The Tragedy of Julius Caesar/Act IV

== ACT IV. ==
=== SCENE I. Rome. A room in Antony's house. ===
[Antony, Octavius, and Lepidus, seated at a table.]
ANTONY.
:These many then shall die; their names are prick'd.
OCTAVIUS.
:Your brother too must die: consent you, Lepidus?
LEPIDUS.
:I do consent,—
OCTAVIUS.
:Prick him down, Antony.
LEPIDUS.
:—Upon condition Publius shall not live,
:Who is your sister's son, Mark Antony.
ANTONY.
:He shall not live; look, with a spot I damn him.
:But, Lepidus, go you to Caesar's house;
:Fetch the will hither, and we shall determine
:How to cut off some charge in legacies.
LEPIDUS.
:What, shall I find you here?
OCTAVIUS.
:Or here, or at the Capitol.
[Exit Lepidus.]
ANTONY.
:This is a slight unmeritable man,
:Meet to be sent on errands: is it fit,
:The three-fold world divided, he should stand
:One of the three to share it?
OCTAVIUS.
:So you thought him;
:And took his voice who should be prick'd to die,
:In our black sentence and proscription.
ANTONY.
:Octavius, I have seen more days than you:
:And, though we lay these honors on this man,
:To ease ourselves of divers slanderous loads,
:He shall but bear them as the ass bears gold,
:To groan and sweat under the business,
:Either led or driven, as we point the way;
:And having brought our treasure where we will,
:Then take we down his load and turn him off,
:Like to the empty ass, to shake his ears
:And graze in commons.
OCTAVIUS.
:You may do your will;
:But he's a tried and valiant soldier.
ANTONY.
:So is my horse, Octavius;and for that
:I do appoint him store of provender:
:It is a creature that I teach to fight,
:To wind, to stop, to run directly on,
:His corporal motion govern'd by my spirit.
:And, in some taste, is Lepidus but so;
:He must be taught, and train'd, and bid go forth:
:A barren-spirited fellow; one that feeds
:On objects, arts, and imitations,
:Which, out of use and staled by other men,
:Begin his fashion: do not talk of him
:But as a property. And now, Octavius,
:Listen great things. Brutus and Cassius
:Are levying powers: we must straight make head;
:Therefore let our alliance be combined,
:Our best friends made, our means stretch'd;
:And let us presently go sit in council,
:How covert matters may be best disclosed,
:And open perils surest answered.
OCTAVIUS.
:Let us do so: for we are at the stake,
:And bay'd about with many enemies;
:And some that smile have in their hearts, I fear,
:Millions of mischiefs.
[Exeunt.]
=== SCENE II. Before Brutus' tent, in the camp near Sardis. ===
[Drum. Enter Brutus, Lucilius, Titinius, and Soldiers; Pindarus
:meeting them; Lucius at some distance.]
BRUTUS.
:Stand, ho!
LUCILIUS.
:Give the word, ho! and stand.
BRUTUS.
:What now, Lucilius! is Cassius near?
LUCILIUS.
:He is at hand; and Pindarus is come
:To do you salutation from his master.
[Pindarus gives a letter to Brutus.]
BRUTUS.
:He greets me well.—Your master, Pindarus,
:In his own change, or by ill officers,
:Hath given me some worthy cause to wish
:Things done, undone: but, if he be at hand,
:I shall be satisfied.
PINDARUS.
:I do not doubt
:But that my noble master will appear
:Such as he is, full of regard and honour.
BRUTUS.
:He is not doubted.—A word, Lucilius:
:How he received you, let me be resolved.
LUCILIUS.
:With courtesy and with respect enough;
:But not with such familiar instances,
:Nor with such free and friendly conference,
:As he hath used of old.
BRUTUS.
:Thou hast described
:A hot friend cooling: ever note, Lucilius,
:When love begins to sicken and decay,
:It useth an enforced ceremony.
:There are no tricks in plain and simple faith;
:But hollow men, like horses hot at hand,
:Make gallant show and promise of their mettle;
:But, when they should endure the bloody spur,
:They fall their crests, and, like deceitful jades
:Sink in the trial. Comes his army on?
