Shakespeare's First Folio Part 550

Ant. Tut I am in their bosomes, and I know Wherefore they do it: They could be content To visit other places, and come downe With fearefull brauery: thinking by this face To fasten in our thoughts that they haue Courage; But 'tis not so.

Enter a Messenger.

Mes. Prepare you Generals, The Enemy comes on in gallant shew: Their b.l.o.o.d.y signe of Battell is hung out, And something to be done immediately

Ant. Octauius, leade your Battaile softly on Vpon the left hand of the euen Field

Octa. Vpon the right hand I, keepe thou the left

Ant. Why do you crosse me in this exigent

Octa. I do not crosse you: but I will do so.

March.

Drum. Enter Brutus, Ca.s.sius, & their Army.

Bru. They stand, and would haue parley

Ca.s.si. Stand fast t.i.tinius, we must out and talke

Octa. Mark Antony, shall we giue signe of Battaile?

Ant. No Caesar, we will answer on their Charge.

Make forth, the Generals would haue some words

Oct. Stirre not vntill the Signall

Bru. Words before blowes: is it so Countrymen?

Octa. Not that we loue words better, as you do

Bru. Good words are better then bad strokes Octauius

An. In your bad strokes Brutus, you giue good words Witnesse the hole you made in Caesars heart, Crying long liue, Haile Caesar

Ca.s.si. Antony, The posture of your blowes are yet vnknowne; But for your words, they rob the Hibla Bees, And leaue them Hony-lesse

Ant. Not stinglesse too

Bru. O yes, and soundlesse too: For you haue stolne their buzzing Antony, And very wisely threat before you sting

Ant. Villains: you did not so, when your vile daggers Hackt one another in the sides of Caesar: You shew'd your teethes like Apes, And fawn'd like Hounds, And bow'd like Bondmen, kissing Caesars feete; Whil'st d.a.m.ned Caska, like a Curre, behinde Strooke Caesar on the necke. O you Flatterers

Ca.s.si. Flatterers? Now Brutus thanke your selfe, This tongue had not offended so to day.

If Ca.s.sius might haue rul'd

Octa. Come, come, the cause. If arguing make vs swet, The proofe of it will turne to redder drops: Looke, I draw a Sword against Conspirators, When thinke you that the Sword goes vp againe?

Neuer till Caesars three and thirtie wounds Be well aueng'd; or till another Caesar Haue added slaughter to the Sword of Traitors

Brut. Caesar, thou canst not dye by Traitors hands.

Vnlesse thou bring'st them with thee

Octa. So I hope: I was not borne to dye on Brutus Sword

Bru. O if thou wer't the n.o.blest of thy Straine, Yong-man, thou could'st not dye more honourable

Ca.s.si. A peeuish School-boy, worthles of such Honor Ioyn'd with a Masker, and a Reueller

Ant. Old Ca.s.sius still

Octa. Come Antony: away: Defiance Traitors, hurle we in your teeth.

If you dare fight to day, come to the Field; If not, when you haue stomackes.

Exit Octauius, Antony, and Army

Ca.s.si. Why now blow winde, swell Billow, And swimme Barke: The Storme is vp, and all is on the hazard

Bru. Ho Lucillius, hearke, a word with you.

Lucillius and Messala stand forth.

Luc. My Lord

Ca.s.si. Messala

Messa. What sayes my Generall?

Ca.s.si. Messala, this is my Birth-day: at this very day Was Ca.s.sius borne. Giue me thy hand Messala: Be thou my witnesse, that against my will (As Pompey was) am I compell'd to set Vpon one Battell all our Liberties.

You know, that I held Epicurus strong, And his Opinion: Now I change my minde, And partly credit things that do presage.

Comming from Sardis, on our former Ensigne Two mighty Eagles fell, and there they pearch'd, Gorging and feeding from our Soldiers hands, Who to Philippi heere consorted vs: This Morning are they fled away, and gone, And in their steeds, do Rauens, Crowes, and Kites Fly ore our heads, and downward looke on vs As we were sickely prey; their shadowes seeme A Canopy most fatall, vnder which Our Army lies, ready to giue vp the Ghost

Messa. Beleeue not so

Ca.s.si. I but beleeue it partly, For I am fresh of spirit, and resolu'd To meete all perils, very constantly

Bru. Euen so Lucillius

Ca.s.si. Now most n.o.ble Brutus, The G.o.ds to day stand friendly, that we may Louers in peace, leade on our dayes to age.

But since the affayres of men rests still incertaine, Let's reason with the worst that may befall.

If we do lose this Battaile, then is this The very last time we shall speake together: What are you then determined to do?

Bru. Euen by the rule of that Philosophy, By which I did blame Cato, for the death Which he did giue himselfe, I know not how: But I do finde it Cowardly, and vile, For feare of what might fall, so to preuent The time of life, arming my selfe with patience, To stay the prouidence of some high Powers, That gouerne vs below

Ca.s.si. Then, if we loose this Battaile, You are contented to be led in Triumph Thorow the streets of Rome

Bru. No Ca.s.sius, no: Thinke not thou n.o.ble Romane, That euer Brutus will go bound to Rome, He beares too great a minde. But this same day Must end that worke, the Ides of March begun.

And whether we shall meete againe, I know not: Therefore our euerlasting farewell take: For euer, and for euer, farewell Ca.s.sius, If we do meete againe, why we shall smile; If not, why then this parting was well made

Ca.s.si. For euer, and for euer, farewell Brutus: If we do meete againe, wee'l smile indeede; If not, 'tis true, this parting was well made

Bru. Why then leade on. O that a man might know The end of this dayes businesse, ere it come: But it sufficeth, that the day will end, And then the end is knowne. Come ho, away.

Exeunt.