Reading Help THE TRAGEDY OF JULIUS CAESAR
LUCILIUS. They meant his night in Sard is to be quarter'd; `
` The greater part, the horse in general, `
` Are come with Cassius. Low march within. `
` BRUTUS. Hark, he is arrived. `
` March gently on to meet him. `
` `
` Enter Cassius and his Powers. `
` `
` CASSIUS. Stand, ho! `
` BRUTUS. Stand, ho! Speak the word along. `
` FIRST SOLDIER. Stand! `
` SECOND SOLDIER. Stand! `
` THIRD SOLDIER. Stand! `
` CASSIUS. Most noble brother, you have done me wrong. `
` BRUTUS. Judge me, you gods! Wrong I mine enemies? `
` And, if not so, how should I wrong a brother? `
` CASSIUS. Brutus, this sober form of yours hides wrongs, `
` And when you do them- `
` BRUTUS. Cassius, be content, `
` Speak your griefs softly, I do know you well. `
` Before the eyes of both our armies here, `
` Which should perceive nothing but love from us, `
` Let us not wrangle. Bid them move away; `
` Then in my tent, Cassius, enlarge your griefs, `
` And I will give you audience. `
` CASSIUS. Pindarus, `
` Bid our commanders lead their charges off `
` A little from this ground. `
` BRUTUS. Lucilius, do you the like, and let no man `
` Come to our tent till we have done our conference. `
` Let Lucius and Titinius guard our door. Exeunt. `
` `
` `
` `
` `
` SCENE III. `
` Brutus' tent. `
` `
` Enter Brutus and Cassius. `
` `
` CASSIUS. That you have wrong'd me doth appear in this: `
` You have condemn'd and noted Lucius Pella `
` For taking bribes here of the Sardians, `
` Wherein my letters, praying on his side, `
` Because I knew the man, were slighted off. `
` BRUTUS. You wrong'd yourself to write in such a case. `
` CASSIUS. In such a time as this it is not meet `
` That every nice offense should bear his comment. `
` BRUTUS. Let me tell you, Cassius, you yourself `
` Are much condemn'd to have an itching palm, `
` To sell and mart your offices for gold `
` To undeservers. `
` CASSIUS. I an itching palm? `
` You know that you are Brutus that speaks this, `
` Or, by the gods, this speech were else your last. `
` BRUTUS. The name of Cassius honors this corruption, `
` And chastisement doth therefore hide his head. `
` CASSIUS. Chastisement? `
` BRUTUS. Remember March, the ides of March remember. `
` Did not great Julius bleed for justice' sake? `
` What villain touch'd his body, that did stab, `
` And not for justice? What, shall one of us, `
` That struck the foremost man of all this world `
` But for supporting robbers, shall we now `
` Contaminate our fingers with base bribes `
` And sell the mighty space of our large honors `
` For so much trash as may be grasped thus? `
` I had rather be a dog, and bay the moon, `
` Than such a Roman. `
` CASSIUS. Brutus, bait not me, `
` I'll not endure it. You forget yourself `
` To hedge me in. I am a soldier, I, `
` Older in practice, abler than yourself `
` To make conditions. `
` BRUTUS. Go to, you are not, Cassius. `
` CASSIUS. I am. `
` BRUTUS. I say you are not. `
` CASSIUS. Urge me no more, I shall forget myself; `
` Have mind upon your health, tempt me no farther. `
` BRUTUS. Away, slight man! `
` CASSIUS. Is't possible? `
` BRUTUS. Hear me, for I will speak. `
` Must I give way and room to your rash choler? `
` Shall I be frighted when a madman stares? `
` CASSIUS. O gods, ye gods! Must I endure all this? `
` BRUTUS. All this? Ay, more. Fret till your proud heart break. `
` Go show your slaves how choleric you are, `
` And make your bondmen tremble. Must I bouge? `
` Must I observe you? Must I stand and crouch `
` Under your testy humor? By the gods, `
` You shall digest the venom of your spleen, `
` Though it do split you, for, from this day forth, `
` I'll use you for my mirth, yea, for my laughter, `
` When you are waspish. `
` CASSIUS. Is it come to this? `
` BRUTUS. You say you are a better soldier: `
` Let it appear so, make your vaunting true, `
` And it shall please me well. For mine own part, `
` I shall be glad to learn of noble men. `
` CASSIUS. You wrong me every way, you wrong me, Brutus. `
` I said, an elder soldier, not a better. `
` Did I say "better"? `
` BRUTUS. If you did, I care not. `
