Shakespeare Portal

Act 4, Scene 3

within the tent of Brutus.

  1. [Enter Brutus and Cassius.]
  2. Caius Cassius
  3. 1862 That you have wrong'd me doth appear in this:
  4. 1863 You have condemn'd and noted Lucius Pella
  5. 1864 For taking bribes here of the Sardians;
  6. 1865 Whereas my letters, praying on his side
  7. 1866 Because I knew the man, were slighted off.
  8. Marcus Brutus
  9. 1867 You wrong'd yourself to write in such a case.
  10. Caius Cassius
  11. 1868 In such a time as this it is not meet
  12. 1869 That every nice offense should bear his comment.
  13. Marcus Brutus
  14. 1870 Let me tell you, Cassius, you yourself
  15. 1871 Are much condemn'd to have an itching palm,
  16. 1872 To sell and mart your offices for gold
  17. 1873 To undeservers.
  18. Caius Cassius
  19. 1874 I an itching palm!
  20. 1875 You know that you are Brutus that speak this,
  21. 1876 Or, by the gods, this speech were else your last.
  22. Marcus Brutus
  23. 1877 The name of Cassius honors this corruption,
  24. 1878 And chastisement doth therefore hide his head.
  25. Caius Cassius
  26. 1879 Chastisement!
  27. Marcus Brutus
  28. 1880 Remember March, the Ides of March remember:
  29. 1881 Did not great Julius bleed for justice' sake?
  30. 1882 What villain touch'd his body, that did stab,
  31. 1883 And not for justice? What! shall one of us,
  32. 1884 That struck the foremost man of all this world
  33. 1885 But for supporting robbers,—shall we now
  34. 1886 Contaminate our fingers with base bribes
  35. 1887 And sell the mighty space of our large honours
  36. 1888 For so much trash as may be grasped thus?
  37. 1889 I had rather be a dog, and bay the moon,
  38. 1890 Than such a Roman.
  39. Caius Cassius
  40. 1891 Brutus, bay not me,
  41. 1892 I'll not endure it: you forget yourself,
  42. 1893 To hedge me in; I am a soldier, ay,
  43. 1894 Older in practice, abler than yourself
  44. 1895 To make conditions.
  45. Marcus Brutus
  46. 1896 Go to; you are not, Cassius.
  47. Caius Cassius
  48. 1897 I am.
  49. Marcus Brutus
  50. 1898 I say you are not.
  51. Caius Cassius
  52. 1899 Urge me no more, I shall forget myself;
  53. 1900 Have mind upon your health, tempt me no farther.
  54. Marcus Brutus
  55. 1901 Away, slight man!
  56. Caius Cassius
  57. 1902 Is't possible?
  58. Marcus Brutus
  59. 1903 Hear me, for I will speak.
  60. 1904 Must I give way and room to your rash choler?
  61. 1905 Shall I be frighted when a madman stares?
  62. Caius Cassius
  63. 1906 O gods, ye gods! must I endure all this?
  64. Marcus Brutus
  65. 1907 All this? ay, more: fret till your proud heart break;
  66. 1908 Go show your slaves how choleric you are,
  67. 1909 And make your bondmen tremble. Must I budge?
  68. 1910 Must I observe you? Must I stand and crouch
  69. 1911 Under your testy humour? By the gods,
  70. 1912 You shall digest the venom of your spleen,
  71. 1913 Though it do split you; for, from this day forth,
  72. 1914 I'll use you for my mirth, yea, for my laughter,
  73. 1915 When you are waspish.
  74. Caius Cassius
  75. 1916 Is it come to this?
  76. Marcus Brutus
  77. 1917 You say you are a better soldier:
  78. 1918 Let it appear so; make your vaunting true,
  79. 1919 And it shall please me well: for mine own part,
  80. 1920 I shall be glad to learn of abler men.
  81. Caius Cassius
  82. 1921 You wrong me every way, you wrong me, Brutus.
