William Shakespeare: The Complete Works 2nd Edition (297 page)
Read William Shakespeare: The Complete Works 2nd Edition Online
Authors: William Shakespeare
Tags: #Drama, #Literary Criticism, #Shakespeare
BOOK: William Shakespeare: The Complete Works 2nd Edition
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LUCILLIUS You shall not come to them.
POET
Nothing but death shall stay me.
CASSIUS How now! What’s the matter?
POET
For shame, you generals, what do you mean?
Love and be friends, as two such men should be,
For I have seen more years, I’m sure, than ye.
Love and be friends, as two such men should be,
For I have seen more years, I’m sure, than ye.
CASSIUS
Ha, ha! How vilely doth this cynic rhyme!
BRUTUS (
to the Poet
)
to the Poet
)
Get you hence, sirrah; saucy fellow, hence!
CASSIUS
Bear with him, Brutus, ’tis his fashion.
BRUTUS
I’ll know his humour when he knows his time.
What should the wars do with these jigging fools?
(
To the Poet
) Companion, hence!
What should the wars do with these jigging fools?
(
To the Poet
) Companion, hence!
CASSIUS (
to the Poet
) Away, away, be gone!
to the Poet
) Away, away, be gone!
Exit Poet
BRUTUS
Lucillius and Titinius, bid the commanders
Prepare to lodge their companies tonight.
Prepare to lodge their companies tonight.
CASSIUS
And come yourselves, and bring Messala with you
Immediately to us.
Immediately to us.
Exeunt Lucillius and Titinius
BRUTUS Lucius, a bowl of wine.
Exit Lucius
CASSIUS
I did not think you could have been so angry.
BRUTUS
O Cassius, I am sick of many griefs.
CASSIUS
Of your philosophy you make no use,
If you give place to accidental evils.
If you give place to accidental evils.
BRUTUS
No man bears sorrow better. Portia is dead.
CASSIUS Ha! Portia?
BRUTUS She is dead.
CASSIUS
How scaped I killing when I crossed you so?
O insupportable and touching loss!
Upon what sickness?
O insupportable and touching loss!
Upon what sickness?
BRUTUS Impatience of my absence,
And grief that young Octavius with Mark Antony
Have made themselves so strong—for with her death
That tidings came. With this, she fell distraught,
And, her attendants absent, swallowed fire.
Have made themselves so strong—for with her death
That tidings came. With this, she fell distraught,
And, her attendants absent, swallowed fire.
CASSIUS
And died so?
BRUTUS Even so.
CASSIUS Oye immortal gods!
Enter Lucius, with wine and tapers
BRUTUS
Speak no more of her. (
To Lucius
) Give me a bowl of
wine.
(
To Cassius
) In this I bury all unkindness, Cassius.
To Lucius
) Give me a bowl of
wine.
(
To Cassius
) In this I bury all unkindness, Cassius.
He drinks
CASSIUS
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.
He drinks
.
Fill, Lucius, till the wine o’erswell the cup.
I cannot drink too much of Brutus’ love.
He drinks
.
⌈
Exit Lucius
⌉
Enter Titinius and Messala
BRUTUS
Come in, Titinius; welcome, good Messala.
Now sit we close about this taper here,
And call in question our necessities.
Now sit we close about this taper here,
And call in question our necessities.
CASSIUS (
aside
)
aside
)
Portia, art thou gone?
BRUTUS No more, I pray you.
⌈
They sit
⌉
That young Octavius and Mark Antony
Come down upon us with a mighty power,
Bending their expedition toward Philippi.
MESSALA
Myself have letters of the selfsame tenor.
BRUTUS With what addition?
MESSALA
That by proscription and bills of outlawry
Octavius, Antony, and Lepidus
Have put to death an hundred senators.
Octavius, Antony, and Lepidus
Have put to death an hundred senators.
BRUTUS
Therein our letters do not well agree.
Mine speak of seventy senators that died
By their proscriptions, Cicero being one.
Mine speak of seventy senators that died
By their proscriptions, Cicero being one.
CASSIUS
Cicero one?
MESSALA Ay, Cicero is dead,
And by that order of proscription.
