ACT V, SCENE I Octavius

Antony and Octavius squabble before mee ng I'll take the right side; you take the le .
Brutus and Cassius in the field for a parley, and
Antony
Octavius resents being told what to do by
Antony. Brutus and Cassius arrive with their Why are you contradic ng me in this urgent
armies and each side accuses the other of situa on?
merely making a show of bravery. Antony and
Octavius leave, and Brutus consults with Lucilius Octavius
while Cassius consults with Messala. Cassius I'm not opposing you; but I will take the right
reveals that it is his birthday, and that while he is side.
not generally prone to believing in omens, he
believes that seeing vultures follow the army to [Drum. Enter Brutus, Cassius, and their Army;
Philippi and then depart means that they will be Lucilius, Ti nius, Messala, and others]
deafeated. Cassius asks Brutus what he will do if
Brutus
their armies are defeated. Brutus says that he
does not generally believe suicide is a good They've halted and want to speak to us.
op on, but he will not allow himself to be
paraded through Rome as a cap ve. Cassius

[Enter Octavius, Antony, and their armies] Halt, Ti nius. We must go out and talk to them.

Octavius Octavius

Now, Antony, everything is turning out as we Mark Antony, should we signal our forces to
had hoped. You said the enemy wouldn't come a ack?
down into the valleys, but would s ck to the hills Antony
and higher ground. That proves to be false. Their
forces are nearby, and they intend to confront us No, Octavius Caesar, we'll wait and respond to
at Philippi, entering into ba le before we force it their charge. Let's go forward, their generals
on them. want to talk with us.

Antony Octavius

Ha, I know what they're thinking, and why [To his officers] Don't move un l the signal's
they're doing this. They would rather be given.
somewhere else, and yet by coming down into [The two pairs of generals move within speaking
the valley with a show of bravery, they hope to range]
make us think that they're courageous. But they
are not. Brutus

[Enter a Messenger] Will it be words before blows then,

countrymen?
Messenger
Octavius
Make prepara ons, generals. They enemy is
making a show of approaching boldly. They have Yes, but not because we prefer to talk rather
their blood-red ba le standards flying and we than fight, like you do.
must do something immediately.
Brutus
Antony
Good words are be er than bad sword strikes,
Octavius, carefully lead your forces over to the Octavius.
le side of the level field.
Antony
With your bad strikes, Brutus, you have Octavius
provoked good words. I speak of the hole you
I hope I won't be killed by a traitor; I wasn't born
stabbed in Caesar's heart, a hole that cannot
to die by the sword of Brutus.
help but cry out to every Roman, "Long live
Caesar! Hail, Caesar!" Brutus
Cassius Oh, young man, if you were the noblest of all
your family, you couldn't wish for a more
Antony, we don't know if you're an effec ve
honorable death.
fighter, but your talking is so sweet you must
have stolen the honey of the legendary Hybla Cassius
bees.
Octavius you're just an angry schoolboy
Antony unworthy of being killed by Brutus, joining
forces with this partying socialite, Antony!
You don't think I took their s ngers to use as
well? Antony
Brutus S ll the same old Cassius.
Well you've certainly taken their buzzing, Octavius
because you're wisely making noisy threats
before s nging. Come on, Antony. Let's go! Traitors, we'll defy
you to your faces. If you dare to fight us today,
Antony come to the ba lefield. If not, wait un l you feel
brave enough.
You villains! You gave no warning when your vile
daggers hacked into each other inside of [Exit Octavius, Antony, and their army]
Caesar's body. You smiled like apes, fawned on
him like pet dogs, and bowed to Caesar like Cassius
slaves, kissing his feet; while that damned Casca Why let the wind blow, the waves swell, and ship
snuck up like a mongrel dog from behind and sail! There's a storm brewing and everything's at
stabbed Caesar in the neck. Oh you fla erers! risk.
Cassius Brutus
You call us fla erers? Brutus, you only have Hey, Lucilius! Listen, I'd like a word with you.
yourself; Antony would not be alive to insult us
today if I my advice had been taken. Lucilius [Standing forth]

Octavius My lord?