  83. 1922 I said, an elder soldier, not a better:
  84. 1923 Did I say "better"?
  85. Marcus Brutus
  86. 1924 If you did, I care not.
  87. Caius Cassius
  88. 1925 When Caesar lived, he durst not thus have moved me.
  89. Marcus Brutus
  90. 1926 Peace, peace! you durst not so have tempted him.
  91. Caius Cassius
  92. 1927 I durst not?
  93. Marcus Brutus
  94. 1928 No.
  95. Caius Cassius
  96. 1929 What, durst not tempt him?
  97. Marcus Brutus
  98. 1930 For your life you durst not.
  99. Caius Cassius
  100. 1931 Do not presume too much upon my love;
  101. 1932 I may do that I shall be sorry for.
  102. Marcus Brutus
  103. 1933 You have done that you should be sorry for.
  104. 1934 There is no terror, Cassius, in your threats,
  105. 1935 For I am arm'd so strong in honesty,
  106. 1936 That they pass by me as the idle wind
  107. 1937 Which I respect not. I did send to you
  108. 1938 For certain sums of gold, which you denied me;—
  109. 1939 For I can raise no money by vile means:
  110. 1940 By Heaven, I had rather coin my heart,
  111. 1941 And drop my blood for drachmas, than to wring
  112. 1942 From the hard hands of peasants their vile trash
  113. 1943 By any indirection:—I did send
  114. 1944 To you for gold to pay my legions,
  115. 1945 Which you denied me: was that done like Cassius?
  116. 1946 Should I have answer'd Caius Cassius so?
  117. 1947 When Marcus Brutus grows so covetous
  118. 1948 To lock such rascal counters from his friends,
  119. 1949 Be ready, gods, with all your thunderbolts,
  120. 1950 Dash him to pieces!
  121. Caius Cassius
  122. 1951 I denied you not.
  123. Marcus Brutus
  124. 1952 You did.
  125. Caius Cassius
  126. 1953 I did not. He was but a fool
  127. 1954 That brought my answer back. Brutus hath rived my heart:
  128. 1955 A friend should bear his friend's infirmities,
  129. 1956 But Brutus makes mine greater than they are.
  130. Marcus Brutus
  131. 1957 I do not, till you practise them on me.
  132. Caius Cassius
  133. 1958 You love me not.
  134. Marcus Brutus
  135. 1959 I do not like your faults.
  136. Caius Cassius
  137. 1960 A friendly eye could never see such faults.
  138. Marcus Brutus
  139. 1961 A flatterer's would not, though they do appear
  140. 1962 As huge as high Olympus.
  141. Caius Cassius
  142. 1963 Come, Antony and young Octavius, come,
  143. 1964 Revenge yourselves alone on Cassius,
  144. 1965 For Cassius is a-weary of the world;
  145. 1966 Hated by one he loves; braved by his brother;
  146. 1967 Check'd like a bondman; all his faults observed,
  147. 1968 Set in a note-book, learn'd and conn'd by rote,
  148. 1969 To cast into my teeth. O, I could weep
  149. 1970 My spirit from mine eyes!—There is my dagger,
  150. 1971 And here my naked breast; within, a heart
  151. 1972 Dearer than Plutus' mine, richer than gold:
  152. 1973 If that thou be'st a Roman, take it forth;
  153. 1974 I, that denied thee gold, will give my heart:
  154. 1975 Strike as thou didst at Caesar; for I know,
  155. 1976 When thou didst hate him worst, thou lovedst him better
  156. 1977 Than ever thou lovedst Cassius.
  157. Marcus Brutus
  158. 1978 Sheathe your dagger:
  159. 1979 Be angry when you will, it shall have scope;
  160. 1980 Do what you will, dishonor shall be humour.
  161. 1981 O Cassius, you are yoked with a lamb
  162. 1982 That carries anger as the flint bears fire;
  163. 1983 Who, much enforced, shows a hasty spark,
  164. 1984 And straight is cold again.
