The Complete Works of William Shakespeare Part 265

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ACT IV. SCENE I.

A house in Rome. Antony, Octavius, and Lepidus, seated at a table.

ANTONY. These many then shall die, their names are p.r.i.c.k'd.

OCTAVIUS. Your brother too must die; consent you, Lepidus?

LEPIDUS. I do consent- OCTAVIUS. p.r.i.c.k him down, Antony.

LEPIDUS. Upon condition Publius shall not live, Who is your sister's son, Mark Antony.

ANTONY. He shall not live; look, with a spot I d.a.m.n him.

But, Lepidus, go you to Caesar's house, Fetch the will hither, and we shall determine How to cut off some charge in legacies.

LEPIDUS. What, shall I find you here?

OCTAVIUS. Or here, or at the Capitol. Exit Lepidus.

ANTONY. This is a slight unmeritable man, Meet to be sent on errands. Is it fit, The three-fold world divided, he should stand One of the three to share it?

OCTAVIUS. So you thought him, And took his voice who should be p.r.i.c.k'd to die In our black sentence and proscription.

ANTONY. Octavius, I have seen more days than you, And though we lay these honors on this man To ease ourselves of divers slanderous loads, He shall but bear them as the a.s.s bears gold, To groan and sweat under the business, Either led or driven, as we point the way; And having brought our treasure where we will, Then take we down his load and turn him off, Like to the empty a.s.s, to shake his ears And graze in commons.

OCTAVIUS. You may do your will, But he's a tried and valiant soldier.

ANTONY. So is my horse, Octavius, and for that I do appoint him store of provender.

It is a creature that I teach to fight, To wind, to stop, to run directly on, His corporal motion govern'd by my spirit.

And, in some taste, is Lepidus but so: He must be taught, and train'd, and bid go forth; A barren-spirited fellow, one that feeds On objects, arts, and imitations, Which, out of use and staled by other men, Begin his fashion. Do not talk of him But as a property. And now, Octavius, Listen great things. Brutus and Ca.s.sius Are levying powers; we must straight make head; Therefore let our alliance be combined, Our best friends made, our means stretch'd; And let us presently go sit in council, How covert matters may be best disclosed, And open perils surest answered.

OCTAVIUS. Let us do so, for we are at the stake, And bay'd about with many enemies; And some that smile have in their hearts, I fear, Millions of mischiefs. Exeunt.

SCENE II.

Camp near Sardis. Before Brutus' tent. Drum.

Enter Brutus, Lucilius, Lucius, and Soldiers; t.i.tinius and Pindarus meet them.

BRUTUS. Stand, ho!

LUCILIUS. Give the word, ho, and stand.

BRUTUS. What now, Lucilius, is Ca.s.sius near?

LUCILIUS. He is at hand, and Pindarus is come To do you salutation from his master.

BRUTUS. He greets me well. Your master, Pindarus, In his own change, or by ill officers, Hath given me some worthy cause to wish Things done undone; but if he be at hand, I shall be satisfied.

PINDARUS. I do not doubt But that my n.o.ble master will appear Such as he is, full of regard and honor.

BRUTUS. He is not doubted. A word, Lucilius, How he received you. Let me be resolved.

LUCILIUS. With courtesy and with respect enough, But not with such familiar instances, Nor with such free and friendly conference, As he hath used of old.

BRUTUS. Thou hast described A hot friend cooling. Ever note, Lucilius, When love begins to sicken and decay It useth an enforced ceremony.

There are no tricks in plain and simple faith; But hollow men, like horses hot at hand, Make gallant show and promise of their mettle; But when they should endure the b.l.o.o.d.y spur, They fall their crests and like deceitful jades Sink in the trial. Comes his army on?

LUCILIUS. They meant his night in Sard is to be quarter'd; The greater part, the horse in general, Are come with Ca.s.sius. Low march within.

BRUTUS. Hark, he is arrived.