(
To Brutus
)
Had you your letters from your wife, my lord?
(
To Brutus
)
Had you your letters from your wife, my lord?
BRUTUS No, Messala.
MESSALA
Nor nothing in your letters writ of her?
BRUTUS
Nothing, Messala.
MESSALA That methinks is strange.
BRUTUS
Why ask you? Hear you aught of her in yours?
MESSALA No, my lord.
BRUTUS
Now as you are a Roman, tell me true.
MESSALA
Then like a Roman bear the truth I tell;
For certain she is dead, and by strange manner.
For certain she is dead, and by strange manner.
BRUTUS
Why, farewell, Portia. We must die, Messala.
With meditating that she must die once,
I have the patience to endure it now.
With meditating that she must die once,
I have the patience to endure it now.
MESSALA
Even so great men great losses should endure.
CASSIUS
I have as much of this in art as you,
But yet my nature could not bear it so.
But yet my nature could not bear it so.
BRUTUS
Well, to our work alive. What do you think
Of marching to Philippi presently?
Of marching to Philippi presently?
CASSIUS
I do not think it good.
BRUTUS Your reason?
CASSIUS This it is:
’Tis better that the enemy seek us;
So shall he waste his means, weary his soldiers,
Doing himself offence; whilst we, lying still,
Are full of rest, defence, and nimbleness.
So shall he waste his means, weary his soldiers,
Doing himself offence; whilst we, lying still,
Are full of rest, defence, and nimbleness.
BRUTUS
Good reasons must of force give place to better.
The people ’twixt Philippi and this ground
Do stand but in a forced affection,
For they have grudged us contribution.
The enemy marching along by them
By them shall make a fuller number up,
Come on refreshed, new added, and encouraged;
From which advantage shall we cut him off,
If at Philippi we do face him there,
These people at our back.
The people ’twixt Philippi and this ground
Do stand but in a forced affection,
For they have grudged us contribution.
The enemy marching along by them
By them shall make a fuller number up,
Come on refreshed, new added, and encouraged;
From which advantage shall we cut him off,
If at Philippi we do face him there,
These people at our back.
CASSIUS Hear me, good brother.
BRUTUS
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;
Omitted, all the voyage of their life
Is bound in shallows and in miseries.
On such a full sea are we now afloat,
And we must take the current when it serves,
Or lose our ventures.
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;
Omitted, all the voyage of their life
Is bound in shallows and in miseries.
On such a full sea are we now afloat,
And we must take the current when it serves,
Or lose our ventures.
CASSIUS Then, with your will, go on.
We’ll along ourselves, and meet them at Philippi.
BRUTUS
The deep of night is crept upon our talk,
And nature must obey necessity,
Which we will niggard with a little rest.
There is no more to say.
And nature must obey necessity,
Which we will niggard with a little rest.
There is no more to say.
CASSIUS No more. Good night.
Early tomorrow will we rise and hence.
BRUTUS
Lucius.
Enter Lucius
My gown.
Exit Lucius
Farewell, good Messala.
Good night, Titinius. Noble, noble, Cassius,
Good night and good repose.
Good night, Titinius. Noble, noble, Cassius,
Good night and good repose.
CASSIUS O my dear brother,
This was an ill beginning of the night!
Never come such division ’tween our souls.
Let it not, Brutus.
Enter Lucius with the gown
Never come such division ’tween our souls.
Let it not, Brutus.
Enter Lucius with the gown
BRUTUS Everything is well.
CASSIUS
Good night, my lord.
BRUTUS Good night, good brother.
TITINIUS and MESSALA
Good night, Lord Brutus.
BRUTUS Farewell, every one.
Exeunt Cassius, Titinius, and Messala
Give me the gown.
⌈
He puts on the gown
⌉
Where is thy instrument?
LUCIUS
Here in the tent.
BRUTUS What, thou speak’t drowsily.
Poor knave, I blame thee not; thou art o’erwatched.
Call Claudio and some other of my men.
I’ll have them sleep on cushions in my tent.
Call Claudio and some other of my men.
I’ll have them sleep on cushions in my tent.
LUCIUS
Varrus and Claudio!
Enter Varrus and Claudio
VARRUS Calls my lord?
