To see my best friend ta’en before my face!

Enter Pindarus below

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

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,

Pindarus takes the sword

And when my face is covered, as ’tis now,

Guide thou the sword.

Pindarus stabs him

Caesar, thou art revenged,

Even with the sword that killed thee.

He dies

PINDARUS

So, I am free, yet would not so have been

Durst I have done my will. O Cassius!

Far from this country Pindarus shall run,

Where never Roman shall take note of him.

Exit

Enter Titinius, wearing a wreath of victory, and Messala

MESSALA

It is but change, Titinius, for Octavius

Is overthrown by noble Brutus’ power,

As Cassius’ legions are by Antony.

TITINIUS

These tidings will well comfort Cassius.

MESSALA

Where did you leave him?

TITINIUS All disconsolate,

With Pindarus his bondman, on this hill.

MESSALA

Is not that he that lies upon the ground?

TITINIUS

He lies not like the living.—O my heart!

MESSALA

Is not that he?

TITINlUS No, this was he, Messala;

But Cassius is no more. O setting sun,

As in thy red rays thou dost sink tonight,

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.

MESSALA

Mistrust of good success hath done this deed.

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 com‘st unto a happy birth,

But kill’st the mother that engendered thee.

TITINIUS

What, Pindarus! Where art thou, 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

Shall be as welcome to the ears of Brutus

As tidings 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?

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 everything.

But hold thee, take this garland on thy brow.

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.

He stabs himself, and dies

Alarum. Enter Brutus, Messala, young Cato,

Strato, Volumnius, Lucillius, ⌈Labio, and Flavio⌉

BRUTUS

Where, where, Messala, doth his body lie?

MESSALA

Lo yonder, and Titinius mourning it.

BRUTUS

Titinius’ face is upward.

CATO He is slain.

BRUTUS

O Julius Caesar, thou art mighty yet.

Thy spirit walks abroad, and turns our swords

In our own proper entrails.

Low Alarums

CATO

Brave Titinius,

Look whe’er he have not crowned dead Cassius.

BRUTUS

Are yet two Romans living such as these?

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.—

Come, therefore, and to Thasos send his body.

His funerals shall not be in our camp,

Lest it discomfort us. Lucillius, come;

And come, young Cato. Let us to the field.

Labio and Flavio, set our battles on.

‘Tis three o’clock, and, Romans, yet ere night

We shall try fortune in a second fight.

Exeunt ⌈with the bodies⌉

5.4 Alarum. Enter Brutus, Messala, young Cato, Lucillius, and Flavius

BRUTUS

Yet, countrymen, O yet hold up your heads.

⌈Exit with Messala and Flavius⌉

CATO

What bastard doth not? Who will go with me?

I will proclaim my name about the field.

I am the son of Marcus Cato, ho!

A foe to tyrants, and my country’s friend.

I am the son of Marcus Cato, ho!

Enter Soldiers, and fight

LUCILLIUS

And I am Brutus, Marcus Brutus, I,

Brutus, my country’s friend. Know me for Brutus.

Soldiers kill Cato

O young and noble Cato, art thou down?

Why, now thou diest as bravely as Titinius,

And mayst be honoured, being Cato’s son.

⌈FIRST⌉ SOLDIER

Yield, or thou diest.

LUCILLIUS Only I yield to die.

There is so much, that thou wilt kill me straight:

Kill Brutus, and be honoured in his death.

⌈FIRST⌉ SOLDIER

We must not.—A noble prisoner.

SECOND SOLDIER

Room, ho! Tell Antony Brutus is ta’en.

Enter Antony

FIRST SOLDIER

I’ll tell the news. Here comes the general.—

(To Antony) Brutus is ta‘en, Brutus is ta’en, my lord.

ANTONY Where is he?

LUCILLIUS

Safe, Antony, Brutus is safe enough.