  165. Caius Cassius
  166. 1985 Hath Cassius lived
  167. 1986 To be but mirth and laughter to his Brutus,
  168. 1987 When grief, and blood ill-temper'd, vexeth him?
  169. Marcus Brutus
  170. 1988 When I spoke that, I was ill-temper'd too.
  171. Caius Cassius
  172. 1989 Do you confess so much? Give me your hand.
  173. Marcus Brutus
  174. 1990 And my heart too.
  175. Caius Cassius
  176. 1991 O Brutus,—
  177. Marcus Brutus
  178. 1992 What's the matter?
  179. Caius Cassius
  180. 1993 —Have not you love enough to bear with me,
  181. 1994 When that rash humor which my mother gave me
  182. 1995 Makes me forgetful?
  183. Marcus Brutus
  184. 1996 Yes, Cassius; and from henceforth,
  185. 1997 When you are over-earnest with your Brutus,
  186. 1998 He'll think your mother chides, and leave you so.
  187. [Noise within.]
  188. [Within.]
  189. Poet
  190. 1999 Let me go in to see the generals:
  191. 2000 There is some grudge between 'em; 'tis not meet
  192. 2001 They be alone.
  193. [Within.]
  194. Lucilius
  195. 2002 You shall not come to them.
  196. [Within.]
  197. Poet
  198. 2003 Nothing but death shall stay me.
  199. [Enter Poet, followed by Lucilius, and Titinius.]
  200. Caius Cassius
  201. 2004 How now! What's the matter?
  202. Poet
  203. 2005 For shame, you generals! what do you mean?
  204. 2006 Love, and be friends, as two such men should be;
  205. 2007 For I have seen more years, I'm sure, than ye.
  206. Caius Cassius
  207. 2008 Ha, ha! How vilely doth this cynic rhyme!
  208. Marcus Brutus
  209. 2009 Get you hence, sirrah; saucy fellow, hence!
  210. Caius Cassius
  211. 2010 Bear with him, Brutus; 'tis his fashion.
  212. Marcus Brutus
  213. 2011 I'll know his humor when he knows his time:
  214. 2012 What should the wars do with these jigging fools?—
  215. 2013 Companion, hence!
  216. Caius Cassius
  217. 2014 Away, away, be gone!
  218. [Exit Poet.]
  219. Marcus Brutus
  220. 2015 Lucilius and Titinius, bid the commanders
  221. 2016 Prepare to lodge their companies tonight.
  222. Caius Cassius
  223. 2017 And come yourselves and bring Messala with you
  224. 2018 Immediately to us.
  225. [Exeunt Lucilius and Titinius.]
  226. Marcus Brutus
  227. 2019 Lucius, a bowl of wine!
  228. [Exit Lucius.]
  229. Caius Cassius
  230. 2020 I did not think you could have been so angry.
  231. Marcus Brutus
  232. 2021 O Cassius, I am sick of many griefs.
  233. Caius Cassius
  234. 2022 Of your philosophy you make no use,
  235. 2023 If you give place to accidental evils.
  236. Marcus Brutus
  237. 2024 No man bears sorrow better. Portia is dead.
  238. Caius Cassius
  239. 2025 Ha! Portia!
  240. Marcus Brutus
  241. 2026 She is dead.
  242. Caius Cassius
  243. 2027 How 'scaped I killing, when I cross'd you so?—
  244. 2028 O insupportable and touching loss!—
  245. 2029 Upon what sickness?
  246. Marcus Brutus
  247. 2030 Impatient of my absence,
  248. 2031 And grief that young Octavius with Mark Antony
  249. 2032 Have made themselves so strong;—for with her death
  250. 2033 That tidings came;—with this she fell distract,
  251. 2034 And, her attendants absent, swallow'd fire.
  252. Caius Cassius
  253. 2035 And died so?
  254. Marcus Brutus
  255. 2036 Even so.
  256. Caius Cassius
  257. 2037 O ye immortal gods!
