Imagens das páginas
PDF
ePub

As huge as high Olympus.

Cas. Come, Antony, and young Octavius, come, Revenge yourselves alone on Cassius, For Cassius is a-weary of the world: Hated by one he loves; brav'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 Dearer than Plutus' mine, richer than gold: If that thou beest 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. Sheath your dagger: Be angry when you will, it shall have scope; Do what you will, dishonour shall be humour. 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.

Cas. Hath Cassius liv'd 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.

Bru. And my heart too.

Cas.

O Brutus !Bru. What's the matter? Cas. Have you not 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. Enter LUCILIUS and TITINIUS.

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

Bru.

[Exeunt LUCILIUS and TITINIUS. Lucius, a bowl of wine. 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,

If you give place to accidental evils.

Cus. O ye immortal gods!

Enter 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.
Re-enter TITINIUS, with MESSALA.

Bru. Come in, Titinius :-Welcome, good Mes

sala.

Now sit we close about this taper here,
And call in question our necessities.
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 toward Philippi.

Mes. Myself have letters of the self-same tenor. Had you your letters from your wife, my lord? Bru. No, Messala.

Mes. Nothing in your letters writ of her?
Bru. Nothing, Messala.

Mes.

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

With meditating that she must die once,
I have the patience to endure it now.

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.

Bru. Well, to our work alive. What do you think

Of marching to Philippi presently?
Cas. I do not think it good.

Bru. Cas.

Your reason?
This it is;

'Tis better that the enemy seek us :
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.

Bru. No man bears sorrow better.-Portia is The people, 'twixt Philippi and this ground,

dead.

Cas. Ha! Portia ?

Bru. She is dead.

Do stand but in a forc'd affection;

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

Cas. How 'scap'd I killing when I cross'd you By them shall make a fuller number up,

80?

[blocks in formation]

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.
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;

[blocks in formation]

SCENE.-The Plains of Philippi.

ACT V.

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 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.

Mess.

Enter a Messenger.

Prepare you, generals: The enemy comes on in gallant show; Their bloody sign of battle is hung out, And something to be done immediately.

Ant. Octavius, lead your battle softly on,
Upon the left hand of the even field.

Oct. Upon the right hand I, keep thou the left.
Ant. Why do you cross me in this exigent?
Oct. I do not cross you; but I will do so.

[March. Drum. Enter BRUTUS, CASSIUS, and their Army; LUCILIUS, TITINIUS, MESSALA, and others.

Bru. No, Cassius, no: think not, thou noble
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 lasting 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!

SCENE.-The same. The Field of Battle.

Alarum. Enter BRUTUS and MESSALA. Bru. Ride, ride, Messala, ride and give these bills

Unto the legions on the other side :

[Loud alarum.
Let them set on at once; for I perceive
But cold demeanour in Octavius wing,
And sudden push gives them the overthrow.
Ride, ride, Messala: let them all come down.

Cas.
Now, most noble Brutus, SCENE.
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 incertain,
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 governs us below.

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

[blocks in formation]

[Exeunt.

Another part of the

Alarum. Enter CASSIUS and TITINIUS.
Cas. O, look, Titinius, look, the villains fly!
Myself have to mine own turn'd enemy;
This ensign here of mine was turning back;
I slew the coward, and did take it from him.
Tit. O Cassius, Brutus gave the word too early:
Who, having some advantage on Octavius,
Took it too eagerly: his soldiers fell to spoil
Whilst we by Antony are all enclos'd.

Enter PINDARUS.

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, Titi-
nius;

G

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.
[Exit.

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 shall I end;
My life is run his compass.-Sirrah, what news?
Pin. [Above.] O my lord!

Cas. What news?

[blocks in formation]

Come hither, sirrah;

In Parthia did I take thee prisoner;

And then I swore thee, saving of thy life,
That whatsoever I did bid thee do

Thou shouldst attempt it. Come now, keep thine
oath!

Now, be a freeman; and, with this good sword,
That ran through Cæsar's bowels, search this
bosom.

Stand not to answer: Here, take thou the hilts;
And, when my face is cover'd, as 'tis now,
Guide thou the sword.-Cæsar, thou art reveng'd,
Even with the sword that kill'd thee. [Dies.
Pin. So, I am free; yet would not so have been,
Durst I have done my will. O Cassius!
Far from this country Pindarus shall run,
Where never Roman shall take note of him.

