Now be a freeman; and with this good sword, [Dies. Where never Roman shall take note of him. Re-enter TITINIUS, with MESSALA. 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. [Exit. All disconsolate, With Pindarus his bondman, on this hill. Mes. Is not that he, that lies upon the ground? Tit. 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 But kill'st the mother that engendered thee. Tit. What, Pindarus; where art thou, Pindarus? 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, Tit. Hie you, Messala, And I will seek for Pindarus the while. [Exit MESSALA. Why didst thou send me forth, brave Cassius? And bid me give't thee? Didst thou not hear their shouts ? Alas, thou hast misconstrued every thing. But hold thee, take this garland on thy brow; Will do his bidding.-Brutus, come apace, 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 Bru. Where, where, Messala, doth his body lie? Cato. He is slain. Bru. O Julius Cæsar, thou art mighty yet! Thy spirit walks abroad, and turns our swords In our own proper entrails. Cato. [Low alarums. Brave Titinius! Look, whe'r he have not crowned dead Cassius! 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. 1 "Objectum est Historico (Cremutio Cordo. Tacit. Ann. lib. iv. 34,) quod Brutum Cassiumque ultimos Romanorum dixisset."-Suet. Tiber. lib. iii. c. 61. Come, therefore, and to Thassos send his body; [Exeunt. SCENE IV. Another Part of the Field. Alarum. Enter, fighting, Soldiers of both Armies, then BRUTUS, CATO, LUCILIUS, and others. Bru. Yet, countrymen, O yet, hold up your heads! Cato. What bastard doth not? Who will go with me? I will proclaim my name about the field :— I am the son of Marcus Cato, ho! A foe to tyrants, and my country's friend; [Charges the enemy. Bru. And I am Brutus, Marcus Brutus, I; Brutus, my country's friend; know me for Brutus. [Exit, charging the enemy. CATO is overpowered, and falls. Luc. O young and noble Ĉato, art thou down? Why, now thou diest as bravely as Titinius; And mayst be honored, being Cato's son. 1 Sold. Yield, or thou diest. Luc. Only I yield to die. There is so much that thou wilt kill me straight; [Offering money. Kill Brutus, and be honored in his death. 1 Sold. We must not.-A noble prisoner! 2 Sold. Room, ho! Tell Antony, Brutus is ta'en. 1 Sold. I'll tell the news.-Here comes the gen eral;— Enter ANTONY. Brutus is ta'en, Brutus is ta'en, my lord. Ant. Where is he? Luc. Safe, Antony; Brutus is safe enough. I dare assure thee, that no enemy Shall ever take alive the noble Brutus. The gods defend him from so great a shame! Ant. This is not Brutus, friend; but, I assure you, A prize no less in worth; keep this man safe; [Exeunt. SCENE V. Another Part of the Field. Enter BRUTUS, DARDANIUS, CLITUS, STRATO, and VOLUMNIUS. Bru. Come, poor remains of friends, rest on this rock. Cli. Statilius showed the torch-light; but, my lord, He came not back; he is or ta'en or slain.1 1 A passage from Plutarch will illustrate this scene:-"Furthermore, Brutus thought that there was no great number of men slaine in battell, and to know the truth of it there was one called Statilius, that promised to goe through his enemies, (for otherwise it was impossible to goe see their campe,) and from thence, if all were well, that he would lift up a torchelight in the aire, and then returne againe with speed to him. The torchelight was lift up as he had promised, for Statilius went thither. Nowe Brutus seeing Statilius tarie long after, and that he came not againe, he sayd:-If Statilius be alive, he will come againe. But his evil fortune was suche that, as he came backe, he lighted in his enemies' hands, and was slaine. Now the night being farre spent, Brutus, as he sate, bowed towards Clitus, one of his men, and told him somewhat in his eare; the other aunswered him not, but fell a weeping. Thereupon he proved Dardanius, and sayd somewhat also to him: at length he came to Volumnius him selfe, and speaking to him in Greeke, prayed him for the studies sake which brought them acquainted together, that he would helpe him to put his hande to his sword, to thrust it in him to kill him. Volumnius denied his request, and so did many others: and amongest the rest one of them said there was no tarrying for them there, but that they must needes flie. Then Brutus rising up, We must flie in deede, sayd he; but it must be with our hands, not with our feete. Then taking every man by the hand, he sayd these words unto them with a cheerful countenance :-It re Bru. Sit thee down, Clitus. Slaying is the word; It is a deed in fashion. Hark thee, Clitus. [Whispering. Bru. Hark thee, Dardanius! Cli. O Dardanius! Dar. O Clitus! I'll rather kill myself. [Whispers him. Shall I do such a deed? Cli. What ill request did Brutus make to thee? Bru. Come hither, good Volumnius; list a word. Bru. Why, this, Volumnius : The ghost of Cæsar hath appeared to me Two several times by night: at Sardis, once; And this last night, here in Philippi's fields. I know my hour is come. Vol. Not so, my lord. Bru. Nay, I am sure it is, Volumnius. 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 pray thee, Hold thou my sword-hilts,' whilst I run on it. Vol. That's not an office for a friend, my lord. [Alarum still. joyceth my hart that no one of my friends hath failed me at my neede, and I do not complayne of my fortune, but only for my countries sake :-for as for me, I thinke myselfe happier than they that have overcome, considering that I leave a perpetual fame of our corage and manhoode, the which our enemies the conquerors shall never attaine unto by force nor money, neither can let their posteritie to say, that they have beene naughtie and unjust men, have slaine good men to usurpe tyrannical power not pertaining to them. Having sayd so, he prayd every man to shift for themselves, and then he went a little aside," &c. 1 Hilts is frequently used where only one weapon is spoken of. |