  258. [Re-enter Lucius, with wine and a taper.]
  259. Marcus Brutus
  260. 2038 Speak no more of her.—Give me a bowl of wine.—
  261. 2039 In this I bury all unkindness, Cassius.
  262. [Drinks.]
  263. Caius Cassius
  264. 2040 My heart is thirsty for that noble pledge.
  265. 2041 Fill, Lucius, till the wine o'erswell the cup;
  266. 2042 I cannot drink too much of Brutus' love.
  267. [Drinks.]
  268. Marcus Brutus
  269. 2043 Come in, Titinius!—
  270. [Exit Lucius.]
  271. [Re-enter Titinius, with Messala.]
  272. Marcus Brutus
  273. 2044 Welcome, good Messala.—
  274. 2045 Now sit we close about this taper here,
  275. 2046 And call in question our necessities.
  276. Caius Cassius
  277. 2047 Portia, art thou gone?
  278. Marcus Brutus
  279. 2048 No more, I pray you.—
  280. 2049 Messala, I have here received letters,
  281. 2050 That young Octavius and Mark Antony
  282. 2051 Come down upon us with a mighty power,
  283. 2052 Bending their expedition toward Philippi.
  284. Messala
  285. 2053 Myself have letters of the selfsame tenour.
  286. Marcus Brutus
  287. 2054 With what addition?
  288. Messala
  289. 2055 That by proscription and bills of outlawry
  290. 2056 Octavius, Antony, and Lepidus
  291. 2057 Have put to death an hundred Senators.
  292. Marcus Brutus
  293. 2058 There in our letters do not well agree:
  294. 2059 Mine speak of seventy Senators that died
  295. 2060 By their proscriptions, Cicero being one.
  296. Caius Cassius
  297. 2061 Cicero one!
  298. Messala
  299. 2062 Cicero is dead,
  300. 2063 And by that order of proscription.—
  301. 2064 Had you your letters from your wife, my lord?
  302. Marcus Brutus
  303. 2065 No, Messala.
  304. Messala
  305. 2066 Nor nothing in your letters writ of her?
  306. Marcus Brutus
  307. 2067 Nothing, Messala.
  308. Messala
  309. 2068 That, methinks, is strange.
  310. Marcus Brutus
  311. 2069 Why ask you? hear you aught of her in yours?
  312. Messala
  313. 2070 No, my lord.
  314. Marcus Brutus
  315. 2071 Now, as you are a Roman, tell me true.
  316. Messala
  317. 2072 Then like a Roman bear the truth I tell:
  318. 2073 For certain she is dead, and by strange manner.
  319. Marcus Brutus
  320. 2074 Why, farewell, Portia. We must die, Messala:
  321. 2075 With meditating that she must die once,
  322. 2076 I have the patience to endure it now.
  323. Messala
  324. 2077 Even so great men great losses should endure.
  325. Caius Cassius
  326. 2078 I have as much of this in art as you,
  327. 2079 But yet my nature could not bear it so.
  328. Marcus Brutus
  329. 2080 Well, to our work alive. What do you think
  330. 2081 Of marching to Philippi presently?
  331. Caius Cassius
  332. 2082 I do not think it good.
  333. Marcus Brutus
  334. 2083 Your reason?
  335. Caius Cassius
  336. 2084 This it is:
  337. 2085 'Tis better that the enemy seek us;:
  338. 2086 So shall he waste his means, weary his soldiers,
  339. 2087 Doing himself offense; whilst we, lying still,
  340. 2088 Are full of rest, defense, and nimbleness.
  341. Marcus Brutus
  342. 2089 Good reasons must, of force, give place to better.
  343. 2090 The people 'twixt Philippi and this ground
  344. 2091 Do stand but in a forced affection;
  345. 2092 For they have grudged us contribution:
  346. 2093 The enemy, marching along by them,
  347. 2094 By them shall make a fuller number up,
  348. 2095 Come on refresh'd, new-added, and encouraged;
  349. 2096 From which advantage shall we cut him off,
  350. 2097 If at Philippi we do face him there,
  351. 2098 These people at our back.
