Scene III

[Brutus' tent.]

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.(5)

CASSIUS:

That you’ve wronged me shows in this action:
You’ve condemned and punished Lucius Pella
For taking bribes from the Sardians here,
And my letters, taking his side
Because I knew the man, were blown off.

BRUTUS:

You wrong'd yourself to write in such a case.

BRUTUS:

You wronged yourself to write me letters in such a case.

CASSIUS:

In such a time as this it is not meet
That every nice offense should bear his comment.

CASSIUS:

In such a time as this, it isn’t fair
That every silly offense should uphold his criticism.

BRUTUS:

Let me tell you, Cassius, you yourself
Are much condemn'd to have an itching palm,(10)
To sell and mart your offices for gold
To undeservers.

BRUTUS:

Let me tell you, Cassius, you yourself
Are much condemned for being greedy,
To sell and advertise your offices
To unworthy people for gold.

CASSIUS:

I an itching palm?
You know that you are Brutus that speaks this,
Or, by the gods, this speech were else your last.(15)

CASSIUS:

I’m greedy!
Thank your stars that you’re Brutus that speaks
This way, or, by the gods, this speech would be your last.

BRUTUS:

The name of Cassius honors this corruption,
And chastisement doth therefore hide his head.

BRUTUS:

The name of Cassius honors this corruption,
And, for that reason, punishment hides his head.

CASSIUS:

Chastisement?

CASSIUS:

Punishment!

BRUTUS:

Remember March, the ides of March remember.
Did not great Julius bleed for justice' sake?(20)
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(25)
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.

BRUTUS:

Remember March, remember the fifteenth of March?
Didn’t great Julius bleed for justice's sake?
What villain that stabbed him, touched his body,
Didn’t do it for justice? What! Shall one of us
Who killed the most important man in all this world
Just to support robbers,— shall we now
Contaminate our fingers with lowly bribes
And sell the mighty positions of our great honors
For so much trash as may be grabbed like this?
I had rather be a dog, and howl the moon,
Than be such a Roman.

CASSIUS:

Brutus, bait not me,(30)
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.

CASSIUS:

Brutus, don’t scold me,
I won’t put up with it. You forget yourself,
To fence me in; I’m a soldier, yes,
More experienced, more capable than you
To make treaties.

BRUTUS:

Go to, you are not, Cassius.(35)

BRUTUS:

Go ahead; you aren’t, Cassius.

CASSIUS:

I am.

CASSIUS:

I am.

BRUTUS:

I say you are not.

BRUTUS:

I say you aren’t.

CASSIUS:

Urge me no more, I shall forget myself;
Have mind upon your health, tempt me no farther.

CASSIUS:

Don’t provoke me any more, or I shall forget myself;
Think about your health. Don’t push me any further.

BRUTUS:

Away, slight man!(40)

BRUTUS:

Away, skinny man!

CASSIUS:

Is't possible?

CASSIUS:

Is it 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?

BRUTUS:

Listen to me, because I will speak.
Must I give way and room to your rash anger?
Shall I be afraid when a madman stares at me?

CASSIUS:

O gods, ye gods! Must I endure all this?(45)

CASSIUS:

O gods, you 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,(50)
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.

BRUTUS:

All this? Yes, more. Be angry until your proud heart breaks;
Go show your slaves how angry you are,
And make your slaves shake in their boots. Must I give in?
Must I watch you? Must I stand and bend
Under your short-tempered mood? By the gods,
You’ll eat the poison of your proud temper,
Even if it splits you, because, from this day on,
I'll use you for my entertainment, yes, for my laughter,
When you’re spiteful.

CASSIUS:

Is it come to this?(55)

CASSIUS:

Has 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.

BRUTUS:

You say you’re a better soldier.
Let it seem so; make your boastings true,
And I’ll be well pleased. For my own part,
I’ll be glad to learn from more capable men.

CASSIUS:

You wrong me every way, you wrong me, Brutus.(60)
I said, an elder soldier, not a better.
Did I say “better”?

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.

BRUTUS:

If you did, I don’t care.

CASSIUS:

When Caesar lived, he durst not thus have moved me.

CASSIUS:

When Caesar lived, he wouldn’t dare insult me like this.

BRUTUS:

Peace, peace! You durst not so have tempted him.(65)

BRUTUS:

Peace, peace! You wouldn’t have dared to tempt him so.

CASSIUS:

I durst not?

CASSIUS:

I wouldn’t dare?

BRUTUS:

No.

BRUTUS:

No.

CASSIUS:

What, durst not tempt him?

CASSIUS:

What, not dare to tempt him?