The Dramatic Works of William Shakspeare, to which are Added His Miscellaneous Poems. (Life of William Shakspeare, by Mr. N. Rowe.).

Ant. Why do you cross me in this exigent? Oct. I do not cross you; but I will do so. [March. Drum. Enter BRUTUS, CASSIUS, and their Army; LUCILIUS, TITINIUS, MESSALA, and others. Bru. They stand, and would have parley. Cas. Stand fast, Titinius: we must out and talk. Oct. Mark Antony, shall we give sign of battle? Ant. No, Cæsar, we will answer on their charge. Make forth, the generals would have some words. Oct. Stir not until the signal.

Bru. Words before blows: Is it so, countrymen? Oct. Not that we love words better, as you do. Bru. Good words are better than bad strokes, Octavius.

Ant. In your bad strokes, Brutus, you give good

The posture of your blows are yet unknown; eBut for your words, they rob the Hybla bees, And leave them honeyless.

Ant. Not stingless too.

Bru. O, yes, and soundless too;

For you have stolen their buzzing, Antony,
And, very wisely, threat before you sting.

Ant. Villains, you did not so, when your vile daggers

Hack'd one another in the sides of Cæsar :

You shew'd your teeth like apes, and fawn'd like hounds,

And bow'd like bondmen, kissing Cæsar's feet;
Whilst damned Casca, like a cur, behind,
Struck Cæsar on the neck. O flatterers!

Cas. Flatterers!- Now, Brutus, thank yourself:
This tongue had not offended so to-day,
If Cassius might have ruled.

Oct. Come, come, the cause: if arguing make us sweat,

The proof of it will turn to redder drops.
Look;

I draw a sword against conspirators;
When think you that the sword goes up again?—
Never, till Caesar's three and twenty wounds
Be well avenged; or till another Cæsar
Have added slaughter to the sword of traitors.
Bru. Cæsar, thou canst not die by traitors,
Unless thon bring'st them with thee.

Oct. So I hope;

I was not born to die on Brutus' sword.

Bru. O, if thou wert the noblest of thy strain, Young man, thou couldst not die more honourable Cas. A peevish schoolboy, worthless of such ho

nour,

Join'd with a masker and a reveller.

Ant. Old Cassius still!

Oct. Come, Antony: away.

Defiance, traitors, hurt we in your teeth:
If you dare fight to-day, come to the field;
If not, when you have stomachs.

[Exeunt Octavius, Antony, and their Army. Cas. Why now, blow, wind; swell, billow; and swim, bark!

The storm is up, and all is on the hazard.
Bru. Ho!

Lucilius; hark, a word with you.
Luc. My lord.

[Brutus and Lucius converse apart.

Cas. Messala,

Mes. What says my general ?
Cas. Messala,

This is my birth-day; as this very day

Was Cassius born. Give me thy hand, Messala:
Be thou my witness, that, against my will,
As Pompey was, am 1 compell'd to set

Upon one battle all our liberties.

You know, that I held Epicurus strong,
And his opinion: now I change my mind,
And partly credit things that do presage.
Coming from Sardis, on our former + ensign
Two mighty eagles fell, and there they perch'd,
Gorging and feeding from our soldiers' hands;
Who to Philippi here consorted us.
This morning are they fled away, and gone;
And in their steads, do ravens, crows, and kites,
Fly o'er our heads, and downward look on us,
As we were sickly prey; their shadows seem
A canopy most fatal, under which

Our army lies, ready to give up the ghost.

Mes. Believe not so.

Cas. I but believe it partly; For I am fresh of spirit, and resolved To meet all perils very constantly. Bru. Even so, Lucilius.

Cas. Now, most noble Brutns, The gods to-day stand friendly; that we may, Lovers in peace, lead on our days to age! But, since the affairs of men rest still uncertain, Let's reason with the worst that may befall. If we do lose this battle, then is this The very last time we shall speak together: What are you then determined to do?

Bru. Even by the rule of that philosophy,
By which I did blame Cato for the death
Which he did give himself:-I know not how,
But I do find it cowardly and vile,

For fear of what might fail, so to prevent
The time of life:-Arming myself with patience,
To stay the providence of some high powers,
That govern us below.

Cas. Then, if we lose this battle,

You are contented to be led in triumph
Through the streets of Rome ?