  352. Caius Cassius
  353. 2099 Hear me, good brother.
  354. Marcus Brutus
  355. 2100 Under your pardon. You must note besides,
  356. 2101 That we have tried the utmost of our friends,
  357. 2102 Our legions are brim-full, our cause is ripe:
  358. 2103 The enemy increaseth every day;
  359. 2104 We, at the height, are ready to decline.
  360. 2105 There is a tide in the affairs of men
  361. 2106 Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune;
  362. 2107 Omitted, all the voyage of their life
  363. 2108 Is bound in shallows and in miseries.
  364. 2109 On such a full sea are we now afloat;
  365. 2110 And we must take the current when it serves,
  366. 2111 Or lose our ventures.
  367. Caius Cassius
  368. 2112 Then, with your will, go on:
  369. 2113 We'll along ourselves, and meet them at Philippi.
  370. Marcus Brutus
  371. 2114 The deep of night is crept upon our talk,
  372. 2115 And nature must obey necessity;
  373. 2116 Which we will niggard with a little rest.
  374. 2117 There is no more to say?
  375. Caius Cassius
  376. 2118 No more. Good night:
  377. 2119 Early to-morrow will we rise, and hence.
  378. Marcus Brutus
  379. 2120 Lucius!—My gown.—Farewell now, good Messala:—
  380. 2121 Good night, Titinius:—noble, noble Cassius,
  381. 2122 Good night, and good repose.
  382. Caius Cassius
  383. 2123 O my dear brother!
  384. 2124 This was an ill beginning of the night.
  385. 2125 Never come such division 'tween our souls!
  386. 2126 Let it not, Brutus.
  387. Marcus Brutus
  388. 2127 Every thing is well.
  389. Caius Cassius
  390. 2128 Good night, my lord.
  391. Marcus Brutus
  392. 2129 Good night, good brother.
  393. Titinius and Messala
  394. 2130 Good night, Lord Brutus.
  395. Marcus Brutus
  396. 2131 Farewell, everyone.—
  397. [Exeunt Cassius, Titinius, and Messala.]
  398. [Re-enter Lucius, with the gown.]
  399. Marcus Brutus
  400. 2132 Give me the gown. Where is thy instrument?
  401. Lucius
  402. 2133 Here in the tent.
  403. Marcus Brutus
  404. 2134 What, thou speak'st drowsily:
  405. 2135 Poor knave, I blame thee not, thou art o'er-watch'd.
  406. 2136 Call Claudius and some other of my men;
  407. 2137 I'll have them sleep on cushions in my tent.
  408. Lucius
  409. 2138 Varro and Claudius!
  410. [Enter Varro and Claudius.]
  411. Varro
  412. 2139 Calls my lord?
  413. Marcus Brutus
  414. 2140 I pray you, sirs, lie in my tent and sleep;
  415. 2141 It may be I shall raise you by-and-by
  416. 2142 On business to my brother Cassius.
  417. Varro
  418. 2143 So please you, we will stand and watch your pleasure.
  419. Marcus Brutus
  420. 2144 I would not have it so; lie down, good sirs:
  421. 2145 It may be I shall otherwise bethink me.—
  422. 2146 Look, Lucius, here's the book I sought for so;
  423. 2147 I put it in the pocket of my gown.
  424. [Servants lie down.]
  425. Lucius
  426. 2148 I was sure your lordship did not give it me.
  427. Marcus Brutus
  428. 2149 Bear with me, good boy, I am much forgetful.
  429. 2150 Canst thou hold up thy heavy eyes awhile,
  430. 2151 And touch thy instrument a strain or two?
  431. Lucius
  432. 2152 Ay, my lord, an't please you.
  433. Marcus Brutus
  434. 2153 It does, my boy:
  435. 2154 I trouble thee too much, but thou art willing.
