The Tragedy of Julius Caesar/Act V

== ACT V. ==
=== SCENE I. The plains of Philippi. ===
[Enter Octavius, Antony, and their Army.]
OCTAVIUS.
:Now, Antony, our hopes are answered.
:You said the enemy would not come down,
:But keep the hills and upper regions:
:It proves not so; their battles are at hand:
:They mean to warn us at Philippi here,
:Answering before we do demand of them.
ANTONY.
:Tut, I am in their bosoms, and I know
:Wherefore they do it: they could be content
:To visit other places; and come down
:With fearful bravery, thinking by this face
:To fasten in our thoughts that they have courage;
:But 'tis not so.
[Enter a Messenger.]
MESSENGER.
:Prepare you, generals:
:The enemy comes on in gallant show;
:Their bloody sign of battle is hung out,
:And something to be done immediately.
ANTONY.
:Octavius, lead your battle softly on,
:Upon the left hand of the even field.
OCTAVIUS.
:Upon the right hand I; keep thou the left.
ANTONY.
:Why do you cross me in this exigent?
OCTAVIUS.
:I do not cross you; but I will do so.
[March. Drum. Enter Brutus, Cassius, and their Army;
:Lucilius, Titinius, Messala, and Others.]
BRUTUS.
:They stand, and would have parley.
CASSIUS.
:Stand fast, Titinius: we must out and talk.
OCTAVIUS.
:Mark Antony, shall we give sign of battle?
ANTONY.
:No, Caesar, we will answer on their charge.
:Make forth; the generals would have some words.
OCTAVIUS.
:Stir not until the signal.
BRUTUS.
:Words before blows: is it so, countrymen?
OCTAVIUS.
:Not that we love words better, as you do.
BRUTUS.
:Good words are better than bad strokes, Octavius.
ANTONY.
:In your bad strokes, Brutus, you give good words:
:Witness the hole you made in Caesar's heart,
:Crying, "Long live! Hail, Caesar!"
CASSIUS.
:Antony,
:The posture of your blows are yet unknown;
:But for your words, they rob the Hybla bees,
:And leave them honeyless.
ANTONY.
:Not stingless too.
BRUTUS.
:O, yes, and soundless too,
:For you have stol'n their buzzing, Antony,
:And very wisely threat before you sting.
ANTONY.
:Villains, you did not so when your vile daggers
:Hack'd one another in the sides of Caesar:
:You show'd your teeth like apes, and fawn'd like hounds,
:And bow'd like bondmen, kissing Caesar's feet;
:Whilst damned Casca, like a cur, behind
:Struck Caesar on the neck. O flatterers!
CASSIUS.
:Flatterers!—Now, Brutus, thank yourself:
:This tongue had not offended so to-day,
:If Cassius might have ruled.
OCTAVIUS.
:Come, come, the cause: if arguing makes 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 Caesar's three and thirty wounds
:Be well avenged; or till another Caesar
:Have added slaughter to the sword of traitors.
BRUTUS.
:Caesar, thou canst not die by traitors' hands,
:Unless thou bring'st them with thee.
OCTAVIUS.
:So I hope;
:I was not born to die on Brutus' sword.
BRUTUS.
:O, if thou wert the noblest of thy strain,
:Young man, thou couldst not die more honourably.
CASSIUS.
:A peevish school boy, worthless of such honour,
:Join'd with a masker and a reveller!
ANTONY.
:Old Cassius still!
OCTAVIUS.
:Come, Antony; away!—
:Defiance, traitors, hurl we in your teeth:
:If you dare fight today, come to the field;
:If not, when you have stomachs.
[Exeunt Octavius, Antony, and their Army.]
CASSIUS.
:Why, now, blow wind, swell billow, and swim bark!
:The storm is up, and all is on the hazard.
BRUTUS.
:Ho, Lucilius! Hark, a word with you.
LUCILIUS.
:My lord?
[Brutus and Lucilius talk apart.]
CASSIUS.
:Messala,—
MESSALA.
:What says my General?
CASSIUS.
:Messala,
: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 compell'd to set
:Upon one battle all our liberties.
:You know that I held Epicurus strong,
:And his opinion: now I change my mind,
:And partly credit things that do presage.
