Upon one battle all our liberties.
You know, that I held Epicurus strong,
And his opinion: now I change my mind,
And partly credit things that do presage.
Coming from Sardis, on our former* ensign
Two mighty eagles fell, and there they perch'd,
Gorging and feeding from our soldier's hands;
Who to Philippi here consorted† us;
This morning are they fled away, and gone;
And in their steads, do ravens, crows, and
kites,

Fly o'er our heads, and downward look on us,
As we were sickly prey; their shadows seem
A canopy most fatal, under which

Our army lies, ready to give up the ghost.
Mes. Believe not so.

Cas. I but believe it partly;

For I am fresh of spirit, and resolv'd
To meet all perils very constantly.
Bru. Even so, Lucilius.

Cas. Now, most noble Brutus,

The gods to-day stand friendly; that we may,
Lovers in peace, lead on our days to age!
But, since the affairs of men rest still uncer-
tain,

Let's reason with the worst that may befall.
If we do lose the battle, then is this
The very last time we shall speak together:
What are you then determined to do?

Bru. Even by the rule of that philosophy,
By which I did blame Cato for the death
Which he did give himself:-I know not how,
But I do find it cowardly and vile,
For fear of what might fall, so to prevent
The time of life:-arming myself with pa-
tience,

To stay the providence of some high powers,
That govern us below.

Cas. Then, if we lose this battle,
You are contented to be led in triumph
Thorough the streets of Rome?

Bru. No, Cassius, no: think not, thou noble
Roman,

That ever Brutus will go bound to Rome;
He bears too great a mind. But this same day
Must end that work, the ides of March begun;
And whether we shall meet again, I know not.
Therefore our everlasting farewell take:-
For ever, and for ever, farewell, Cassius!
If we do meet again, why we shall smile;
If not, why then this parting was well made.
Cas. For ever, and for ever, farewell, Bru-
tus!

If we do meet again, we'll smile indeed;
If not, 'tis true, this parting was well made.
Bru. Why then, lead on.-O, that a man
might know

The end of this day's business, ere it come!
But it sufficeth, that the day will end,
And then the end is known.-Come, ho! away!
[Exeunt.
SCENE II.-The same.-The Field of Battle.
Alarum. Enter BRUTUS and MESSALA.

these billst

SCENE III.-The same.-Another part of the Field.

Alarum.-Enter CASSIUS and TITINIUS.

Cas. O, look, Titinius, look, the villains fly! Myself have to mine own turn'd enemy: This ensign here of mine was turning back; I slew the coward, and did take it from him. Tit. O Cassius, Brutus gave the word too early;

Who having some advantage on Octavius, Took it too eagerly; his soldiers fell to spoil, Whilst we by Antony are all enclos'd.

Enter PINDArus.

Pin. Fly further off, my lord, fly further off; Mark Antony is in your tents, my lord! Fly therefore, noble Cassius, fly far off.

Cas. This hill is far enough. Look, look, Titinius;

Are those my tents, where I perceive the fire? Tit. They are, my lord.

Cas. Titinius, if thou lov'st me, [him, Mount thou my horse, and hide thy spurs in Till he have brought thee up to yonder troops, And here again; that I may rest assur'd, Whether yond' troops are friend or enemy. Tit. I will be here again, even with a thought. [Exit.

Cas. Go, Pindarus, get higher on that hill;
And tell me what thou not'st about the field.-
My sight was ever thick; regard Titinius,
[Exit PINDARUS.

This day I breathed first: time is come round,
And where I did begin, there I shall end;
My life is run his compass.-Sirrah, what

news?

Now be a freeman; and, with this good sword, That ran through Cesar's bowels, search this Stand not to answer: Here, take thou the bilts; And when my face is cover'd as tis now, Guide thou the sword.-Cesar, thou art reveng'd,

[Dies.

