursed battle of the Parthians, where Crassus was slain, though he notwithstanding scaped from that overthrow but then, casting his cloak over his head, and holding out his bare neck unto Pindarus, he gave him his head to be stricken off. So the head was found severed from the body: but after that time Pindarus was never seen more. - PLUTARCH.

Re-enter TITINIUS, with MESSALA.

Mess. It is but change,9 Titinius; for Octavius Is overthrown by noble Brutus' power,

As Cassius' legions are by Antony.

Tit. These tidings will well comfort Cassius.
Mes. Where did you leave him?

Tit.

All disconsolate,

With Pindarus his bondman, on this hill.

Mes. Is not that he that lies upon the ground?
Tit. He lies not like the living. O my heart!
Mes. Is not that he?

Tit.

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.

Mes. 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 ?10 O Error, soon conceived,
Thou never comest unto a happy birth,

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

Tit. What, Pindarus! where art thou, Pindarus? Mes. Seek him, Titinius, whilst I go to meet The noble Brutus, thrusting this report

Into his ears: I may say, thrusting it ;

9 That is, interchange of victory and defeat.

10 Cassius is said to have been of a highly choleric or bilious temperament; as such, predisposed to melancholy, and hence apt to be taken with imaginary evils, or to construe things to the worst.