[ocr errors]

Re-enter TITINIUS, with MESSALA.

[Exit.

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

gone;

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?

Tit. What, Pindarus! Where art thou, Pin-
darus?

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 give't thee? Didst thou not hear their
shouts ?

Alas, thou hast misconstrued everything.
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.

[Dies.
Alarum. 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.

He is slain.
Bru. O Julius Caesar, 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 funerals 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:-
'I'is three o'clock; and, Romans, yet ere night
We shall try fortune in a second fight. [Exeunt.

SCENE.-Another part of the Field.
Enter BRUTUS, DARDANIUS, CLITUS, STRATO,
and VOLUMNIUS.

Bru. Come, poor remains of friends, rest on this rock.

Cli. Statilius show'd the torchlight; but, my
lord,

He came not back; he is or ta'en or slain.
Bru. Sit thee down, Clitus: Slaying is the
word;

Clouds, dews, and dangers come; our deeds are It is a deed in fashion. Hark thee, Clitus.

done!

Mistrust of my success hath done this deed.

[Whispering.

Cli. What, I, my lord? No, not for all the world.

Bru. Peace, then, no words.
Come hither, good Volumnius: list a word.
Vol. What says my lord?
Bru.

I know my hour is come.
Vol.

I kill'd not thee with half so good a will.

Why, this, Volumnius: Alarum.

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.

Good Volumnius,

Thou know'st that we two went to school together;
Even for that our love of old, I prithee,
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.
[Exeunt CLI., DAR., and VOL.
I prithee, Strato, stay thou by thy lord.
Thou art a fellow of a good respect;
Thy life hath had some snatch of honour in it:
Hold then my sword, and turn away thy face,
While I do run upon it. Wilt thou, Strato?
Stra. Give me your hand first: Fare you well,
my lord.

Bru. Farewell, good Strato.-Cæsar, now be still:

[He runs on his sword, and dies.

Retreat. Enter OCTAVIUS, ANTONY, MESSALA, LUCILIUS, and their army.

Oct. What man is that?

Mes. My master's man.-Strato, where is thy master?

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, good 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 rites 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.

[blocks in formation]

SCENE.-Northampton. A Room of State in | Thy nephew and right royal sovereign.

the Palace.

Enter King JOHN, Queen ELINOR, PEMBROKE, ESSEX, SALISBURY, and others, with CHATILLON. King John. Now say, Chatillon, what would

France with us?

K. John. What follows if we disallow of this? Chat. The proud control of fierce and bloody

war,

To enforce these rights so forcibly withheld.
K. John. Here have we war for war, and blood
for blood,

Chat. Thus, after greeting, speaks the King of Controlment for controlment : so answer France.

France,

In my behaviour, to the majesty,

The borrow'd majesty of England here.

Eli. A strange beginning;-borrowed majesty! K. John, Silence, good mother; hear the embassy.

Chat. Philip of France, in right and true behalf
Of thy deceased brother Geffrey's son,
Arthur Plantagenet, lays most lawful claim
To this fair island, and the territories;

To Ireland, Poictiers, Anjou, Touraine, Maine:
Desiring thee to lay aside the sword,
Which sways usurpingly these several titles;
And put the same into young Arthur's hand,

Chat. Then take my king's defiance from my mouth,

The farthest limit of my embassy.

K. John. Bear mine to him, and so depart in peace :

Be thou as lightning in the eyes of France:
For ere thou canst report I will be there,
The thunder of my cannon shall be heard:
So, hence! Be thou the trumpet of our wrath,
And sullen presage of your own decay.
An honourable conduct let him have:
Pembroke, look to't: Farewell, Chatillon.

[Exeunt.

ACT II.

SCENE. France. Before the walls of Angiers. Enter on one side the Archduke of AUSTRIA, and Forces; on the other, PHILIP, King of France, and Forces; LEWIS, CONSTANCE, ARTHUR, and

Attendants.

Lew. Before Angiers well met, brave Austria. Arthur, that great forerunner of thy blood, Richard, that robb'd the lion of his heart,

And fought the holy wars in Palestine,
By this brave duke came early to his grave:
And, for amends to his posterity,

To spread his colours, boy, in thy behalf;

At our importance hither has he come,

And to rebuke the usurpation

Of thy unnatural uncle, English John;
Embrace him, love him, give him welcome hither.
Arth. God shall forgive you Coeur-de-Lion's
death,

« AnteriorContinuar »