Julius Caesar

Act III Scene 3

Cinna
Plebeians
 Enter Cinna the poet and after him the Plebeians.

CINNA
CINNA What is my name? Whither am I going? Where
I dreamt tonight that I did feast with Caesar,
do I dwell? Am I a married man or a bachelor? 15
And things unluckily charge my fantasy.
Then to answer every man directly and briefly,
I have no will to wander forth of doors,
wisely and truly: wisely I say, I am a bachelor.
Yet something leads me forth.
SECOND PLEBEIAN That’s as much as to say they are
FIRST PLEBEIAN What is your name? 5
fools that marry. You’ll bear me a bang for that, I
SECOND PLEBEIAN Whither are you going?
fear. Proceed directly. 20
THIRD PLEBEIAN Where do you dwell?
CINNA Directly, I am going to Caesar’s funeral.
FOURTH PLEBEIAN Are you a married man or
FIRST PLEBEIAN As a friend or an enemy?
a
CINNA As a friend.
bachelor?
SECOND PLEBEIAN That matter is answered directly.
SECOND PLEBEIAN Answer every man
FOURTH PLEBEIAN For your dwelling—briefly. 25
directly. 10
FIRST PLEBEIAN Ay, and briefly.
FOURTH PLEBEIAN Ay, and wisely.
THIRD PLEBEIAN Ay, and truly, you were best.
 CINNA Briefly, I dwell by the Capitol.
THIRD PLEBEIAN Your name, sir, truly.
CINNA Truly, my name is Cinna.
FIRST PLEBEIAN Tear him to pieces! He’s a
conspirator.
CINNA I am Cinna the poet, I am Cinna the poet! THIRD PLEBEIAN Tear him, tear him! Come,
30 brands, ho,
FOURTH PLEBEIAN Tear him for his bad firebrands! To Brutus’, to Cassius’, burn all! Some
verses, tear him to Decius’ house, and some to Casca’s, some to
for his bad verses! Ligarius’. Away, go! 40
CINNA I am not Cinna the conspirator.
FOURTH PLEBEIAN It is no matter. His name’s All the Plebeians exit, carrying off Cinna.
Cinna.
Pluck but his name out of his heart, and turn him
35
going.
Julius Caesar
Act IV Scene 1

Antony
Octavius
Lepidus
 Scene 1
Enter Antony, Octavius, and Lepidus.

ANTONY
These many, then, shall die; their names are
pricked.
OCTAVIUS
Your brother too must die. Consent you, Lepidus?
LEPIDUS I do consent.
OCTAVIUS Prick him down, Antony. 5
LEPIDUS
Upon condition Publius shall not live,
Who is your sister’s son, Mark Antony.
ANTONY
He shall not live; look, with a spot I damn him.
But, Lepidus, go you to Caesar’s house;
Fetch the will hither, and we shall determine 10
How to cut off some charge in legacies.
LEPIDUS What, shall I find you here?
OCTAVIUS Or here, or at the Capitol. Lepidus exits.
 ANTONY
ANTONY Octavius, I have seen more days than you,
This is a slight, unmeritable man, And, though we lay these honors on this man
Meet to be sent on errands. Is it fit, 15 To ease ourselves of diverse sland’rous loads,
The threefold world divided, he should stand He shall but bear them as the ass bears gold,
One of the three to share it? To groan and sweat under the business, 25
Either led or driven, as we point the way;
OCTAVIUS And having brought our treasure where we will,
So you thought him Then take we down his load and turn him off
And took his voice who should be pricked to die (Like to the empty ass) to shake his ears
In our black sentence and proscription. 20 And graze in commons. 30
OCTAVIUS
You may do your will,
But he’s a tried and valiant soldier.
 Listen great things. Brutus and Cassius 45
Are levying powers. We must straight make head.
ANTONY
Therefore let our alliance be combined,
So is my horse, Octavius, and for that
Our best friends made, our means stretched;
I do appoint him store of provender.
And let us presently go sit in council
It is a creature that I teach to fight, 35
How covert matters may be best disclosed 50
To wind, to stop, to run directly on,
And open perils surest answerèd.
His corporal motion governed by my spirit;
And, in some taste, is Lepidus but so.
OCTAVIUS
He must be taught and trained and bid go forth—
Let us do so, for we are at the stake
A barren-spirited fellow, one that feeds 40
And bayed about with many enemies,
On objects, arts, and imitations
And some that smile have in their hearts, I fear,
Which, out of use and staled by other men,
Millions of mischiefs. 55
Begin his fashion. Do not talk of him
They exit.
But as a property. And now, Octavius,
Julius Caesar
Act IV Scene 2

Brutus
Lucilius
Pindarus
Soldiers
 Scene 2
Drum. Enter Brutus, Lucilius, Lucius, and the Army.
Titinius and Pindarus meet them.

