Prepare to lodge their companies to-night. Cas. And come yourselves, and bring Messala with you, Immediately to us. Bru. [Exeunt LUCILIUS and TITINIUS. Lucius, a bowl of wine. Cas. I did not think, you could have been so angry. Bru. O Cassius! I am sick of many griefs. Cas. Of your philosophy you make no use, If you give place to accidental evils. Bru. No man bears sorrow better.-Portia is dead. Cas. Ha! Portia ? Bru. She is dead. Cas. How scap'd I killing, when I cross'd you so?— O, insupportable and touching loss! Upon what sickness? Bru. Impatient of my absence', And grief, that young Octavius with Mark Antony Have made themselves so strong;-for with her death That tidings came.-With this she fell distract, And, her attendants absent, swallow'd fire. Cas. And died so? Bru. Even so. Cas. O, ye immortal gods! Enter LUCIUS, with Wine and Tapers. Bru. Speak no more of her.-Give me a bowl of wine : In this I bury all unkindness, Cassius. Fill, Lucius, till the wine o'erswell the cup; I cannot drink too much of Brutus' love. Cas. My heart is thirsty for that noble pledge.— [Drinks. [Drinks. 66 7 IMPATIENT of my absence,] As the Rev. Mr. Barry suggests, Impatience of my absence" would certainly read better in connexion with the line that follows, "And grief," &c. ; but we see no sufficient ground for varying from the old text, and we do not think that in this instance he would wish to see it altered for the sake of a more correct form of reply on the part of Brutus. Re-enter TITINIUS, with MESSALA. Bru. Come in, Titinius.-Welcome, good Messala.Now sit we close about this taper here, And call in question our necessities. Bru. No more, I pray you. Messala, I have here received letters, That young Octavius, and Mark Antony, Mes. Myself have letters of the self-same tenour. Mes. That by proscription, and bills of outlawry, Have put to death an hundred senators. Bru. Therein our letters do not well agree: Mine speak of seventy senators, that died By their proscriptions, Cicero being one. Mes. Cicero is dead, And by that order of proscription.— Had you your letters from your wife, my lord? Bru. No, Messala. Mes. Nor nothing in your letters writ of her? Bru. Nothing, Messala. Mes. That, methinks, is strange. Bru. Why ask you? Hear you aught of her in yours? Mes. No, my lord. Bru. Now, as you are a Roman, tell me true. Mes. Then like a Roman bear the truth I tell : For certain she is dead, and by strange manner. I have the patience to endure it now. Mes. Even so great men great losses should endure. 5 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. Cas. Your reason? 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. Bru. Good reasons must, of force, give place to better. The people, 'twixt Philippi and this ground, For they have grudg'd us contribution: 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: 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; And we must take the current when it serves, Or lose our ventures. Cas. 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 must obey necessity, Which we will niggard with a little rest. There is no more to say? 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! Re-enter LUCIUS, with the Gown. Give me the gown. Where is thy instrument? Luc. Here in the tent. Bru. What! thou speak'st drowsily? Poor knave, I blame thee not; thou art o'er-watch'd. Call Claudius, and some other of my men; I'll have them sleep on cushions in my tent. 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. Bru. I will not have it so; lie down, good sirs: It may be, I shall otherwise bethink me. Look, Lucius, here's the book I sought for so; I put it in the pocket of my gown. [Servants lie down. And touch thy instrument a strain or two? Bru. It does, my boy. I trouble thee too much, but thou art willing. Luc. It is my duty, sir. Bru. I should not urge thy duty past thy might: Bru. It was well done, and thou shalt sleep again; I will not hold thee long: if I do live, 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 CESAR. [He sits down. How ill this taper burns.-Ha! who comes here? That shapes this monstrous apparition. Art thou some god, some angel, or some devil, Ghost. Thy evil spirit, Brutus. |