To be but mirth and laughter to his Brutus, Bru. What's the matter? Caf. Have not you love enough to bear with me, When that rafh humour, which my mother gave me, Makes me forgetful? Bru. Yes, Caffius; and, from henceforth, Luc. [within] You fhall not come to them. Caf. How now? What's the matter? [mean? Caf. Away, away, be gone. [Exit Poet Enter Lucilius, and Titinius. Caf. And come yourfelves, and bring Meffala Immediately to us. [Exeunt Lucilius and Titinius. Caf. I did not think, you could have been fo angry. Bru. O Caffius, I am fick of many griefs. If you give place to accidental evils. That tidings came ;With this fhe fell diftract, Bru. Even fo. Caf. O ye immortal gols ! Enter Lucius, with wine, and tapers. Bru. Speak no more of her.-Give me a bowl of wine : In this I bury all unkindness, Caffius. [Drinks. Caf. My heart is thirty for that noble pledge:- I cannot drink too much of Brutus' love. Bru. Come in, Titinius : Meffala. -Welcome, good Now fit we clofe about this taper here, Cof. Portia art thou gone? Mef. Myfelf have letters of the felf-fame tenour. Bru. Therein our letters do not well agree; Mf. Cicero is dead, Maj. Nor nothing in your letters writ of her? Mej. That, methinks, is ftrange. Bru. Why afk you? Hear you aught of her in yours? Mf. No, my lord. Bru. Now, as you are a Roman, tell me true. Mef. Then like a Roman bear the truth I tell : For certain the is dead, and by strange manner. Bru. Why, farewel, Portia-We muit die, Meffala: With meditating that the muft die once, I have the patience to endure it now. Bru. No man bears forrow better:--Portia is dead. But yet my nature could not bear it fo. Bru. She is dead. Caf. How 'cap'd I killing, when I crots'd you Bru. Impatient of my abfence; And grief, that young Octavius with Mark Antony death 1 i. e. fellow. (think Br. Well, to our work alive. What do you Bru. Your reason ? Caf. This it is: 'Tis better, that the enemy feek us: So fhall he wafte his means, weary his foldiers, 2 This circumftance is taken from Plutarch, and is alfo mentioned by Val Maximus. Pliny, however, reports her to have died at Rome of a lingering illnefs, while Brutus was broad. Bra Bra. Good reafons muft, of force, give place | to better. The people, 'twixt Philippi and this ground, Caf. Hear me, good brother. Bru. Under your pardon.-You must note befide, Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune; And we mult take the current when it ferves, Caf. Then, with your will, go on; we will along Ourselves, and meet them at Philippi. Bru. The deep of night is crept upon our talk, And nature muft obey neceffity; Which we will niggard with a little reft. There is no more to say? Caf. No more. Good night: Early to-morrow will we rife, and hence. Bru. Lucius, my gown. [Exit Luc.] Farewel, Good night, Titinius :--Noble, noble Caflius, Caf. O my dear brother! This was an ill beginning of the night : Bru. Bear with me, good boy, I am much forgetful. Can't thou hold up thy heavy eyes a while, And touch thy inftrument a ftrain or two? I trouble thee too much, but thou art willing. Bru. I fhould not urge thy duty past thy might; I know, young bloods look for a time of rest. Luc. I have flept, my lord, already. Bru. It was well done; and thoufhalt fleep again: I will not hold thee long: if I do live, I will be good to thee. [Mufick, and a fong. This is a fleepy tune :-O murd'rous flumber! Lay'ft thou thy leaden mace upon my boy, That plays thee mufick?--Gentle knave, good night; I will not do thee fo much wrong to wake thee.If thou doft nod, thou break'it thy inftrument; I'll take it from thee; and good boy, good night. Let me fee, let me fee;-Is not the leaf turn'd down, Where I left reading? Here it is, I think. How ill this taper burns-Ha! who comes here? It comes upon me: Art thou any thing? That mak'it my blood cold, and my hair to ftare? Ghoff. Thy evil fpirit, Brutus. Bra. Why com'ft thou ? Gla. To tell thee, thou shalt fee me at Philippi. Bra. Why, I will tee thee at Philippi then.- Ill fpirit, I would hold more talk with thee.- Luc. The ftrings, my lord, are falfe. Bru. He thinks, he ftill is at his inftrument.[Exeunt. Lucius, awake. Bra. Why did you fo cry out, firs, in your fleep? Bru. Ay; Saw you ary thing? Bru. Go, and commend me to my brother Caflius; Bath. It shall be done, my lord. [Extent ACT АСТ V. SCENE I. The Plains of Philippi. Enter Octavius, Antony, and their Army. And bow'd like bondmen, kiffing Cæfar's feet; Octa. NOW, Antony, our hopes are an- This tongue had not offended so to-day, You faid, the enemy would not come down, Ant. Tut, I am in their bofoms, and I know Enter a Messenger. Mef. Prepare you, generals : Ant. Octavius, lead your battle foftly on, Octa. Upon the right hand I, keep thou the left. Drum. [March. Bru. They ftand, and would have parley. Bru. Words before blows: Is it fo, countrymen? If Caffius might have rul'd. [us fweat, Be well aveng'd; or 'till another Cæfar Oca. So I hope; I was not born to die on Brutus' fword. Bru. O, if thou wert the nobleft of thy ftrain, Young man, thou could'st not die more honourable. Caf. A peevish school boy, worthlefs of fuch honour, Join'd with a masker and a reveller. Ant. Old Caffius ftill! Octa. Come, Antony; away.