ACT FIVE

SCENE THREE

Sounds of battle. CASSIUS and TITINIUS enter.

CASSIUS
O, look, Titinius, look, the villains fly!Myself have to mine own turned
enemy.This ensign here of mine was turning back.I slew the coward and did
5 take it from him.[indicates his standard]
Oh, look, Titinius, look! My soldiers, those scoundrels, are running away! I have
become an enemy to my own soldiers! This flag-bearer of mine was running
away, so I killed the coward and took the flag from him. [Points to the flag he’s
holding]
TITINIUS
O 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.
Oh, Cassius, Brutus gave the orders too soon. Having an advantage on
Octavius, he took a his chance too early. His soldiers began looting, while we
were surrounded by Antony’s men.
PINDARUS enters.

PINDARUS
10 Fly further off, my lord, fly further off.Mark Antony is in your tents, my lord.Fly,
therefore, noble Cassius, fly far off.
Retreat further, my lord, retreat further. Mark Antony has over-run your camp,
my lord. Run, noble Cassius, run far away.
CASSIUS
This hill is far enough.—Look, look, Titinius.Are those my tents where I perceive
the fire?
This hill is far enough. Look, look, Titinius. Are those my tents on fire?
TITINIUS
15 They are, my lord.
They are, my lord.
CASSIUS
Titinius, if thou lovest me,Mount thou my horse, and hide thy spurs in himTill he
have brought thee up to yonder troopsAnd here again, that I may rest
20 assuredWhether yond troops are friend or enemy.
 Titinius, if you love me, get on your horse and spur him on as fast as you can
until he’s brought you near to those troops and back again. That way, I can
learn whether those troops are friends or enemies.
TITINIUS
I will be here again, even with a thought.
I’ll be there and back again, as quick as a thought.
TITINIUS exits.
CASSIUS
Go, Pindarus, get higher on that hill.My sight was ever thick. Regard
Titinius,And tell me what thou notest about the field.
Go, Pindarus. Climb a little higher up that hill. My eyesight was always
bad. Watch Titinius and tell me what you see in the field.
PINDARUS ascends the hill.
CASSIUS
25 This day I breathed first. Time is come round,And where I did begin, there shall
I end.My life is run his compass.[to PINDARUS] Sirrah, what news?
Today was the day I breathed my first breath. Time has come around, and I’ll
end where I began—on my birthday. My life has run its circle.

[To PINDARUS] What can you see, boy?