  436. Lucius
  437. 2155 It is my duty, sir.
  438. Marcus Brutus
  439. 2156 I should not urge thy duty past thy might;
  440. 2157 I know young bloods look for a time of rest.
  441. Lucius
  442. 2158 I have slept, my lord, already.
  443. Marcus Brutus
  444. 2159 It was well done; and thou shalt sleep again;
  445. 2160 I will not hold thee long: if I do live,
  446. 2161 I will be good to thee.—
  447. [Lucius plays and sings till he falls asleep.]
  448. Marcus Brutus
  449. 2162 This is a sleepy tune.—O murderous Slumber,
  450. 2163 Lay'st thou thy leaden mace upon my boy,
  451. 2164 That plays thee music?—Gentle knave, good night;
  452. 2165 I will not do thee so much wrong to wake thee:
  453. 2166 If thou dost nod, thou breakst thy instrument;
  454. 2167 I'll take it from thee; and, good boy, good night.—
  455. 2168 Let me see, let me see; is not the leaf turn'd down
  456. 2169 Where I left reading? Here it is, I think.
  457. [Enter the Ghost of Caesar.]
  458. Marcus Brutus
  459. 2170 How ill this taper burns! Ha! who comes here?
  460. 2171 I think it is the weakness of mine eyes
  461. 2172 That shapes this monstrous apparition.
  462. 2173 It comes upon me.—Art thou any thing?
  463. 2174 Art thou some god, some angel, or some devil,
  464. 2175 That makest my blood cold and my hair to stare?
  465. 2176 Speak to me what thou art.
  466. Ghost of Caesar
  467. 2177 Thy evil spirit, Brutus.
  468. Marcus Brutus
  469. 2178 Why comest thou?
  470. Ghost of Caesar
  471. 2179 To tell thee thou shalt see me at Philippi.
  472. Marcus Brutus
  473. 2180 Well; then I shall see thee again?
  474. Ghost of Caesar
  475. 2181 Ay, at Philippi.
  476. Marcus Brutus
  477. 2182 Why, I will see thee at Philippi, then.
  478. [Ghost vanishes.]
  479. Marcus Brutus
  480. 2183 Now I have taken heart, thou vanishest:
  481. 2184 Ill spirit, I would hold more talk with thee.—
  482. 2185 Boy! Lucius!—Varro! Claudius! Sirs, awake!—Claudius!
  483. Lucius
  484. 2186 The strings, my lord, are false.
  485. Marcus Brutus
  486. 2187 He thinks he still is at his instrument.—
  487. 2188 Lucius, awake!
  488. Lucius
  489. 2189 My lord?
  490. Marcus Brutus
  491. 2190 Didst thou dream, Lucius, that thou so criedst out?
  492. Lucius
  493. 2191 My lord, I do not know that I did cry.
  494. Marcus Brutus
  495. 2192 Yes, that thou didst: didst thou see any thing?
  496. Lucius
  497. 2193 Nothing, my lord.
  498. Marcus Brutus
  499. 2194 Sleep again, Lucius.—Sirrah Claudius!—
  500. [To Varro.]
  501. Marcus Brutus
  502. 2195 Fellow thou, awake!
  503. Varro
  504. 2196 My lord?
  505. Claudius
  506. 2197 My lord?
  507. Marcus Brutus
  508. 2198 Why did you so cry out, sirs, in your sleep?
  509. Varro and Claudius
  510. 2199 Did we, my lord?
  511. Marcus Brutus
  512. 2200 Ay: saw you any thing?
  513. Varro
  514. 2201 No, my lord, I saw nothing.
  515. Claudius
  516. 2202 Nor I, my lord.
  517. Marcus Brutus
  518. 2203 Go and commend me to my brother Cassius;
  519. 2204 Bid him set on his powers betimes before,
  520. 2205 And we will follow.
  521. Varro and Claudius
  522. 2206 It shall be done, my lord.
  523. [Exeunt.]