Bru. No, Cassius, no: think not, thou noble Ro

man,

That ever Brutus will go bound to Rome;
He bears too great a mind. But this same day
Must end that work, the ides of March begun;
And whether we shall meet again, I know not.
Therefore our everlasting farewell take:
For ever, and for ever, farewell, Cassius!
If we do meet again, why we shall smile;
If not, why then this parting was well made.
Cas. For ever, and for ever, farewell, Brutus!
If we do meet again, we'll smile indeed;
If not, 'tis true, this parting was well made.
Bru. Why then, lead on.-O, that a man might

know

The end of this day's business, ere it come!
But it sufficeth, that the day will end,
And then the end is known !-Come, ho! Away!
[Exeunt.

SCENE II.-The same.-The Field of Battle.
Alarum.-Enter BRUTUS and MESSALA.
Bru. Ride, ride, Messala, ride, and give these
bills

Unto the legions on the other side: [Loud Alarum.
Let them set on at once; for I perceive
But cold demeanour in Octavius' wing,
And sudden push gives them the overthrow.
Ride, ride, Messala: let them all come down.

[Exeunt.
SCENE III.-The same.-Another part of the Field.
Alarum.-Enter CASSIUS and TITINIUS.
Cas. O, look, Titinius, look, the villains fly!
Myself have to mine own turn'd enemy:
This ensign here of mine was turning back;
I slew the coward, and did take it from him.

Tit. O Cassius, Brutus gave the word too early; Who having some advantage on Octavius, Took it too eagerly; his soldiers fell to spoil, Whilst we by Antony are all enclosed.

Enter PINDARUS.

Pin. Fly further off, my lord, fly further off;
Mark Antony is in your tents, my lord!
Fly therefore, noble Cassius, fly far off.

Cas. This hill is far enough. Look, look, Titinius.
Are those my tents, where I perceive the fire?
Tit. They are, my lord.

Cas. Titinius, if thou lovest me,

Mount thou my horse, and hide thy spurs in him,
Till he have brought thee up to yonder troops,
And here again: that I may rest assured,
Whether yond' troops are friend or enemy.
Tit. I will be here again, even with a thought.
[Exit.

Cas. Go, Pindarus, get hither on that hill;
My sight was ever thick; regard Titinius,
And tell me what thou notest about the field.
[Exit Pindarus.
This day I breathed first time is come round,
And where I did begin, there I shall end;
My life is run his compass.-Sirrah, what news!
Pin. [Above.] O my lord!

* Directions for the officers.

Pin. 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,

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!

[Charges the Enemy. Bru. And I am Brutus, Marcus Brutus, I;

Where never Roman shall take note of him. [Exit. Brutus, my country's friend; know me for Brutus.

Re-enter TITINIUS, with MESSALA.

Mes. It is but change, Titinius; for Octavius
Is overthrown by noble Brutus' power,
As Cassius' legions are by Antony.

-Tit. These tidings will well comfort Cassius.
. Mes. Where did you leave him?
Tit. All disconsolate,

With Pindarus his bondman, on this hill.

Mes. Is not that he, that lies upon the ground?
Tit. He lies not like the living. O my heart!
Mes. Is not that he?

Tit. No, this was he, Messala,

But Cassius is no more.-O setting sun!

As in thy red rays thou dost sink to night,

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.

ཡ་

[Exit, charging the Enemy,-Cato is over £n
powered, and jails.

Luc. O young and noble Cato, art thou down?
Why, now thou diest as bravely as Titinius;
And may'st be honour'd, being Cato's son.
1 Sold. Yield, or thou diest.
Luc. Only I yield to die :

There is so much that thou wilt kill me straight;

Luc. Safe, Antony; Brutus is safe enough:
I dare assure thee, that no enemy

Mes. Mistrust of good success hath done this Shall ever take alive the noble Brutus:
deed.

O hateful error, melancholy's child!
Why dost thou shew to the apt thoughts of men,
The things that are not? O error, soon conceived,
Thou never comest unto a happy birth,
But kill'st the mother that engender'd thee.
Tit. What, Pindarus! Where art thou, Pindarus?
Mes. 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.

Tit. 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't thee? Didst thou not hear

their shouts ?

Alas, thou hast misconstrued every thing.
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.

[Dies.
Alarum.-Re-enter MESSALA, with BRUTUS, young
CATO, STRATO, VOLUMNIUS, and LUCILIUS.
Bru. Where, where, Messala, doth his body lie?
Mes. Lo, yonder; and Titinius mourning it.
Bru. Titinius' face is upward.

Cato. He is slain.

