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, | 4 |
| 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. [Whispers. | |
| Cli. What, I, my lord? No, not for all the world. | 8 |
| Bru. Peace, then! no words. | |
| Cli. I’ll rather kill myself. | |
| Bru. Hark thee, Dardanius. [Whispers. | |
| Dar. Shall I do such a deed? | 12 |
| Cli. O, Dardanius! | |
| Dar O, Clitus! | |
| Cli. What ill request did Brutus make to thee? | |
| Dar. To kill him, Clitus. Look, he meditates. | 16 |
| 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? | 20 |
| Bru. Why this, Volumnius: | |
| The ghost of Cæsar hath appear’d to me | |
| Two several times by night; at Sardis once, | |
| And this last night here in Philippi fields. | 24 |
| I know my hour is come. | |
| Vol. Not so, my lord. | |
| Bru. Nay, I am sure it is, Volumnius. | |
| Thou seest the world, Volumnius, how it goes; | 28 |
| Our enemies have beat us to the pit: | |
| It is more worthy to leap in ourselves, | |
| Than tarry till they push us. Good Volumnius, | |
| Thou know’st that we two went to school together: | 32 |
| Even for that our love of old, I prithee, | |
| 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. | 36 |
| 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, | 40 |
| 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. | 44 |
| 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!’ | 48 |
| Cli. Fly, my lord, fly. | |
| Bru. Hence! I will follow. [Exeunt CLITUS, DARDANIUS, and VOLUMNIUS. | |
| I prithee, Strato, stay thou by thy lord: | |
| Thou art a fellow of a good respect; | 52 |
| Thy life hath had some smatch of honour in it: | |
| Hold then my sword, and turn away thy face, | |
| While I do run upon it. Wilt thou, Strato? | |
| Stra. Give me your hand first: fare you well, my lord. | 56 |
| Bru. Farewell, good Strato.—[He runs on his sword.] Cæsar, now be still; | |
| I kill’d not thee with half so good a will. [Dies. | |
| |
Alarum. Retreat. Enter OCTAVIUS, ANTONY, MESSALA, LUCILIUS, and Army. | |
| Oct. What man is that? | 60 |
| Mes. My master’s man. Strato, where is thy master? | |
| Stra. Free from the bondage you are in, Messala; | |
| The conquerors can but make a fire of him; | |
| For Brutus only overcame himself, | 64 |
| And no man else hath honour by his death. | |
| Lucil. 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. | 68 |
| Fellow, wilt thou bestow thy time with me? | |
| Stra. Ay, if Messala will prefer me to you. | |
| Oct. Do so, good Messala. | |
| Mes. How died my master, Strato? | 72 |
| 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. | |
| Ant. This was the noblest Roman of them all; | 76 |
| All the conspirators save only he | |
| Did that they did in envy of great Cæsar; | |
| He only, in a general honest thought | |
| And common good to all, made one of them. | 80 |
| His life was gentle, and the elements | |
| So mix’d in him that Nature might stand up | |
| And say to all the world, ‘This was a man!’ | |
| Oct. According to his virtue let us use him, | 84 |
| With all respect and rites of burial. | |
| Within my tent his bones to-night shall lie, | |
| Most like a soldier, order’d honourably. | |
| So, call the field to rest; and let’s away, | 88 |
| To part the glories of this happy day. [Exeunt. | |