Bru. For your life you Cas. Do not presume too much upon my love; should be sorry for. I may do that I shall be sorry for. That they pass by me as the idle wind, For certain sums of gold, which you denied me; By heaven, I had rather coin my heart, And drop my blood for drachmas, than to wring To you for gold to pay my legions, Which you denied me: was that done like Cassius? Cas. Bru. You did. I denied you not. I did not: he was but a fool, durst not. That brought my answer back. Brutus hath riv'd my heart: Bru. I do not like your faults. As huge as high Olympus. Cas. Come, Antony, and young Octavius, come, Revenge yourselves alone on Cassius, For Cassius is aweary of the world: Hated by one he loves; brav'd by his brother; Check'd like a bondman; all his faults observ'd, There is my dagger, My spirit from mine eyes. When thou didst hate him worst, thou lov'dst him better Bru. Sheath your dagger. Be angry when you will, it shall have scope; Cas. Hath Cassius liv'd To be but mirth and laughter to his Brutus, Bru. When I spoke that, I was ill-temper'd too. Cas. Bru. O Brutus ! What's the matter? Cas. Have you not love enough to bear with me, When that rash humour, which my mother gave me, Makes me forgetful? Bru. Yes, Cassius; and, from henceforth, When you are over-earnest with your Brutus, He'll think your mother chides, and leave you so. [Noise within. Poet. [Within.] Let me go in to see the generals. There is some grudge between them; 't is not meet Luc. [Within.] You shall not come to them. Poet. For shame, you generals! What do you mean? Cas. Ha, ha! how vilely doth this cynic rhyme. Cas. Away, away! be gone. Enter LUCILIUS and TITINIUS. Bru. Lucilius and Titinius, bid the commanders Prepare to lodge their companies to-night. [Exit Poet. Cas. And come yourselves, and bring Messala with you, Immediately to us. Bru. [Exeunt LUCILIUS and TITINIUS. Lucius, a bowl of wine. Cas. I did not think, you could have been so angry. Cas. Of your philosophy you make no use, If you give place to accidental evils. Bru. No man bears sorrow better. Portia is dead. Bru. She is dead. Cas. How scap'd I killing, when I cross'd you so? O, insupportable and touching loss! Upon what sickness? Bru. Impatient of my absence, That tidings came. With this she fell distract, And, her attendants absent, swallow'd fire. Cas. And died so? Bru. Even so. Cas. O, ye immortal gods! Enter LUCIUS, with Wine and Tapers. Bru. Speak no more of her. - Give me a bowl of wine: In this I bury all unkindness, Cassius. Cas. My heart is thirsty for that noble pledge. Fill, Lucius, till the wine o'erswell the cup; I cannot drink too much of Brutus' love. Re-enter TITINIUS, with MESSALA. [Drinks. [Drinks. Welcome, good Messala. No more, I pray you. Bru. Come in, Titinius. Mes. Myself have letters of the self-same tenour. Mes. That by proscription, and bills of outlawry, Have put to death an hundred senators. Bru. Therein our letters do not well agree: Mine speak of seventy senators, that died By their proscriptions, Cicero being one. Had you your letters from your wife, my lord? Bru. No, Messala. Mes. Nor nothing in your letters writ of her? Bru. Nothing, Messala. Mes. That, methinks, is strange. Bru. Why ask you? Hear you aught of her in yours? Mes. No, my lord. Bru. Now, as you are a Roman, tell me true. For certain she is dead, and by strange manner. Bru. Why, farewell, Portia. - We must die, Messala: With meditating that she must die once, I have the patience to endure it now. Mes. Even so great men great losses should endure. Cas. I have as much of this in art as you, But yet my nature could not bear it so. Bru. Well, to our work alive. What do you think Of marching to Philippi presently? Cas. I do not think it good. Bru. Cas. Your reason? This it is. 'Tis better, that the enemy seek us: So shall he waste his means, weary his soldiers, Are full of rest, defence, and nimbleness. Bru. Good reasons must, of force, give place to better. The people, 'twixt Philippi and this ground, Do stand but in a forc'd affection; For they have grudg'd us contribution: Come on refresh'd, new-added, and encourag'd; If at Philippi we do face him there, These people at our back. Cas. Hear me, good brother. Bru. Under your pardon. You must note beside, That we have tried the utmost of our friends. Our legions are brim-full, our cause is ripe : The enemy increaseth every day; We, at the height, are ready to decline. There is a tide in the affairs of men, Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune; |