Julies Caesar - Act 5 - Scene 3

SCENE III. Another part of the field.

    Alarums. Enter CASSIUS and TITINIUS

CASSIUS

    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.

TITINIUS

    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

PINDARUS

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

CASSIUS

    This hill is far enough. Look, look, Titinius;
    Are those my tents where I perceive the fire?

TITINIUS

    They are, my lord.

CASSIUS

    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.

TITINIUS

    I will be here again, even with a thought.

    Exit

CASSIUS

    Go, Pindarus, get higher on that hill;
    My sight was ever thick; regard Titinius,
    And tell me what thou notest about the field.

    PINDARUS ascends the hill
    This day I breathed first: time is come round,
    And where I did begin, there shall I end;
    My life is run his compass. Sirrah, what news?

PINDARUS

    [Above] O my lord!

CASSIUS

    What news?

PINDARUS

    [Above] Titinius is enclosed round about
    With horsemen, that make to him on the spur;
    Yet he spurs on. Now they are almost on him.
    Now, Titinius! Now some light. O, he lights too.
    He's ta'en.

    Shout
    And, hark! they shout for joy.

CASSIUS

    Come down, behold no more.
    O, coward that I am, to live so long,
    To see my best friend ta'en before my face!

    PINDARUS descends
    Come hither, sirrah:
    In Parthia did I take thee prisoner;
    And then I swore thee, saving of thy life,
    That whatsoever I did bid thee do,
    Thou shouldst attempt it. Come now, keep thine oath;
    Now be a freeman: and with this good sword,
    That ran through Caesar's bowels, search this bosom.
    Stand not to answer: here, take thou the hilts;
    And, when my face is cover'd, as 'tis now,
    Guide thou the sword.

    PINDARUS stabs him
    Caesar, thou art revenged,
    Even with the sword that kill'd thee.

    Dies

PINDARUS

    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,
    Where never Roman shall take note of him.

    Exit

    Re-enter TITINIUS with MESSALA

MESSALA

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

TITINIUS

    These tidings will well comfort Cassius.

MESSALA

    Where did you leave him?

TITINIUS

    All disconsolate,
    With Pindarus his bondman, on this hill.

MESSALA

    Is not that he t hat lies upon the ground?

TITINIUS

    He lies not like the living. O my heart!

MESSALA

    Is not that he?

TITINIUS

    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.

MESSALA

    Mistrust of good success hath done this deed.
    O hateful error, melancholy's child,
    Why dost thou show 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!

TITINIUS

    What, Pindarus! where art thou, Pindarus?

MESSALA

    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.

TITINIUS

    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 it 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.

    Kills himself

    Alarum. Re-enter MESSALA, with BRUTUS, CATO, STRATO, VOLUMNIUS, and LUCILIUS

BRUTUS

    Where, where, Messala, doth his body lie?

MESSALA

    Lo, yonder, and Titinius mourning it.

BRUTUS

    Titinius' face is upward.

CATO

    He is slain.

BRUTUS

    O Julius Caesar, thou art mighty yet!
    Thy spirit walks abroad and turns our swords
    In our own proper entrails.

    Low alarums

CATO

    Brave Titinius!
    Look, whether he have not crown'd dead Cassius!

BRUTUS

    Are yet two Romans living such as these?
    The last of all the Romans, fare thee well!
    It is impossible that ever Rome
    Should breed thy fellow. Friends, I owe more tears
    To this dead man than you shall see me pay.
    I shall find time, Cassius, I shall find time.
    Come, therefore, and to Thasos send his body:
    His funerals shall not be in our camp,
    Lest it discomfort us. Lucilius, come;
    And come, young Cato; let us to the field.
    Labeo and Flavius, set our battles on:
    'Tis three o'clock; and, Romans, yet ere night
    We shall try fortune in a second fight.

    Exeunt

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