LUCILIUS.
:They meant his night in Sard is to be quarter'd:
:The greater part, the Horse in general,
:Are come with Cassius.
[March within.]
BRUTUS.
:Hark! he is arrived.
:March gently on to meet him.
[Enter Cassius and Soldiers.]
CASSIUS.
:Stand, ho!
BRUTUS.
:Stand, ho! Speak the word along.
FIRST SOLDIER.
:Stand!
SECOND SOLDIER.
:Stand!
THIRD SOLDIER.
:Stand!
CASSIUS.
:Most noble brother, you have done me wrong.
BRUTUS.
:Judge me, you gods! wrong I mine enemies?
:And, if not so, how should I wrong a brother?
CASSIUS.
:Brutus, this sober form of yours hides wrongs;
:And when you do them—
BRUTUS.
:Cassius, be content;
:Speak your griefs softly, I do know you well.
:Before the eyes of both our armies here,
:Which should perceive nothing but love from us,
:Let us not wrangle; bid them move away;
:Then in my tent, Cassius, enlarge your griefs,
:And I will give you audience.
CASSIUS.
:Pindarus,
:Bid our commanders lead their charges off
:A little from this ground.
BRUTUS.
:Lucilius, do you the like; and let no man
:Come to our tent till we have done our conference.—
:Lucius and Titinius, guard our door.
[Exeunt.]
=== SCENE III. within the tent of Brutus. ===
[Enter Brutus and Cassius.]
CASSIUS.
: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;
:Whereas my letters, praying on his side
:Because I knew the man, were slighted off.
BRUTUS.
:You wrong'd yourself to write in such a case.
CASSIUS.
:In such a time as this it is not meet
:That every nice offense should bear his comment.
BRUTUS.
: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.
CASSIUS.
:I an itching palm!
:You know that you are Brutus that speak this,
:Or, by the gods, this speech were else your last.
BRUTUS.
:The name of Cassius honors this corruption,
:And chastisement doth therefore hide his head.
CASSIUS.
:Chastisement!
BRUTUS.
: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
:But for supporting robbers,—shall we now
:Contaminate our fingers with base bribes
:And sell the mighty space of our large honours
:For so much trash as may be grasped thus?
:I had rather be a dog, and bay the moon,
:Than such a Roman.
CASSIUS.
:Brutus, bay not me,
:I'll not endure it: you forget yourself,
:To hedge me in; I am a soldier, ay,
:Older in practice, abler than yourself
:To make conditions.
BRUTUS.
:Go to; you are not, Cassius.
CASSIUS.
:I am.
BRUTUS.
:I say you are not.
CASSIUS.
:Urge me no more, I shall forget myself;
:Have mind upon your health, tempt me no farther.
BRUTUS.
:Away, slight man!
CASSIUS.
:Is't possible?
BRUTUS.
:Hear me, for I will speak.
:Must I give way and room to your rash choler?
:Shall I be frighted when a madman stares?
CASSIUS.
:O gods, ye gods! must I endure all this?
BRUTUS.
: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?
:Must I observe you? Must I stand and crouch
:Under your testy humour? By the gods,
:You shall digest the venom of your spleen,
:Though it do split you; for, from this day forth,
:I'll use you for my mirth, yea, for my laughter,
:When you are waspish.
CASSIUS.
:Is it come to this?
BRUTUS.
:You say you are a better soldier:
:Let it appear so; make your vaunting true,
:And it shall please me well: for mine own part,
:I shall be glad to learn of abler men.
CASSIUS.
:You wrong me every way, you wrong me, Brutus.
:I said, an elder soldier, not a better:
:Did I say "better"?
BRUTUS.
:If you did, I care not.
CASSIUS.
:When Caesar lived, he durst not thus have moved me.
BRUTUS.
:Peace, peace! you durst not so have tempted him.
CASSIUS.
:I durst not?
BRUTUS.
:No.
CASSIUS.
:What, durst not tempt him?
BRUTUS.