Come on, let's get to the issue at hand. If [Brutus and Lucilius converse apart]
arguing is making us sweat, resolving the issue
Cassius
will surely result in bloody drops. Look, I am
drawing my sword against you conspirators. Messala.
When do you think that I'll lower this sword
again? Never, un l either Caesar's thirty-three Messala [Standing forth]
stab wounds have been revenged, or un l I'm What's that, general?
killed and you traitors have the blood of another
Caesar on your hands. Cassius

Brutus Messala, this is my birthday; I was born this very

day. Give me your hand, Messala. You'll be my
Caesar, you can't be killed by a traitor, unless witness that I do not want to risk all of our
they came with you. freedoms on this one ba le, but I compelled to,
just as Pompey was in the civil war against Then if we lose this ba le, you're content to be
Caesar. You know that I've always admired led through the streets of Rome as a cap ve in
Epicurus and his philosophy, which denies any their triumphal procession?
influence of the supernatural on human events.
Brutus
I've star ng to wonder if their isn't some truth in
omens. When we were coming here from Sardis, No, Cassius, I am not. Noble Roman, don't think
two eagles landed on our foremost ba le flag, that I will ever be led in chains through the
perched there and took food from the hands of streets of Rome. I have too great a character for
our soldiers. They traveled with us all the way to that. But today will end what the 15th of March
Philippi. began, and I don't know whether we'll ever
meet again or not. Therefore let's say an
But this morning they had flown off, and ravens,
everlas ng farewell. Farewell forever and
crows, and other birds of prey have come to
forever, Cassius! If we do meet again, we'll smile
take their places. These fly over our heads and
thinking about this. If not, then we have parted
look down at us as though we were their
well.
struggling prey. The shadows from these birds
seem to make a dark cloud, under which our Cassius
army lies, prepared to die.
Farewell forever and forever, Brutus! If we do
Messala meet again we'll definitely smile, and if not then
it's true these were goodbyes well said.
Don't believe that.
Brutus
Cassius
Why then, lead on. Oh, if only men could know
I only half believe it. I'm full of vigor and
the outcome of a day's endeavor before it's
resolved to meet all dangers resolutely.
begun! But it's enough to know that the day will
Brutus end, and then the end will be known. Come on,
let's go!
It's just like that, Lucilius.
[Exit]
[Brutus rejoins Cassius]

Cassius
ACT V, SCENE II
Now, most noble Brutus, may the gods favor us
today so that we live on into old age! But [Sounds of ba le. BRUTUS and MESSALA enter.]
because one can never predict human affairs,
BRUTUS
let's consider the worst that might happen. If we
lose this ba le, this will be the last me we Ride, ride, Messala! Ride, and give these wri en
speak to each other. What will you do if we lose? orders to Cassius’ forces on the other side.
Brutus [Sounds of ba le.]
For the same reasons I blamed Cato for killing BRUTUS
himself, I find it cowardly and vile—although I
don't know why—to commit suicide in fear of They should a ack right now, because Octavius’
what might happen later in life. I will be pa ent forces seem demoralized. A sudden push would
and endure what the gods who rule us have in defeat them en rely. Ride, ride, Messala. All
store for me. Cassius’ men should commit to the a ack.

Cassius [They exit in opposite direc ons.]

 ACT V, SCENE III Ti nius

Cassius is dismayed at cowardice among some of They are, my lord.