` CASSIUS. When Caesar lived, he durst not thus have moved me. `
` BRUTUS. Peace, peace! You durst not so have tempted him. `
` CASSIUS. I durst not? `
` BRUTUS. No. `
` CASSIUS. What, durst not tempt him? `
` BRUTUS. For your life you durst not. `
` CASSIUS. Do not presume too much upon my love; `
` I may do that I shall be sorry for. `
` BRUTUS. You have done that you should be sorry for. `
` There is no terror, Cassius, in your threats, `
` For I am arm'd so strong in honesty, `
` That they pass by me as the idle wind `
` Which I respect not. I did send to you `
` For certain sums of gold, which you denied me, `
` For I can raise no money by vile means. `
` By heaven, I had rather coin my heart `
` And drop my blood for drachmas than to wring `
` From the hard hands of peasants their vile trash `
` By any indirection. I did send `
` To you for gold to pay my legions, `
` Which you denied me. Was that done like Cassius? `
` Should I have answer'd Caius Cassius so? `
` When Marcus Brutus grows so covetous `
` To lock such rascal counters from his friends, `
` Be ready, gods, with all your thunderbolts, `
` Dash him to pieces! `
` CASSIUS. I denied you not. `
` BRUTUS. You did. `
` CASSIUS. I did not. He was but a fool `
` That brought my answer back. Brutus hath rived my heart. `
` A friend should bear his friend's infirmities, `
` But Brutus makes mine greater than they are. `
` BRUTUS. I do not, till you practise them on me. `
` CASSIUS. You love me not. `
` BRUTUS. I do not like your faults. `
` CASSIUS. A friendly eye could never see such faults. `
` BRUTUS. A flatterer's would not, though they do appear `
` As huge as high Olympus. `
` CASSIUS. Come, Antony, and young Octavius, come, `
` Revenge yourselves alone on Cassius, `
` For Cassius is aweary of the world: `
` Hated by one he loves; braved by his brother; `
` Check'd like a bondman; all his faults observed, `
` Set in a notebook, learn'd and conn'd by rote, `
` To cast into my teeth. O, I could weep `
` My spirit from mine eyes! There is my dagger, `
` And here my naked breast; within, a heart `
` Dearer than Pluto's mine, richer than gold. `
` If that thou best a Roman, take it forth; `
` I, that denied thee gold, will give my heart. `
` Strike, as thou didst at Caesar, for I know, `
` When thou didst hate him worst, thou lovedst him better `
` Than ever thou lovedst Cassius. `
` BRUTUS. Sheathe your dagger. `
` Be angry when you will, it shall have scope; `
` Do what you will, dishonor shall be humor. `
` O Cassius, you are yoked with a lamb, `
` That carries anger as the flint bears fire, `
` Who, much enforced, shows a hasty spark `
` And straight is cold again. `
` CASSIUS. Hath Cassius lived `
` To be but mirth and laughter to his Brutus, `
` When grief and blood ill-temper'd vexeth him? `
` BRUTUS. When I spoke that, I was ill-temper'd too. `
` CASSIUS. Do you confess so much? Give me your hand. `
` BRUTUS. And my heart too. `
` CASSIUS. O Brutus! `
` BRUTUS. What's the matter? `
` CASSIUS. Have not you love enough to bear with me `
` When that rash humor which my mother gave me `
` Makes me forgetful? `
` BRUTUS. Yes, Cassius, and from henceforth, `
` When you are overearnest with your Brutus, `
` He'll think your mother chides, and leave you so. `
` POET. [Within.] Let me go in to see the generals. `
` There is some grudge between 'em, 'tis not meet `
` They be alone. `
` LUCILIUS. [Within.] You shall not come to them. `
` POET. [Within.] Nothing but death shall stay me. `
` `
` Enter Poet, followed by Lucilius, Titinius, and Lucius. `
` `
` 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. `
` CASSIUS. Ha, ha! How vilely doth this cynic rhyme! `
` BRUTUS. Get you hence, sirrah; saucy fellow, hence! `
` CASSIUS. Bear with him, Brutus; 'tis his fashion. `
` BRUTUS. I'll know his humor when he knows his time. `
` What should the wars do with these jigging fools? `
` Companion, hence! `
` CASSIUS. Away, away, be gone! Exit Poet. `
` BRUTUS. Lucilius and Titinius, bid the commanders `
` Prepare to lodge their companies tonight. `
` CASSIUS. And come yourselves and bring Messala with you `
` Immediately to us. Exeunt Lucilius and Titinius. `
