Julius Caesar
Act IV, Scene 2
A camp near Sardis. Before Brutus’s tent.
G. J. Bennett as Cassius
Charles William Sharpe, printmaker; J. Dickinson; G. F. Stroehling; 1831
- Drum. Enter Brutus, Lucilius, Lucius, and the army. Titinius
- and Pindarus meet them.
Brutus
1- Stand ho!
Lucilius
2- Give the word ho! And stand.
Brutus
3- What now, Lucilius, is Cassius near?
Lucilius
4 - 5- He is at hand, and Pindarus is come
- To do you salutation from his master.
Brutus
6 - 10- 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.
Pindarus
11 - 13- I do not doubt
- But that my noble master will appear
- Such as he is, full of regard and honor.
Brutus
14 - 15- He is not doubted. A word, Lucilius,
- How he receiv’d you; let me be resolv’d.
Lucilius
16 - 19- 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.
Brutus
20 - 29- 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;
- Low march within.
- But when they should endure the bloody spur,
- They fall their crests, and like deceitful jades
- Sink in the trial. Comes his army on?
Lucilius
30 - 32- They mean this night in Sardis to be quarter’d.
- The greater part, the horse in general,
- Are come with Cassius.
- Enter Cassius and his powers.
Brutus
33 - 34- Hark, he is arriv’d.
- March gently on to meet him.
Cassius
35- Stand ho!
Brutus
36- Stand ho! Speak the word along.
First Soldier
37- Stand!
Second Soldier
38- Stand!
Third Soldier
39- Stand!
Cassius
40- Most noble brother, you have done me wrong.
Brutus
41 - 42- Judge me, you gods! Wrong I mine enemies?
- And if not so, how should I wrong a brother?
Cassius
43 - 44- Brutus, this sober form of yours hides wrongs,
- And when you do them—
Brutus
45 - 51- 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
52 - 54- Pindarus,
- Bid our commanders lead their charges off
- A little from this ground.
Brutus
55 - 57- Lucius, do you the like, and let no man
- Come to our tent till we have done our conference.
- Let Lucilius and Titinius guard our door.
- Exeunt. Manent Brutus and Cassius, who withdraw into Brutus’
- tent, while Lucilius and Titinius mount guard without.
Lawrence Barrett as Cassius
New York Times, circa 1916