Ant. In your bad strokes, Brutus, you give good words: 686. 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, And, very wisely, threat before you sting. 689. Ant. Villains, you did not so, when your vile dag gers Hacked one another in the sides of Cæsar: You showed your teeth like apes, and fawned like hounds, Whilst damned Casca, like a cur, behind, 690. Cas. Flatterers! - Now, Brutus, thank yourself: If Cassius might have ruled. 691. 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? Never, till Cæsar's three and thirty wounds Be well avenged; or till another Cæsar Have added slaughter to the sword of traitors. 692. Bru. Cæsar, thou canst not die by traitors' hands, Unless thou bring'st them with thee. Oct. So I hope; I was not born to die on Brutus' sword. 694. Bru. O, if thou wert the noblest of thy strain, Young man, thou couldst not die more honorable. Cas. A peevish schoolboy, worthless of such honor, Joined with a masker and a reveller. Ant. Old Cassius still! 697. Oct. 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. Cas. Why now, blow, wind; swell, billow; and swim, bark! The storm is up, and all is on the hazard. 699. Bru. Ho! Lucilius; hark, a word with you. 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 compelled to set This morning are they fled away, and gone, Our army lies, ready to give up the ghost. 705. Cas. I but believe it partly; For I am fresh of spirit, and resolved 707. Cas. Now, most noble Brutus, The gods to-day stand friendly, that we may, The very last time we shall speak together: 710. For fear of what might fall, so to prevent The term of life; — arming myself with patience, Cas. Then, if we lose this battle, You are contented to be led in triumph Bru. No, Cassius, no: think not, thou noble Roman, He bears too great a mind. But this same day 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! 713. Bru. Ride, ride, Messala, ride, and give these bills Unto the legions on the other side. Let them set on at once: for I perceive But cold demeanour in Octavius' wing, [Loud alarum. And sudden push gives them the overthrow. Ride, ride, Messala: let them all come down. [Exeunt. SCENE III. - The same. Another part of the Field. Alarums. - Enter CASSIUS and TITINIUS. 714. Cas. O, look, Titinius, look; the villains fly! I slew the coward, and did take it from him. Enter PINDARUS. 716. Pin. Fly further off, my lord, fly further off; Mark Antony is in your tents, my lord! Fly therefore, noble Cassius, fly far off. Cas. This hill is far enough. Look, look, Titinius; 719. Cas. Titinius, if thou lov'st me, Mount thou my horse, and hide thy spurs in him, Tit. I will be here again even with a thought. [Exit. 721. Cas. Go, Pindarus, get higher on that hill; My sight was ever thick; regard Titinius, And tell me what thou not'st about the field. [Exit PINDARUS. This day I breathed first: time is come round, Pin. [Above.] O my lord! Cas. What news? Sirrah, what news? 724. Pin. Titinius is enclosed round about With horsemen, that make to him on the spur;- [Shout. 725. Cas. Come down; behold no more. Enter PINDARUS. Come hither, sirrah! In Parthia did I take thee prisoner; 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 Cæsar's bowels, search this bosom. [Dies. Pin. So, I am free; yet would not so have been, [Exit. Re-enter TITINIUS, with MESSALA. 727. Mes. It is but change, Titinius; for Octavius Is overthrown by noble Brutus' power, 734. As Cassius' legions are by Antony. Tit. These tidings will well comfort Cassius. Tit. All disconsolate, With Pindarus his bondman, on this hill. Mes. Is not that he, that lies upon the ground? Tit. No, this was he, Messala; 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! 735. Mes. Mistrust of good success hath done this deed. O hateful Error! Melancholy's child! |