ARKCODEX
Act V, Scene 3
1Another part of the field.
2Alarums. Enter Cassius and Titinius.
3CassiusO, 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.
4TitiniusO 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.
5Enter Pindarus.
6PindarusFly further off, my lord, fly further off;
Mark Antony is in your tents, my lord:
Fly, therefore, noble Cassius, fly far off.
7CassiusThis hill is far enough. Look, look, Titinius;
Are those my tents where I perceive the fire?
8TitiniusThey are, my lord.
9CassiusTitinius, 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.
10TitiniusI will be here again, even with a thought. Exit.
11CassiusGo, 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?
12PindarusAbove. O my lord!
13CassiusWhat news?
14PindarusAbove. 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.
15CassiusCome down, behold no more.
O, coward that I am, to live so long,
To see my best friend ta’en before my face!
16Pindarus descends.
17Come 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.
18PindarusSo, 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.
19Reenter Titinius with Messala.
20MessalaIt is but change, Titinius; for Octavius
Is overthrown by noble Brutus’ power,
As Cassius’ legions are by Antony.
21TitiniusThese tidings will well comfort Cassius.
22MessalaWhere did you leave him?
23TitiniusAll disconsolate,
With Pindarus his bondman, on this hill.
24MessalaIs not that he that lies upon the ground?
25TitiniusHe lies not like the living. O my heart!
26MessalaIs not that he?
27TitiniusNo, 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.
28MessalaMistrust 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!
29TitiniusWhat, Pindarus! where art thou, Pindarus?
30MessalaSeek 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.
31TitiniusHie 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 everything!
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.
32Alarum. Reenter Messala, with Brutus, young Cato, Strato, Volumnius, and Lucilius.
33BrutusWhere, where, Messala, doth his body lie?
34MessalaLo, yonder, and Titinius mourning it.
35BrutusTitinius’ face is upward.
36CatoHe is slain.
37BrutusO Julius Caesar, thou art mighty yet!
Thy spirit walks abroad, and turns our swords
In our own proper entrails. Low alarums.
38CatoBrave Titinius!
Look, whether he have not crown’d dead Cassius!
39BrutusAre 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.