- [Exeunt Octavius, Antony, and Army. Caf. Why now, blow, wind; fwell, billow; and fwim, bark! The ftorm is up, and all is on the hazard. Mef. What fays my general? This is my birth-day; as this very day Ant. In your bad ftrokes, Brutus, you give good As Pompey was, am I compell'd to fet words: Witness the hole you made in Cæfar's heart, Crying, Long live! bail Cafar! Caf. Antony, The pofture of your blows are yet unknown; Ant. Not ftinglefs too. Bru. O, yes, and foundlefs too; For you have ftol'n their buzzing, Antony, Upon one battle all our liberties. You know, that I held Epicurus ftrồng, This morning are they fled away, and gone; Fly o'er our heads, and downward look on us, Ant. Villains, you did not fo, when your vile As we were fickly prey; their shadows feem daggers Hack'd one another in the fides of Cæfar: You thew'd your teeth like apes, and fawn'd like hounds, A canopy moft fatal, under which Our army lies, ready to give up the ghost. Mef. Believe not fo. Caf. I bur believe it partly; For I am fresh of fpirit, and refolv'd Caf. Now, molt noble Brutus, The gods to-day ftand friendly; that we may, Bru. Even by the rule of that philosophy, For fear of what might fall, fo to prevent Caf. Then, if we lofe this battle, [Roman, Bru. No, Caffius, no: think not, thou noble The end of this day's bufinefs, ere it come! SCENE II. [Exeunt. Enter Pindavus. Pin. Fly further off, my lord, fly further off; Mark Antony is in your tents, my lord: Fly therefore, noble Caffius, fly far off. Caf. This hill is far enough.Look, look, Titinius; Are thofe my tents, where I perceive the fire? Tit. They are, my lord. Caf. Titinius, if thou lov'ft me, Mount thou my horfe, and hide thy fpurs in him, [Shout. Caf. Come down, behold no more.— Come hither, firrah : Pin. So, I am free; yet would not fo have been, Mef. It is but change, Titinius; for Octavius Is overthrown by noble Brutus' power, As Caflius' legions are by Antony. Tit. Thef tidings will well comfort Caffius. Tit. All difconfolate, With Pindarus his bondman, on this hill. Mef. Is not that he, that lies upon the ground? Tit. He lies not like the living. O my heart! Mef. Is not that he? Tit. No, this was he, Meffala, I i. e. I am refolved in fuch a cafe to kill myself. But But Caflius is no more.-O fetting fun! Mistrust of my fuccefs hath done this deed. Mef. Miftruft of good fuccefs hath done this deed. O hateful error, melancholy's child! Why doft thou fhew to the apt thoughts of men Tit. What, Pindarus! Where art thou, Pindarus? Tit. Hie you, Meffala, And I will feek for Pindarus the while. [Exit Mef. I will proclaim my name about the field :- I am the fon of Marcus Cato, ho! A foe to tyrants, and my country's friend; Bru. And I am Brutus, Marcus Brutus, I; Brutus, my country's friend; know me for Brutus. [Excit Luc. O young and noble Cato, art thou down? Why, now thou dy't as bravely as Titinius; And may't he honour'd being Cato's fon. 1 Sold. Yield, or thou diest. Luc. Only 1 yield to die : There is fo much, that thou wilt kill me straight; [Offering many. Kill Brutus, and be honour'd in his death. 1 Sold. We must not.-A noble prifoner! 2 Sold. Room, ho! Tell Antony, Brutus is ta’en. 1 Sold. I'll tell the news.--Here comes the general: Enter Antory. Luc. Safe, Antony; Brutus is fafe enough: I dare affure thee, that no enemy And bid me give it thee? Didft thou not hear their Shall ever take alive the noble Brutus : fhouts ? Alas, thou haft mifconftrued every thing. [Dies. Alarum. Enter Brutus, Meffala, young Cato, Strato, Volumnius, and Lucilias. Bru. Where, where, Meffala, doch his body lie? Mcf. Lo, yonder: and Titinius mourning it. Bru. Titinius face is upward. Cato. He is flain. Bru. Ob Julius Caefar, thou art mighty yet! Thy fpirit walks abroad, and turns our fwords In our own proper entrails. Cato. Brave Titinius! Low alarums. Look, whe'r he have not crown'd dead Caffius! Should breed thy fellow.-Friends, Iowe more tears SCEN E IV. Another Part of the Field. [Exeunt. Alarum. Enter Brutus, Cato, Lucilius, and others. The gods defend him from fo great a shame! Ant. This is not Brutus, friend; but, I affure yon, V. SCENE Another Part of the Field. [Excunt. Enter Brutus, Dardanius, Clitus, Strato, and l ́olumnins. Bru. Come, poor remains of friends, reft on this rock. [lord, Ch. Statilius fhew'd the torch-light: but, my He came not back, he is or ta'en, or flain. Bru. Sit thee down, Clitus: Slaying is the word; It is a deed in fashion. Hark thee, Chitur.- Cli. What, I, my lord? No, not for all the world. Cli. What ill requeft did Brutus make to thee? That it runs over even at his eyes. Bru. Come hither, good Volumnius: lift a word. Tol. What fays my lord ? Bru. Why, this, Volumnius: The ghoft of Cefar hath appear'd to me Bru. Yet, countrymen, O, yet, hold up your Two feveral times by night at Sardis, once; [me? And, this latt night, here in Philippi' fields. Cato. What baitard doth not? Who will go with I know, my hour is come. heads! |