Tit. O Cassius, Brutus gave the word too early; Enter PINDARUS. Pin. Fly further off, my lord, fly further off; Cas. This hill is far enough. Look, look, Titinius; Cas. Titinius, if thou lovest me, Mount thou my horse, and hide thy spurs in him, [Exit. [Exit PINDARUS. This day I breathed first: time is come round, Cas. What news? Pin. Titinius is Enclosed round about with horsemen, that Make to him on the spur;-yet he spurs on. Now they are almost on him: now, Titinius! Now some 'light:-O, he 'lights too:-he's ta'en ;-and, hark! They shout for joy. Cas. Come down, behold no more. O, coward, that I am, to live so long, To see my best friend ta'en before my face! Come hither, sirrah : Enter PINDARUS. In Parthia did I take thee prisoner; And then I swore thee, saving of thy life, That whatsoever I did bid thee do, Thou shouldst attempt it. Come now, keep thine oath ! That ran through Cæsar's bowels, search this bosom. [Shout. Now be a freeman: and with this good sword, Stand not to answer: Here, take thou the hilts; Guide thou the sword.-Cæsar, thou art revenged, Even with the sword that kill'd thee. [Dies. Pin. So, I am free; yet would not so have been, Durst I have done my will. O Cassius! Far from this country Pindarus shall run, Where never Roman shall take note of him. [Exit. Re-enter TITINIUS, with MESSALA. Mes. It is but change, Titinius; for Octavius Is overthrown by noble Brutus' power, 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, But Cassius is no more.-O setting sun! The sun of Rome is set! Our day is gone; Clouds, dews, and dangers come; our deeds are done! Mes. Mistrust of good success hath done this deed. Why dost thou show to the apt thoughts of men But kill'st the mother that engender'd thee. Tit. What, Pindarus! Where art thou, Pindarus? The noble Brutus, thrusting this report Into his ears: I may say, thrusting it; Tit. Hie you, Messala, And I will seek for Pindarus the while. Why didst thou send me forth, brave Cassius? Put on my brows this wreath of victory, [Exit MESSALA. And bid me give't thee? Didst thou not hear their shouts ? Alas, thou hast misconstrued every thing. But hold thee, take this garland on thy brow; Thy Brutus bid me give it thee, and I Will do his bidding.-Brutus, come apace, By your leave, gods:-This is a Roman's part: Come, Cassius' sword, and find Titinius' heart. [Dies. Alarum.-Re-enter MESSALA, with BRUTUS, young CATO, Bru. Where, where, Messala, doth his body lie? Cato. He is slain. Bru. O Julius Cæsar, thou art mighty yet! Thy spirit walks abroad, and turns our swords Cato. Brave Titinius! Look, whe'r he have not crown'd dead Cassius! [Low alarums. Bru. Are yet two Romans living such as these ?The last of all the Romans, fare thee well! It is impossible that ever Rome Should breed thy fellow.-Friends, I owe more tears [Exeunt. SCENE IV-Another part of the Field. Bru. Yet, countrymen, O, yet hold up your heads! I will proclaim my name about the field: I am the son of Marcus Cato, ho! A foe to tyrants, and my country's friend; I am the son of Marcus Cato, ho! [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. 1 Sold. Yield, or thou diest. Luc. Only I yield to die: There is so much that thou wilt kill me straight; Kill Brutus, and be honour'd in his death. [Offering money. 2 Sold. Room, ho! Tell Antony, Brutus is ta'en. Brutus is ta'en, Brutus is ta'en, my lord. Ant. Where is he? Luc. Safe, Antony; Brutus is safe enough: Shall ever take alive the noble Brutus: Ant. This is not Brutus, friend; but, I assure you, A prize no less in worth: keep this man safe, Give him all kindness: I had rather have 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. Dar. Ó, Clitus! Cli. What ill request did Brutus make to thee? That it runs over even at his eyes. [Whispers him. Bru. Come hither, good Volumnius; list a word. 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. Vol. Not so, my lord. Bru. Nay, I am sure it is, Volumnius. Thou see'st the world, Volumnius, how it goes; Our enemies have beat us to the pit: It is more worthy to leap in ourselves, Than tarry 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; Farewell to thee too, Strato.-Countrymen, So, fare you well at once: for Brutus' tongue Night hangs upon mine eyes; my bones would rest, Cli. Fly, my lord, fly. [Alarum. Cry within; Fly, fly, fly. Bru. Hence; I will follow thee. [Exeunt CLITUS, DARDANIUS, and VOLUMNIUS. I pr'ythee, Strato, stay thou by thy lord: Thou art a fellow of a good respect; Thy life hath had some smatch of honour in it: While I do run upon it. Wilt thou, Strato? Stra. Give me your hand first: Fare you well, my lord. 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? 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 proved Lucilius' saying true. Oct. All that served Brutus, I will entertain them.* Fellow, wilt thou bestow thy time with me? Stra. Ay, if Messala will prefer me to you. Mes. How died my master, Strato? Stra. I held the sword, and he did run on it. Mes. Octavius, then take him to follow thee, That did the latest service to my master. Ant. This was the noblest Roman of them all: All the conspirators, save only he, Did that they did in envy of great Cæsar; He, only, in a general honest thought, So mix'd in him, that Nature might stand up, Oct. According to his virtue let us use him, * Receive into my service. [Exeunt. † Recommend. |