:Coming from Sardis, on our former ensign
:Two mighty eagles fell; and there they perch'd,
:Gorging and feeding from our soldiers' hands;
:Who to Philippi here consorted us:
:This morning are they fled away and gone;
:And in their steads do ravens, crows, and kites
:Fly o'er our heads and downward look on us,
:As we were sickly prey: their shadows seem
:A canopy most fatal, under which
:Our army lies, ready to give up the ghost.
MESSALA.
:Believe not so.
CASSIUS.
:I but believe it partly;
:For I am fresh of spirit, and resolved
:To meet all perils very constantly.
BRUTUS.
:Even so, Lucilius.
CASSIUS.
:Now, most noble Brutus,
:The gods to-day stand friendly, that we may,
:Lovers in peace, lead on our days to age!
:But, since th' affairs of men rest still incertain,
:Let's reason with the worst that may befall.
:If we do lose this battle, then is this
:The very last time we shall speak together:
:What are you then determined to do?
BRUTUS.
:Even by the rule of that philosophy
:By which I did blame Cato for the death
:Which he did give himself;—I know not how,
:But I do find it cowardly and vile,
:For fear of what might fall, so to prevent
:The time of life;—arming myself with patience
:To stay the providence of some high powers
:That govern us below.
CASSIUS.
:Then, if we lose this battle,
:You are contented to be led in triumph
:Thorough the streets of Rome?
BRUTUS.
:No, Cassius, no: think not, thou noble Roman,
:That ever Brutus will go bound to Rome;
:He bears too great a mind. But this same day
:Must end that work the Ides of March begun;
:And whether we shall meet again I know not.
:Therefore our everlasting farewell take:
:For ever, and for ever, farewell, Cassius!
:If we do meet again, why, we shall smile;
:If not, why, then this parting was well made.
CASSIUS.
:For ever and for ever farewell, Brutus!
:If we do meet again, we'll smile indeed;
:If not, 'tis true this parting was well made.
BRUTUS.
: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!
[Exeunt.]
=== SCENE II. The same. The field of battle. ===
[Alarum. Enter Brutus and Messala.]
BRUTUS.
: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 demeanor in Octavius' wing,
:And sudden push gives them the overthrow.
:Ride, ride, Messala: let them all come down.
[Exeunt.]
=== SCENE III. Another part of the field. ===
[Alarum. Enter Cassius and Titinius.]
CASSIUS.
:O, look, Titinius, look, the villains fly!
:Myself have to mine own turn'd enemy:
:This ensign here of mine was turning back;
:I slew the coward, and did take it from him.
TITINIUS.
:O Cassius, Brutus gave the word too early;
:Who, having some advantage on Octavius,
:Took it too eagerly: his soldiers fell to spoil,
:Whilst we by Antony are all enclosed.
[Enter Pindarus.]
PINDARUS.
:Fly further off, my lord, fly further off;
:Mark Antony is in your tents, my lord:
:Fly, therefore, noble Cassius, fly far' off.
CASSIUS.
:This hill is far enough.—Look, look, Titinius;
:Are those my tents where I perceive the fire?
TITINIUS.
:They are, my lord.
CASSIUS.
:Titinius, if thou lovest me,
:Mount thou my horse and hide thy spurs in him,
:Till he have brought thee up to yonder troops
:And here again; that I may rest assured
:Whether yond troops are friend or enemy.
TITINIUS.
:I will be here again, even with a thought.
[Exit.]
CASSIUS.
:Go, Pindarus, get higher on that hill:
:My sight was ever thick: regard Titinius,
:And tell me what thou notest about the field.—
[Pindarus goes up.]
This day I breathed first: time is come round,
:And where I did begin, there shall I end;
:My life is run his compass.—Sirrah, what news?
PINDARUS.
:[Above.] O my lord!
CASSIUS.
:What news?
PINDARUS.
:[Above.] 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; [Shout.] and, hark! they shout for joy.
CASSIUS.
:Come down; behold no more.—
:O, coward that I am, to live so long,
:To see my best friend ta'en before my face!
[Pindarus descends.]
Come hither, sirrah:
: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;
:Now be a freeman; and with this good sword,
:That ran through Caesar's bowels, search this bosom.
:Stand not to answer: here, take thou the hilts;
:And when my face is cover'd, as 'tis now,
:Guide thou the sword.—Caesar, thou art revenged,
:Even with the sword that kill'd thee.