The gods defend him from so great a shame!
When you do find him, or alive, or dead,
He will be found like Brutus, like himself.
Ant. This is not Brutus, friend; but, I assure you,
A prize no less in worth keep this man safe,
Give him all kindness: I had rather have
Such men my friends, than enemies.
And see whe'r Brutus be alive, or dead:
And bring us word, unto Octavius' tent,
How every thing is chanced.

[Whispering,

[Whispers him.

Cli. What, I, my lord? No, not for all the world.
Bru. Peace then, no words.
Cli. I'll rather kill myself.
Bru. Hark thee, Dardanius!
Dar. I do such a deed?
Cli. O, Dardanius!
Dar. Ó, Clitus!

Cli. What ill request did Brutus make to thee!
Dar. To kill him, Clitus: look, he meditates.
Cli. Now is that noble vessel full of grief,
That it runs over even at his eyes.

Bru. Come hither, good Volumnius: list a word
Vol. What says my lord?

Bru. Why this, Volumuins:

The ghost of Cæsar hath appear'd to me
Two several times by night: at Sardis, once;

• Whether.

And, this last night, herein Philippi' fields.
I know, my hour is come.

Vel. Not so, my lord.

Bru. Nay, I am sure it is, Volumnius.

Thou see'st the world, Volumnius, how it goes;
Our enemies have beat us to the pit:
It is more worthy to leap in ourselves,
Than tarry till they push us. Good Volumnius,
Thou know'st, that we two went to school together;
Even for that our love of old, I pray thee,
Hold thou my sword-bilts, whilst I run on it.
Vel. That's not an office for a friend, my lord.
[Alarum still.

master?

Stra. Free from the bondage you are in, Mes
sala;

The conquerors can but make a fire of him;
For Brutus only overcame himself.

And no man else hath honour by his death.
Luc. So Brutus should be found.-I thank thee,
Brutus,

C. Fly, fly, my lord; there is no tarrying here.
Bru. Farewell to you ;-and you;-and you, Vo-That thon hast proved Lucilius' saying true,
Oct. All that served Brutus, I will entertain⚫

lumnius.

Strato, thou hast been all this while asleep;
Farewell to thee too, Strato.-Countrymen,
My heart doth joy, that yet, in all my life

I found no man, but he was true to me.

I shall have glory by this losing day,

More than Octavius, and Mark Antony,

By this vile conquest shall attain unto.

So, fare you well at once; for Brutus' tongue
Hath almost ended his life's history:

Night hangs upon mine eyes: my bones would rest,
That have but labour'd to attain this hour.
[Alarum.-Cry within, Fly, fly, fly.

Cli. Fly, my lord, fly.

Bru. Hence; I will follow thee.

[Exeunt Clitus, Dardanius, and Volumnius.
I pr'ythee, Strato, stay thou by thy lord:
Thou art a fellow of a good respect;

Thy life hath had some smatch of honour in it:
Hold then my sword, and turn away thy face,
While I do run upon it. Wilt thou, Strato?
Stra. Give me your band first: Fare you well,
my lord.

Bru. Farewell, good Strato.-Cæsar, now be still:
I kill'd not thee with half so good a will.
[He runs on his Sword, and dies.

them.

Fellow, wilt thou bestow thy time with me?
Stra. Ay, if Messala will prefer me to you.
Oct. Do so, Messala.

Mes. How died my master, Strato?

Stra. 1 held the sword, and he did run on it. Mes. Octavius, then take him to follow thee, That did the latest service to my master.

Ant. This was the noblest Roman of them all:
All the conspirators, save only he,

Did that they did in envy of great Cæsar;
He, only, in a general honest thought,
And common good to all; made one of them.
His life was gentle; and the elements
So mix'd in him, that Nature might stand up,
And say to all the world, This was a man!

Oct. According to his virtue let us use him,
With all respect and rites of burial.
Within my tent his bones to-night shall lie,
Most like a soldier, order'd honourably.
So, call the field to rest: and let's away,
To part the glories of this happy day.

[Exeunt.

• Receive into my service. + Recommend.

Enter DEMETRIUS and PHILO.

Phil. Nay, but this dotage of our general's,
O'erflows the measure: those his goodly eyes
That o'er the files and musters of the war

Have glow'd like plated Mars, now bend, now turn,
The office and devotion of their view
Upon a tawny front: his captain's heart,
Which in the scuffles of great fights hath burst
The buckles on his breast, reneges all temper;
And is become the bellows, and the fan,
To cool a gipsy's lust. Look where they come!
Flourish.-Enter ANTONY and CLEOPATRA, with
their Trains; Eunuchs fanning her.
Take but good note, and you shall see in him
The triple pillar of the world transform'd
Into a strumpet's fool: behold and see.

