Nor with such free and friendly conference, Brut. Thou hast describ'd A hot friend cooling: ever note, Lucilius, There are no tricks in plain and simple faith: Lucil. They mean this night in Sardis to be quar ter'd; The greater part, the horse in general, Are come with Cassius. Brut. 20 25 [March within. 30 Hark! he is arriv'd: Enter CASSIUS and Soldiers. March gently on to meet him. Cass. Stand, ho! Brut. Stand, ho! Speak the word along. Cass. Most noble brother, you have done me wrong. Brut. Judge me, you gods! wrong I mine enemies? And if not so, how should I wrong a brother? Cass. Brutus, this sober form of yours hides wrongs; And when you do them Brut. 40 Before the eyes of both our armies here, 45 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. Bid our commanders lead their charges off 50 A little from this ground. Brut. Lucius, do you the like; and let no man Come to our tent till we have done our conference. Lucilius and Titinius guard the door. [Exeunt. SCENE III. Within the tent of BRUTUS. Enter BRUTUS and CASSIUS. Cass. That you have wrong'd me doth appear in this: You have condemn'd and noted Lucius Pella Brut. You wrong'd yourself to write in such a case. You know that you are Brutus that speaks this, Or, by the gods, this speech were else your last. Brut. The name of Cassius honours this corrup- 15 tion, And chastisement doth therefore hide his head. Brut. Remember March, the ides of March re member: Did not great Julius bleed for justice' sake? Cass. To hedge me in; I am a soldier, I, Go to; you are not, Cassius. Brut. I say you are not. 20 25 80 Cass. Urge me no more, I shall forget myself; 35 Have mind upon your health, tempt me no further. Brut. Away, slight man! Cass. Is 't possible? Brut. Cass. O ye gods, ye gods! must I endure all this? 40 Brut. 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? 45 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, 50 When you are waspish. 55 Cass. Is it come to this? Brut. 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. Cass. You wrong me every way; you wrong me, Brutus; I said, an elder soldier, not a better: Did I say "better"? Brut. If you did, I care not. Cass. When Cæsar liv'd he durst not thus have mov'd me. Brut. Peace, peace! you durst not so have 60 Cass. I durst not! Brut. No. tempted him. 65 Cass. What, durst not tempt him! Brut. For your life you durst not. Cass. Do not presume too much upon my love; I may do that I shall be sorry for. Brut. 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, For certain sums of gold, which you denied me; 70 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? Cass. Brut. You did. Cass. I did not: My answer back. I denied you not. 75 80 he was but a fool that brought A friend should bear his friend's infirmities, Brut. I do not like your faults. Cass. A friendly eye could never see such faults. 90 Brut. A flatterer's would not, though they do As huge as high Olympus. appear Cass. Come, Antony, and young Octavius, come, Revenge yourselves alone on Cassius, For Cassius is aweary of the world; 95 |