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.

181

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. Mes. Then like a Roman bear the truth I tell: For certain she is dead, and by strange manner.

184

Bru. Why, farewell, Portia. We must die, Messala:

With meditating that she must die once,

I have the patience to endure it now.

189

Mes. Even so great men great losses should endure.

Cas. I have as much of this in art as you,

But yet my nature could not bear it so.

192

Bru. Well, to our work alive. What do you think Of marching to Philippi presently?

Cas. I do not think it good.

Bru.

Cas.

196

Your reason?

This is it:

'Tis better that the enemy seek us:

So shall he waste his means, weary his soldiers,

Doing himself offence; whilst we, lying still, 200 Are full of rest, defence, and nimbleness.

Bru. Good reasons must, of force, give place to better.

183 Nothing, Messala; cf. n.

190 once: some day

195 alive: which concerns the living

193 art: theory 202 force: necessity

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.

Bru. Under your pardon.

side,

204

209

Hear me, good brother.
You must note be-

That we have tried 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.

212

216

220

Then, with your will, go on;

We'll along ourselves, and meet them at Philippi. 224 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?

204 Are friendly to us only under compulsion

208 new-added: newly augmented

213 That we have drawn on our friends to the utmost

219 Omitted: if it is neglected

220 bound in: confined to

223 ventures: investments

ence

with your will: according to your prefer

227 So to nature's need we will dole out a little rest

Cas.

No more. Good-night: 228

Early to-morrow will we rise, and hence.

Bru. Lucius!

Enter 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!
Let it not, Brutus.

Bru.

Cas. Good-night, my lord.

232

Everything is well.

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!

240

Enter Varro and Claudius.

Var. Calls my lord?

Bru. I pray you, sirs, lie in my tent and sleep:

240 knave: boy o'er-watch'd: worn out by lack of sleep

244

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.

248

[Varro and Claudius lie down.]

Look, Lucius, here's the book I sought for so;
I put it in the pocket of my gown.

252

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.
Bru.

256

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.

260

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.

264

Music, and a Song.

This is a sleepy tune: O murderous slumber,
Lay'st thou thy leaden mace upon my boy,
That plays thee music? Gentle knave, good-

night;

I will not do thee so much wrong to wake thee.
If thou dost nod, thou break'st thy instrument;
I'll take it from thee; and, good boy, good-night.

246 raise: rouse

254 much: very

256 Play a tune or two on thy lute

268

248 watch: wakefully await

266 murderous: because rendering apparently lifeless

267 leaden: dull and heavy mace: bailiff's staff for arresting people

Let me see, let me down

see; is not the leaf turn'd

272

Where I left reading? Here it is, I think.

Enter the Ghost of Cæsar.

How ill this taper burns. Ha! Who comes here?

I think it is the weakness of mine eyes

That shapes this monstrous apparition.
It comes upon me.
Art thou anything?

Art thou some god, some angel, or some devil,

That mak'st my blood cold and my hair to stare?
Speak to me what thou art.

Ghost. Thy evil spirit, Brutus.

Bru.

276

280

Why com'st thou?

Ghost. To tell thee thou shalt see me at Philippi.

Bru. Well; then I shall see thee again?
Ghost.
Bru. Why, I will see thee at Philippi then.

Ay, at Philippi.

284

[Exit Ghost.]

Now I have taken heart, thou vanishest:
Ill spirit, I would hold more talk with thee.
Boy, Lucius! Varro! Claudius! Sirs, awake!
Claudius!

Luc. The strings, my lord, are false.

Bru. He thinks he still is at his instrument.

Lucius, awake!

288

Luc. My lord!

292

Bru. Didst thou dream, Lucius, that thou so criedst out?

Luc. My lord, I do not know that I did cry.

Bru. Yes, that thou didst. Didst thou see anything?

Luc. Nothing, my lord.

274 How burns: accepted sign of an apparition's presence 277 upon: towards

296

279 stare: stand on end