'Tis better, that the enemy seek us:

This it is:

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.

The people, 'twixt Philippi and this ground,
Do stand but in a forc'd affection;

For they have grudg'd us contribution:
The enemy, marching along by them,

By them shall make a fuller number up,

Come on refresh'd, new-added, and encourag'd;
From which advantage shall we cut him off,
If at Philippi we do face him there,
These people at our back.

Cas.

Hear me, good brother.

Bru. Under your pardon. - You must note beside,

That we have try'd the utmost of our friends,
Our legions are brim-full, our cause is ripe :
The enemy increaseth every day,

We, at the height, are ready to decline.
There is a tide in the affairs of men,
Which taken at the flood, leads on to fortune;
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,
Or lose our ventures.
Cas.
Then, with your will, go on;
We'll on ourselves, and meet him 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;
Early to-morrow will we rise, and hence.
Bru. Lucius, my gown. [Exit LUCIUS.] Fare-
well, 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!

Good night, good brother.

Bru.
Tit. Mes. Good night, lord Brutus.
Bru.

Farewell, every one. [Ereunt Cas. TIT. and MES.

Re-enter LUCIUS, with the Gown.

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 for

getful.

Canst thou hold up thy heavy eyes awhile, And touch thy instrument a strain or two. Luc. Ay, my lord, an it please you.

Bru.

It does, my boy;

I trouble thee too much, but thou art willing.
Luc. It is my duty, sir.

Bru. I should not urge thy duty past thy might;
I know, young bloods look for a time of rest.
Luc. I have slept, my lord, already.

Bru. It is well done; and thou shalt sleep again; I will not hold thee long: if I do live, I will be good to thee. This is a sleepy tune : — Lay'st thou thy leaden mace That plays thee musick?

night;

O

[Musick and a Song. murd'rous slumber! upon my boy,

Gentle knave, good

Enter OCTAVIUS, ANTONY, and their Army. Oct. Now, Antony, our hopes are answered: You said the enemy would not come down, But keep the hills and upper regions; It proves not so: their battles are at hand; They mean to warn 6 us at Philippi here, Answering before we do demand of them.

Ant. Tut, I am in their bosoms, and I know, Wherefore they do it: they could be content To visit other places; and come down With fearful bravery, thinking, by this face, To fasten in our thoughts that they have courage; But 'tis not so.

Drum.

[March.

Enter BRUTUS, CASSIUS, and their Army; LUCILIUS, TITINIUS, MESSALA, and others. Bru. They stand, and would have parley. Cas. Stand fast, Titinius: We must out and talk. Oct. Mark Antony, shall we give sign of battle? Ant. No, Cæsar, we will answer on the charge. Make forth, the generals would have some words. Oct. Stir not until the signal.

Bru. Words before blows: Is it so, countrymen? Oct. Not that we love words better, as you do. Bru. Good words are better than bad strokes,

Ant.

Not stingless too

Bru. O, yes, and soundless too;

For you have stol'n their buzzing, Antony,
And, very wisely, threat before you sting.

Ant. Villains, you did not so, when your vile daggers

Hack'd one another in the sides of Cæsar :

You show'd your teeth like apes, and fawn'd like hounds,

And bow'd like bondmen, kissing Cæsar's feet,
Whilst damned Casca, like a cur behind,
Struck Cæsar on the neck. O flatterers!

Cas. Flatterers! - Now, Brutus, thank yourself: This tongue had not offended so to-day,

If Cassius might have rul'd.

Oct. Come, come, the cause: If arguing make us sweat,

The proof of it will turn to redder drops.
Look;

I draw a sword against conspirators;
When think you that the sword goes up again?
Never till Cæsar's three and twenty wounds

Be well aveng'd; or till another Cæsar
Have added slaughter to the sword of traitors.
Bru. Cæsar, thou canst not die by traitors' hands,
Unless thou bring'st them with thee.
Oct.
So I hope;
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 honourable. Cas. A peevish school-boy, worthless of such honour,

Join'd 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.

This is my birth-day; as this very day
Was Cassius born. Give me thy hand, Messala:
Be thou my witness, that, against my will,
As Pompey was, am I compell'd to set
Upon one battle all our liberties.

You know, that I held Epicurus strong,
And his opinion: now I change my mind,
And partly credit things that do presage.
Coming from Sardis, on our former 7 ensign
Two mighty eagles fell, and there they perch'd,
Gorging and feeding from our soldiers' hands;
Who to Philippi here consorted 8 us;

This morning are they fled away, and gone;
And in their steads, do ravens, crows, and kites,
Fly o'er our heads, and downward look on us,
As we were sickly prey; their shadows seem
A canopy most fatal, under which

Our army lies, ready to give up the ghost.
Mess. Believe not so.
Cas.
I but believe it partly;
For I am fresh of spirit, and resolv'd
To meet all perils very constantly.
Bru. Even so, Lucilius.
Cas.

