64

68

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

him. Cas. I durst not?

60 Bru. No. Cas. What, durst not tempt him? Bru.

For your life you durst not. 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 ; For I am arm'd so strong in honesty That they pass by me as the idle wind, Which I respect not. I did send to you For certain sums of gold, which you

denied me; For I can raise no money by vile means: By heaven, I had rather coin my heart,

72 And drop my blood for drachmas, than to wring From the hard hands of peasants their vile trash By any indirection. I did send To you for gold to pay my legions, Which

you

denied me: was that done like Cassius?
Should I have answer'd Caius Cassius so?
When Marcus Brutus grows so covetous,
To lock such rascal counters from his friends, 80
Be ready, gods, with all your thunderbolts;
Dash him to pieces !
Cas.

I denied you not.
Bru. You did.
Cas.

I did not: he was but a fool
That brought my answer back. Brutus hath riv'd

84 A friend should bear his friend's infirmities,

76

my heart.

96

But Brutus makes mine greater than they are.

Bru. I do not, till you practise them on me.
Cas. You love me not.
Bru.

I do not like your faults. 88 Cas. A friendly eye could never see such faults.

Bru. A flatterer's would not, though they do appear As huge as high Olympus.

Cas. Come, Antony, and young Octavius, come, 92 Revenge yourselves alone on Cassius, For Cassius is aweary of the world; Hated by one he loves; bray'd by his brother; Check'd like a bondman; all his faults observ'd, Set in a note-book, learn'd, and conn'd by rote, To cast into my teeth. O, I could weep My spirit from mine eyes. There is my dagger, And here my naked breast; within, a heart 100 Dearer than Pluto's mine, richer than gold: If that thou be'st a Roman, take it forth; I, that denied thee gold, will give my heart: Strike, as thou didst at Cæsar; for, I know, When thou didst hate him worst, thou lov’dst him

better Than ever thou lov’dst Cassius. Bru.

Sheathe your dagger: when you will, it shall have scope; Do what you will, dishonour shall be humour.

108 O Cassius, you are yoked with a lamb That carries anger as the flint bears fire, Who, much enforced, shows a hasty spark, And straight is cold again.

104

Be angry

121

Cas.

Hath Cassius liv'd 112
To be but mirth and laughter to his Brutus,
When grief and blood ill-temper'd vexeth him?

Bru. When I spoke that I was ill-temper'd too.
Cas. Do you confess so much?

Give me your hand.

116
Bru. And my heart too.
Cas.

O Brutus!
Bru.

What's the matter?
Cas. Have not you love enough to bear with me,
When that rash humour which my mother gave me
Makes me forgetful?
Bru.

Yes, Cassius; and from henceforth When you are over-earnest with your Brutus, He'll think your mother chides, and leave you so.

Poet. [Within.] Let me go in to see the generals; There is some grudge between 'em, 'tis not meet They be alone.

125 Lucil. [Within.] You shall not come to them.

Poet. [Within.] Nothing but death shall stay me. Enter a Poet [followed by Lucilius, Titinius, and

Lucius).
Cas. How now! What's the matter?

128 Poet. For shame, you generals !

What do you
mean?
Love, and be friends, as two such men should be;
For I have seen more years, I'm sure, than ye.

Cas. Ha, ha! how vilely doth this cynic rime!
Bru. Get you hence, sirrah;

saucy

fellow, hence!

133 Cas. Bear with him, Brutus; 'tis his fashion.

wars

Bru. I'll know his humour, when he knows his

time: What should the

do with these jigging fools?

136 Companion, hence! Cas. Away, away: be gone!

Exit Poet. Bru. Lucilius and Titinius, bid the commanders Prepare to lodge their companies to-night. Cas. And come yourselves, and bring Messala with you,

140 Immediately to us.

[Exeunt Lucilius and Titinius.] Bru.

Lucius, a bowl of wine! [Exit Lucius.] Cas. I did not think you could have been so angry. Bru. O Cassius, I am sick of many griefs.

Cas. Of your philosophy you make no use, 144 If you give place to accidental evils.

Bru. No man bears sorrow better: Portia is dead.
Cas. Ha! Portia ?
Bru. She is dead.

148
Cas. How 'scap'd I killing when I cross'd you so?
O insupportable and touching loss!
Upon what sickness ?
Bru.

Impatient of my absence, And grief that young Octavius with Mark An

tony Have made themselves so strong ;—for with her death That tidings came with this she fell distract, And, her attendants absent, swallow'd fire. 135 I'll listen to his folly when he learns the proper time for it 136 jigging: doggerel rhyming 137 Companion: base fellow 139 lodge to-night: encamp for the night 145 give accidental: admit the power of casual 151 Upon: of Impatient of: unable to endure 152 grief; cf. n.

152 156

160

Cas. And died so?
Bru.

Even so.
Cas.

O ye immortal gods ! Enter Boy (Lucius], with wine and tapers. Bru. Speak no more of her. Give me a bowl of

wine. In this I bury all unkindness, Cassius. Drinks.

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. [Drinks.] Bru. Come in, Titinius.

[Exit Lucius. ] Enter Titinius and Messala.

Welcome, good Messala. Now sit we close about this taper here, And call in question our necessities.

164 Cas. Portia, art thou gone? Bru.

No more, I pray you.
Messala, I have here received letters,
That young Octavius and Mark Antony
Come down upon us with a mighty power,
Bending their expedition towards Philippi.

Mes. Myself have letters of the self-same tenour.
Bru. With what addition?
Mes. That by proscription and bills of out-

lawry,
Octavius, Antony, and Lepidus,
Have put to death an hundred senators.

Bru. Therein our letters do not well agree; Mine speak of seventy senators that died

176 By their proscriptions, Cicero being one.

168

172