` BRUTUS. Lucius, a bowl of wine! Exit Lucius. `
`
` The greater part, the horse in general, `
` Are come with Cassius. Low march within. `
` BRUTUS. Hark, he is arrived. `
` March gently on to meet him. `
` `
` Enter Cassius and his Powers. `
` `
` CASSIUS. Stand, ho! `
` BRUTUS. Stand, ho! Speak the word along. `
` FIRST SOLDIER. Stand! `
` SECOND SOLDIER. Stand! `
` THIRD SOLDIER. Stand! `
` CASSIUS. Most noble brother, you have done me wrong. `
` BRUTUS. Judge me, you gods! Wrong I mine enemies? `
` And, if not so, how should I wrong a brother? `
` CASSIUS. Brutus, this sober form of yours hides wrongs, `
` And when you do them- `
` BRUTUS. Cassius, be content, `
` Speak your griefs softly, I do know you well. `
` Before the eyes of both our armies here, `
` Which should perceive nothing but love from us, `
` Let us not wrangle. Bid them move away; `
` Then in my tent, Cassius, enlarge your griefs, `
` And I will give you audience. `
` CASSIUS. Pindarus, `
` Bid our commanders lead their charges off `
` A little from this ground. `
` BRUTUS. Lucilius, do you the like, and let no man `
` Come to our tent till we have done our conference. `
` Let Lucius and Titinius guard our door. Exeunt. `
` `
` `
` `
` `
` SCENE III. `
` Brutus' tent. `
` `
` Enter Brutus and Cassius. `
` `
` CASSIUS. That you have wrong'd me doth appear in this: `
` You have condemn'd and noted Lucius Pella `
` For taking bribes here of the Sardians, `
` Wherein my letters, praying on his side, `
` Because I knew the man, were slighted off. `
` BRUTUS. You wrong'd yourself to write in such a case. `
` CASSIUS. In such a time as this it is not meet `
` That every nice offense should bear his comment. `
` BRUTUS. Let me tell you, Cassius, you yourself `
` Are much condemn'd to have an itching palm, `
` To sell and mart your offices for gold `
` To undeservers. `
` CASSIUS. I an itching palm? `
` You know that you are Brutus that speaks this, `
` Or, by the gods, this speech were else your last. `
` BRUTUS. The name of Cassius honors this corruption, `
` And chastisement doth therefore hide his head. `
` CASSIUS. Chastisement? `
` BRUTUS. Remember March, the ides of March remember. `
` Did not great Julius bleed for justice' sake? `
` What villain touch'd his body, that did stab, `
` And not for justice? What, shall one of us, `
` That struck the foremost man of all this world `
` But for supporting robbers, shall we now `
` Contaminate our fingers with base bribes `
` And sell the mighty space of our large honors `
` For so much trash as may be grasped thus? `
` I had rather be a dog, and bay the moon, `
` Than such a Roman. `
` CASSIUS. Brutus, bait not me, `
` I'll not endure it. You forget yourself `
` To hedge me in. I am a soldier, I, `
` Older in practice, abler than yourself `
` To make conditions. `
` BRUTUS. Go to, you are not, Cassius. `
` CASSIUS. I am. `
` BRUTUS. I say you are not. `
` CASSIUS. Urge me no more, I shall forget myself; `
` Have mind upon your health, tempt me no farther. `
` BRUTUS. Away, slight man! `
` CASSIUS. Is't possible? `
` BRUTUS. Hear me, for I will speak. `
` Must I give way and room to your rash choler? `
` Shall I be frighted when a madman stares? `
` CASSIUS. O gods, ye gods! Must I endure all this? `
` BRUTUS. All this? Ay, more. Fret till your proud heart break. `
` Go show your slaves how choleric you are, `
` And make your bondmen tremble. Must I bouge? `
` Must I observe you? Must I stand and crouch `
` Under your testy humor? By the gods, `
` You shall digest the venom of your spleen, `
` Though it do split you, for, from this day forth, `
` I'll use you for my mirth, yea, for my laughter, `
` When you are waspish. `
` CASSIUS. Is it come to this? `
` BRUTUS. You say you are a better soldier: `
` Let it appear so, make your vaunting true, `
` And it shall please me well. For mine own part, `
` I shall be glad to learn of noble men. `
` CASSIUS. You wrong me every way, you wrong me, Brutus. `
` I said, an elder soldier, not a better. `
` Did I say "better"? `
` BRUTUS. If you did, I care not. `
` CASSIUS. When Caesar lived, he durst not thus have moved me. `