PINDARUS I do not doubt

BRUTUS
But that my noble master will appear
Stand ho!
Such as he is, full of regard and honor.
LUCILIUS
BRUTUS
Give the word, ho, and stand!
He is not doubted. Brutus and Lucilius walk aside.
BRUTUS
A word, Lucilius, 15
What now, Lucilius, is Cassius near?
How he received you. Let me be resolved.
LUCILIUS
LUCILIUS
He is at hand, and Pindarus is come
With courtesy and with respect enough,
To do you salutation from his master. 5
But not with such familiar instances
BRUTUS
Nor with such free and friendly conference
He greets me well.—Your master, Pindarus,
As he hath used of old. 20
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. 10
 LUCILIUS
BRUTUS They mean this night in Sardis to be quartered.
Thou hast described The greater part, the horse in general,
A hot friend cooling. Ever note, Lucilius, Are come with Cassius.
When love begins to sicken and decay Enter Cassius and his powers.
It useth an enforcèd ceremony.
There are no tricks in plain and simple faith; 25 BRUTUS Hark, he is arrived.
But hollow men, like horses hot at hand, March gently on to meet him. 35
Make gallant show and promise of their mettle, CASSIUS Stand ho!
Low march within. BRUTUS Stand ho! Speak the word along.
But when they should endure the bloody spur, FIRST SOLDIER Stand!
They fall their crests and, like deceitful jades, SECOND SOLDIER Stand!
Sink in the trial. Comes his army on? 30 THIRD SOLDIER Stand! 40
 BRUTUS
CASSIUS Cassius, be content.
Most noble brother, you have done me wrong. Speak your griefs softly. I do know you well.
BRUTUS
Before the eyes of both our armies here
Judge me, you gods! Wrong I mine enemies?
(Which should perceive nothing but love from us),
And if not so, how should I wrong a brother?
Let us not wrangle. Bid them move away. 50
CASSIUS Then in my tent, Cassius, enlarge your griefs,
Brutus, this sober form of yours hides wrongs, And I will give you audience.
And when you do them— 45
 CASSIUS Pindarus,
Bid our commanders lead their charges off
A little from this ground. 55
BRUTUS
Lucius, do you the like, and let no man
Come to our tent till we have done our conference.
Let Lucilius and Titinius guard our door.
All but Brutus and Cassius exit.
Julius Caesar
Act IV Scene 3

