Enter LUCIUS, with Wine and Tapers. 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. Re-enter TITINIUS, with MESsala. [Drinks. [Drinks. Bru. Come in, Titinius. Welcome, good Messala. Now sit we close about this taper here, No more, I pray you. And call in question our necessities. Mes. Myself have letters of the self-same tenour. Mes. That by proscription, and bills of outlawry, Have put to death an hundred senators. Bru. Therein our letters do not well agree: Mine speak of seventy senators, that died By their proscriptions, Cicero being one. Mes. Cicero is dead, And by that order of proscription. Had you your letters from your wife, my lord? Bru. No, Messala. Mes. Nor nothing in your letters writ of her? Bru. Nothing, Messala. Mes. That, methinks, is strange. Bru. Why ask you? Hear you aught of her in yours? Mes. No, my lord. Bru. Now, as you are a Roman, tell me true. For certain she is dead, and by strange manner. Bru. Why, farewell, Portia. We must die, With meditating that she must die once, I have the patience to endure it now. Messala: Mes. Even so great men great losses should endure. But yet my nature could not bear it so. Bru. Well, to our work alive. Of marching to Philippi presently? - What do you think Your reason? This it is. "T is better, that the enemy seek us: So shall he waste his means, weary his soldiers, Are full of rest, defence, and nimbleness. Bru. Good reasons must, of force, give place to better. The people, 'twixt Philippi and this ground, Do stand but in a forc'd affection; For they have grudg'd us contribution : Come on refresh'd, new-added, and encourag'd; 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. 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; And we must take the current when it serves, Or lose our ventures. Cas. Then, with your will, go on: We will 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? Good night: Early to-morrow will we rise, and hence. Bru. Lucius, my gown. [Exit LUCIUS.] Farewell, good Messala: Good night, Titinius. - Noble, noble Cassius, Good night, and good repose. Cas. O, my dear brother! This was an ill beginning of the night. Never come such division 'tween our souls! Give me the gown. Where is thy instrument? Luc. Here in the tent. Bru. What! thou speak'st drowsily? Poor knave, I blame thee not; thou art o'er-watch'd. Call Claudius, and some other of my men; I'll have them sleep on cushions in my tent. Luc. Varro, and Claudius! Enter VARRO and CLAUDIUS. Var. Calls my lord? Bru. I pray you, Sirs, lie in my tent, and sleep: It may be, I shall raise you by and by On business to my brother Cassius. Var. So please you, we will stand, and watch your pleasure. Bru. I will not have it so; lie down, good Sirs: It may be, I shall otherwise bethink me. Look, Lucius, here's the book I sought for so; I put it in the pocket of my gown. [Servants lie down. Luc. I was sure, your lordship did not give it me. Bru. Bear with me, good boy, I am much forgetful. Canst thou hold up thy heavy eyes awhile, And touch thy instrument a strain or two? Luc. Ay, my lord, an't please you. It does, my boy. I trouble thee too much, but thou art willing. Bru. I should not urge thy duty past thy might: I know, young bloods look for a time of rest. Bru. It was well done, and thou shalt sleep again; I will not hold thee long: if I do live, I will be good to thee. [Music, and a Song. This is a sleepy tune. - O murderous slumber! That plays thee music? — Gentle knave, good night; Enter the Ghost of CÆSAR. How ill this taper burns. - Ha! who comes here? Art thou some god, some angel, or some devil, [He sits down. That mak'st my blood cold, and my hair to stare? Ghost. Thy evil spirit, Brutus. Bru. Why com'st thou? Ay, at Philippi. Ghost. To tell thee, thou shalt see me at Philippi. Bru. Why, I will see thee at Philippi then. Now I have taken heart, thou vanishest: [Ghost vanishes. Ill spirit, I would hold more talk with thee. Luc. The strings, my lord, are false. Bru. He thinks; he still is at his instrument. Lucius, awake! Luc. My lord. Bru. Didst thou dream, Lucius, that thou so criedst out? Luc. Bru. Yes, that thou didst. Didst thou see any thing? Bru. Sleep again, Lucius. — Sirrah, Claudius! Fellow thou: awake! Var. My lord. Clau. My lord. Bru. Why did you so cry out, Sirs, in your sleep? Bru. Var. No, my lord, I saw nothing. 16 Glau. Ay: saw you any thing? Nor I, my lord. Bru. Go, and commend me to my brother Cassius: Bid him set on his powers betimes before, And we will follow. Var. Clau. It shall be done, my lord. [Exeunt. |