Scene III

[Another part of the field.]

Alarums. Enter Cassius and Titinius.

CASSIUS:

O, look, Titinius, look, the villains fly!
Myself have to mine own turn'd enemy.
This ensign here of mine was turning back;
I slew the coward, and did take it from him.

CASSIUS:

O, look, Titinius, look, the enemy flies!
I have turned enemy to my own.
This ensign of mine here was turning back;
I killed the coward and took it from him.

TITINIUS:

O Cassius, Brutus gave the word too early,(5)
Who, having some advantage on Octavius,
Took it too eagerly. His soldiers fell to spoil,
Whilst we by Antony are all enclosed.

TITINIUS:

O Cassius, Brutus gave the word too early,
Who, having some advantage on Octavius,
Took it too eagerly. His soldiers were destroyed
While we are all surrounded by Antony.

Enter Pindarus.

PINDARUS:

Fly further off, my lord, fly further off;
Mark Antony is in your tents, my lord;(10)
Fly, therefore, noble Cassius, fly far off.

PINDARUS:

Fly further off, my lord, fly further off;
Mark Antony is in your tents, my lord.
Fly, for that reason, noble Cassius, fly far off.

CASSIUS:

This hill is far enough. Look, look, Titinius:
Are those my tents where I perceive the fire?

CASSIUS:

This hill is far enough.—Look, look, Titinius;
Are those my tents on fire?

TITINIUS:

They are, my lord.

TITINIUS:

They are, my lord.

CASSIUS:

Titinius, if thou lovest me,(15)
Mount thou my horse and hide thy spurs in him,
Till he have brought thee up to yonder troops
And here again, that I may rest assured
Whether yond troops are friend or enemy.

CASSIUS:

Titinius, if you love me,
Mount my horse and hide your spurs in him,
Until he has brought you up to the troops over there
And back here again that I may rest assured
Whether the troops over there are friend or enemy.

TITINIUS:

I will be here again, even with a thought.(20)

TITINIUS:

I’ll be here again, even with a thought.

Exit.

CASSIUS:

Go, Pindarus, get higher on that hill;
My sight was ever thick; regard Titinius,
And tell me what thou notest about the field.

[Pindarus ascends.]

This day I breathed first: time is come round,
And where I did begin, there shall I end;(25)
My life is run his compass. Sirrah, what news?

CASSIUS:

Go, Pindarus, get higher on that hill.
My sight was always bad. Observe Titinius,
And tell me what you notice about the field.—

This day when I first breathed. Times has come back
To where I began, there I shall end;
My life has come full circle.—Servant, what news?

PINDARUS:

Above.

O my lord!

PINDARUS:

O my lord!

CASSIUS:

What news?

CASSIUS:

What news?

PINDARUS:

[Above.]

Titinius is enclosed round about
With horsemen, that make to him on the spur;(30)
Yet he spurs on. Now they are almost on him.
Now, Titinius! Now some light. O, he lights too.
He's ta'en Shout. And, hark! They shout for joy.

PINDARUS:

Titinius is surrounded
By horsemen that make him spur his horse.
Still he spurs on. Now they’re almost on him.—
Now, Titinius!—Now some dismount. O, he dismounts too. He's been taken;

and, listen! They shout for joy.

CASSIUS:

Come down; behold no more.
O, coward that I am, to live so long,(35)
To see my best friend ta'en before my face!

Enter Pindarus [from above.]

Come hither, sirrah.
In Parthia did I take thee prisoner,
And then I swore thee, saving of thy life,
That whatsoever I did bid thee do,(40)
Thou shouldst attempt it. Come now, keep thine oath;
Now be a freeman, and with this good sword,
That ran through Caesar's bowels, search this bosom.
Stand not to answer: here, take thou the hilts;
And when my face is cover'd, as 'tis now,(45)
Guide thou the sword.

[Pindarus stabs him.]

Caesar, thou art revenged,
Even with the sword that kill'd thee.

CASSIUS:

Come down; Don’t look any more.—
O, coward that I am, to live so long,
To see my best friend taken right in front of my face!

Come here, servant.
In Parthia I took you prisoner;
And then I made you swear, since I saved your life,
That whatever I asked you to do,
You should attempt it. Come now, keep your oath;
Now be a freeman, and, search this chest with this good sword,
That ran through Caesar's bowels.
Don’t stand there to answer. Here, you take the handle,
And when my face is covered, as it is now,
Stab me with it.—Caesar, you’re revenged,
Even with the sword that killed you.

[Dies.]

PINDARUS:

So, I am free, yet would not so have been,
Durst I have done my will. O Cassius!(50)
Far from this country Pindarus shall run,
Where never Roman shall take note of him.

PINDARUS:

So, I’m free, yet I wouldn’t have been so,
If I dared to do my own will.—O Cassius!
Pindarus shall run far from this country,
Where no Roman shall ever notice him.

[Exit.]

[Re-]Enter Titinius and Messala. [earing the laurels.]

MESSALA:

It is but change, Titinius, for Octavius
Is overthrown by noble Brutus' power,
As Cassius' legions are by Antony.(55)

MESSALA:

It is only change, Titinius, because Octavius
Is overthrown by noble Brutus' power,
As Cassius' armies are by Antony.

TITINIUS:

These tidings would well comfort Cassius.

TITINIUS:

These tidings would comfort Cassius very well.

MESSALA:

Where did you leave him?

MESSALA:

Where did you leave him?

TITINIUS:

All disconsolate,
With Pindarus his bondman, on this hill.

TITINIUS:

All very upset,
With Pindarus his slave, on this hill.