Now, most noble Brutus,
The gods to day stand friendly; that we may,
Lovers in peace, lead on our days to age!
But, since the affairs of men rest still uncertain,
Let's reason with the worst that may befall.
If we do lose this battle, then is this
The very last time we shall speak together:
What are you then determined to do?

Bru. Even by the rule of that philosophy,
By which I did blame Cato for the death
Which he did give himself: — I know not how,
But I do find it cowardly and vile,

For fear of what might fall, so to prevent
The time of life: arming myself with patience,
To stay the Providence of some high powers
That govern us below.

Cas.

Then, if we lose this battle, You are contented to be led in triumph Thorough the streets of Rome?

Pin. Fly further off, my lord, fly further off;
Mark Antony is in your tents, my lord!
Fly therefore, noble Cassius, fly far off.

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 lov'st 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 assur'd, Whether yond' troops are friend or enemy. Tit. I will be here again, even with a thought. [Erit.

Cas. Go, Pindarus, get higher on that hill; My sight was ever thick; regard Titinius, And tell me what thou not'st about the field. [Exit PINDARUS. This day I breathed first: time is come round, And where I did begin, there I shall end; My life is run his compass. Sirrah, what news? Pin. [Above.] O my lord! Cas. What news?

Pin. Titinius is

Roman,

That ever Brutus will go bound to Rome;
He bears too great a mind. But this same day
Must end that work the ides of March begun;
And whether we shall meet again I know not.
Therefore our everlasting farewell take :
:-
For ever, and for ever, farewell, Cassius!
If we do meet again, why we shall smile;
If not, why then this parting was well made.
Cas. For ever, and for ever, farewell, Brutus !
If we do meet again, we'll smile indeed :
If not, 'tis true, this parting was well made.
Bru. Why then, lead on. — - O, that a man might
know

The end of this day's business, ere it come!
But it sufficeth, that the day will end,

And then the end is known. - Come, ho! away!

Make to him on the spur; - yet he spurs on. Now they are almost on him; now, Titinius! Now some 'light: - O, he 'lights too—he's ta'en -and, hark! [Shout. They shout for joy.

Cas.

Come down, behold no more. O, coward that I am, to live so long. To see my best friend ta'en before my face! Enter PINDARUS.

Re-enter TITINIUS with MESSALA. Mes. It is but change, Titinius; for Octavius Is overthrown by noble Brutus' power, As Cassius' legions are by Antony.

Tit. These tidings will well comfort Cassius. Mes. Where did you leave him?

Tit.

All disconsolate, With Pindarus his bondman, on this hill. Mes. Is not that he, that lies upon the ground? Tit. He lies not like the living. O my heart! Mes. Is not that he? Tit. No, this was he, Messala, But Cassius is no more. - O setting sun! As in thy red rays thou dost sink to-night, So in his red blood Cassius' day is set; The sun of Rome is set! Our day is gone; Clouds, dews, and dangers come; our deeds are done; Mistrust of my success hath done this deed.

Mes. Mistrust of good success hath done this deed. O hateful error, melancholy's child!

Why dost thou show to the apt thoughts of men
The things that are not? O error, soon conceiv'd,
Thou never com'st unto a happy birth,
But kill'st the mother that engender'd thee.

Tit. What, Pindarus? Where art thou, Pindarus?
Mes. Seek him, Titinius: whilst I go to meet
The noble Brutus, thrusting this report
Into his ears: I may say, thrusting it;
For piercing steel, and darts envenomed,
Shall be as welcome to the ears of Brutus,
As tidings of this sight.
Tit.
Hie you, Messala,
And I will seek for Pindarus the while.

[Exit MESSALA. Why didst thou send me forth, brave Cassius? Did I not meet thy friends, and did not they Put on my brows this wreath of victory,

And bid me giv't thee? Didst thou not hear their shouts ?

Alas! thou hast misconstrued every thing.
But hold thee, take this garland on thy brow;
Thy Brutus bid me give it thee, and I
Will do his bidding.

Brutus, come apace,

And see how I regarded Caius Cassius.
By your leave, gods:
:- - This is a Roman's part:
Come, Cassius' sword, and find Titinius' heart.

Alarum.

He is slain.

[Dies.

Re-enter MESSALA, with BRUTUS, young
CATO, STRATO, VOLUMNIUS, and LUCILIUS.
Bru. Where, where, Messala, doth his body lie?
Mes. Lo, yonder; and Titinius mourning it.
Bru. Titinius' face is upward.
Cato.
Bru. O Julius Cæsar, thou art mighty yet!
Thy spirit walks abroad, and turns our swords
In our own proper entrails. [Low Alarums.
Cato.
Brave Titinius!
Look, whe'r he have not crown'd dead Cassius !
Bru. Are yet two Romans living such as these?
The last of all the Romans, fare thee well!
It is impossible that ever Rome

Should breed thy fellow. Friends, I owe more tears
To this dead man, than you shall see me pay..
I shall find time, Cassius, I shall find time.
Come, therefore, and to Thassos send his body;
His funeral shall not be in our camp,
Lest it discomfort us. - Lucilius, come;
And come, young Cato, let us to the field.