[Dies.]
PINDARUS.
: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.]
MESSALA.
:It is but change, Titinius; for Octavius
:Is overthrown by noble Brutus' power,
:As Cassius' legions are by Antony.
TITINIUS.
:These tidings would well comfort Cassius.
MESSALA.
:Where did you leave him?
TITINIUS.
:All disconsolate,
:With Pindarus his bondman, on this hill.
MESSALA.
:Is not that he that lies upon the ground?
TITINIUS.
:He lies not like the living. O my heart!
MESSALA.
:Is not that he?
TITINIUS.
:No, this was he, Messala,
:But Cassius is no more.—O setting Sun,
: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!
:Mistrust of my success hath done this deed.
MESSALA.
:Mistrust of good success hath done this deed.
:O hateful Error, Melancholy's child!
:Why dost thou show to the apt thoughts of men
:The things that are not? O Error, soon conceived,
:Thou never comest unto a happy birth,
:But kill'st the mother that engender'd thee!
TITINIUS.
:What, Pindarus! where art thou, Pindarus?
MESSALA.
:Seek him, Titinius, whilst I go to meet
:The noble Brutus, thrusting this report
:Into his ears: I may say, thrusting it;
:For piercing steel and darts envenomed
:Shall be as welcome to the ears of Brutus
:As tidings of this sight.
TITINIUS.
:Hie you, Messala,
:And I will seek for Pindarus the while.—
[Exit Messala.]
:Why didst thou send me forth, brave Cassius?
:Did I not meet thy friends? And did not they
:Put on my brows this wreath of victory,
:And bid me give it 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,
:And see how I regarded Caius Cassius.—
: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,
:Strato, Volumnius, and Lucilius.]
BRUTUS.
:Where, where, Messala, doth his body lie?
MESSALA.
:Lo, yonder, and Titinius mourning it.
BRUTUS.
:Titinius' face is upward.
CATO.
:He is slain.
BRUTUS.
:O Julius Caesar, thou art mighty yet!
:Thy spirit walks abroad, and turns our swords
:In our own proper entrails.
[Low alarums.]
CATO.
:Brave Titinius!
:Look whether he have not crown'd dead Cassius!
BRUTUS.
: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
:To this dead man than you shall see me pay.—
:I shall find time, Cassius, I shall find time.—
:Come therefore, and to Thassos send his body:
:His funerals shall not be in our camp,
:Lest it discomfort us.—Lucilius, come;—
:And come, young Cato;—let us to the field.—
:Labeo and Flavius, set our battles on:—
:'Tis three o'clock; and Romans, yet ere night
:We shall try fortune in a second fight.
[Exeunt.]
=== SCENE IV. Another part of the field. ===
[Alarum. Enter, fighting, Soldiers of both armies; then Brutus,
:young Cato, Lucilius, and Others.]
BRUTUS.
:Yet, countrymen, O, yet hold up your heads!
CATO.
:What bastard doth not? Who will go with me?
: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.]
BRUTUS.
: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.]
LUCILIUS.
:O young and noble Cato, art thou down?
:Why, now thou diest as bravely as Titinius;
:And mayst be honour'd, being Cato's son.
FIRST SOLDIER.
:Yield, or thou diest.
LUCILIUS.
:Only I yield to die:
:There is so much that thou wilt kill me straight;
:[Offering money.]
:Kill Brutus, and be honour'd in his death.
FIRST SOLDIER.
:We must not. A noble prisoner!
SECOND SOLDIER.
:Room, ho! Tell Antony, Brutus is ta'en.
FIRST SOLDIER.
:I'll tell the news. Here comes the General.—
[Enter Antony.]
Brutus is ta'en, Brutus is ta'en, my lord.
ANTONY.
:Where is he?
LUCILIUS.
:Safe, Antony; Brutus is safe enough:
:I dare assure thee that no enemy
:Shall ever take alive the noble Brutus:
:The gods defend him from so great a shame!
:When you do find him, or alive or dead,
:He will be found like Brutus, like himself.
ANTONY.
: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
:Such men my friends than enemies. Go on,
:And see whether Brutus be alive or dead;
:And bring us word unto Octavius' tent
:How everything is chanced.
[Exeunt.]
