For I can raise no money by vile means: And drop my blood for drachmas, than to wring To you for gold to pay.my legions, Which you denied me: Was that done like Cassius? When Marcus Brutus grows so covetous, 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. 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; brav'd by his brother; My spirit from mine eyes!--There is my dagger, 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; 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, [Noise within. Poet. [Within.] Let me go in to see the generals; There is some grudge between them, 'tis not meet Luc. [Within.] You shall not come to them. Enter Poet. Cas. How now? What's the matter? 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 am sure, than ye. Cas. Ha, ha; how vilely doth this cynic rhyme! Bru. Get you hence, sirrah; saucy fellow, hence. Cas. Bear with him, Brutus; 'tis his fashion. Bru. I'll know his humour, when he knows his time: What should the wars do with these jigging fools? Companion, hence. Cas. Away, away, be gone. Enter LUCILIUS and TITINIUS. [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 Immediately to us. [Exeunt LUCILIUS and TITINIUS. Bru. 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. Bru. No man bears sorrow better:-Portia is dead. Cas. Ha! Portia? Bru. She is dead. 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 Antony Have made themselves so strong;-for with her death That tidings came ;-With this she fell distract, And, her attendants absent, swallow'd fire. Cas. And died so? Bru. Even so. Cas. 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. Re-enter TITINIUS, with MESSALA. [Drinks. Bru. Come in, Titinius:-Welcome, good Messala. 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.- Bending their expedition toward Philippi. Mes. Myself have letters of the self-same tenour. Bru. With what addition? Mes. That by proscription, and bills of outlawry, Octavius, Antony, and Lepidus, Have put to death an hundred senators. Bru. Therein our letters do not well agree; By their proscriptions, Cicero being one. Mes. Ay, Cicero is dead, 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. 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. 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 Of marching to Philippi presently? Cas. I do not think it good. Bru. Your reason? Cas. This it is: 'Tis better, that the enemy seek us: you think So shall he waste his means, weary his soldiers, |