Cleo. If it be love indeed, tell me how much. Ant. There's beggary in the love that can be reckon'd.

Cleo. I'll set a bourn how far to be beloved. Ant. Then must thou needs find out new heaven, new earth.

Enter an ATTENDANT.

Att. News, my good lord, from Rome.
Ant. Gratest me :-The sum.

Cleo. Nay, hear them, Antony:
Fulvia, perchance, is angry; or, who knows
If the scarce-bearded Cæsar have not sent
His powerful mandate to you, Do this, or this,
Take in that kingdom, and enfranchise that;
Perform't, or else we damn thee.

Ant. How, my love!

Cleo. Perchance,-nay, and most like,

You must not stay here longer, your dismission

Is come from Cæsar; therefore hear it, Antony.—

Of the ranged empire fall! Here is my space;
Kingdoms are clay: our dungy earth alike
Feeds beast as man: the nobleness of life
Is, to do thus; when such a mutual pair, [Embracing.
And such a twain can do't, in which, I bind
On pain of punishment, the world to weet,
We stand up peerless.

Cleo. Excellent falshood!

Why did he marry Fulvia, and not love her ?— I'll seem the fool I am not; Antony

Will be himself.

Ant. But stirr'd by Cleopatra.

Now, for the love of Love, and her soft hours,
Let's not confound + the time with conference harsh:
There's not a minute of our lives should stretch
Without some pleasure now: What sport to-night?
Cleo. Hear the ambassadors.
Ant. Fie, wrangling queen!

Whom every thing becomes, to chide, to laugh,
To weep; whose every passion fully strives
To make itself, in thee, fair and admired!
No messenger; but thine and all alone,
To-night, we'll wander through the streets, and note
The qualities of people. Come, my queen;
Last night you did desire it :-Speak not to us.

[Exeunt Ant. and Cleop. with their Train.
Dem. Is Caesar with Antonius prized so slight?
Phi. Sir, sometimes, when he is not Antony,
He comes too short of that great property
Which still should go with Antony.

Dem. I'm full sorry,

That he approves the common liar, who Thus speaks of him at Rome: but I will hope Of better deeds to-morrow.

Rest you happy!

[Exeunt.

SCENE II.-The same.-Another Room. Enter CHARMIAN, IRAS, ALEXAS, and a SOOTHSAYER. Char. Lord Alexas, sweet Alexas, most any thing Alexas, almost most absolute Alexas, where's the soothsayer that you praised so to the queen? 0,

Where's Fulvia's process? Cæsar's, I would say ?-that I knew this husband, which, you say, must

Both

Call in the messengers.-As I am Egypt's queen,
Thou blushest, Antony; and that blood of thine
Is Cæsar's homager: else so thy cheek pays shame,
When shrill-tongued Fulvia scolds.-The messen-

change his horns with garlands ! Alex. Soothsayer.

Sooth. Your will?

Char. Is this the man?-Is't you, Sir, that know things?

Sooth. In nature's infinite book of secrecy, A little I can read.

Alex. Shew him your hand.

Fame.

Enter ENOBARBUS.
Eno. Bring in the banquet quickly; wine enough,
Cleopatra's health to drink.

Char. Good Sir, give me good fortune.
Sooth. I make not, but foresee.

Char. Pray then, foresee me one.

Sooth. You shall be yet far fairer than you are.
Char. He means, in flesh.

Iras. No, you shall paint when you are old.
Char. Wrinkles forbid !

Alex. Vex not his prescience; be attentive.
Char. Hush!

Sooth. You shall be more beloving, than beloved.
Char. I had rather heat my liver with drinking.
Aler. Nay, hear him.

Char. Good now, some excellent fortune! Let me be married to three kings in a forenoon, and widow them all: let me have a child at fifty, to whom Herod of Jewry may do homage: find me to marry me with Octavius Cæsar, and companion me with my mistress.

Sooth. You shall outlive the lady whom you

serve.

Char. O excellent! I love long life better than figs.

Sooth. You have seen and proved a fairer former fortune

Than that which is to approach.

Char. Then, belike, my children shall have no names: Pr'ythee, how many boys and wenches must I have f

Sooth. If every of your wishes had a womb, And fertile every wish, a million.

Char. Out, fool! I forgive thee for a witch. Alex. You think, none but your sheets are privy to your wishes.

