Cato. Brave Titinius ! Look, whe'r he have not crown'd dead Cassius ! It is impossible, that ever Rome Should breed thy fellow. - Friends, I owe more tears I shall find time, Cassius, I shall find time. - Lest it discomfort us. Lucilius, come; And come, young Cato; let us to the field. [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; I am the son of Marcus Cato, ho! [Charges the Enemy. [Exit, charging the Enemy. CATO is over- Luc. O young and noble Cato, art thou down? Why, now thou diest as bravely as Titinius; And may'st be honour'd being Cato's son.3 1 Sold. Yield, or thou diest. [Offering Money. Kill Brutus, and be honour'd 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 ge neral: 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! He will be found like Brutus, like himself. Ant. This is not Brutus, friend; but, I assure you, A prize no less in worth: keep this man safe, Give him all kindness: I had rather have Such men my friends, than enemies. Go on, And see whe'r Brutus be alive, or dead: And bring us word, unto Octavius' tent, How every thing is chanc'd. [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 show'd the torch-light; but, my lord, He came not back; he is or ta'en, or slain. Bru. Sit thee down, Clitus: Slaying is the word; It is a deed in fashion. Hark thee, Clitus. [Whispering. Cli. What, I, my lord? No, not for all the world. Bru. Peace then, no words. Cli. O, Dardanius! Dar. O, Clitus! I'll rather kill myself. [Whispers him. 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' fields. I know, my hour is come. Vol. Not so, my lord. Thou see'st the world, Volumnius, how it goes; Our enemies have beat us to the pit: Good Volumnius, It is more worthy, to leap in ourselves, [Alarum still. Cli. Fly, fly, my lord; there is no tarrying here. +"shall I do," &c. - MALONE. Bru. Farewell to you-and you ;-and you, nius. Strato, thou hast been all this while asleep; Hath almost ended his life's history: Volum Night hangs upon mine eyes; my bones would rest, That have but labour'd to attain this hour. [Alarum. Cry within; Fly, fly, fly. Cli. Fly, my lord, fly. Bru. Hence; I will follow thee.+ [Exeunt CLITUS, DARDANIUS, and VOLUMNIUS. I pr'ythee, Strato, stay thou by thy lord: Thou art a fellow of a good respect; Thy life hath had some smatch of honour in it: While I do run upon it. Wilt thou, Strato? Stra. Give me your hand first: Fare you well, my lord. Bru. Farewell, good Strato.-Cæsar, now be still: I kill'd not thee with half so good a will. Alarum. Retreat. [He runs on his Sword, and dies. Enter OCTAVIUS, ANTONY, MES sala, Lucilius, and their Army. Oct. What man is that? Mes. My master's man.-Strato, where is thy master? Stra. Free from the bondage you are in, Messala; The conquerors can but make a fire of him; + Mr. Malone omits thee. For Brutus only overcame himself, And no man else hath honour by his death. Luc. So Brutus should be found.-I thank thee, Brutus, That thou hast prov'd Lucilius' saying true.* Oct. All that serv'd Brutus, I will entertain them." Mes. 6 How died my master, Strato? Stra. I held the sword, and he did run on it. Mess. Octavius, then take him to follow thee, That did the latest service to my master. Ant. This was the noblest Roman of them all : Did that they did in envy of great Cæsar; Oct. According to his virtue let us use him, 4 That thou hast prov'd Lucilius' saying true.] See p. 88. 5 [Exeunt." entertain them.] i. e. receive them into my service. 6 Ay, if Messala will prefer me to you.] To prefer seems to have been the established phrase for recommending a servant. +"Good Messala."- MALONE. 7 Of this tragedy many particular passages deserve regard, and the contention and reconcilement of Brutus and Cassius is universally celebrated; but I have never been strongly agitated in perusing it, and think it somewhat cold and unaffecting, compared with some other of Shakspeare's plays : his adherence to the real story, and to Roman manners, seems to have impeded the natural vigour of his genius. JOHNSON. |