Oct.
Now, Antony, our hopes are answered:
You said, the enemy would not come down,
But keep the hills and upper regions;
It proves not so: their battles are at hand;
They mean to warn us at Philippi here,
Answering before we do demand of them.

Ant.
Tut, I am in their bosoms, and I know
Wherefore they do it: they could be content
To visit other places; and come down
With fearful bravery, thinking, by this face,
To fasten in our thoughts that they have courage;
But 'tis not so. Enter a Messenger.

Mes.
Prepare you, generals:
The enemy comes on in gallant shew;
Their bloody sign of battle is hung out,
And something to ^note be done immediately.

Ant.
Octavius, lead your battle softly on,
Upon the left hand of the even field.

Oct.
Upon the right hand I, keep thou the left.

Ant.
Why do you cross me in this exigent?

Oct.
I do not cross you; but I will do so. [March. Drum. Enter Brutus, Cassius, and their Army; Lucilius, Titinius, Messala, and Others, attending.

Bru.
They stand, and would have parley.

Cas.
Stand fast, Titinius, we must out and talk.

Oct.
Mark Antony, shall we give sign of battle?

Ant.
No, Cæsar, we will answer on their charge.
Make forth, the generals would have some words.

Oct.
Stir not until the signal. [to his Troops.

Bru.
Words before blows: Is it so, countrymen?

Oct.
Not that we love words better, as you do.

Bru.
Good words are better than bad strokes, Octavius.

Ant.
In your bad strokes, Brutus, you give good words:
Witness the hole you made in Cæsar's heart,
Crying, Long live! hail, Cæsar!

Cas.
Antony,
The posture of your blows are yet unknown;
But for your words, you rob the Hybla bees,
And leave them honeyless.

Ant.
Not stingless too.

Bru.
O, yes,14Q1047 and soundless too;
For you have stoln their buzzing, Antony,
And, very wisely, threat before you sting.

Ant.
Villains, you did not so, when your vile daggers
Hack'd one another in the sides of Cæsar:
You shew'd your teeth like apes, and fawn'd like hounds,
And bow'd like bondmen, kissing Cæsar's feet;
Whilst damned Casca, like a cur, behind,
Strook Cæsar on the neck. O flatterers ^note!

Cas.
Flatterers!—Now, Brutus, thank yourself;
This tongue had not offended so to-day,
If Cassius might have rul'd.

Oct.
Come, come, the cause: If arguing make us sweat,
The proof of it will turn to redder drops.
Look, † I draw a sword against conspirators;
When think you that the sword goes up again?

Never, 'till Cæsar's three and twenty ^note wounds
Be well aveng'd; or 'till another Cæsar
Have added slaughter to the sword of traitors.

Bru.
Cæsar, thou can'st not dye by traitors' hands,
Unless thou bring'st them with thee.

Oct.
So I hope;
I was not born to dye on Brutus' sword.

Bru.
O, if thou wert the noblest of thy strain,
Young man, thou could'st not dye more honourable.

Cas.
A peevish school-boy, worthless of ^note such honour,
Join'd with a masker and a reveller.

Ant.
Old Cassius still.

Oct.
Come, Antony; away.—
Defiance, traitors, hurl we in your teeth:
If you dare fight to-day, come to the field;
If not, when you have stomacks. [Exeunt Antony, Octavius, and Army.

Cas.
Why now, blow, wind; swell, billow; and swim, bark:
The storm is up, and all is on the hazard.

Bru.
Lucilius; hark, a word with you.

Luc.
My lord. [they converse apart.

Cas.
Messala,—

Mes.
What says my general?

Cas.
Messala,
This is my birth-day; as this very day
Was Cassius born. Give me thy hand, Messala:
Be thou my witness, that, against my will,
As Pompey was, am I compell'd to set
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 ^note
Two mighty eagles fell; and there they perch'd,
Gorging and feeding from our soldiers' 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 ^note 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 ^note still uncertain,
Let's reason with the worst that may befal.
If we do lose this battle, then is this
The very last time we shall speak together:
What are14Q1048 you then determined to do?

Bru.
Even by the rule of that philosophy,
By which ^note 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 term of ^note life:—arming myself with patience,
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 ^note of March begun;
And, whether we shall meet again, I know not.
Therefore our everlasting farewel take:
For ever, and for ever, farewel, 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, farewel, Brutus!
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.

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