Checked like a bondman; all his faults observed, 100 My spirit from mine eyes! There is my dagger, I, that denied thee gold, will give my heart: 105 Strike, as thou didst at Cæsar; for, I know, When thou didst hate him worst, thou lovedst him better Than ever thou lovedst Cassius. Bru. Sheathe your dagger: Be angry when you will, it shall have scope; Do what you will, dishonor shall be humor. 110 O Cassius, you are yoked with a lamb. That carries anger as the flint bears fire; Cas. 2 Hath Cassius lived To be but mirth and laughter to his Brutus, 115 When grief, and blood ill-tempered, vexeth him? Cas. Bru. Give me your hand. O Brutus ! What's the matter? Cas. Have not you love enough to bear with me, 120 When that rash humor which my mother gave me Makes me forgetful? Bru. Yes, Cassius; and, from henceforth, When you are over-earnest with your Brutus, He'll think your mother chides, and leave you so. Poet. [Within.] Let me go in to see the generals; 1 Needless in the construction, but not uncommon. 2 free play. 9 pass for. 4 immediately. 125 There is some grudge between 'em, 't is not meet They be alone. Lucil. [Within.] You shall not come to them. Poet. [Within.] Nothing but death shall stay me. Enter Poet, followed by LUCILIUS, TITINIUS, and LUCIUS.' Cas. How now! what's the matter? 130 135 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. Cas. Ha, ha! how vilely doth this cynic' rhyme! Bru. Get you hence, sirrah; saucy fellow, hence! Cas. Bear with him, Brutus; 't is his fashion. Bru. I'll know his humor, when he knows his time.' What should the wars do with these jigging fools? Companion, hence! Cas. 4 Away, away, be gone! [Exit Poet. Tucilius and Titinius, bid the commanders 140 Prepare to lodge their companies to-night. 145 Cas. I did not think you could have been so angry. Bru. O Cassius, I am sick of many griefs. Cas. Of your philosophy you make no use If you give place to accidental evils. Bru. No man bears sorrow better. Portia is dead. Cas. Bru. She is dead. How 'scaped I killing when I crossed you so? 5 1 This intrusion of the poet comes from Plutarch and seems to have little dramatic necessity, for the quarrel was already settled. Perhaps the part was taken by a comic actor who made the audience laugh. 2 The poet was also a philosopher. 9 the proper opportunity. 5 Cf. V., i., 19. 4 a term of contempt, thus used, like "fellow." O insupportable and touching loss! Upon what sickness? Bru. Impatient of my absence, And grief that young Octavius with Mark Antony Have made themselves so strong: '-for with her death 155 That tidings came;-with this she fell distract, And, her attendants absent, swallowed fire. Cas. Cas. And died so? Even so. O ye immortal gods! 160 Re-enter LUCIUS, with wine and taper. Bru. Speak no more of her. Give me a bowl of wine. In this I bury all unkindness, Cassius. Cas. 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. Bru. Come in, Titinius! [Exit Lucius. Welcome, good Messala. Re-enter TITINIUS, with MESSALA. Now sit we close about this taper here, No more, I pray you. 165 And call in question our necessities. 170 Bending their expedition toward Philippi. Mes. Myself have letters of the selfsame tenor. Mes. That by proscription and bills of outlawry, Octavius, Antony, and Lepidus, 175 Have put to death an hundred senators. 'The construction is loose: it would be better if we had impatience, and and for with. Bru. Therein our letters do not well agree ; Cas. Cicero is dead, 180 And by that order of proscription Had you your letters from your wife, my lord? Mes. Nor nothing in your letters writ of her? Mes. 185 Bru. Mes. Bru Mes. 190 That, methinks, is strange. Why ask you? hear you aught of her in yours? Now, as you are a Roman, tell me true. Then like a Roman bear the truth I tell : For certain she is dead, and by strange manner. Bru. Why, farewell, Portia.' We must die, Messala: With meditating that she must die once, I have the patience to endure it now. Mes. (Even so great men great losses should endure. 2 What do you think 195 But yet my nature could not bear it so. Bru. Cas. Your reason? This it is: "T is better that the enemy seek us: 200 So shall he waste his means, weary his soldiers, Doing himself offence; whilst we, lying still, Are full of rest, defence, and nimbleness. Bru. Good reasons must, of force, give place to better." 1 Brutus is not genuine here, for he already knew of Portia's death. 2 philosophy. As twice before, Brutus overrules Cassius, and in this case, too, unfortunately. The people 'twixt Philippi and this ground 205 Do stand but in a forced affection; For they have grudged us contribution : These people at our back. Cas. Hear me, good brother. Bru. Under your pardon. You must note beside, That we have tried the utmost of our friends, 215 Our legions are brim-full, our cause is ripe : We, at the height, are ready to decline. Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune; 220 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, Cas. Then, with your will, go on; 225 We'll along ourselves, and meet them at Philippi. Bru. 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? Cas. No more. Good night: 230 Early to-morrow will we rise, and hence. Bru. Lucius! [Enter Lucius.] My gown. 1 Brutus uses this as an argument for action. |