March gently on to meet him.

Enter Ca.s.sius and his Powers.

Ca.s.sIUS. Stand, ho!

BRUTUS. Stand, ho! Speak the word along.

FIRST SOLDIER. Stand!

SECOND SOLDIER. Stand!

THIRD SOLDIER. Stand!

Ca.s.sIUS. Most n.o.ble brother, you have done me wrong.

BRUTUS. Judge me, you G.o.ds! Wrong I mine enemies?

And, if not so, how should I wrong a brother?

Ca.s.sIUS. Brutus, this sober form of yours hides wrongs, And when you do them- BRUTUS. Ca.s.sius, be content, Speak your griefs softly, I do know you well.

Before the eyes of both our armies here, Which should perceive nothing but love from us, Let us not wrangle. Bid them move away; Then in my tent, Ca.s.sius, enlarge your griefs, And I will give you audience.

Ca.s.sIUS. Pindarus, Bid our commanders lead their charges off A little from this ground.

BRUTUS. Lucilius, do you the like, and let no man Come to our tent till we have done our conference.

Let Lucius and t.i.tinius guard our door. Exeunt.

SCENE III.

Brutus' tent.

Enter Brutus and Ca.s.sius.

Ca.s.sIUS. That you have wrong'd me doth appear in this: You have condemn'd and noted Lucius Pella For taking bribes here of the Sardians, Wherein my letters, praying on his side, Because I knew the man, were slighted off.

BRUTUS. You wrong'd yourself to write in such a case.

Ca.s.sIUS. In such a time as this it is not meet That every nice offense should bear his comment.

BRUTUS. Let me tell you, Ca.s.sius, you yourself Are much condemn'd to have an itching palm, To sell and mart your offices for gold To undeservers.

Ca.s.sIUS. I an itching palm?

You know that you are Brutus that speaks this, Or, by the G.o.ds, this speech were else your last.

BRUTUS. The name of Ca.s.sius honors this corruption, And chastis.e.m.e.nt doth therefore hide his head.

Ca.s.sIUS. Chastis.e.m.e.nt?

BRUTUS. Remember March, the ides of March remember.

Did not great Julius bleed for justice' sake?

What villain touch'd his body, that did stab, And not for justice? What, shall one of us, That struck the foremost man of all this world But for supporting robbers, shall we now Contaminate our fingers with base bribes And sell the mighty s.p.a.ce of our large honors For so much trash as may be grasped thus?

I had rather be a dog, and bay the moon, Than such a Roman.

Ca.s.sIUS. Brutus, bait not me, I'll not endure it. You forget yourself To hedge me in. I am a soldier, I, Older in practice, abler than yourself To make conditions.

BRUTUS. Go to, you are not, Ca.s.sius.

Ca.s.sIUS. I am.

BRUTUS. I say you are not.

Ca.s.sIUS. Urge me no more, I shall forget myself; Have mind upon your health, tempt me no farther.

BRUTUS. Away, slight man!

Ca.s.sIUS. Is't possible?

BRUTUS. Hear me, for I will speak.

Must I give way and room to your rash choler?

Shall I be frighted when a madman stares?

Ca.s.sIUS. O G.o.ds, ye G.o.ds! Must I endure all this?

BRUTUS. All this? Ay, more. Fret till your proud heart break.

Go show your slaves how choleric you are, And make your bondmen tremble. Must I bouge?

Must I observe you? Must I stand and crouch Under your testy humor? By the G.o.ds, You shall digest the venom of your spleen, Though it do split you, for, from this day forth, I'll use you for my mirth, yea, for my laughter, When you are waspish.

Ca.s.sIUS. Is it come to this?

BRUTUS. You say you are a better soldier: Let it appear so, make your vaunting true, And it shall please me well. For mine own part, I shall be glad to learn of n.o.ble men.

Ca.s.sIUS. You wrong me every way, you wrong me, Brutus.