:For your life you durst not.
CASSIUS.
:Do not presume too much upon my love;
:I may do that I shall be sorry for.
BRUTUS.
: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;—
:For I can raise no money by vile means:
:By Heaven, I had rather coin my heart,
:And drop my blood for drachmas, than to wring
:From the hard hands of peasants their vile trash
:By any indirection:—I did send
:To you for gold to pay my legions,
:Which you denied me: was that done like Cassius?
:Should I have answer'd Caius Cassius so?
:When Marcus Brutus grows so covetous
:To lock such rascal counters from his friends,
:Be ready, gods, with all your thunderbolts,
:Dash him to pieces!
CASSIUS.
:I denied you not.
BRUTUS.
:You did.
CASSIUS.
:I did not. He was but a fool
:That brought my answer back. Brutus hath rived my heart:
:A friend should bear his friend's infirmities,
:But Brutus makes mine greater than they are.
BRUTUS.
:I do not, till you practise them on me.
CASSIUS.
:You love me not.
BRUTUS.
:I do not like your faults.
CASSIUS.
:A friendly eye could never see such faults.
BRUTUS.
:A flatterer's would not, though they do appear
:As huge as high Olympus.
CASSIUS.
:Come, Antony and young Octavius, come,
:Revenge yourselves alone on Cassius,
:For Cassius is a-weary of the world;
:Hated by one he loves; braved by his brother;
:Check'd like a bondman; all his faults observed,
:Set in a note-book, learn'd and conn'd by rote,
:To cast into my teeth. O, I could weep
:My spirit from mine eyes!—There is my dagger,
:And here my naked breast; within, a heart
:Dearer than Plutus' mine, richer than gold:
:If that thou be'st a Roman, take it forth;
:I, that denied thee gold, will give my heart:
:Strike as thou didst at Caesar; for I know,
:When thou didst hate him worst, thou lovedst him better
:Than ever thou lovedst Cassius.
BRUTUS.
:Sheathe your dagger:
:Be angry when you will, it shall have scope;
:Do what you will, dishonor 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.
CASSIUS.
:Hath Cassius lived
:To be but mirth and laughter to his Brutus,
:When grief, and blood ill-temper'd, vexeth him?
BRUTUS.
:When I spoke that, I was ill-temper'd too.
CASSIUS.
:Do you confess so much? Give me your hand.
BRUTUS.
:And my heart too.
CASSIUS.
:O Brutus,—
BRUTUS.
:What's the matter?
CASSIUS.
:—Have not you love enough to bear with me,
:When that rash humor which my mother gave me
:Makes me forgetful?
BRUTUS.
: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 'em; 'tis not meet
:They be alone.
LUCILIUS.
:[Within.] You shall not come to them.
POET.
:[Within.] Nothing but death shall stay me.
[Enter Poet, followed by Lucilius, and Titinius.]
CASSIUS.
:How now! What's the matter?
POET.
:For shame, you generals! what do you mean?
:Love, and be friends, as two such men should be;
:For I have seen more years, I'm sure, than ye.
CASSIUS.
:Ha, ha! How vilely doth this cynic rhyme!
BRUTUS.
:Get you hence, sirrah; saucy fellow, hence!
CASSIUS.
:Bear with him, Brutus; 'tis his fashion.
BRUTUS.
:I'll know his humor when he knows his time:
:What should the wars do with these jigging fools?—
:Companion, hence!
CASSIUS.
:Away, away, be gone!
[Exit Poet.]
BRUTUS.
:Lucilius and Titinius, bid the commanders
:Prepare to lodge their companies tonight.
CASSIUS.
:And come yourselves and bring Messala with you
:Immediately to us.
[Exeunt Lucilius and Titinius.]
BRUTUS.
:Lucius, a bowl of wine!
[Exit Lucius.]
CASSIUS.
:I did not think you could have been so angry.
BRUTUS.
:O Cassius, I am sick of many griefs.
CASSIUS.
:Of your philosophy you make no use,
:If you give place to accidental evils.
BRUTUS.
:No man bears sorrow better. Portia is dead.
