They fall their crests, and, like deceitful jades
Sink in the trial. Comes his army on?
LUCILIUS.
They meant his night in Sard is to be quarter’d:
The greater part, the Horse in general,
Are come with Cassius.
[March within.]
BRUTUS.
Hark! he is arrived.
March gently on to meet him.
[Enter Cassius and Soldiers.]
CASSIUS.
Stand, ho!
BRUTUS.
Stand, ho! Speak the word along.
FIRST SOLDIER.
Stand!
SECOND SOLDIER.
Stand!
THIRD SOLDIER.
Stand!
CASSIUS.
Most noble brother, you have done me wrong.
BRUTUS.
Judge me, you gods! wrong I mine enemies?
And, if not so, how should I wrong a brother?
CASSIUS.
Brutus, this sober form of yours hides wrongs;
And when you do them—
BRUTUS.
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.
CASSIUS.
Pindarus,
Bid our commanders lead their charges off
A little from this ground.
BRUTUS.
Lucilius, do you the like; and let no man
Come to our tent till we have done our conference.—
Lucius and Titinius, guard our door.
[Exeunt.]
SCENE III
within the tent of Brutus.
[Enter Brutus and Cassius.]
CASSIUS.
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;
Whereas my letters, praying on his side
Because I knew the man, were slighted off.
BRUTUS.
You wrong’d yourself to write in such a case.
CASSIUS.
In such a time as this it is not meet
That every nice offense should bear his comment.
BRUTUS.
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.
CASSIUS.
I an itching palm!
You know that you are Brutus that speak this,
Or, by the gods, this speech were else your last.
BRUTUS.
The name of Cassius honors this corruption,
And chastisement doth therefore hide his head.
CASSIUS.
Chastisement!
BRUTUS.
Remember March, the Ides of March remember:
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.
CASSIUS.
Brutus, bay not me,
I’ll not endure it: you forget yourself,
To hedge me in; I am a soldier, ay,
Older in practice, abler than yourself
To make conditions.
BRUTUS.
Go to; you are not, Cassius.
CASSIUS.
I am.
BRUTUS.
I say you are not.
CASSIUS.
Urge me no more, I shall forget myself;
Have mind upon your health, tempt me no farther.
BRUTUS.
Away, slight man!
CASSIUS.
Is’t possible?
BRUTUS.
Hear me, for I will speak.
Must I give way and room to your rash choler?
Shall I be frighted when a madman stares?
CASSIUS.
O gods, ye gods! must I endure all this?
BRUTUS.
All this? ay, more: fret till your proud heart break;
Go show your slaves how choleric you are,
And make your bondmen tremble. Must I budge?
Must I observe you? Must I stand and crouch
Under your testy humour? By the gods,
You shall digest the venom of your spleen,
Though it do split you; for, from this day forth,
I’ll use you for my mirth, yea, for my laughter,
When you are waspish.
CASSIUS.
Is it come to this?
BRUTUS.
You say you are a better soldier:
Let it appear so; make your vaunting true,
And it shall please me well: for mine own part,