Scene II

Camp near Sardis. Before Brutus' tent.]

Drum Enter Brutus, Lucilius, [Lucius] and the Army; Titinius and Pindarus meet them.

BRUTUS:

Stand, ho!

BRUTUS:

Stop, oh!

LUCILIUS:

Give the word, ho, and stand.

LUCILIUS:

Give the word, oh! and stop.

BRUTUS:

What now, Lucilius, is Cassius near?

BRUTUS:

Is that you, Lucilius! Is Cassius near?

LUCILIUS:

He is at hand, and Pindarus is come
To do you salutation from his master.(5)

LUCILIUS:

He’s close by, and Pindarus has come
To bring you greetings from his master.

BRUTUS:

He greets me well. Your master, Pindarus,
In his own change, or by ill officers,
Hath given me some worthy cause to wish
Things done undone; but if he be at hand,
I shall be satisfied.(10)

BRUTUS:

He greets me well.—Your master, Pindarus,
Because of his own change of heart or of bad advice,
Has given me some worthy reasons to wish that the
Things that have been done, should be undone.
But, if he is close, I’ll be happy.

PINDARUS:

I do not doubt
But that my noble master will appear
Such as he is, full of regard and honor.

PINDARUS:

I don’t doubt
That my noble master will appear.
Men as he is are full of respect and honor.

BRUTUS:

He is not doubted. A word, Lucilius,
How he received you. Let me be resolved.(15)

BRUTUS:

I don’t doubt him.—A word, Lucilius.
How did he receive you, let me be convinced.

LUCILIUS:

With courtesy and with respect enough,
But not with such familiar instances,
Nor with such free and friendly conference,
As he hath used of old.

LUCILIUS:

With courtesy and with respect enough,
Only not with such familiar instances,
Or with such free and friendly conversation,
As he used to in the old days.

BRUTUS:

Thou hast described(20)
A hot friend cooling. Ever note, Lucilius,
When love begins to sicken and decay
It useth an enforced ceremony.
There are no tricks in plain and simple faith;
But hollow men, like horses hot at hand,(25)
Make gallant show and promise of their mettle;
But when they should endure the bloody spur,
They fall their crests and like deceitful jades
Sink in the trial. Comes his army on?

BRUTUS:

You’ve described
A hot friend cooling off. Always note, Lucilius,
When love begins to sicken and decay,
It uses a stiff, cold ritual.
There are no tricks in plain and simple trust,
But hollow men, like horses very eager about something,
Make gallant show and promises of their spirit, but, when
They are supposed to endure a spur that will make them
Bleed, they are humbled, and, like false, worthless horses
Disappear from the fight. Is his army coming?

LUCILIUS:

They mean his night in Sardis to be quarter'd;(30)
The greater part, the horse in general,
Are come with Cassius.

LUCILIUS:

They mean to spend this night in Sard.
The greater part of the army, mostly the horses,
Have come with Cassius.

Low march within.

BRUTUS:

Hark, he is arrived.
March gently on to meet him.

BRUTUS:

Listen! He’s arrived.
March gently ahead to meet him.

Enter Cassius and his powers.

CASSIUS:

Stand, ho!

CASSIUS:

Stand, oh!

BRUTUS:

Stand, ho! Speak the word along.(35)

BRUTUS:

Stop, oh! Pass the word along.

FIRST SOLDIER:

Stand!

FIRST SOLDIER:

Stop!

SECOND SOLDIER:

Stand!

SECOND SOLDIER:

Stop!

THIRD SOLDIER:

Stand!

THIRD SOLDIER:

Stop!

CASSIUS:

Most noble brother, you have done me wrong.

CASSIUS:

Most noble brother, you have done me wrong.

BRUTUS:

Judge me, you gods! Wrong I mine enemies?(40)
And, if not so, how should I wrong a brother?

BRUTUS:

Judge me, you gods! Do I wrong my enemies?
And, if that’s not true, how should I wrong a brother?

CASSIUS:

Brutus, this sober form of yours hides wrongs,
And when you do them—

CASSIUS:

Brutus, this sober face of yours hides wrongs;
And when you do them—

BRUTUS:

Cassius, be content,
Speak your griefs softly, I do know you well.(45)
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.(50)

BRUTUS:

Cassius, please.
Speak your complaints softly. I know you well.
Before the eyes of both our armies here,
Which should only see friendship between us,
Let’s not fight; ask them to move away;
Then in my tent, Cassius, tell me all your complaints,
And I’ll listen to you.

CASSIUS:

Pindarus,
Bid our commanders lead their charges off
A little from this ground.

CASSIUS:

Pindarus,
Ask our commanders to lead their men a little
Away from this place.

BRUTUS:

Lucilius, do you the like, and let no man
Come to our tent till we have done our conference.(55)
Let Lucius and Titinius guard our door.

BRUTUS:

Lucilius, you do likewise, and let no man
Come to our tent until we have finished our meeting.—
Lucius and Titinius, guard our door.

Exeunt [all but] Brutus and Cassius