CASSIUS.
:Ha! Portia!
BRUTUS.
:She is dead.
CASSIUS.
:How 'scaped I killing, when I cross'd you so?—
:O insupportable and touching loss!—
:Upon what sickness?
BRUTUS.
: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.
CASSIUS.
:And died so?
BRUTUS.
:Even so.
CASSIUS.
:O ye immortal gods!
[Re-enter Lucius, with wine and a taper.]
BRUTUS.
:Speak no more of her.—Give me a bowl of wine.—
:In this I bury all unkindness, Cassius.
[Drinks.]
CASSIUS.
:My heart is thirsty for that noble pledge.
:Fill, Lucius, till the wine o'erswell the cup;
:I cannot drink too much of Brutus' love.
[Drinks.]
BRUTUS.
:Come in, Titinius!—
[Exit Lucius.]
[Re-enter Titinius, with Messala.]
Welcome, good Messala.—
:Now sit we close about this taper here,
:And call in question our necessities.
CASSIUS.
:Portia, art thou gone?
BRUTUS.
:No more, I pray you.—
:Messala, I have here received letters,
:That young Octavius and Mark Antony
:Come down upon us with a mighty power,
:Bending their expedition toward Philippi.
MESSALA.
:Myself have letters of the selfsame tenour.
BRUTUS.
:With what addition?
MESSALA.
:That by proscription and bills of outlawry
:Octavius, Antony, and Lepidus
:Have put to death an hundred Senators.
BRUTUS.
:There in our letters do not well agree:
:Mine speak of seventy Senators that died
:By their proscriptions, Cicero being one.
CASSIUS.
:Cicero one!
MESSALA.
:Cicero is dead,
:And by that order of proscription.—
:Had you your letters from your wife, my lord?
BRUTUS.
:No, Messala.
MESSALA.
:Nor nothing in your letters writ of her?
BRUTUS.
:Nothing, Messala.
MESSALA.
:That, methinks, is strange.
BRUTUS.
:Why ask you? hear you aught of her in yours?
MESSALA.
:No, my lord.
BRUTUS.
:Now, as you are a Roman, tell me true.
MESSALA.
:Then like a Roman bear the truth I tell:
:For certain she is dead, and by strange manner.
BRUTUS.
:Why, farewell, Portia. We must die, Messala:
:With meditating that she must die once,
:I have the patience to endure it now.
MESSALA.
:Even so great men great losses should endure.
CASSIUS.
:I have as much of this in art as you,
:But yet my nature could not bear it so.
BRUTUS.
:Well, to our work alive. What do you think
:Of marching to Philippi presently?
CASSIUS.
:I do not think it good.
BRUTUS.
:Your reason?
CASSIUS.
:This it is:
:'Tis better that the enemy seek us;:
:So shall he waste his means, weary his soldiers,
:Doing himself offense; whilst we, lying still,
:Are full of rest, defense, and nimbleness.
BRUTUS.
:Good reasons must, of force, give place to better.
:The people 'twixt Philippi and this ground
:Do stand but in a forced affection;
:For they have grudged us contribution:
:The enemy, marching along by them,
:By them shall make a fuller number up,
:Come on refresh'd, new-added, and encouraged;
:From which advantage shall we cut him off,
:If at Philippi we do face him there,
:These people at our back.
CASSIUS.
:Hear me, good brother.
BRUTUS.
:Under your pardon. You must note besides,
:That we have tried the utmost of our friends,
:Our legions are brim-full, our cause is ripe:
:The enemy increaseth every day;
: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;
:Omitted, all the voyage of their life
:Is bound in shallows and in miseries.
:On such a full sea are we now afloat;
:And we must take the current when it serves,
:Or lose our ventures.
CASSIUS.
:Then, with your will, go on:
:We'll along ourselves, and meet them at Philippi.
BRUTUS.
: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?
CASSIUS.
:No more. Good night:
:Early to-morrow will we rise, and hence.
BRUTUS.
:Lucius!—My gown.—Farewell now, good Messala:—
:Good night, Titinius:—noble, noble Cassius,
:Good night, and good repose.