` BRUTUS. Peace, peace! You durst not so have tempted him. `
` CASSIUS. I durst not? `
` BRUTUS. No. `
` CASSIUS. What, durst not tempt him? `
` BRUTUS. For your life you durst not. `
` CASSIUS. Do not presume too much upon my love; `
` I may do that I shall be sorry for. `
` BRUTUS. You have done that you should be sorry for. `
` There is no terror, Cassius, in your threats, `
` For I am arm'd so strong in honesty, `
` That they pass by me as the idle wind `
` Which I respect not. I did send to you `
` For certain sums of gold, which you denied me, `
` For I can raise no money by vile means. `
` By heaven, I had rather coin my heart `
` And drop my blood for drachmas than to wring `
` From the hard hands of peasants their vile trash `
` By any indirection. I did send `
` To you for gold to pay my legions, `
` Which you denied me. Was that done like Cassius? `
` Should I have answer'd Caius Cassius so? `
` When Marcus Brutus grows so covetous `
` To lock such rascal counters from his friends, `
` Be ready, gods, with all your thunderbolts, `
` Dash him to pieces! `
` CASSIUS. I denied you not. `
` BRUTUS. You did. `
` CASSIUS. I did not. He was but a fool `
` That brought my answer back. Brutus hath rived my heart. `
` A friend should bear his friend's infirmities, `
` But Brutus makes mine greater than they are. `
` BRUTUS. I do not, till you practise them on me. `
` CASSIUS. You love me not. `
` BRUTUS. I do not like your faults. `
` CASSIUS. A friendly eye could never see such faults. `
` BRUTUS. A flatterer's would not, though they do appear `
` As huge as high Olympus. `
` CASSIUS. Come, Antony, and young Octavius, come, `
` Revenge yourselves alone on Cassius, `
` For Cassius is aweary of the world: `
` Hated by one he loves; braved by his brother; `
` Check'd like a bondman; all his faults observed, `
` Set in a notebook, learn'd and conn'd by rote, `
` To cast into my teeth. O, I could weep `
` My spirit from mine eyes! There is my dagger, `
` And here my naked breast; within, a heart `
` Dearer than Pluto's mine, richer than gold. `
` If that thou best a Roman, take it forth; `
` I, that denied thee gold, will give my heart. `
` Strike, as thou didst at Caesar, for I know, `
` When thou didst hate him worst, thou lovedst him better `
` Than ever thou lovedst Cassius. `
` BRUTUS. Sheathe your dagger. `
` Be angry when you will, it shall have scope; `
` Do what you will, dishonor shall be humor. `
` O Cassius, you are yoked with a lamb, `
` That carries anger as the flint bears fire, `
` Who, much enforced, shows a hasty spark `
` And straight is cold again. `
` CASSIUS. Hath Cassius lived `
` To be but mirth and laughter to his Brutus, `
` When grief and blood ill-temper'd vexeth him? `
` BRUTUS. When I spoke that, I was ill-temper'd too. `
` CASSIUS. Do you confess so much? Give me your hand. `
` BRUTUS. And my heart too. `
` CASSIUS. O Brutus! `
` BRUTUS. What's the matter? `
` CASSIUS. Have not you love enough to bear with me `
` When that rash humor which my mother gave me `
` Makes me forgetful? `
` BRUTUS. Yes, Cassius, and from henceforth, `
` When you are overearnest with your Brutus, `
` He'll think your mother chides, and leave you so. `
` POET. [Within.] Let me go in to see the generals. `
` There is some grudge between 'em, 'tis not meet `
` They be alone. `
` LUCILIUS. [Within.] You shall not come to them. `
` POET. [Within.] Nothing but death shall stay me. `
` `
` Enter Poet, followed by Lucilius, Titinius, and Lucius. `
` `
` 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. `
` CASSIUS. Ha, ha! How vilely doth this cynic rhyme! `
` BRUTUS. Get you hence, sirrah; saucy fellow, hence! `
` CASSIUS. Bear with him, Brutus; 'tis his fashion. `
` BRUTUS. I'll know his humor when he knows his time. `
` What should the wars do with these jigging fools? `
` Companion, hence! `
` CASSIUS. Away, away, be gone! Exit Poet. `
` BRUTUS. Lucilius and Titinius, bid the commanders `
` Prepare to lodge their companies tonight. `
` CASSIUS. And come yourselves and bring Messala with you `
` Immediately to us. Exeunt Lucilius and Titinius. `
` BRUTUS. Lucius, a bowl of wine! Exit Lucius. `
`