SCENE III. The infide of BRUTUS' tent.

Enter BRUTUS, and CASSIUS.

Caf. 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 letter, praying on his fide, Because I knew the man, was flighted off.

Bru. You wrong'd yourself, to write in such a case. Caf. In fuch a time as this, it is not meet That every nice offence fhould bear his comment, Bru. Let me tell you, Caffius, you yourself Are much condemn'd to have an itching palm To fell and mart your offices for gold, To undefervers.

Caf. I an itching palm ?

You know that you are Brutus that speak this,
Or, by the gods, this speech were else your laft.
Bru. The name of Caffius honours this corruption,
And chaftifement doth therefore hide his head.
Caf. Chaftifement !

+

Bru. Remember March, the ides of March remember! Did not great Julius bleed for justice' fake?, What villain touch'd his body, that did stab, And not for juftice? What, fhall one of us, That ftruck the foremost man of all this world, But for fupporting robbers; fhall we now Contaminate our fingers with base bribes ? And fell the mighty space of our large honours, For fo much trash, as may be grafped thus?— I had rather be a dog, and bay the moon, Than fuch a Roman.

Caf. Brutus, bay not me,

I'll not endure it: you forget yourself,

To

To hedge me in; I am a foldier, I,
Older in practice, abler than yourself
To make conditions.

Bru. Go to; you are not, Caffius.
Caf. I am.

Bru. I fay, you are not.

Caf. Urge me no more, I fhall forget myself; Have mind upon your health, tempt me no further. Bru. Away, flight man!

Caf. Is't poffible?

Bru. Hear me, for I will speak.

Muft I give way and room to your rash choler?
Shall I be frighted, when a madman stares?

Caf. O ye gods! ye gods! Muft I endure all this? Bru. All this? ay, more: Fret, 'till your proud heart break;

Go fhew your flaves how choleric you are,

And make your bondmen tremble. Muft I budge?
Muft I obferve you? must I stand and crouch
Under your tefty humour? By the gods,
You fhall digeft the venom of your fpleen,
Though it do fplit you: for from this day forth,
I'll ufe you for my mirth, yea, for my laughter,
When you are wafpifh.

Caf. Is it come to this?

Let it

appear

Bru. You fay, you are a better foldier:
fo; make your vaunting true,
And it fhall please me well: For mine own part,
I fhall be glad to learn of noble men.

Caf. You wrong me every way, you wrong me,

Brutus ;

I faid an elder foldier, not a better:

Did I fay, better?

Bru. If you did, I care not.

F 3

Caf

I

Caf. When Cæfar liy'd, he durft not thus have mov'd me.

Bru. Peace, peace; you durft not so have tempted him. Caf. I durft not?

Bru. No.

Caf. What? durft not tempt him?

Bru. For your life you durft not.

Caf. Do not prefume too much upon my love,
may do that I fhall be forry for.

Bru. You have done that you shall be forry for.
There is no terror, Caffius, in your threats;
For I am arm'd fo ftrong in honesty,

That they pafs by me, as the idle wind,
Which I refpe&t not. I did fend to you

For certain fums of gold, which you deny'd me ;-
For I can raife no money by vile means:

By heaven, I had rather coin my heart,

And drop my blood for drachmas, than to wring
From the hard hands of peasants their vile trash,
By any indirection. I did fend

To you for gold to pay my legions,

Which you deny'd me: Was that done like Caffius? Should I have anfwer'd Caius Caffius fo?

When Marcus Brutus grows fo covetous,

To lock fuch rafcal counters from his friends,
Be ready, gods, with all your thunderbolts,
Dafh him to pieces! +

Caf. I deny'd you not.

Bru. You did.

Caf. I did not :-he was but a fool,

That brought my anfwer back.-Brutus hath riv'd my heart:

A friend thould bear his friend's infirmities,

But Brutus makes mine greater than they are.

Bru.

Bru. I do not, 'till you practise them on me.
Caf. You love me not.

Bru. I do not like your faults.

Caf. A friendly eye could never fee fuch faults. Bru. A flatterer's would not, though they do appear As huge as high Olympus.

Caf. Come, Antony, and young Octavius, come, Revenge yourfelves alone on Caffius,

For Caffius is aweary of the world:

Hated by one he loves; brav'd by his brother;
Check'd like a bondman; all his faults obferv'd,
Set in a note-book, learn'd, and conn'd by rote,
To caft into my teeth. O, I could weep
My fpirit from mine eyes! There is my dagger,
And here my naked breast; within, a heart
Dearer than Plutus' mine, richer than gold:
If that thou be'ft a Roman, take it forth;
I, that deny'd thee gold, will give my heart:
Strike as thou didst at Cæfar; for I know,

When thou didst hate him worst, thou lov'dft him better
Than ever thou lov'dft Caffius.

Bru. Sheath your dagger:

Be angry when you will, it fhall have scope;
Do what you will, dishonour shall be humour.
O Caffius, you are yoked with a lamb,
That carries anger, as the flint bears fire,
Who, much enforced, fhews a hafty fpark,
And ftraight is cold again.

Caf. Hath Caffius liv'd

To be but mirth and laughter to his Brutus,
When grief, and blood ill-temper'd, vexeth him?
Bru. When I fpoke that, I was ill-temper'd too.
Caf. Do you confefs fo much? Give me your hand.
Bru. And my heart too.

Caf

Caf. O Brutus

Bru. What's the matter?

Caf. Have not you lov'd enough to bear with me, When that rafh humour, which my mother gave me, Makes me forgetful?

Bru. Yes, Caffius; and, from henceforth,

When you are over-earneft with your Brutus,
He'll think your mother chides, and leave you fo.
[A noife within.
Poet. [within.] Let me go in to fee the generals;
There is fome grudge between them, 'tis not meet
They be alone.

Luc. [within.] You fhall not come to them.
Poct. [within.] Nothing but death fhall stay me.
Enter Poet.

Caf. How now? What's the matter?

mean?

Poet. For fhame, you generals; what do you Love, and be friends, as two fuch men fhould be; For I have feen more years, I am fure, than ye. Caf. Ha, ha; how vilely doth this cynic rhyme ! Bru. Get you hence, firrah; faucy fellow, hence. Caf. Bear with him, Brutus; 'tis his fashion.

Bru. I'll know his humour, when he knows his time: What fhould the wars do with these jigging fools?— Companion, hence.

Caf. Away, away, be gone.

[Exit Poet.

Enter LUCILIUS, and TITINIUS.

Bru. Lucilius and Titinius, bid the commanders Prepare to lodge their companies to-night.

Caf. And come yourfelves, and bring Meffala with

Immediately to us.

[Exeunt LUCILIUS, and TITINIUS.

[you

Bru.