Char. Nay, come, tell Iras hers.
Alex. We'll know all our fortunes.

Eno. Mine, and most of our fortunes, to-night,

shall be-drunk to bed. ́

Iras. There's a palm presages chastity, if nothing

else.

Char. Even as the o'erflowing Nilus presageth famine.

Iras. Go, you wild bedfellow, you cannot sooth

say.

Char. Nay, if an oily palm be not a fruitful prognostication, I cannot scratch mine ear.-Pr'ythee, tell her but a worky-day fortune.

Sooth. Your fortunes are alike.

Iras. But how, but how? Give me particulars. Sooth. I have said.

Iras. Am I not an inch of fortune better than she?

Char. Well, if you were but an inch of fortune better than I, where would you choose it?

Iras. Not in my husband's nose. Char. Our worser thoughts heavens mend! A. lexas,-come, his fortune, his fortune.-O, let him marry a woman that cannot go, sweet Isis, I beseech thee! and let her die too, and give him a worse! and let worse follow worse, till the worst of all follow him laughing to his grave, fifty-fold a cuckold! Good Isis, hear me this prayer, though thou deny me a matter of more weight; good Isis,

I beseech thee!

Iras. Amen. Dear goddess, hear that prayer of the people! For, as it is a heart-breaking to see a handsome man loose-wived, so it is a deadly sorrow to behold a foul knave uncuckolded; therefore, dear Isis, keep decorum, and fortune him accordingly!

Char. Amen.

Alex. Lo, now! if it lay in their hands to make me a cuckold, they would make themselves whores, but they'd do't.

Eno. Hush! here comes Antony.

Char. Not he, the queen.

Enter CLEOPATRA.

Cleo. Saw you my lord?

Eno. No, lady.

Cleo. Was he not here?

Char. No, madam.

Cleo. He was disposed to mirth; but on the sud

den

A Roman thought hath struck him,-Enobarbus,Eno. Madam.

Shall be bastards. ↑ An Egyptian goddess.

(This is stiff news) hath, with his Parthian force
Extended Asia from Euphrates;

His conquering banner shook, from Syria
To Lydia, and to Ionia;
Whilst

Ant. Antony, thou wouldst say,-
Mess. O, my lord!

Ant. Speak to me home, mince not the general tongue;

Rail thou in Fulvia's phrase; and taunt my faults
Name Cleopatra as she's call'd in Rome:
With such full licence, as both truth and malice
Have power to utter. O, then we bring forth weeds,
When our quick winds + lie still; and our ills

told us,

Is as our earing t. Fare thee well a while. Mess. At your noble pleasure.

Ant. From Sicyon how the news? Speak there. 1 Att. The man from Sicyon.-Is there such an one?

2 Att. He stays § upon your will. Ant. Let him appear.

These strong Egyptian fetters I must break,

Enter another MESSENGER.

Or lose myself in dotage.-What are you?
2 Mess. Fulvia thy wife is dead.
Ant. Where died she?
2 Mess. In Sicyon:

Importeth thee to know, this bears. [Gives a Letter. Her length of sickness, with what else more serious [Exit Messenger.

Ant. Forbear me.

There's a great spirit gone! Thus did I desire it:
What our contempts do often hurl from us,
We wish it ours again; the present pleasure,

By revolution lowering, does become
The opposite of itself: she's good, being gone;
The hand could pluck her back, that shoved her on.
Ten thousand harms, more than the ills I know,
I must from this enchanting queen break off;
My idleness doth hatch.-How now! Enobarbus!

Enter ENOBARBUS.

Eno. What's your pleasure, Sir?
Ant. I must with haste from hence.

Eno. Why, then, we kill all our women: we see how mortal an unkindness is to them; if they suf fer our departure, death's the word.

Ant. I must be gone.

die: it were pity to cast them away for nothing; Eno. Under a compelling occasion, let women though, between them and a great cause, they should be esteem'd nothing. Cleopatra, catching but the least noise of this, dies instantly; I have seen her die twenty times upon far poorer moment: I do think, there is mettle in death, which commits some loving act upon her, she hath such a celerity in dying.

Ant. She is cunning past man's thought.

Eno. Alack, Sir, no; her passions are made of nothing but the finest part of pure love: we cannot call her winds and waters, sighs and tears; they

• Seized. + In some editions minds. Tilling, ploughing: prepares us to produce good § Waits.

seed.

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The Dramatic Works of William Shakspeare, to which are Added His ..., Tom 1