=== SCENE V. Another part of the field. ===
[Enter Brutus, Dardanius, Clitus, Strato, and Volumnius.]
BRUTUS.
:Come, poor remains of friends, rest on this rock.
CLITUS.
:Statilius show'd the torch-light; but, my lord,
:He came not back: he is or ta'en or slain.
BRUTUS.
:Sit thee down, Clitus: slaying is the word;
:It is a deed in fashion. Hark thee, Clitus.
[Whispering.]
CLITUS.
:What, I, my lord? No, not for all the world.
BRUTUS.
:Peace then! no words.
CLITUS.
:I'll rather kill myself.
BRUTUS.
:Hark thee, Dardanius.
[Whispers him.]
DARDANIUS.
:Shall I do such a deed?
CLITUS.
:O Dardanius!
DARDANIUS.
:O Clitus!
CLITUS.
:What ill request did Brutus make to thee?
DARDANIUS.
:To kill him, Clitus. Look, he meditates.
CLITUS.
:Now is that noble vessel full of grief,
:That it runs over even at his eyes.
BRUTUS.
:Come hither, good Volumnius; list a word.
VOLUMNIUS.
:What says my lord?
BRUTUS.
:Why, this, Volumnius:
:The ghost of Caesar hath appear'd to me
:Two several times by night; at Sardis once,
:And this last night here in Philippi fields:
:I know my hour is come.
VOLUMNIUS.
:Not so, my lord.
BRUTUS.
:Nay I am sure it is, Volumnius.
:Thou seest the world, Volumnius, how it goes;
:Our enemies have beat us to the pit:
[Low alarums.]
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 pr'ythee,
:Hold thou my sword-hilts, whilst I run on it.
VOLUMNIUS.
:That's not an office for a friend, my lord.
[Alarums still.]
CLITUS.
:Fly, fly, my lord! there is no tarrying here.
BRUTUS.
:Farewell to you;—and you;—and you, Volumnius.—
:Strato, thou hast been all this while asleep;
:Farewell to thee too, Strato.—Countrymen,
:My heart doth joy, that yet in all my life
:I found no man but he was true to me.
:I shall have glory by this losing day,
:More than Octavius and Mark Antony
:By this vile conquest shall attain unto.
:So, fare you well at once; for Brutus' tongue
:Hath almost ended his life's history:
:Night hangs upon mine eyes; my bones would rest
:That have but labour'd to attain this hour.
[Alarums. Cry within, "Fly, fly, fly!"]
CLITUS.
:Fly, my lord, fly!
BRUTUS.
:Hence! I will follow.—
[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 smack of honor in it:
:Hold, then, my sword, and turn away thy face,
:While I do run upon it. Wilt thou, Strato?
STRATO.
:Give me your hand first: fare you well, my lord.
BRUTUS.
:Farewell, good Strato.—Caesar, now be still:
: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
:Army.]
OCTAVIUS.
:What man is that?
MESSALA.
:My master's man.—Strato, where is thy master?
STRATO.
:Free from the bondage you are in, Messala:
:The conquerors can but make a fire of him;
:For Brutus only overcame himself,
:And no man else hath honour by his death.
LUCILIUS.
:So Brutus should be found.—I thank thee, Brutus,
:That thou hast proved Lucilius' saying true.
OCTAVIUS.
:All that served Brutus, I will entertain them.—
:Fellow, wilt thou bestow thy time with me?
STRATO.
:Ay, if Messala will prefer me to you.
OCTAVIUS.
:Do so, good Messala.
MESSALA.
:How died my master, Strato?
STRATO.
:I held the sword, and he did run on it.
MESSALA.
:Octavius, then take him to follow thee,
:That did the latest service to my master.
ANTONY.
:This was the noblest Roman of them all:
:All the conspirators, save only he,
:Did that they did in envy of great Caesar;
:He only, in a general-honest thought
:And common good to all, made one of them.
:His life was gentle; and the elements
:So mix'd in him that Nature might stand up
:And say to all the world, "This was a man!"
OCTAVIUS.
:According to his virtue let us use him
:With all respect and rites of burial.
:Within my tent his bones to-night shall lie,
:Most like a soldier, order'd honorably.—
:So, call the field to rest; and let's away,
:To part the glories of this happy day.
[Exeunt.]
THE END
Category:Article Subpages