I was not born to die on Brutus' sword. Bru. O, if thou wert the noblest of thy strain,° Young man, thou couldst not die more honorable.° 60 Cas. A peevish schoolboy, worthless of such honor, Joined with a masker and a reveller! Ant. Old Cassius still! Oct. Come, Antony, away! Defiance, traitors, hurl we in your teeth: If you dare fight to-day, come to the field; If not, when you have stomachs.° [Exeunt OCTAVIUS, ANTONY, and their army. Cas. Why, now, blow wind, swell billow, and swim bark! The storm is up, and all is on the hazard. Bru. Ho, Lucilius! hark, a word with you. Cas. Messala! [Standing forth] My lord! [BRUTUS and LUCILIUS converse apart. Mes. [Standing forth] What says my general? This is my birth-day; as this very day 70 Messala, Was Cassius born. Give me thy hand, Messala: As Pompey was, am I compelled to set You know that I held Epicurus strong This morning are they fled away and gone; Our army lies, ready to give up the ghost. 80 I but believe it partly, 90 Cas. Cas. Now, most noble Brutus, The very last time we shall speak together: What are you then determined to do? Bru. Even by the rule of that philosophy For fear of what might fall, so to prevent° Cas. 100 Then, if we lose this battle, You are contented° to be led in triumph Thorough the streets of Rome? Bru. No, Cassius, no: think not, thou noble That ever Brutus will go bound to Rome; Cas. For ever, and for ever, farewell, Brutus! If we do meet again, we'll smile indeed; 120 Bru. Why, then, lead on. know O, that a man might The end of this day's business ere it come! And then the end is known. Come, ho! away! SCENE II. The field of battle Alarum. Enter BRUTUS and MESSALA [Exeunt. Bru. Ride, ride, Messala, ride, and give these bills° Unto the legions on the other side: [Loud alarum. Let them set on° at once; for I perceive O SCENE III. Another part of the field Alarums. [Exeunt. Enter CASSIUS and TITINIUS Cas. O, look, Titinius, look, the villains fly! Tit. O Cassius, Brutus gave the word too early; Who, having some advantage on Octavius, Took it too eagerly: his soldiers fell to spoil, Enter PINDARUS Pin. Fly further off, my lord, fly further off; ΙΟ Cas. This hill is far enough. Look, look, Titinius; Are those my tents where I perceive the fire? Tit. They are, my lord. Cas. 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. Tit. I will be here again, even with a thought. Cas. Go, Pindarus, get higher on that hill; My sight was ever thick; regard Titinius, And tell me what thou notest about the field. [Exit. 20 [PINDARUS ascends the hill. 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? |