When love begins to sicken and decay,
It useth an enforced ceremony.

There are no tricks in plain and simple faith;
But hollow men, like horses hot at hand,

Make gallant show and promise of their mettle;
But when they should endure the bloody spur,
They fall their crests and like deceitful jades
Sink in the trial. Comes his army on?

20

Lucil. They mean this night in Sardis to be quartered;

The greater part, the horse in general,

Are come with Cassius.

Bru.

[Low march within.

March gently on to meet him.

Enter CASSIUS and his powers

Cas. Stand, ho!

Bru. Stand, ho! Speak the word along.

First Sol. Stand!

Sec. Sol. Stand!

Third Sol. Stand!

Cas. Most noble brother, you have done me wrong. Bru. Judge me, you gods! wrong I mine enemies?

And, if not so, how should I wrong a brother? 39

Cas. Brutus, this sober form of yours hides wrongs; And when you do them

Bru.

Cassius, be content°;

Speak your griefs softly: I do know you well.
Before the eyes of both our armies here,
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.

Cas.

Pindarus,

Bid our commanders lead their charges off
A little from this ground.

Bru. Lucius, do you the like; and let no man
Come to our tent till we have done our conference.
Lucilius and Titinius guard our door.

50

[Exeunt.

SCENE III. BRUTUS's tent°

Enter BRUTUS and CASSIUS

Cas. That you have wronged me doth appear in

this:

You have condemned and noted° Lucius Pella

For taking bribes here of the Sardians;

Wherein my letters, praying on his side,

Because I knew the man, were slighted off.

Bru. You wronged yourself to write in such a

case.

Cas. In such a time as this it is not meet That every nice offence should bear his comment.° Bru. And let me tell you, Cassius, you yourself Are much condemned to have an itching palm; To sell and mart your offices for gold

To undeservers.

Cas.

I an itching palm!

You know that you are Brutus that speaks this,
Or, by the gods, this speech were else your last.
Bru. The name of Cassius honors this corruption,
And chastisement doth therefore hide his head.

Cas. Chastisement!

Bru. Remember March, the ides of March re

member:

Did not great Julius bleed for justice' sake?
What villain touched his body, that did stab,
And not for justice? What, shall one of us,
That struck the foremost man of all this world
But for supporting robbers, shall we now
Contaminate our fingers with base bribes,
And sell the mighty space of our large honors
For so much trash as may be grasped thus?

20

I had rather be a dog, and bay the moon,
Than such a Roman.

Cas.

Brutus, bait not me;

I'll not endure it: you forget yourself,

To hedge me in; I am a soldier, I,
Older in practice, abler than yourself

To make conditions.

Bru.

Cas. I am.

Go to; you are not, Cassius.

Bru. I say you are not.

Cas. Urge me no more, I shall forget myself; Have mind upon your health, tempt me no farther. Bru. Away, slight man!

Cas. Is 't possible?

Bru.
Must I give way and room to your rash choler?
Shall I be frighted when a madman stares?

Hear me, for I will speak.

30

40

Cas. O ye gods, ye gods! must I endure all this? Bru. 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?° Must I observe you? must I stand and crouch Under your testy humor? 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,
When you are waspish.

Cas.

Is it come to this?

501

Bru. 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 noble men.

Cas. You wrong me every way; you wrong me, Brutus;

I said, an elder soldier, not a better:

Did I say, better?

Bru.

If you did, I care not.

Cas. When Cæsar lived, he durst not thus have moved me.

Bru. Peace, peace! you durst not so have tempted

Cas. Do not presume too much upon my love;

I may do that I shall be sorry for.

Bru. You have done that you should be sorry for. There is no terror, Cassius, in your threats;