As he hath used of old.

Bru.

Thou hast described

A hot friend cooling: ever note, Lucilius,
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,3
Make gallant show and promise of their mettle:
But when they should endure the bloody spur,*
They falls their crests, and, like deceitful jades,
Sink in the trial. Comes his army on?

Lucil. They mean this night in Sardis to be
quarter'd;

The greater part, the horse in general,

Are come with Cassius."

Bru. Stand, ho! Speak the word along.

3 Chafing at the tightening of the bit, i. e., Difficult to manage.

4 Be urged to their utmost capacity.

5 Change to the modern idiom.

6 The greater part of Cassius' army remains in Sardis, but Cassius himself with his cavalry has come to Brutus' camp.

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?
Cas. Brutus, this sober form of yours hides

wrongs;

And when you do them

Bru.

Cassius, be content; 41

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,9
And I will give you audience.

Cas.

Pindarus,

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

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

7 i. e., "I know what a violent temper you have." 8 To state at large. idiom demand in this connection?

9 Grievances.

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[Exeunt.

What preposition does the modern

SCENE-SETTING.

ACT IV.-SCENE III.-THE INTERIOR OF BRUTUS'

TENT.

Note. (1) The interview between Brutus and Cassius. reveals the purely human side of their characters; it revives their old friendship; and reanimates them with the idea that they are still fighting in their country's cause. (2) The ghost of Cæsar implies to Brutus that the life of the latter must be forfeited for the murder of his friend.

(1). Setting of the Scene.

In the interior is shown a small apartment separated from the main tent by partly drawn curtains revealing a couch. Rich hangings form the walls. In the center is a camp table with camp chairs about it, not differing essentially from modern furniture of the same nature.

(2). Actors.

Brutus & Cassius.

Marcus Favonius, a Poet.-An old man with long, thin, gray beard and hair, and a wild and haggard expression. Lucilius, Titinius, Varro, & Claudius, Young officers. Messala, an older officer.

Lucius, the personal attendant of Brutus.

The Ghost of Cæsar. See page 118.

(3). Costumes. See iv. 2.

SCENE III. BRUTUS' tent.

Enter BRUTUS and CASSIUS.

Cas. That you have wrong'd me doth appear in

this:

You have condemn'd and noted1 Lucius Pella
For taking bribes here of the Sardians;
Wherein my letter, praying on his side,
Because I knew the man, was slighted off.

Bru. You wrong'd yourself to write in such a

case.

Cas. In such a time as this it is not meet

That every nice2 offence should bear his comment.wi
Bru. Let me tell you, Cassius, you yourself

Are much condemn'd to have an itching palm;3
To sell and mart your offices for gold

To undeservers.

Cas.

I an itching palm!

You know that you are Brutus that speak this,
Or, by the gods, this speech were else your last.
Bru. The name of Cassius honours this cor-
ruption,

And chastisement doth therefore hide his head.
Cas. Chastisement!

Bru. Remember March, the ides of March

remember:

Did not great Julius bleed for justice's 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

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20

1 Branded.

2 Petty.

3 A love for money.

But for supporting robbers, shall we now
Contaminate our fingers with base bribes,
And sell the mighty space of our large honours
For so much trash as may be grasped thus ?

I had rather be a dog, and bay the moon,

Than such a Roman.

Cas.

Brutus, bay not me;

I'll not endure it: you forget yourself,
To hedge me in;5 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.
Hear me, for I will speak.
Must I give way and room to your rash choler?
Shall I be frighted when a madman stares?

Cas. O ye gods, ye gods! must I endure all
this?

Bru. All this! ay, more: fret till your proud heart break;

40

4 "But Brutus bade him remember the ides of March, the day when they killed Caesar, who himself neither plundered nor pillaged mankind, but was only the support and strength of those who did."-Plutarch.

5 "To tell me what I may and may not do."