And took his voice who should be prick'd to die, In our black sentence and proscription.

Ant. Octavius, I have seen more days than you: And though we lay these honours on this man, To ease ourselves of divers slanderous loads, He shall but bear them as the ass bears gold, To groan and sweat under the business, Either led or driven, as we point the way; And having brought our treasure where we will, Then take we down his load, and turn him off, Like to the empty ass, to shake his ears,

And graze in commons.
Oct.

You may do your will;

But he's a tried and valiant soldier.

Ant. So is my horse, Octavius; and, for that,

I do appoint him store of provender.

It is a creature that I teach to fight,

To wind, to stop, to run directly on;
His corporal motion govern'd by my spirit.
And, in some taste, is Lepidus but so;

He must be taught, and train'd, and bid go forth:
30 A barren-spirited fellow; one that feeds
On objects, arts, and imitations;

Which, out of use, and stal'd by other men,
Begin his fashion: Do not talk of him,
But as a property. And now, Octavius,
Listen great things.--Brutus and Cassius,
Are levying powers: we must straight make head:
Therefore let our alliance be combin'd,

Our best friends made, and our best means stretch'd

out;

And let us presently go sit in council,

How covert matters may be best disclos'd,

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,
Millions of mischief.

SCENE II,

[Exeunt

Before Brutus' tent, in the camp near Sardis. Drum. Enter BRUTUS, Lucilius, LUCIUS, and Soldiers: TITINIUS and PINDARUS meeting them.

Bru. Stand here.

Luc. Give the word, ho! and stand.

Bru. What now, Lucilius? is Cassius near?

Luc. He is at hand; and Pindarus is come

To do you salutation from his master,

[Pindarus gives a letter to Brutus,

Bru. He greets me well. 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 my noble master will appear
Such as he is, full of regard, and honour.

Bru. He is not doubted.-A word, Lucilius; How he receiv'd you, let me be resolv'd.

Luc. With courtesy, and with respect enough; But not with such familiar instances,

Nor with such free and friendly conference,

As he hath us'd of old.
Bru.

Thou hast describ'd

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

Luc. They mean this night in Sardis to be quarter'd;

The greater part, the horse in general,

Are come with Cassius.

Bru.

[March within.

Hark, he is arriv'd:

March gently on to meet him.

Enter CASSIUS and Soldiers.

Cas. Stand, ho!

Bru. Stand ho! Speak the word along.

Within. Stand.

Within. Stand.

Within. Stand.

Cas. Most noble brother, you have done me wrong. Bru. Judge me, you gods! Wrong I mine ene

mies?

And, if not so, how should I wrong a brother?

Cas. Brutus, this sober form of yours hides wrongs;

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,

And I will give you audience.

Cas.

Pindarus,

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

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

Come to our tent, till we have done our conference.

Let Lucius and Titinius guard our door.

[Exeunt.

SCENE III.

Within the tent of Brutus.

Lucius and Titinius at some distance from it.

Enter BRUTUS and CASSIUS.

Cas. 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 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 31 nice offence should bear his comment.

Bru. Let me tell you, Cassius, you yourself Are much condemn'd to have an itching palm; To sell and mart your offices for gold,

To undeservers.

Cas.

I an itching palm?

You know, that you are Brutus that speak 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 re

member!

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.

Brutus, bay not me,

I'll not endure it: you forget yourself,
To hedge me in; I am a soldier, I,