CASSIUS.
:O my dear brother!
:This was an ill beginning of the night.
:Never come such division 'tween our souls!
:Let it not, Brutus.
BRUTUS.
:Every thing is well.
CASSIUS.
:Good night, my lord.
BRUTUS.
:Good night, good brother.
TITINIUS. MESSALA.
:Good night, Lord Brutus.
BRUTUS.
:Farewell, everyone.—
[Exeunt Cassius, Titinius, and Messala.]
[Re-enter Lucius, with the gown.]
Give me the gown. Where is thy instrument?
LUCIUS.
:Here in the tent.
BRUTUS.
: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.
LUCIUS.
:Varro and Claudius!
[Enter Varro and Claudius.]
VARRO.
:Calls my lord?
BRUTUS.
: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.
VARRO.
:So please you, we will stand and watch your pleasure.
BRUTUS.
:I would 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.]
LUCIUS.
:I was sure your lordship did not give it me.
BRUTUS.
:Bear with me, good boy, I am much forgetful.
:Canst thou hold up thy heavy eyes awhile,
:And touch thy instrument a strain or two?
LUCIUS.
:Ay, my lord, an't please you.
BRUTUS.
:It does, my boy:
:I trouble thee too much, but thou art willing.
LUCIUS.
:It is my duty, sir.
BRUTUS.
:I should not urge thy duty past thy might;
:I know young bloods look for a time of rest.
LUCIUS.
:I have slept, my lord, already.
BRUTUS.
: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.—
[Lucius plays and sings till he falls asleep.]
:
:This is a sleepy tune.—O murderous Slumber,
:Lay'st thou thy leaden mace upon my boy,
:That plays thee music?—Gentle knave, good night;
:I will not do thee so much wrong to wake thee:
:If thou dost nod, thou breakst thy instrument;
:I'll take it from thee; and, good boy, good night.—
:Let me see, let me see; is not the leaf turn'd down
:Where I left reading? Here it is, I think.
[Enter the Ghost of Caesar.]
How ill this taper burns! Ha! who comes here?
:I think it is the weakness of mine eyes
:That shapes this monstrous apparition.
:It comes upon me.—Art thou any thing?
:Art thou some god, some angel, or some devil,
:That makest my blood cold and my hair to stare?
:Speak to me what thou art.
GHOST.
:Thy evil spirit, Brutus.
BRUTUS.
:Why comest thou?
GHOST.
:To tell thee thou shalt see me at Philippi.
BRUTUS.
:Well; then I shall see thee again?
GHOST.
:Ay, at Philippi.
BRUTUS.
:Why, I will see thee at Philippi, then.
[Ghost vanishes.]
:Now I have taken heart, thou vanishest:
:Ill spirit, I would hold more talk with thee.—
:Boy! Lucius!—Varro! Claudius! Sirs, awake!—Claudius!
LUCIUS.
:The strings, my lord, are false.
BRUTUS.
:He thinks he still is at his instrument.—
:Lucius, awake!
LUCIUS.
:My lord?
BRUTUS.
:Didst thou dream, Lucius, that thou so criedst out?
LUCIUS.
:My lord, I do not know that I did cry.
BRUTUS.
:Yes, that thou didst: didst thou see any thing?
LUCIUS.
:Nothing, my lord.
BRUTUS.
:Sleep again, Lucius.—Sirrah Claudius!—
:[To Varro.] Fellow thou, awake!
VARRO.
:My lord?
CLAUDIUS.
:My lord?
BRUTUS.
:Why did you so cry out, sirs, in your sleep?
VARRO. CLAUDIUS.
:Did we, my lord?
BRUTUS.
:Ay: saw you any thing?
VARRO.
:No, my lord, I saw nothing.
CLAUDIUS.
:Nor I, my lord.
BRUTUS.
:Go and commend me to my brother Cassius;
:Bid him set on his powers betimes before,
:And we will follow.
VARRO. CLAUDIUS.
:It shall be done, my lord.
[Exeunt.]
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