605. Have put to death an hundred senators. Mess. Cicero is dead, And by that order of proscription. Had you your letters from your wife, my lord? Mess. Nor nothing in your letters writ of her? Bru. Nothing, Messala. Mess. That, methinks, is strange. Bru. Why ask you? hear you aught of her in yours? 610. Mess. No, my lord. Bru. Now, as you are a Roman, tell me true. Mess. Then like a Roman bear the truth I tell: Bru. Why, farewell, Portia.-We must die, Messala: I have the patience to endure it now. Mess. Even so great men great losses should endure. 615. Cas. I have as much of this in art as you, But yet my nature could not bear it so. Bru. Well, to our work alive. What do you think Of marching to Philippi presently? Cas. I do not think it good. Bru. Your reason? Cas. This it is: 'Tis better that the enemy seek us: So shall he waste his means, weary his soldiers, Are full of rest, defence, and nimbleness. 620. Bru. Good reasons must, of force, give place to better. By them shall make a fuller number up, Come on refreshed, new-hearted, and encouraged; If at Philippi we do face him there, These people at our back. Cas. Hear me, good brother. Bru. 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; Is bound in shallows, and in miseries. And we must take the current when it serves, Cas. Then, with your will, go on; We'll along ourselves, and meet them at Philippi. Which we will niggard with a little rest. 625. Cas. No more. Good night; Early to-morrow will we rise, and hence. Bru. Lucius, my gown. [Exit LUCIUS. Farewell, good Messala ; Good night, Titinius :-Noble, noble Cassius, Good night, and good repose. Cas. O my dear brother, This was an ill beginning of the night: Never come such division 'tween our souls! Let it not, Brutus. Bru. Everything is well. Cas. Good night, my lord. 630. Bru. Good night, good brother. Tit. Mes. Good night, lord Brutus. Bru. Farewell, every one. [Exeunt CASSIUS, TITINIUS, and MESSALA. Re-enter LUCIUS, with the Gown. Give me the gown. Where is thy instrument? Bru. What, thou speak'st drowsily? Poor knave, I blame thee not; thou art o'erwatched. Call Claudius, and some other of my men; I'll have them sleep on cushions in my tent. 635. Luc. Varro and Claudius! Enter VARRO and CLAUDIUS. Var. Calls my lord? Bru. 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. Var. So please you, we will stand, and watch your pleasure. It may be I shall otherwise bethink me. Look, Lucius, here's the book I sought for so; Ꮓ I put it in the pocket of my gown. [SERVANTS lie down. 640. Luc. I was sure your lordship did not give it me. Bru. Bear with me, good boy, I am much forgetful. Canst thou hold up thy heavy eyes awhile, 645. 650. And touch thy instrument a strain or two? Bru. It does, my boy: I trouble thee too much, but thou art willing. Bru. I should not urge thy duty past thy might; Luc. I have slept, my lord, already. Bru. It was well done; and thou shalt sleep again ; I will be good to thee. [Music and a Song. This is a sleepy tune:-O murderous slumber! That plays thee music?-Gentle knave, good night; Enter the GHOST of CÆSAR. How ill this taper burns!-Ha! who comes here? That shapes this monstrous apparition. It comes upon me:-Art thou anything? Art thou some god, some angel, or some devil, That mak'st my blood cold, and my hair to stare? Ghost. Thy evil spirit, Brutus. Bru. Why com'st thou ? [He sits down. Ghost. To tell thee, thou shalt see me at Philippi. Ghost. Ay, at Philippi. [GHOST vanishes. Bru. Why, I will see thee at Philippi then. Now I have taken heart, thou vanishest: Ill spirit, I would hold more talk with thee.- Luc. The strings, my lord, are false. 655. Bru. He thinks, he still is at his instrument. Lucius, awake. Luc. My lord! Bru. Didst thou dream, Lucius, that thou so cried'st out ? Bru. Yes, that thou didst: Didst thou see anything? 660. Luc. Nothing, my lord. 665. 670. Bru. Sleep again, Lucius.-Sirrah, Claudius! Fellow thou! awake. Var. My lord. Clau. My lord. Bru. Why did you so cry out, Sirs, in your sleep? Bru. Ay: Saw you anything? Var. No, my lord, I saw nothing. Clau. Nor I, my lord. Bru. Go, and commend me to my brother Cassius Bid him set on his powers betimes before, And we will follow. Var. Clau. It shall be done, my lord. 675. ACT V. SCENE I.-The Plains of Philippi. Oct. Now, Antony, our hopes are answered: Ant. Tut, I am in their bosoms, and I know Enter a MESSENGER. Mess. Prepare you, generals : Upon the left hand of the even field. Oct. Upon the right hand I; keep thou the left. [Exeunt. [March. Drum. Enter BRUTUS, CASSIUS, and their Army; LUCILIUS, Bru. They stand, and would have parley. Cas. Stand fast, Titinius: We must out and talk. Bru. Words before blows: Is it so, countrymen ? 685. Bru. Good words are better than bad strokes, Octavius. Ant. In your bad strokes, Brutus, you give good words: Witness the hole you made in Cæsar's heart, Crying, Long live! hail, Cæsar! Cas. Antony, The posture of your blows are yet unknown ; Ant. Not stingless too. Bru. O, yes, and soundless too; For you have stolen their buzzing, Antony, 690. Ant. Villains, you did not so, when your vile daggers You showed your teeth like apes, and fawned like hounds, Whilst damned Casca, like a cur, behind, Struck Cæsar on the neck. O you flatterers ! Cas. Flatterers!-Now, Brutus, thank yourself: This tongue had not offended so to-day, If Cassius might have ruled. Oct. 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 ?— Be well avenged; or till another Cæsar Have added slaughter to the sword of traitors. Oct. So I hope; I was not born to die on Brutus' sword. 695. Bru. O, if thou wert the noblest of thy strain, Cas. A peevish schoolboy, worthless of such honour, |