Camp near Sardis. Before BRUTUS' Tent. |
|
Drum. Enter BRUTUS, LUCILIUS, LUCIUS, and Soldiers: TITINIUS and PINDARUS meet them. |
Bru. Stand, ho! |
Lucil. Give the word, ho! and stand. |
Bru. What now, Lucilius! is Cassius near? |
Lucil. He is at hand; and Pindarus is come |
To do you salutation from his master. [PINDARUS gives a letter to BRUTUS. |
Bru. He greets me well. Your master, Pindarus, |
In his own change, or by ill officers, |
Hath given me some worthy cause to wish |
Things done, undone; but, if he be at hand, |
I shall be satisfied. |
Pin. I do not doubt |
But that my noble master will appear |
Such as he is, full of regard and honour. |
Bru. He is not doubted. A word, Lucilius; |
How he receiv'd you, let me be resolv'd. |
Lucil. With courtesy and with respect enough; |
But not with such familiar instances, |
Nor with such free and friendly conference, |
As he hath us'd of old. |
Bru. Thou hast describ'd |
A hot friend cooling. Ever note, Lucilius, |
When love begins to sicken and decay, |
It useth an enforced ceremony. |
There are no tricks in plain and simple faith; |
But hollow men, like horses hot at hand, |
Make gallant show and promise of their mettle; |
But when they should endure the bloody spur, |
They fall their crests, and, like deceitful jades, |
Sink in the trial. Comes his army on? |
Lucil. They mean this night in Sardis to be quarter'd; |
The greater part, the horse in general, |
Are come with Cassius. |
Bru. Hark! he is arriv'd. [Low march within. |
March gently on to meet him. |
|
Enter CASSIUS and Soldiers. |
Cas. Stand, ho! |
Bru. Stand, ho! Speak the word along. |
First Sold. Stand! |
Sec. Sold. Stand! |
Third Sold. Stand! |
Cas. Most noble brother, you have done me wrong. |
Bru. Judge me, you gods! Wrong I mine enemies? |
And, if not so, how should I wrong a brother? |
Cas. Brutus, this sober form of yours hides wrongs; |
And when you do them— |
Bru. 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. |
Cas. Pindarus, |
Bid our commanders lead their charges off |
A little from this ground. |
Bru. Lucilius, do you the like; and let no man |
Come to our tent till we have done our conference. |
Let Lucius and Titinius guard our door. [Exeunt. |
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