POET. [WITHIN.]

Let me go in to see the generals.

There is some grudge between them; 't is not meet
They be alone.

LUCIUS. [WITHIN.]

You shall not come to them.

POET. [WITHIN.]

Nothing but death shall stay me.

Enter Poet, followed by LUCILIUS, TITINIUS, and LUCIUS.

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 am 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; 't is his fashion.

BRUTUS.

I'll know his humour, when he knows his time 1).
What should the wars do with these jigging fools?
Companion, hence!

1) d. i. ik zal zijn luim erkennen, er vrede meê hebben, als hij zijn tijd kent en zijn zotheden niet op een tijd aanbrengt, waarin ze niet te pas komen.

CASSIUS.

Away, away, be gone.

BRUTUS.

Lucilius and Titinius, bid the commanders
Prepare to lodge their companies to-night.

CASSIUS.

[Exit Poet.

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.

How scap'd I killing, when I cross'd you so? -
O, insupportable and touching loss !

Upon what sickness?

BRUTUS.

Impatient of my absence,

And grief 1), that young Octavius with Mark Antony
Have made themselves so strong; for with her death
That tidings came; Iwith this she fell distract,
And, her attendants absent, swallow'd fire.

My heart is thirsty for that noble pledge 2).
Fill, Lucius, till the wine o'erswell the cup;
I cannot drink too much of Brutus' love.

Exit LUCIUS. Re-enter TITINIUS, with MESSALA.

[Drinks.

1) Impatient, het adjectief, en daarop grief, het substantief, vormen samen natuurlijk een onregelmatige spreekwijze. Maar zulk een onregelmatigheid is in het algemeen niet vreemd aan Shakespeare, en is hier, bij den toestand van Brutus, zeker niet ongepast te noemen. Ik acht het dan ook onnoodig, de gissing van Capell over te nemen, die om alles regelmatig te doen zijn impatient wil veranderen in impatience.

2) The pledge is, bij het drinken, het bescheid dat men elkander doet. Het hart van Cassius dorst er naar, om Brutus met gelijke edele verklaring van vriendschap bescheid te doen.

Now sit we close about this taper here,
And call in question our necessities 1).

Portia, art thou gone?

CASSIUS.

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 self-same tenour.

With what addition?

BRUTUS.

MESSALA.

That by proscription and bills of outlawry,

Octavius, Antony, and Lepidus,

Have put to death an hundred senators.

BRUTUS.

Therein our letters do not well agree:
Mine speak of seventy senators, that died
By their proscriptions, Cicero being one.

Had you your letters from your wife, my lord?

1) d. i. en overleggen wat voor ons noodig is te doen.

Why ask you? Hear you aught of her in yours?

No, my lord.

MESSALA.

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 1) as you,

1) Evenals in andere talen, staat hier art tegenover nature. Ook