Brutus
Cassius
 Scene 3

CASSIUS
That you have wronged me doth appear in this: CASSIUS I an itching palm?
You have condemned and noted Lucius Pella You know that you are Brutus that speaks this,
For taking bribes here of the Sardians, Or, by the gods, this speech were else your last. 15
Wherein my letters, praying on his side BRUTUS
Because I knew the man, was slighted off. 5 The name of Cassius honors this corruption,
BRUTUS And chastisement doth therefore hide his head.
You wronged yourself to write in such a case. CASSIUS Chastisement?
CASSIUS BRUTUS
In such a time as this it is not meet Remember March; the ides of March remember.
That every nice offense should bear his comment.
BRUTUS
Let me tell you, Cassius, you yourself
Are much condemned to have an itching palm, 10
To sell and mart your offices for gold
To undeservers.
Did not great Julius bleed for justice’ sake? 20 BRUTUS Go to! You are not, Cassius. 35
What villain touched his body that did stab CASSIUS I am.
And not for justice? What, shall one of us BRUTUS I say you are not.
That struck the foremost man of all this world CASSIUS
But for supporting robbers, shall we now Urge me no more. I shall forget myself.
Contaminate our fingers with base bribes 25 Have mind upon your health. Tempt me no farther.
And sell the mighty space of our large honors BRUTUS Away, slight man! 40
For so much trash as may be graspèd thus? CASSIUS Is ’t possible?
I had rather be a dog and bay the moon
BRUTUS Hear me, for I will speak.
Than such a Roman.
Must I give way and room to your rash choler?
CASSIUS
Shall I be frighted when a madman stares?
Brutus, bait not me. 30
CASSIUS
I’ll not endure it. You forget yourself
O you gods, you gods, must I endure all this? 45
To hedge me in. I am a soldier, I,
Older in practice, abler than yourself
To make conditions.
 BRUTUS
You say you are a better soldier.
BRUTUS
Let it appear so, make your vaunting true,
All this? Ay, more. Fret till your proud heart break.
And it shall please me well. For mine own part,
Go show your slaves how choleric you are
I shall be glad to learn of noble men.
And make your bondmen tremble. Must I budge?
Must I observe you? Must I stand and crouch CASSIUS
Under your testy humor? By the gods, 50 You wrong me every way, you wrong me, Brutus. 60
You shall digest the venom of your spleen
I said an elder soldier, not a better.
Though it do split you. For, from this day forth,
Did I say “better”?
I’ll use you for my mirth, yea, for my laughter,
When you are waspish. BRUTUS
CASSIUS Is it come to this? 55 If you did, I care not.
 BRUTUS
You have done that you should be sorry for.
There is no terror, Cassius, in your threats, 75
CASSIUS For I am armed so strong in honesty
When Caesar lived he durst not thus have moved That they pass by me as the idle wind,
me. 65 Which I respect not. I did send to you
BRUTUS For certain sums of gold, which you denied me,
Peace, peace! You durst not so have tempted him. For I can raise no money by vile means. 80
CASSIUS I durst not? By heaven, I had rather coin my heart
BRUTUS No. And drop my blood for drachmas than to wring
CASSIUS From the hard hands of peasants their vile trash
What? Durst not tempt him? By any indirection. I did send
BRUTUS For your life you durst 70 To you for gold to pay my legions, 85
not. Which you denied me. Was that done like Cassius?
CASSIUS Should I have answered Caius Cassius so?
Do not presume too much upon my love. When Marcus Brutus grows so covetous
I may do that I shall be sorry for. To lock such rascal counters from his friends,
Be ready, gods, with all your thunderbolts; 90
Dash him to pieces!
 BRUTUS
CASSIUS I denied you not.
A flatterer’s would not, though they do appear
BRUTUS You did. As huge as high Olympus.
CASSIUS
I did not. He was but a fool that brought CASSIUS
My answer back. Brutus hath rived my heart. 95 Come, Antony, and young Octavius, come!
A friend should bear his friend’s infirmities, Revenge yourselves alone on Cassius, 105
But Brutus makes mine greater than they are. For Cassius is aweary of the world—
BRUTUS Hated by one he loves, braved by his brother,
I do not, till you practice them on me. Checked like a bondman, all his faults observed,
CASSIUS Set in a notebook, learned and conned by rote
You love me not. To cast into my teeth. O, I could weep 110
BRUTUS I do not like your faults. 100 My spirit from mine eyes! There is my dagger,
CASSIUS Offering his dagger to Brutus.
A friendly eye could never see such faults.
 And here my naked breast; within, a heart CASSIUS Hath Cassius lived
Dearer than Pluto’s mine, richer than gold. To be but mirth and laughter to his Brutus
If that thou be’st a Roman, take it forth. When grief and blood ill-tempered vexeth him?130
I that denied thee gold will give my heart. 115 BRUTUS
Strike as thou didst at Caesar, for I know When I spoke that, I was ill-tempered too.
When thou didst hate him worst, thou lovedst him CASSIUS
better Do you confess so much? Give me your hand.
Than ever thou lovedst Cassius. BRUTUS
BRUTUS And my heart too. They clasp hands.
Sheathe your 120 CASSIUS O Brutus!
dagger. BRUTUS What’s the matter? 135
Be angry when you will, it shall have scope. CASSIUS
Do what you will, dishonor shall be humor. Have not you love enough to bear with me
O Cassius, you are yokèd with a lamb
When that rash humor which my mother gave me
That carries anger as the flint bears fire, 125 Makes me forgetful?
Who, much enforcèd, shows a hasty spark
And straight is cold again.
 BRUTUS
Yes, Cassius, and from
henceforth 140
When you are over-earnest with your Brutus,
He’ll think your mother chides, and leave you so.

Enter a Poet followed by Lucilius, Titinius, and Lucius.

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