SCENE III. Within the Tent of BRUTUS1. LUCIUS and TITINIUS at some distance from it. Enter BRUTUS and CASSIUS. Cas. That you have wrong'd me, doth appear in this: You have condemn'd and noted Lucius Pella For taking bribes here of the Sardians; Wherein my letters, praying on his side, Because I knew the man, were slighted off. Bru. You wrong'd yourself to write in such a case. Cas. In such a time as this, it is not meet That every nice offence should bear his comment. Bru. Let me tell you, Cassius, you yourself Are much condemn'd to have an itching palm; To sell and mart your offices for gold To undeservers. Cas. I an itching palm? You know, that you are Brutus that speak this, Cas. Chastisement ! Bru. Remember March, the ides of March remember. Did not great Julius bleed for justice' sake? What villain touch'd his body, that did stab, And not for justice? What! shall one of us, That struck the foremost man of all this world, ♦ Within the tent of Brutus.] In the old copies there is no change of place here, although one may be supposed: the stage-direction in the first folio is, Exeunt. Manet Brutus and Cassius. The second folio alters Manet to Manent. 5 That every NICE offence-] i. e. Every trifling offence. We have had many instances of this use of the word "nice." See Vol. iv. p. 348; Vol. v. p. 434; and Vol. vi. pp. 436. 484. But for supporting robbers, shall we now I had rather be a dog, and bay the moon, Cas. Brutus, bait not me, I'll not endure it: you forget yourself, Bru. Cas. I am. Go to; you are not, Cassius. Bru. I say, you are not. Cas. Urge me no more, I shall forget myself: Have mind upon your health; tempt me no farther. Bru. Away, slight man! Cas. Is't possible? Bru. Cas. O ye gods! ye gods! Must I endure all this? Bru. All this? ay, more? Fret, till your proud heart break; Go, show your slaves how choleric you are, And make your bondmen tremble. Must I budge? Cas. Is it come to this? Bru. You say, you are a better soldier: Let it appear so; make your vaunting true, I shall be glad to learn of noble men. Cas. You wrong me every way; you wrong me, Brutus; I said, an elder soldier, not a better: Did I say, better? Bru. If you did, I care not. Cas. When Cæsar liv'd, he durst not thus have mov'd me. Bru. Peace, peace! you durst not so have tempted him. Cas. I durst not? Bru. No. Cas. What! durst not tempt him? Bru. For your life you durst not. Cas. Do not presume too much upon my love; I may do that I shall be sorry for. Bru. You have done that you should be sorry for. There is no terror, Cassius, in your threats, For I am arm'd so strong in honesty, That they pass by me as the idle wind, Which I respect not. I did send to you For certain sums of gold, which you denied me; By heaven, I had rather coin my heart, And drop my blood for drachmas, than to wring Το you for gold to pay my legions, Which you denied me was that done like Cassius? When Marcus Brutus grows so covetous, Cas. Bru. You did. I denied you not. Cas. I did not he was but a fool, That brought my answer back.-Brutus hath riv'd my heart: A friend should bear his friend's infirmities, Bru. I do not like your faults. Cas. A friendly eye could never see such faults. Bru. A flatterer's would not, though they do appear As huge as high Olympus. Cas. Come, Antony, and young Octavius, come, Revenge yourselves alone on Cassius, For Cassius is aweary of the world: Hated by one he loves; brav'd by his brother; When thou didst hate him worst, thou lov'dst him better Than ever thou lov'dst Cassius. Bru. Sheath your dagger. Be angry when you will, it shall have scope; Do what you will, dishonour shall be humour. O Cassius! you are yoked with a lamb, That carries anger, as the flint bears fire, Who, much enforced, shows a hasty spark, And straight is cold again. Cas. Hath Cassius liv'd To be but mirth and laughter to his Brutus, When grief, and blood ill-temper'd, vexeth him? Bru. When I spoke that, I was ill-temper'd too. Cas. Bru. O Brutus! What's the matter? Cas. Have you not love enough to bear with me, When that rash humour, which my mother gave me, Makes me forgetful? Bru. Yes, Cassius; and, from henceforth, When you are over-earnest with your Brutus, He'll think your mother chides, and leave you so. [Noise within. Poet. [Within.] Let me go in to see the generals. There is some grudge between them; 'tis not meet They be alone. Luc. [Within.] You shall not come to them. Cas. How now! What's the matter? Poet. For shame, you generals! mean? generals! What do you Love, and be friends, as two such men should be; For I have seen more years, Bru. I'll know his humour, when he knows his time. What should the wars do with these jigging fools? Cas. Away, away! be gone. Enter LUCILIUS and TITINIUS. [Exit Poet. Bru. Lucilius and Titinius, bid the commanders 6 COMPANION, hence.] "Companion" here, as in "Coriolanus," Vol. vi. p. 230, and in various other places, is used derogatorily, and as a term of reproach. |