his own soldiers. Ti nius brings discouraging
Cassius
news about Brutus’ army, and Pindarus arrives
and says that Mark Antony has made his way Ti nius, if you're my friend, take my horse and
into Cassius’ camp. Cassius asks Ti nius to take dig your spurs into him un l you reach those
his horse and find out whether a group of troops over there and return. I have to know
soldiers are friends or enemies, and tells whether those troops are friendly or enemies.
Pindarus to climb a hill and report on how the
ba le is going. Pindarus sees a group of men Ti nius
surrounding a dismounted Ti nius, and Cassius I'll be there and back again quick as a thought.
asks him to stop looking and help him kill
himself. Pindarus stabs Cassius and runs away. [Exit]
Ti nius and Messala come up to where Cassius’
Cassius
body lies, revealing that Ti nius was among
friendly forces all along and the ba le is not as Go, Pindarus, go higher up on that hill. My
dire as Cassius had thought. A er they discover eyesight has always been bad. Look around,
the body, Messala goes to look for Pindarus, and Ti nius, and tell me what you no ce happening
Ti nius gives a laurel wreath to Cassius before on the ba lefield.
stabbing himself. Brutus re-enters with Messala
and Cato. Brutus is upset seeing Cassius’ body [Pindarus ascends the hill]
and promises to mourn him properly when the This is the day I was born; me has come full
ba le is over. turn. I'm likely to die the same day I was born.
[Trumpet calls. Enter Cassius and Ti nius] My life has completed its circle. [To
Pindarus] Hey, what's happening?
Cassius
Pindarus
Oh look, Ti nius, look, our own soldiers are
running away! I've had to fight them. Even our [Above] Oh my lord!
flag-bearer was turning tail, so I killed the Cassius
coward and took the flag from him.
What is it?
Ti nius
Pindarus
Oh Cassius, Brutus gave the command too early
for his troops to brake ranks and pursue the [Above] Ti nius is surrounded by cavalry
enemy. He had some success over Octavius, but galloping towards him, but he's riding on. Now
he took it too eagerly. Now while his soldiers are they've almost reached him. Ti nius! Now some
off loo ng, we've been surrounded by Antony's of the soldiers are dismoun ng. Oh, he's
forces. dismoun ng too! He's been captured! [Shout]
And listen, they're shou ng for joy.
[Enter Pindarus]
Cassius
Pindarus
Come down. You’ve seen enough. Oh, I'm a
Retreat further, my lord, retreat further! Mark coward to to see my best friend captured before
Antony has reached your camp, my lord. my eyes.
Retreat, noble Cassius, retreat farther away!
[Pindarus descends]
Cassius
Come here. In Parthia when I took you prisoner,
This hill we're on is far enough. Look, look, I made you swear that in return for my sparing
Ti nius—are those my tents on fire there?
your life, you would a empt to carry out Cassius' day has sunk into his red blood. The sun
anything I ever asked of you. Now don't break of Rome has set. Our glory days are over. Now
that oath. Now I give you your freedom; just storms and dangers will come—no more great
take this good sword that ran through Caesar deeds. This tragedy resulted from his fear that I
and run it through me. Here, hold it by the hilt, would discover that the approaching cavalry
and now that I have my face covered, thrust the were the enemy.
sword.
Messala
[Pindarus stabs him]
Cassius' misreading of my good discovery cased
Caesar, you have been avenged with the very this horrible deed. Oh error of misreading bad
sword that killed you. [Dies] for good, stemming from pessimism, why do you
make such suscep ble men see things that
Pindarus
aren't true? Oh error, so has ly conceived,
So now I am free, although I would not be so, if instead of giving birth to a happy outcome, you
it had been up to me. Oh Cassius! I'll run far always end up killing the mind who conceived
away from this country where no Romans will you!
ever find me.
Ti nius
[Exit. Re-enter Ti nius with Messala]
Pindarus! Where are you, Pindarus?
Messala
Messala
It's just the change of fortune in ba le, Ti nius.
Go look for him, Ti nius. I'll go meet Brutus and
For Octavius's forces have been defeated by
thrust this news into his ears. I say thrust
Brutus' forces, just as Cassius' army has been
because a stabbing blade or a poisoned dart
defeated by Antony's.
would be as welcome as news of this sight.
Ti nius
Ti nius
This news should comfort to Cassius.
Go, Messala. I'll look for Pindarus in the
Messala mean me.

Where did you leave him? [Exit Messala]

Ti nius Why did you send me as a scout, brave Cassius?

Didn't I meet up with your friends, and didn't
He was very distressed, standing here on this hill they put this victory wreath on my head and tell
with his slave Pindarus. me to give it to you? Didn't you hear their
Messala shouts? Alas, you misunderstood everything!
But wait, take this victory wreath on your head.
Isn't that him lying on the ground? Your friend Brutus asked me to give it to you,
and I'll do what he asked. Brutus, come quickly,
Ti nius
and see how I admire Caius Cassius. Excuse me,
Oh, that isn't how the living lie down. Oh my gods, this is my duty as a Roman—come,
heart! Cassius' sword, pierce my heart!

