The last of all the Romans, fare thee well! Should breed thy fellow.-Friends, I owe more tears [Exeunt. SCENE IV. Another Part of the Field. Alarum. Enter fighting, Soldiers of both Armies; then BRUTUS, CATO, LUCILIUS, and Others. Bru. 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:- A foe to tyrants, and my country's friend; [Charges the Enemy. Bru. And I am Brutus, Marcus Brutus, I; Brutus, my country's friend; know me for Brutus. [Exit, charging the Enemy. CATO is overpowered, and falls. Luc. O young and noble Cato, art thou down? Why, now thou diest as bravely as Titinius; And may'st be honour'd being Cato's son.3 3 being Cato's son,] i. e. worthy of him. 1 Sold. Yield, or thou diest. Luc. Only I yield to die: [Offering Money. Kill Brutus, and be honour'd in his death. 1 Sold. We must not.-A noble prisoner! 2 Sold. Room, ho! Tell Antony, Brutus is ta'en. 1 Sold. I'll tell the news.-Here general: Enter ANTONY. Brutus is ta'en, Brutus is ta'en, my lord. comes the Luc. Safe, Antony; Brutus is safe enough; Shall ever take alive the noble Brutus: Ant. This is not Brutus, friend; but, I assure you, And bring us word, unto Octavius' tent, SCENE V. Another Part of the Field. [Exeunt. Enter BRUTUS, DARDANIUS, CLITUS, STRATO, and VOLUMNIUS. Bru. Come, poor remains of friends, rest on this rock. Cli. Statilius show'd the torch-light; but, my lord, He came not back; he is or ta'en, or slain. Bru. Sit thee down, Clitus: Slaying is the word; It is a deed in fashion. Hark thee, Clitus. [Whispering. Cli. What, I, my lord? No, not for all the world. Bru. Peace then, no words. Cli. Bru. Hark thee, Dardanius! Dar. Cli. O, Dardanius! Dar. O, Clitus! I'll rather kill myself. [Whispers him. I do such a deed? Cli. What ill request did Brutus make to thee? Dar. To kill him, Clitus; Look, he meditates. Cli. Now is that noble vessel full of grief, That it runs over even at his eyes. Bru. Come hither, good Volumnius: list a word. Vol. What says my lord? -Bru. ་ Why, this, Volumnius; The ghost of Cæsar 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. Vol. Not so, my lord. Thou see'st the world, Volumnius, how it goes; It is more worthy to leap in ourselves, Than tarry till they push us. till they push us. Good Volumnius, Thou know'st, that we two went to school together; Even for that our love of old, I pray thee, Hold thou my sword hilts, whilst I run on it. Vol. That's not an office for a friend, my lord. [Alarum still. Cli. Fly, fly, my lord; there is no tarrying here. Bru. Farewell to you;-and you;-and you, Volumnius. Strato, thou hast been all this while asleep; Night hangs upon mine eyes; my bones would rest, [Alarum. Cry within; Fly, fly, fly. Cli. Fly, my lord, fly. Bru. Hence; I will follow thee. [Exeunt CLITUS, DARDANIUS, and VOLUMNIUS. I pr'ythee, Strato, stay thou by thy lord: Thy life hath had some smatch of honour in it: Bru. Farewell, good Strato.-Cæsar, now be still : I kill'd not thee with half so good a will. He runs on his Sword, and dies. Alarum. Retreat. Enter OCTAVIUS, ANTONY, MESSALA, LUCILIUS, and their Army. Oct. What man is that? Mes. My master's man.-Strato, where is thy master? Stra. 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. Luc. So Brutus should be found.-I thank thee, Brutus, That thou hast prov'd Lucilius' saying true.* Mes. How died my master, Strato? Ant. This was the noblest Roman of them all: Did that they did in envy of great Cæsar; So mix'd in him, that Nature might stand up, Oct. According to his virtue let us use him, 5 [Exeunt. That thou hast prov'd Lucilius' saying true.] See p. 334. entertain them.] i. e. receive them into my service. Ay, if Messala will prefer me to you.] To prefer seems to have been the established phrase for recommending a servant. . 7 Of this tragedy many particular passages deserve regard, and the contention and reconcilement of Brutus and Cassius is universally celebrated; but I have never been strongly agitated in perusing it, and think it somewhat cold and unaffecting, compared with some other of Shakspeare's plays: his adherence to the real story, and to Roman manners, seem to have impeded the natural vigour of his genius. JOHNSON. 1 |