BRUTUS
I pray you, sirs, lie in my tent and sleep.
It may be I shall raise you by and by
On business to my brother Cassius.
It may be I shall raise you by and by
On business to my brother Cassius.
VARRUS
So please you, we will stand and watch your pleasure.
BRUTUS
I will not have it so. Lie down, good sirs.
It may be I shall otherwise bethink me.
Varrus and Claudio lie down to sleep
Look, Lucius, here’s the book I sought for so.
I put it in the pocket of my gown.
It may be I shall otherwise bethink me.
Varrus and Claudio lie down to sleep
Look, Lucius, here’s the book I sought for so.
I put it in the pocket of my gown.
LUCIUS
I was sure your lordship did not give it me.
BRUTUS
Bear with me, good boy, I am much forgetful.
Canst thou hold up thy heavy eyes a while,
And touch thy instrument a strain or two?
Canst thou hold up thy heavy eyes a while,
And touch thy instrument a strain or two?
LUCIUS
Ay, my lord, an’t please you.
BRUTUS It does, my boy.
I trouble thee too much, but thou art willing.
LUCIUS It is my duty, sir.
BRUTUS
I should not urge thy duty past thy might.
I know young bloods look for a time of rest.
I know young bloods look for a time of rest.
LUCIUS I have slept, my lord, already.
BRUTUS
It was well done, and thou shalt sleep again.
I will not hold thee long. If I do live,
I will be good to thee.
This is a sleepy tune. O murd‘rous slumber,
Lay’st thou thy leaden mace upon my boy
That plays thee music?—Gentle knave, good night.
I will not do thee so much wrong to wake thee.
If thou dost nod thou break’st thy instrument;
I’ll take it from thee, and, good boy, good night.
Let me see, let me see, is not the leaf turned down
Where I left reading? Here it is, I think.
How ill this taper burns! Ha! Who comes here?
I think it is the weakness of mine eyes
That shapes this monstrous apparition.
It comes upon me. Art thou any thing?
Art thou some god, some angel, or some devil,
That mak’st my blood cold and my hair to stare?
Speak to me what thou art.
I will not hold thee long. If I do live,
I will be good to thee.
Lucius plays music and sings a song, and so falls asleep
Lay’st thou thy leaden mace upon my boy
That plays thee music?—Gentle knave, good night.
I will not do thee so much wrong to wake thee.
If thou dost nod thou break’st thy instrument;
I’ll take it from thee, and, good boy, good night.
He takes away Lucius’ instrument, then opens the book
Where I left reading? Here it is, I think.
Enter the Ghost of Caesar
I think it is the weakness of mine eyes
That shapes this monstrous apparition.
It comes upon me. Art thou any thing?
Art thou some god, some angel, or some devil,
That mak’st my blood cold and my hair to stare?
Speak to me what thou art.
GHOST Thy evil spirit, Brutus.
BRUTUS Why com’st thou?
GHOST
To tell thee thou shalt see me at Philippi.
BRUTUS
Well; then I shall see thee again?
GHOST Ay, at Philippi.
BRUTUS
Why, I will see thee at Philippi then.
Exit Ghost
Now I have taken heart, thou vanishest.
Ill spirit, I would hold more talk with thee.—
Boy, Lucius, Varrus, Claudio, sirs, awake!
Claudio!
Exit Ghost
Now I have taken heart, thou vanishest.
Ill spirit, I would hold more talk with thee.—
Boy, Lucius, Varrus, Claudio, sirs, awake!
Claudio!
LUCIUS The strings, my lord, are false.
BRUTUS
He thinks he still is at his instrument.—
Lucius, awake!
Lucius, awake!
LUCIUS My lord.
BRUTUS
Didst thou dream, Lucius, that thou so cried’st out?
LUCIUS
My lord, I do not know that I did cry.
BRUTUS
Yes, that thou didst. Didst thou see anything?
LUCIUS Nothing, my lord.
BRUTUS
Sleep again, Lucius.—Sirrah Claudio!
(To Varrus)
Fellow,
Thou, awake!
(To Varrus)
Fellow,
Thou, awake!
VARRUS My lord.
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