MESSALA:

Is not that he that lies upon the ground?(60)

MESSALA:

Isn’t that he who lies on the ground?

TITINIUS:

He lies not like the living. O my heart!

TITINIUS:

He doesn’t lie like the living. O my heart!

MESSALA:

Is not that he?

MESSALA:

Isn’t that he?

TITINIUS:

No, this was he, Messala,
But Cassius is no more. O setting sun,
As in thy red rays thou dost sink to night,(65)
So in his red blood Cassius' day is set,
The sun of Rome is set! Our day is gone;
Clouds, dews, and dangers come; our deeds are done!
Mistrust of my success hath done this deed.

TITINIUS:

No, this was he, Messala,
But Cassius is dead.—O setting Sun,
Just as you sink to night in your red rays,
So Cassius' day is set in his red blood,
The sun of Rome is set! Our day is gone;
Come clouds, dews, and dangers; our deeds are done!
Lack of trust in my success has done this deed.

MESSALA:

Mistrust of good success hath done this deed.(70)
O hateful error, melancholy's child,
Why dost thou show to the apt thoughts of men
The things that are not? O error, soon conceived,
Thou never comest unto a happy birth,
But kill'st the mother that engender'd thee!(75)

MESSALA:

Lack of trust in good success has done this deed.
O hateful Mistake, Depression’s child!
Why do you show the things that aren’t true
to the suitable thoughts of men? O Mistake, soon conceived,
You never come to a happy birth,
Only kill the mother that had you!

TITINIUS:

What, Pindarus! Where art thou, Pindarus?

TITINIUS:

What, Pindarus! Where are you, Pindarus?

MESSALA:

Seek him, Titinius, whilst I go to meet
The noble Brutus, thrusting this report
Into his ears. I may say “thrusting” it,
For piercing steel and darts envenomed(80)
Shall be as welcome to the ears of Brutus
As tidings of this sight.

MESSALA:

Find him, Titinius, while I go ahead to meet
The noble Brutus, thrusting this report
Into his ears. I may say, thrusting it,
Because piercing steel and poison darts
Shall be as welcome to the ears of Brutus
As the news of this sight.

TITINIUS:

Hie you, Messala,
And I will seek for Pindarus the while.

[Exit Messala.]

Why didst thou send me forth, brave Cassius?(85)
Did I not meet thy friends? And did not they
Put on my brows this wreath of victory,
And bid me give it thee? Didst thou not hear their shouts?
Alas, thou hast misconstrued every thing!
But, hold thee, take this garland on thy brow;(90)
Thy Brutus bid me give it thee, and I
Will do his bidding. Brutus, come apace,
And see how I regarded Caius Cassius.
By your leave, gods, this is a Roman's part.
Come, Cassius' sword, and find Titinius' heart.(95)

TITINIUS:

Get going, Messala,
And I’ll find for Pindarus the while.—

Why did you send me away, brave Cassius?
Didn’t I meet your friends? And didn’t they
Put this wreath of victory on my brows,
And told me to give it you? Didn’t you hear their shouts?
Alas, you’ve misunderstood everything!
But, wait, take this garland for your head.
Your Brutus told me to give it to you, and I
Will do what he asks.—Brutus, come quickly,
And see how I respected Caius Cassius.—
By your permission, gods, this is a Roman's part.
Come, Cassius' sword, and find Titinius' heart.

Dies.

[Alarum. Enter Brutus, Messala, young Cato, Strato, Volumnius, and Lucilius [Labeo, and Flavius.]

BRUTUS:

Where, where, Messala, doth his body lie?

BRUTUS:

Where, where, Messala, does his body lie?

MESSALA:

Lo, yonder, and Titinius mourning it.

MESSALA:

Behold, over there, and Titinius’ mourning it.

BRUTUS:

Titinius' face is upward.

BRUTUS:

Titinius' face is upward.

CATO:

He is slain.

CATO:

He’s slain.

BRUTUS:

O Julius Caesar, thou art mighty yet!(100)
Thy spirit walks abroad, and turns our swords
In our own proper entrails.

BRUTUS:

O Julius Caesar, you’re mighty yet!
Your spirit walks abroad, and turns our swords
Into our own guts.

Low alarums.

CATO:

Brave Titinius!
Look whether he have not crown'd dead Cassius!

CATO:

Brave Titinius!
Look whether he has crowned dead Cassius or not!

BRUTUS:

Are yet two Romans living such as these?(105)
The last of all the Romans, fare thee well!
It is impossible that ever Rome
Should breed thy fellow. Friends, I owe more tears
To this dead man than you shall see me pay.
I shall find time, Cassius, I shall find time.(110)
Come therefore, and to Thasos send his body;
His funerals shall not be in our camp,
Lest it discomfort us. Lucilius, come,
And come, young Cato; let us to the field.
Labeo and Flavius, set our battles on.(115)
'Tis three o'clock, and Romans, yet ere night
We shall try fortune in a second fight.

BRUTUS:

Are there still two Romans living such as these?—
The last of all the Romans, goodbye!
It is impossible that Rome
Should ever breed more men like you.—Friends,
I owe more tears to this dead man than you shall
See me pay.— I shall find time, Cassius, I shall find time.—
Come for that reason and send his body to Thassos.
His funerals shall not be in our camp,
For fear that it will discourage us.—Lucilius, come;—
And come, young Cato;—let’s go to the field.—
Labeo and Flavius, bring our battles on.—
It’s three o'clock, and Romans, we shall try
Our luck in a second fight still before night.

Exeunt.