The Tragedy Of Julius Caesar

1 Enter Brutus, Dardanius, Clitus, Strato and Volumnius.
2 BRUTUS.
3 Come, poor remains of friends, rest on this rock.
4 CLITUS.
5 Statilius show’d the torch-light; but, my lord,
6 He came not back: he is or ta’en or slain.
7 BRUTUS.
8 Sit thee down, Clitus. Slaying is the word;
9 It is a deed in fashion. Hark thee, Clitus.
10 [_Whispering._]
11 CLITUS.
12 What, I, my lord? No, not for all the world.
13 BRUTUS.
14 Peace then, no words.
15 CLITUS.
16 I’ll rather kill myself.
17 BRUTUS.
18 Hark thee, Dardanius.
19 [_Whispers him._]
20 DARDANIUS.
21 Shall I do such a deed?
22 CLITUS.
23 O Dardanius!
24 DARDANIUS.
25 O Clitus!
26 CLITUS.
27 What ill request did Brutus make to thee?
28 DARDANIUS.
29 To kill him, Clitus. Look, he meditates.
30 CLITUS.
31 Now is that noble vessel full of grief,
32 That it runs over even at his eyes.
33 BRUTUS.
34 Come hither, good Volumnius; list a word.
35 VOLUMNIUS.
36 What says my lord?
37 BRUTUS.
38 Why, this, Volumnius:
39 The ghost of Caesar hath appear’d to me
40 Two several times by night; at Sardis once,
41 And this last night here in Philippi fields.
42 I know my hour is come.
43 VOLUMNIUS.
44 Not so, my lord.
45 BRUTUS.
46 Nay I am sure it is, Volumnius.
47 Thou seest the world, Volumnius, how it goes;
48 Our enemies have beat us to the pit.
49 [_Low alarums._]
50 It is more worthy to leap in ourselves
51 Than tarry till they push us. Good Volumnius,
52 Thou know’st that we two went to school together;
53 Even for that our love of old, I pr’ythee
54 Hold thou my sword-hilts, whilst I run on it.
55 VOLUMNIUS.
56 That’s not an office for a friend, my lord.
57 [_Alarums still._]
58 CLITUS.
59 Fly, fly, my lord! there is no tarrying here.
60 BRUTUS.
61 Farewell to you; and you; and you, Volumnius.
62 Strato, thou hast been all this while asleep;
63 Farewell to thee too, Strato.—Countrymen,
64 My heart doth joy, that yet in all my life
65 I found no man but he was true to me.
66 I shall have glory by this losing day
67 More than Octavius and Mark Antony
68 By this vile conquest shall attain unto.
69 So fare you well at once; for Brutus’ tongue
70 Hath almost ended his life’s history.
71 Night hangs upon mine eyes; my bones would rest,
72 That have but labour’d to attain this hour.
73 [_Alarums. Cry within, “Fly, fly, fly!”._]
74 CLITUS.
75 Fly, my lord, fly!
76 BRUTUS.
77 Hence! I will follow.
78 [_Exeunt Clitus, Dardanius and Volumnius._]
79 I pr’ythee, Strato, stay thou by thy lord.
80 Thou art a fellow of a good respect;
81 Thy life hath had some smatch of honour in it.
82 Hold then my sword, and turn away thy face,
83 While I do run upon it. Wilt thou, Strato?
84 STRATO.
85 Give me your hand first. Fare you well, my lord.
86 BRUTUS.
87 Farewell, good Strato.—Caesar, now be still:
88 I kill’d not thee with half so good a will.
89 [_He runs on his sword, and dies._]
90 Alarum. Retreat. Enter Antony, Octavius, Messala, Lucilius and the
91 Army.
92 OCTAVIUS.
93 What man is that?
94 MESSALA.
95 My master’s man. Strato, where is thy master?
96 STRATO.
97 Free from the bondage you are in, Messala.
98 The conquerors can but make a fire of him;
99 For Brutus only overcame himself,
100 And no man else hath honour by his death.
101 LUCILIUS.
102 So Brutus should be found. I thank thee, Brutus,
103 That thou hast prov’d Lucilius’ saying true.
104 OCTAVIUS.
105 All that serv’d Brutus, I will entertain them.
106 Fellow, wilt thou bestow thy time with me?
107 STRATO.
108 Ay, if Messala will prefer me to you.
109 OCTAVIUS.
110 Do so, good Messala.
111 MESSALA.
112 How died my master, Strato?
113 STRATO.
114 I held the sword, and he did run on it.
115 MESSALA.
116 Octavius, then take him to follow thee,
117 That did the latest service to my master.
118 ANTONY.
119 This was the noblest Roman of them all.
120 All the conspirators save only he,
121 Did that they did in envy of great Caesar;
122 He only, in a general honest thought
123 And common good to all, made one of them.
124 His life was gentle, and the elements
125 So mix’d in him that Nature might stand up
126 And say to all the world, “This was a man!”
127 OCTAVIUS.
128 According to his virtue let us use him
129 With all respect and rites of burial.
130 Within my tent his bones tonight shall lie,
131 Most like a soldier, order’d honourably.
132 So call the field to rest, and let’s away,
133 To part the glories of this happy day.
134 [_Exeunt._]