Bru. What now, Lucilius? is Cassius near? Luc. He is at hand; and Pindarus is come To do you salutation from his master. [PINDARUS gives a letter to BRUTUS. Bru. He greets me well.-Your master, Pindarus, In his own change, or by ill officers, Hath given me some worthy cause to wish Pin. I do not doubt, But that my noble master will appear Bru. He is not doubted.-A word, Lucilius ; Luc. With courtesy, and with respect enough; Nor with such free and friendly conference, Bru. Thou hast describ'd A hot friend cooling: Ever note, Lucilius, It useth an enforced ceremony. There are no tricks in plain and simple faith : Make gallant show and promise of their mettle : Luc. They mean this night in Sardis to be quarter'd; The greater part, the horse in general, Are come with Cassius. Bru. Hark, he is arriv'd : March gently on to meet him. [March within. Enter CASSIUS and Soldiers. Cas. Stand, ho! Bru. Stand, ho! Speak the word along, Within. Stand. Within. Stand. Within. Stand. 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, Speak your griefs softly,-I do know you well :- Which should perceive nothing but love from us, Cas. Pindarus, Bid our commanders lead their charges off Bru. Lucilius, do the like; and let no man Come to our tent, till we have done our conference. SCENE III. Exeunt. Within the Tent of BRUTUS. LUCIUS and TITINIUS at some distance from it. Enter BRUTUS and CASSIUS. Cas. That you have wrong'd me, doth appear in this: You have condemn'd and noted Lucius Pella, For taking bribes here of the Sardians ; Bru. You wrong'd yourself, to write in such a case. That every nice offence should bear his comment.* To undeservers. Cas. I an itching palm ? You know, that you are Brutus that speak this, Cas. Chastisement ! Bru. Remember March, the ides of March remember! Did not great Julius bleed for justice' sake? What villain touch'd his body, that did stab, [2] That is, every small trifling offence. WARB. [3] This question is far from implying that any of those who touch'd Ca. sar's body, were villains. On the contrary, it is an indirect way of asser. ting, that there was not a man among them, who was base enough to stab him for any cause but that of justice. MAL. And sell the mighty space of our large honours, Cas. Brutus, bay not me ; I'll not endure it: you forget yourself, Bru. Go to; you're 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 further. 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? Cas. O ye gods! ye gods! Must I endure all this? Bru. All this? ay, more: Fret, till your proud heart break; Go, show your slaves how choleric you are, And make your bondmen tremble. Must I budge ? Cas. Is it come to this? Bru. You say, you are a better soldier: Let it appear so; make your vaunting true, And it shall please me well: For mine own part, I shall be glad to learn of noble men. Cas. You wrong me every way, you wrong me, Brutus ; I said, an elder soldier, not a better: Did I say, better? Bru. If you did, I care not. Cas.When Cæsar liv'd, he durst not thus have mov'd me. Bru. Peace, peace; you durst not so have tempted him. Cas. I durst not? Bru. No. [4] That is, to limit my authority by your direction or censure. JOHNS. [5] That is, to know on what terms it is fit to confer the offices which are at my disposal. JOHNS. Cas. What? durst not tempt him? Cas. Do not presume too much upon my love, Bru. You have done that you should be sorry for. That they pass by me, as the idle wind, For certain sums of gold, which you deny'd me ;— By heaven, I had rather coin my heart, And drop my blood for drachmas, than to wring To you for gold to pay my legions, 6 Which you denied me: Was that done like Cassius? Should I have answer'd Caius Cassius sà? When Marcus Brutus grows so covetous, To lock such rascal counters from his friends, 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 my heart: A friend should bear his friend's infirmities, But Brutus makes mine greater than they are. Bru. I do not like your faults. 7 Cas. A friendly eye could never see such faults. As huge as high Olympus. Cas. Come, Antony, and young Octavius, come, Revenge yourselves alone on Cassius, For Cassius is aweary of the world: Hated by one he loves; v'd by his brother; [6] This is a noble sentiment, altogether in character, and expressed in a manner inimitably happy. For to wring, implies both to get unjustly, and to use force in getting and hard hands signify both the peasant's great labour and pains in acquiring, and his great unwillingness to quit his hold. WARB. [7] The meaning is this; I do not look for your faults, I only see them, and mention them with vehemence, when you force them into my notice, by practising them on me. JOHNS. Check'd like a bondman; all his faults observ'd, When thou didst hate him worst, thou lov'dst him better Bru. Sheath your dagger: Be angry when you will, it shall have scope; Cas. Hath Cassius liv'd To be but mirth and laughter to his Brutus, 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, henceforth, When you are over-earnest with your Brutus, He'll think your mother chides, and leave you so. [Noise within. Poet. [within.] Let me go in to see the generals; There is some grudge between them, 'tis not meet They be alone. Luc. [within.] You shall not come to them. Cas. How now? What's the matter? Poet. For shame, you generals; what do you mean ? Cas. Ha, ha; how vilely doth this cynick rhime! |