PINDARUS
[above] O my lord!
[From above the stage] Oh, my lord!
CASSIUS
30 What news?
What news?
PINDARUS
[above] Titinius is enclosèd round aboutWith horsemen, that make to him on
the spur.Yet he spurs on. Now they are almost on him.Now, Titinius. Now some
35 light. Oh, he lights too.He’s ta'en.
[From above the stage] Titinius is surrounded by horsemen who are riding
rapidly toward him. Yet he rides onward. Now they’re almost on him. Now,
Titinius! Now some men are dismounting from their horses. Oh, he's getting
down too. He’s been taken captive.
A shout offstage.
PINDARUS
And, hark! They shout for joy.
 And listen! They shout for joy.
CASSIUS
Come down, behold no more.Oh, coward that I am, to live so longTo see my
best friend ta'en before my face!
Come down. Don't look anymore. Oh, what a coward I am to live long enough
to see my best friend taken before my eyes!
PINDARUS returns.
CASSIUS
40 Come 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.
45 Come now, keep thine oath.[gives his sword to PINDARUS]Now be a free man,
and with this good swordThat ran through Caesar’s bowels, search this
bosom.Stand not to answer. Here take thou the hiltsAnd, when my face is
50 covered, as ’tis now,Guide thou the sword.
Come here, boy. I took you prisoner in Parthia, and at that time, I spared your
life and made you swear to attempt to do whatever I ordered you to. Come
now, keep your oath. [He gives his sword to PINDARUS] Now you’ll be a free
man. Take this good sword, which ran through Caesar’s guts, and thrust it into
my chest. Don’t pause to ask questions. Here, take the handle, and when my
face is covered as it is now, thrust the sword.
PINDARUS stabs CASSIUS.
CASSIUS
Caesar, thou art revenged,Even with the sword that killed thee.[dies]
Caesar, you are revenged, with the same sword that killed you. [He dies]
PINDARUS
55 So 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.
So I’m free. But if I had dared to follow my own desires, I wouldn't be free. Oh,
Cassius, I’ll run far from this country to where no Romans can find me.
PINDARUS exits.
TITINIUS and MESSALA enter.
MESSALA
60 It is but change, Titinius, for OctaviusIs overthrown by noble Brutus' power,As
Cassius' legions are by Antony.
Titinius, it’s a meaningless change. Noble Brutus’ forces overcame Octavius'
troops at the same time Antony overcame Cassius’ legions.
 TITINIUS
These tidings will well comfort Cassius.
This news will comfort Cassius.
MESSALA
Where did you leave him?
Where did you leave him?
TITINIUS
All disconsolate,With Pindarus his bondman on this hill.
In despair, with his slave Pindarus on this hill.
MESSALA
65 Is not that he that lies upon the ground?
Isn’t that him lying on the ground?
TITINIUS
He lies not like the living. O my heart!
He lies there as if he isn’t alive. Oh, my heart!
MESSALA
Is not that he?
Isn’t that him?
TITINIUS
70 No, this was he, Messala,But Cassius is no more. O setting sun,As in thy red
rays thou dost sink tonight,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.
It was him, Messala. But Cassius is no more. Oh, setting sun, just as you sink
into your red rays to end the day, so has Cassius’ life ended in his own red
blood. The sun of Rome has set! Our day is over. Clouds, dew, and dangers
approach. We’re finished! His doubts about the successful outcome of my
mission drove him to kill himself.
MESSALA
75 Mistrust of good success hath done this deed.O hateful error, melancholy’s
child,Why dost thou show to the apt thoughts of menThe things that are not? O
80 error, soon conceived,Thou never comest unto a happy birthBut kill’st the
mother that engendered thee!
His uncertainty of any positive outcome drove him to do this. Despair, why do
you make men believe things that are false, so that they act in error? And error,
 as soon as you come into being, you kill the person that created you, instead of
bringing joy to that person!
TITINIUS
What, Pindarus! Where art thou, Pindarus?
Pindarus! Where are you, Pindarus?
MESSALA
Seek him, Titinius, whilst I go to meetThe noble Brutus, thrusting this reportInto
85 his ears. I may say “thrusting” it,For piercing steel and darts envenomèdShall
be as welcome to the ears of BrutusAs tidings of this sight.
Titinius, look for Pindarus while I go to meet the noble Brutus and thrust this
news into his ears. I say “thrust” because Brutus would prefer to have sharp
blades and poisoned darts in his ears than to hear of this.
TITINIUS
Hie you, Messala,And I will seek for Pindarus the while.
Get going, Messala, and I’ll look for Pindarus in the meantime.
MESSALA exits.
TITINIUS
90 Why didst thou send me forth, brave Cassius?Did I not meet thy friends? And
did not theyPut on my brows this wreath of victoryAnd bid me give it thee?
95 Didst thou not hear theirshouts?Alas, thou hast misconstrued everything!But,
hold thee, take this garland on thy brow.Thy Brutus bid me give it thee, and
100 IWill do his bidding.[lays wreath on CASSIUS’ head] 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.[stabs himself with
CASSIUS’s sword and dies]
Why did you send me out, brave Cassius? Didn’t I meet up with your allies? And
didn’t they place the wreath of victory on my forehead and ask me to give it to
you? Didn’t you hear their shouts? Alas, you misunderstood everything! But,
wait, I’ll place this wreath on your head. Your Brutus asked me to give it to you,
and I’ll do as he asks. [He lays a wreath on CASSIUS’ head] Brutus, come
quickly, and see how much I loved Caius Cassius. With your permission, gods,
this is a Roman’s duty. Come, Cassius’s sword, and find Titinius’s heart. [He
stabs himself with CASSIUS’ sword and dies.]
Sounds of battle. BRUTUS, MESSALA, Young CATO, STRATO, VOLUMNIUS,
LUCILLIUS, LABIO, and FLAVIO enter.
BRUTUS
 Where, where, Messala, doth his body lie?
Where, where is his body lying, Messala?
MESSALA
105 Lo, yonder, and Titinius mourning it.
Look, over there, where Titinius mourns it.
BRUTUS
Titinius' face is upward.
Titinius is lying face-up.
CATO
He is slain.
He is dead.
BRUTUS
O Julius Caesar, thou art mighty yet!Thy spirit walks abroad and turns our
110 swordsIn our own proper entrails.
Oh, Julius Caesar, you are still mighty. Your ghost walks among us, and turns
our swords toward our own stomachs.
Faint sounds of battle.
CATO
Brave Titinius!—Look whe 'er he have not crowned dead Cassius.
Brave Titinius! Look, he even placed a wreath on dead Cassius!
BRUTUS
Are yet two Romans living such as these?—The last of all the Romans, fare thee
115 well!It is impossible that ever RomeShould breed thy fellow. —Friends, I owe
more tearsTo this dead man than you shall see me pay.—I shall find time,
120 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. —Lucillius, come. —And
come, young Cato. Let us to the field.—Labio and Flavio, set our battles on.
125 —'Tis three o'clock, and, Romans, yet ere nightWe shall try fortune in a second
fight.
Are there two Romans left who are as good as these men?

[To CASSIUS and TITINIUS' bodies] Goodbye, the last of all the Romans. It is
impossible that Rome will ever produce your equal.

[To the others] Friends, I owe more tears to this dead man than you will see me
shed.
[To CASSIUS' body] I will find the time to cry for you, Cassius, I will find the
time.

[To the others] Come, now, and send his body to Thasos. His funeral won’t be
held at our camp, because it may make us too demoralized to fight. Lucillius,
come. And come, young Cato. Let’s go to the field. Labio and Flavio, send our
armies forward. It is three o'clock. And, Romans, before night, we will test our
luck in a second battle.
They all exit.