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.
Mes. Where did you leave him?
Tit. All disconsolate,

With Pindarus his bondman, on this hill.
Mes. Is not that he, that lies upon the ground?
Tit. He lies not like the living. O my heart!
Mes. Is not that he?

Tit. No, this was he, Messala,
But Cassius is no more.-O setting sun!
As in thy red rays thou dost sink to night,
So in his red blood Cassius' day is set;
The sun of Rome is set! Our day is gone;
Clouds, dews, and dangers come; our deeds
are done!

Mistrust of my success hath done this deed. 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
The things that are not? O error, soon con.
ceiv'd,

Thou never com'st unto a happy birth,
But kill'st the mother that engender'd thee.
Tit. What, Pindarus! Where art thou, Pin-
darus?

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,
Shall be as welcome to the ears of Brutus,
As tidings of this sight.

Tit. Hie you, Messala,

And I will seek for Pindarus the while.
[Exit MESSALA.
Why didst thou send me forth, brave Cassius?
Did I not meet thy friends? and did not they
Put on my brows this wreath of victory,
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;
Thy Brutus bid me give it thee, and I'
Will do his bidding.-Brutus, come apace,
And see how I regarded Caius Cassius.-
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 CATO, STRATO, VOLUMNIUS, and LUCI-

LIUS.

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. Bru. And I am Brutus, Marcus Brutus, I; Brutus, my country's friend; know me for Brutus.

[Exit, charging the Enemy.
overpowered, and falls.

CATO is

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. 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 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 general:

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. I'll rather kill myself.

Bru. Hark thee, Dardanius! [Whispers him.
Dar. I do such a deed?

Cli. O, Dardanius! Dar. O, Clitus!

Cli. What ill request did Brutus make to

thee?

* Whether.

tates.

Cli. Now is that noble vessel full of grief, That it runs over even at his eyes.

Bru. Come hither, good Volumnius; list a word.

Vol. What says my lord?

Bru. Why, this, Volumnius:
The ghost of Cesar hath appear'd 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.

Bru. Nay, I am sure it is, Volumnius. Thou see'st the world, Volumnius, how it goes; Our enemies have beat us to the pit: It is more worthy to leap in ourselves, Than tarry till they push us. Good Volumnius, [gether; Thou know'st, that we two went to school toEven 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. Cli. Fly, fly, my lord; there is no tarrying here.

Bru. Farewell to you;-and you;-and you,
Volumnius.-

Strato, thou hast been all this while asleep;
Farewell to thee too, Strato.-Countrymen, |
My heart doth joy, that yet, in all my life,
I found no man, but he was true to me.
I shall have glory by this losing day,
More than Octavius, and Mark Antony,
By this vile conquest shall attain unto.
So, fare you well at once; for Brutus' tongue
Hath almost ended his life's history:
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

NIUS.

While I do run upon it. Wilt thou, Strato? Stra. Give me your hand first: Fare you well, my lord.

Bru. Farewell, good Strato.-Cesar, now be still:

I kill'd not thee with half so good a will.
[He runs on his Sword and dies.
Alarum. Retreat. Enter OCTAVIUS, ANTONY,
MESSALA, LUCILIUS, and their Ármy.

Oct. What man is that?

Mes. My master's man.-Strato, where is thy master?

Stra. Free from the bondage you are in
Messala;

For Brutus only overcame himself,
The conquerors can but make a fire of him;
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.*

Fellow, wilt thou bestow thy time with me? Stra. Ay, if Messala will prefert me to you. Oct. Do so, Messala.

Mes. How died my master, Strato?

Stra. I held the sword, and he did run on it. Mes. Octavius, then take him to follow thee, That did the latest service to my master.

[all:

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:

* Receive into my service. + Recommend.

Enter an ATtendant.

Att. News, my good lord, from Rome. Ant. Grates me:-The sum. Cleo. Nay, hear them, Antony: Fulvia, perchance is angry; Or, who knows If the scarce-bearded Cesar have not sent His powerful mandate to you, Do this, or this; Take int that kingdom, and enfranchise that; Perform't, or else we damn thee.

