Coming from Sardis, on our former enfign
Two mighty eagles fell; and there they perch'd,
Gorging and feeding from our foldiers' hands;
Who to Philippi here conforted us:

This morning are they fled away, and gone;
And in their fteads do i ravens, crows, and kites,

Fly o'er our heads, and downward look on us,

As we were fickly prey; their fhadows feein
A canopy moft fatal, under which

Our army lies, ready to give up the ghoft.
Mef. Believe not fo.

Caf. I but believe it partly;

For I am fresh of fpirit, and refolv'd
To meet all perils very conftantly.
Bru. Even fo, Lucilius.

Caf. Now, most noble Brutus,

The gods to-day ftand friendly, that we may,
Lovers, in peace, lead on our days to age!

But fince the affairs of men" reft ftill uncertain,

L

tion feems neceffary; but naturalists tell us that they are birds of different kind.

So the fo's and C; the rest, fore-its voice." If this be true, the alteramft for former; but there was no need of this alteration; for though we now mostly use foremost when we fpeak of place, yet, even at this time, former is equa ly proper whether applied to time or place.

h The ift and 2d fo's, fleeds for fleads. i W. reads ravenous for ravens; for, he fays, "" a raven and a crew is the "fame bird of prey: the first name ta"ken from its nature; the other from

k P, T. H. and W. omit up. But, to give the ghost is fcarcely English; at leaft I don't recollect to have met with. the phrafe without up.

1.So the first f. and C; the reft, peril far perils.

m R. Lucius for Lucilius.
n The fo's, refts for reft.

• All but C.-incertain for uncertain.

Let's

Let's reafon with the worst that may befall.
If we do lose this battle, then is this
The very laft time we shall speak together:
What are you then determined to do?
Bru. Even by the rule of that philofophy,
By which I did blame Cate for the death
Which he did give himfelf. I know not how,
But I do find it cowardly and vile,

For fear of what might fall, fo to prevent
The time of life; arming myfelf with patience,
To ftay the providence of fome high powers,
That govern us below.

Caf. Then, if we lofe this battle,

You are contented to be led in triumph,

Thorough the "ftreets of Rome?

Bru. No, Caffius, no: think not, thou noble Roman, That ever Brutus will go bound to Rome;

? The 2d f. Be for By. 4 C. term for time.

* W. fays, "It is evident that between thefe words and the foregoing, "a fentence is dropped out to this effect

་་

[on the contrary true courage is feen in "the] arming myself with patience, &c. "As the text ftands at present, the two "different sentiments of diflike and op"probation are run together, as parts re"lated to one another." W.

7. in order to make the conftruction plain, without fuppofing any thing loft, includes (I know not bow, &c. to the time of life) in a parenthesis; but this is hard construction, for hereby he makes the participle arming to agree with the

pronoun I in the words, I am determined to do (or a) understood at the beginning of the fpeech; unless he makes it agree with I, in By which did blame Cato, &c. and then it will be By which I (arming myself with patience, &c.) did blame Cato, &c. but this cannot be the meaning of the paffage. The conftruction is very easy, if we only make arming to agree with I, in But I do find. it ; &c.

• The 1ft and 2d fo's, loofe for lofe.

The 1ft and 2d fo's read Thorow; the 3d and 4th and R, Through; P. (not finding Through to measure) alters it to Along, followed by H.

R.'s duodecimo, fireet for freets.

He bears too great a mind. But this fame day
Muft end that work the ides of March begun:

W

And whether we shall meet again, I know not.
Therefore our everlasting farewel take:
For ever and for ever, farewel, Caffius!
If we do meet again, why, we shall smile;
If not, why then, this parting was well made.
Caf. For ever and for ever, farewel, Brutus!
If we do meet again, we 'll smile indeed ;
If not, is true, this parting was well made.

Bru. Why then, lead on. O that a man might know The end of this day's bufinefs, ere it come!

But it fufficeth, that the day will end,

And then the end is known. Come, ho! away! [Exeunt.

*S CENE II.

The Field of Battle.

Alarums, as of a Battle join'd. Enter Brutus, and Meffala.

Bru. Ride, ride, Messala, ride, and give these bills

Unto the legions on the other fide :

Let them fet on at once; for I perceive

b

[ Loud alarum

But cold demeanour in Octavius' wing;
* And fudden push gives them the overthrow.
Ride, ride, Messala; let them all come down,

The three laft fo's, that for the.
x In P. H. W. and J. this is fcene 4.
y This defcription of the scene put in
by G.

a C. omits this direction.

[Exeunt.

b The fo's and R. Octavio's for Octa

vius'.

c For And H. reads

SCENE

SCENE II.

Another Part of the Field.

Alarums. Enter Caffius, and Titinius.

Caf. O look, Titinius, look, the villains fly!
Myfelf have to mine own turn'd enemy:
This enfign here of mine was turning back;
I flew the coward, and did take it from him.
Tit. O Caffius, Brutus gave the word too early;
Who, having fome advantage on Octavius,
Took it too eagerly; his foldiers fell to spoil,
Whilft we by Antony are all enclos'd.

с

Enter Pindarus.

Pin. Fly further off, my lord, fly further off; Mark Antony is in your tents, my lord:

Fly therefore, noble Caffius, fly far off.

Caf. This hill is far enough.-Look, look, Titinius ;

Are those my tents, where I perceive the fire?

Tit. They are, my lord,

Caf. Titinius, if thou lov'ft 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 reft afsur'd,
Whether yond troops are friend or enemy,

Tit. I will be here again, even with a thought. [Exit.

h

Caf. Go, Pindarus, get thither on that hill;

My fight was ever thick; regard Titinius,

And tell me what thou not'ft about the field.

[ Exit Pindarus.

This day I breathed firft; time is come round,
And where I did begin, there fhall I end;

m

My life is run his compass.— Sirrah, what news?
Pin. [Appearing on the hill.] O my lord!
Caf. What news?

о

Pin, Titinius is enclosed round about

With horsemen, that make to him on the fpur-
Yet he fpurs on-Now they are almoft on him-
Now Titinius-Now fome light-Q he lights too—
He's ta'en-And hark, they fhout for joy.

[Shout

Caf. Come down; behold no more.-[Pindarus difappears,

O coward that I am, to live fo long,

To fee my best friend ta'en before my face!

Come hither, firrah:

Enter Pindarus.

In Parthia did I take thee prifoner;

And then I fwore thec, faving of thy life,

That what foever I did bid thee do,

Thou fhouldft attempt it. Come now, keep thine oath.
Now be a freeman, and with this good sword

The first f. P. and all after him

except C. read higher for thither.

i No editions have this direction but H. and C.

k The 31 and 4th fo's, breath'd for breathed.

P, T. H. and W, its for bis.

m P. and all after except C, Now for Sirab.

n All but H. and C. direct [above.] they, [within].

• Here H. and C. dire& [within.] This direction in no edition be

forc.

Stand