And, if not so, how fhould I wrong a brother?
Caf. Brutus, this fober form of yours hides wrongs?
And when you do them—

Bru. Caffius, be content,

Speak your griefs foftly, 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, Caffius, enlarge your griefs,

And I will give you audience.

Caf. Pindarus,

Bid our commanders lead their charges off
A little from this ground.

Bru. Lucilius, do the like; and let no man

Come to our tent, 'till we have done our conference. Let Lucius and Titinius guard the door.

Changes to the Infide of Brutus's Tent.

Re-enter Brutus and Caffius.

[Exeunt.

Caf.THA you have wrong'd me, doth appear.

in this,

You have condemn'd and noted Lucius Pella,
For taking bribes here of the Sardians;
Wherein, my letter (praying on his fide,
Because I knew the man,) was flighted off.

Bru. You wrong'd yourself to write in such a cafe:
Caf. In fuch a time as this, it is not meet
That ev'ry nice offence fhould bear its comment.
Bru. Yet let me tell you, Caffius, you yourself
Are much condemn'd to have an itching palm;
To fell and mart your offices for gold,
To undefervers.

Caf. I an itching palm?

You know, that you are Brutus, that speak this;
Or, by the Gods, this fpeech were else your laft.

H 5

Bru.

Bru. The name of Caffius honours this corruption, And chaftifement doth therefore hide its head.

Caf. Chaftifement!

[member!

Bru. Remember March, the Ides of March reDid not great Julius bleed for juftice fake? What villain touch'd his body, that did ftab, And not for juftice? what, fhall one of us, That ftruck the foremost man of all this world, But for fupporting robbers; fhall we now Contaminate our fingers with bafe bribes?" And fell the mighty fpace of our large honours For fo much trash, as may be grafped thus? I had rather be a dog, and bay the moon, Than fuch a Roman.

Caf. Brutus, bay not me,

I'll not endure it; you forget yourself,
To hedge me in; I am a foldier, I,
Older in practice, abler than yourself
To make conditions.

Bru. Go to; you are not Caffius.
Caf. I am.

Bru. I fay, you are not.

Caf. Urge me no more, I fhall forget myselfHave mind upon your health-tempt me no farther. Bru. Away, flight man!

Caf. Is't poffible ?

Bru. Hear me, for I will fpeak.

Muft I give way and room to your rafh choler?
Shall I be frighted, when a madman ftares?

Caf. O Gods! ye Gods! muft I endure all this?
Bru. All this! ay, more. Fret, 'till your proud
heart break;

Go, fhew your flaves how choleric you are,
And make your bondmen tremble. Muft I budge?
Muft I obferve you? muft I fland and crouch
Under your tefty humour? by the Gods,
You fhall digeft the venom of your fpleen,
Tho' it do fplit you: For, from this day forth,

.

I'll ufe you for my mirth, yea, for my laughter,
When you are waspish.

Caf. Is it come to this?

Bru. You fay, you are a better soldier;

Let it appear fo; make your Vaunting true,
And it fhall please me well.

For mine own part,

I shall be glad to learn of noble men.

Caf. You wrong me every way-you wrong mc,
Brutus ;

I faid, an elder foldier; not a better.

Did I fay, better?

Bru. If you did, I care not.

Caf. When Cafar liv'd, he durft not thus have mov'd me.

Bru. Peace, peace, you durft not so have tempted

him.

Caf. I durft not!.

Bru. No.

Caf. What? durft not tempt him?
Bru. For your life you durft not.

Caf. Do not prefume too much upon my love;
I may do that, I fhall be forry for.

Bru. You have done that, you fhould be forry for. There is no terror, Caffius, in your threats;

For I am arm'd fo ftrong in honefty,

That they pass by me, as the idle wind,
Which I refpect not. I did send to you
For certain fums of gold, which you deny'd me;
For I can raise no money by vile means;
By heaven, I had rather coin my heart,
And drop my blood for drachma's, than to wring
From the hard hands of peafants their vile trash,
By any Indirection. I did fend

To you for gold to pay my legions,

Which you denied me; was that done like Caffius? Should I have anfwer'd Caius Caffius fo?

When Marcus Brutus grows fo covetous,

To lock fuch rafcal counters from his friends,

Be ready, Gods, with all your thunderbolts,
Dafh him to pieces.
Caf. I deny'd you not.
Bru. You did.

Caf. I did not

-he was but a fool,

[heart. That brought my answer back.-Brutus hath riv'd my A friend fhould bear a friend's infirmities,

But Brutus makes mine greater than they are.
Bru. I do not. Still you practise them on me.
Caf. You love me not.

Bru. I do not like your faults.

Caf. A friendly eye could never fee fuch faults. Bru. A flatt'rer's would not, tho they do appear As huge as high Olympus.

Caf. Come, Antony, and young Octavius, come; Revenge yourfelves alone on Caffius,

For Caffius is a weary of the world;

Hated by one he loves; brav'd by his brother;
Check'd like a bondman; all his faults obferv'd;
Set in a note-book, learn'd, and conn'd by rote,
To caft into my teeth. O I could weep

My fpirit from mine eyes!-There is my dagger,
And here my
naked breaft- -within, a heart
Dearer than Plutus' Mine, richer than gold;
If that thou needst a Roman's, take it forth.

I, that deny'd thee gold, will give my heart;
Strike as thou didft at Cæfar; for I know,

When thou didft hate him worst, thou lov'dft him
Than ever thou lov'dft Caffius.

Bru. Sheath your dagger;

Be angry when you will, it fhall have scope;
Do what you will, difhonour fhall be humour.
O Caffius, you are yoked with a Lamb,
That carries anger, as the flint bears fire;
Who, much enforced, fhews a hafty spark,
And ftraight is cold again.

Caf. Hath Caffius liv'd

To be but mirth and laughter to his Brutus,

[better

When

When grief, and blood ill-temper'd, vexeth him?
Bru. When I fpoke that, I was ill-temper'd too.
Caf. Do you confefs fo much? give me your hand.
Bru. And my heart too.
[Embracing.
Caf. O Brutus!

Bru, What's the matter?

Caf. Have you not love enough to bear with me, When that rafh humour, which my mother gave me, Makes me forgetful?

Bru. Yes, Caffius, and from henceforth

When you are over-earneft with your Brutus,
He'll think, your mother chides, and leave you fo.
[A noife within.
Poet. [within.] Let me go in to fee the Generals;
There is fome grudge. between 'em, 'tis not meet
They be alone.

Luc. [within.] You fhall not come to them.

Poet. [within.] Nothing but death shall stay me. Enter Poet.

Caf. How now? what's the matter?

Poet. For fhame, you Generals; what do you mean? Love, and be friends, as two fuch men fhould be; For I have seen more years, I'm fure, than ye.

Caf. Ha, ha-how vilely doth this Cynic rhime! Bru. Get you hence, firrah; faucy fellow, hence. Caf. Bear with him, Brutus, 'tis his fashion.

Bru. I'll know his humour, when he knows his time; What should the wars do with these jingling fools? Companion, hence.

Caf. Away, away, begone.

SCENE

[Exit Poet.

IV.

Bru. Lup

Enter Lucilius, and Titinius.

UCILIUS and Titinius, bid the commanders
Prepare to lodge their companies to-night.

Caf. And come yourselves, and bring Messala with

Imme

you