A barren-spirited fellow; one that feeds
On abjects, orts and imitations,

Which, out of use and staled by other men,
Begin his fashion: do not talk of him
But as a property. And now, Octavius,
Listen great things: Brutus and Cassius

40

Are levying powers: we must straight make head:
Therefore let our alliance be combined,

Our best friends made, our means stretch'd ;
And let us presently go sit in council,
How covert matters may be best disclosed,
And open perils surest answered.

Oct. Let us do so: for we are at the stake,
And bay'd about with many enemies;

And some that smile have in their hearts, I fear, 50
Millions of mischiefs.

[Exeunt.

Scene II.

Camp near Sardis. Before Brutus's tent.

Drum. Enter Brutus, Lucilius, Lucius, and Soldiers ; Titinius and Pindarus meet them.

Bru. Stand, ho!

Lucil. Give the word, ho! and stand.

Bru. He greets me well.

Bru. What now, Lucilius! is Cassius near?
Lucil. He is at hand; and Pindarus is come
To do you salutation from his master.
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.

Pin.

I do not doubt
But that noble master will appear

my

Such as he is, full of regard and honour. Bru. He is not doubted. A word, Lucilius,

How he received you: let me be resolved. Lucil. With courtesy and with respect enough; But not with such familiar instances,

Bru.

Nor with such free and friendly conference,
As he hath used of old.

Thou hast described

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,

Make gallant show and promise of their mettle ;
But when they should endure the bloody spur,

ΙΟ

20

They fall their crests and like deceitful jades
Sink in the trial. Comes his army on ?

Lucil. They mean this night in Sardis to be quarter'd;
The greater part, the horse in general,

Bru. Stand, ho! Speak the word along.

First Sol. Stand!

Sec. Sol. Stand!

Third Sol. Stand!

Cas. Most noble brother, you have done me wrong.
Bru. Judge me, you gods! wrong I mine enemies?
And, if not so, how should I wrong a brother?
Cas. Brutus, this sober form of
yours hides wrongs; 40
And when you do them—

Bru.

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,

Cas.

And I will give you audience.

Pindarus,

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

Bru. Lucilius, do you the like, and let no man

50

Come to our tent till we have done our conference.
Let Lucius and Titinius guard our door. [Exeunt.

Cas. That

Scene III. ·

Brutus's tent.

Enter Brutus and Cassius.

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.
Bru. You wrong'd yourself to write in such a case.
Cas. In such a time as this it is not meet

That every nice offence should bear his comment. Bru. 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.

Cas.

I an itching palm!

You know that you are Brutus that speaks this,
Or, by the gods, this speech were else your last.
Bru. The name of Cassius honours this corruption,
And chastisement doth therefore hide his head.
Cas. Chastisement!

Bru. 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 honours
For so much trash as may be grasped thus ?
I had rather be a dog, and bay the moon,
Than such a Roman.

Cas.

Bru.

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.

Go to; you are not, Cassius.

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