Reading Help THE TRAGEDY OF JULIUS CAESAR
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. `
` 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. `
` BRUTUS. No man bears sorrow better. Portia is dead. `
` CASSIUS. Ha? Portia? `
` BRUTUS. She is dead. `
` CASSIUS. How 'scaped killing when I cross'd you so? `
` O insupportable and touching loss! `
` Upon what sickness? `
` BRUTUS. Impatient 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 distract, `
` And (her attendants absent) swallow'd fire. `
` CASSIUS. And died so? `
` BRUTUS. Even so. `
` CASSIUS. O ye immortal gods! `
` `
` Re-enter Lucius, with wine and taper. `
` `
` BRUTUS. Speak no more of her. Give me a bowl of wine. `
` In this I bury all unkindness, Cassius. 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. Drinks. `
` BRUTUS. Come in, Titinius! Exit Lucius. `
` `
` Re-enter Titinius, with Messala. `
` `
` Welcome, good Messala. `
` Now sit we close about this taper here, `
` And call in question our necessities. `
` CASSIUS. Portia, art thou gone? `
` BRUTUS. No more, I pray you. `
` Messala, I have here received letters `
` 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 tenure. `
` BRUTUS. With what addition? `
` MESSALA. That by proscription and bills of outlawry `
` Octavius, Antony, and Lepidus `
` Have put to death an hundred senators. `
` BRUTUS. There in our letters do not well agree; `
` Mine speak of seventy senators that died `
` By their proscriptions, Cicero being one. `
` CASSIUS. Cicero one! `
` MESSALA. Cicero is dead, `
` And by that order of proscription. `
` 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. `
` BRUTUS. Why, farewell, Portia. We must die, Messala. `
` With meditating that she must die once `
` I have the patience to endure it now. `
` MESSALA. Even so great men great losses should endure. `
`
` 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. `
` 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. `
` BRUTUS. No man bears sorrow better. Portia is dead. `
` CASSIUS. Ha? Portia? `
` BRUTUS. She is dead. `
` CASSIUS. How 'scaped killing when I cross'd you so? `
` O insupportable and touching loss! `
` Upon what sickness? `
` BRUTUS. Impatient 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 distract, `
` And (her attendants absent) swallow'd fire. `
` CASSIUS. And died so? `
` BRUTUS. Even so. `
` CASSIUS. O ye immortal gods! `
` `
` Re-enter Lucius, with wine and taper. `
` `
` BRUTUS. Speak no more of her. Give me a bowl of wine. `
` In this I bury all unkindness, Cassius. 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. Drinks. `
` BRUTUS. Come in, Titinius! Exit Lucius. `
` `
` Re-enter Titinius, with Messala. `
` `
` Welcome, good Messala. `
` Now sit we close about this taper here, `
` And call in question our necessities. `
` CASSIUS. Portia, art thou gone? `
` BRUTUS. No more, I pray you. `
` Messala, I have here received letters `
` 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 tenure. `
` BRUTUS. With what addition? `
` MESSALA. That by proscription and bills of outlawry `
` Octavius, Antony, and Lepidus `
` Have put to death an hundred senators. `
` BRUTUS. There in our letters do not well agree; `
` Mine speak of seventy senators that died `
` By their proscriptions, Cicero being one. `
` CASSIUS. Cicero one! `
` MESSALA. Cicero is dead, `
` And by that order of proscription. `
` 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. `
` BRUTUS. Why, farewell, Portia. We must die, Messala. `
` With meditating that she must die once `
` I have the patience to endure it now. `
` MESSALA. Even so great men great losses should endure. `
`