Labeo, and Flavius, set our battles on : — 'Tis three o'clock; and, Romans, yet ere night We shall try fortune in a second fight. [Exeunt.

SCENE IV. Another Part of the Field. Alarum. Enter, fighting, Soldiers of both Armies; then BRUTUS, CATO, LUCILIUS, and others. Bru. Yet, countrymen, O, yet hold up your heads! Cato. What bastard doth not? Who will go with me?

I will proclaim my name about the field:
I am the son of Marcus Cato, ho!
A foe to tyrants, and my country's friend;
I am the son of Marcus Cato, ho!

[Charges the Enemy. Bru. And I am Brutus, Marcus Brutus, I; Brutus, my country's friend; know me for Brutus. [Exit, charging the Enemy. CATO is overpowered, and falls.

Luc. O young and noble Cato, art thou down? Why, now thou diest as bravely as Titinius; And mayst be honour'd, being Cato's son. 1 Sold. Yield, or thou diest. Luc. Only I yield to die : There is so much that thou wilt kill me straight; [Offering Money.

Kill Brutus, and be honour'd in his death. 1 Sold. We must not. A noble prisoner! 2 Sold. Room, ho! Tell Antony, Brutus is ta'en. 1 Sold. I'll tell the news. — Here comes the

general:

Enter ANTONY.

Brutus is ta'en, Brutus is ta'en, my lord.

Ant. Where is he?

Luc. Safe, Antony; Brutus is safe enough:
I dare assure thee, that no enemy
Shall ever take alive the noble Brutus :
The gods defend him from so great a shame!
When you do find him or alive, or dead,
He will be found like Brutus, like himself.

Ant. This is not Brutus, friend; but, I assure you,
A prize no less in worth: keep this man safe,
Give him all kindness: I had rather have
Such men my friends than enemies.
And see whe'r Brutus be alive, or dead:
And bring us word, unto Octavius' tent,
How every thing is chanc'd.

Go on,

[Exeunt.

Ch. Now is that noble vessel full of grief,
That it runs over even at his eyes.

Bru. Come hither, good Volumnius: list a word.
Vol. What says my lord?
Bru.

Why, this, Volumnius :
The ghost of Cæsar hath appear'd to me
Two several times by night: at Sardis, once;
And, this last night, here in Philippi' fields.

I know, my hour is come.

Vol.

Good Volumnius,

Not so, my lord. Bru. Nay, I am sure it is, Volumnius. Thou seest the world, Volumnius, how it goes; Our enemies have beat us to the pit: It is more worthy to leap in ourselves, Than tarry till they push us. Thou know'st, that we two went to school together; Even for that our love of old I pray thee, Hold thou my sword-hilts, whilst I run on it. Vol. That's not an office for a friend, my lord. [Alarum still. Cli. Fly, fly, my lord; there is no tarrying here. Bru. Farewell to you; and you;- and you,

Volumnius.

Strato, thou hast been all this while asleep;
Farewell to thee, too, Strato. Countrymen,
My heart doth joy, that yet in all my life,
I found no man, but he was true to me.
I shall have glory by this losing day,
More than Octavius, and Mark Antony,
By this vile conquest shall attain unto.
So fare you well at once; for Brutus' tongue
Hath almost ended his life's history:

Night hangs upon mine eyes; my bones would rest,

That have but labour'd to attain this hour.

[Alarum. Cry within; Fly, fly, fly.

Cli. Fly, my lord, fly. Bru.

Hence; I will follow thee. [Exeunt CLITUS, DARDANIUS, and VOLUMNIUS. I pr'ythee, Strato, stay thou by thy lord : Thou art a fellow of a good respect; Thy life hath had some smatch of honour in it: Hold then my sword and turn away thy face, While I do run upon it. Wilt thou, Strato?

Stra. Free from the bondage you are in, Messala;
The conquerors can but make a fire of him;
For Brutus only overcame himself,

And no man else hath honour by his death.
Luc. So Brutus should be found. — I thank thee,
Brutus,

That thou hast prov'd Lucilius' saying true.
Oct. All that serv'd Brutus, I will entertain them.
Fellow, wilt thou bestow thy time with me?
Stra. Ay, if Messala will prefer? me to you.
Oct. Do so, Messala.
Mes.
How died my master, Strato
Stra. I held the sword, and he did run on it.
Mes. Octavius, then take him to follow thee,
That did the latest service to my master.

Ant. This was the noblest Roman of them all: All the conspirators, save only he,

Did that they did in envy of great Cæsar;
He only, in a general honest thought,
And common good to all, made one of them.
His life was gentle, and the elements
So mix'd in him, that Nature might stand up,
And say to all the world, This was a man!

Oct. According to his virtue let us use him, With all respect and rights of burial. Within my tent his bones to-night shall lie, Most like a soldier, order'd honourably. So, call the field to rest: and let's away, To part the glories of this happy day. [Exeunt. 1 Receive into my service.

2 Recommend.