Ant. How, my love!

Cleo. Perchance,-nay, and most like, You must not stay here longer, your dismission Is come from Cesar; therefore hear it, Antony.

Where's Fulvia's process! Cesar's, I would say?-Both?—

Call in the messengers.—As I am Egypt's queen,

Thou blushest, Antony; and that blood of thine Is Cesar's homager; else so thy cheek pays [shame, When shrill-tongu'd Fulvia scolds.-The messengers.

Ant. Let Rome in Tyber melt! and the wide

On pain of punishment, the world to weet,* We stand up peerless.

Cleo. Excellent Falsehood!

Why did we marry Fulvia, and not love her?-
I'll seem the fool I am not; Antony
Will be himself.

Ant. But stirr'd by Cleopatra.

Now, for the love of Love, and her soft hours, Let's not confound+ the time with conference harsh:

There's not a minute of our lives should stretch Without some pleasure now: What sport tonight?

Cleo. Hear the ambassadors.

Ant. Fie, wrangling queen!

Whom every thing becomes, to chide, to laugh,
To weep; whose every passion fully strives
To make itself, in thee, fair and admir'd!
No messenger; but thine and all alone,
To-night, we'll wander through the streets,
and note

The qualities of people. Come, my queen; Last night you did desire it :-Speak not to us. [Exeunt ANT. and CLEO. with their Train. Dem. Is Cesar with Antonius priz'd so slight?

Phi. Sir, sometimes, when he is not Antony,
He comes too short of that great property
Which still should go with Antony.
Dem. I'm full sorry,

That he approves the common liar, who
Thus speaks of him at Rome: But I will hope
Of better deeds to-morrow. Rest you happy!

[Exeunt.

Char. Is this the man?-Is't you, Sir, that know things?

Sooth. In nature's infinite book of secrecy, A little I can read.

Alex. Show him your hand.

Enter ENOBARBUS.

Image: find me to marry me with Octavius Cesar, and companion me with my mistress. Sooth. You shall outlive the lady whom you

serve.

Char. O excellent! I love long life better than figs.

Sooth. You have seen and proved a fairer former fortune

Than that which is to approach.

Char. Then, belike, my children shall have no names: Pr'ythee, how many boys and wenches must I have?

Sooth. If every of your wishes had a womb, And fertile every wish, a million.

Char. Out, fool! I forgive thee for a witch. Alex. You think, none but your sheets are privy to your wishes.

Char. Nay, come, tell Iras hers.

Alex. We'll know all our fortunes.

Eno. Mine, and most of our fortunes, tonight, shall be-drunk to bed.

Iras. There's a palm presages chastity, if nothing else.

Char. Even as the overflowing Nilus presageth famine.

Iras. Go, you wild bedfellow, you cannot soothsay.

Char. Nay, if an oily palm be not a fruitful prognostication, I cannot scratch mine ear.Pr'ythee, tell her but a worky-day fortune. Sooth. Your fortunes are alike.

Iras. But how, but how? give me particu

lars.

Sooth. I have said.

Iras. Am I not an inch of fortune better than she?

Char. Well, if you were but an inch of fortune better than I, where would you choose it? Iras. Not in my husband's nose.

Alexas,-come, his fortune, his fortune.-0, Char. Our worser thoughts heavens mend! let him marry a woman that cannot go, sweet Isis,+ I beseech thee! And let her die too, and give him a worse! and let worse follow worse, till the worst of all follow him laughing to his grave, fifty-fold a cuckold! Good Isis, hear me this prayer, though thou deny me a matter of more weight; good Isis, I beseech thee!

Iras. Amen. Dear goddess, hear that prayer of the people! for, as it is a heart-breaking to see a handsome man loose-wived, so it is a deadly sorrow to behold a foul knave uncuck. olded; Therefore, dear Isis, keep decorum, and fortune him accordingly!

Char. Amen.