Messala [Kills himself. Trumpet calls. Re-enter Messala,

with Brutus, Cato, Strato, Volumnius, and
Isn't that him? Lucilius]
Ti nius Brutus
No, it was him, Messala, but Cassius is no more. Where, Messala, where is his body?
Oh se ng sun, just as you set into a red sky,
Messala Brutus

It's over there, where Ti nius is mourning. Keep figh ng, countrymen! Keep your heads
high!
Brutus
Cato
Ti nius is facing upward.
Which of your bastards is giving up? Who will go
Cato
with me? I'll proclaim my name throughout the
He's been killed. ba lefield. I am the son of Marcus Cato! I am an
enemy to tyrants and a friend to my country. I
Brutus am the son of Marcus Cato!
Oh Julius Caesar, you s ll have power in this Brutus
world! Your ghost walks among us and turns our
swords onto our own guts. And I am Brutus, Marcus Brutus! I am Brutus, a
friend to my country! Know that I am Brutus!
[Low trumpet calls]
[Exit]
Cato
Lucilius
Brave Ti nius! Look, he has crowned dead
Cassius with the victory wreath! Oh, young and noble Cato, have you been killed?
Why, you die as bravely as Ti nius, and may you
Brutus be honored as Cato's son.
Are there any two living Romans who could First Soldier
equal these men? To the last of the true
Romans, farewell. It is impossible another like Surrender or die.
you will ever be born in Rome. Friends, I should
Lucilius
weep more for these deaths than you will see
me do; I will find me, Cassius, I will find me. I will yield only to death. Here's some money for
So come on, send his body to Thasos. His funeral you to kill me right away. [Offering money] Kill
will not be held in our camp, lest it affect Brutus, and be honored by my death.
morale. Come, Lucilius, and come, young Cato,
First Soldier
let's get back to the ba lefield. Labeo and
Flavius, begin the fight. Romans, it's three We should not; what a noble prisoner he'll
o'clock now, and we'll test our fortunes in a make!
second ba le before night.
Second Soldier
[Exit, bearing off the bodies]
Make some room! Tell Antony that Brutus has
been captured.
ACT V, SCENE IV First Soldier
Brutus’ forces are s ll figh ng. Cato’s young I'll tell him the news. Here he comes.
rela ve is killed. Some of Antony’s forces find
Lucilius, who lies and says that he is Brutus. [Enter Antony]
Antony’s men present the captured Lucilius to Brutus has been captured, Brutus has been
Antony, who immediately recognizes that he is captured, my lord!
not Brutus, but admits that he is nonetheless a
worthy Roman cap ve. Antony

[Trumpet calls. Enter figh ng, soldiers of both Where is he?

armies; then Brutus, Cato, Lucilius, and others]
Lucilius
Brutus is safe, Antony, Brutus is safe enough. I Clitus
assure you that no enemy will ever take noble
What, me, my lord? No, I would not for the
Brutus alive. May the gods save him from such a
whole world!
great shame! When you find him, be it alive or
dead, he'll be the noble Brutus. Brutus
Antony Quiet, then. No more words.
This is not Brutus, friend. But I can assure you Clitus
this man is a prize hardly less worthy. Keep this
man safe, and treat him kindly. I would rather I would rather kill myself.
have men like him as my friends, not as my Brutus
enemies. Go, see whether Brutus is alive or
dead, and bring word to Octavius' tent how I'd like a word with you, Dardanius!
everything turns out.
[Brutus whispers to Dardanius]
[Exit]
Could I do such a deed!

Clitus
ACT V, SCENE V
Oh Dardanius!
Brutus and his followers rest briefly in the field.
Dardanius
Brutus asks each in turn to help him kill himself
to avoid capture. Clitus, Dardanius, and Oh Clitus!
Volumnius all refuse, and when Antony’s troops
approach, they run away. Strato agrees to hold Clitus
Brutus' sword while he runs on it, and Brutus What terrible request did Brutus make of you?
thus commits suicide. Antony and Octavius, with
their forces and some of Brutus’ captured men, Dardanius
find Strato and the dead Brutus. They ask what To kill him, Clitus. Look, he's thinking.
happened, and Antony says that Brutus’ suicide
was in line with his noble nature. He promises to Clitus
forgive all the men who were followers of
His noble body is so full of grief that it's spilling
Brutus, as Brutus was the only one of the
out of his eyes as tears.
conspirators who was truly honorable.
Brutus
[Enter Brutus, Dardanius, Clitus, Strato, and
Volumnius] Come here, good Volumnius, listen to me.
Brutus Volumnius
Come, what is le of my friends, let's rest on this What is it, my lord?
rock.
Brutus
Clitus
It's this, Volumnius. Caesar's ghost appeared
Sta lius signaled us, my lord, but he hasn't come twice to me in the night—once at Sardis, and
back. He's either been captured or killed. here in Philippi last night. I know my me is up.
Brutus Volumnius
Sit down, Clitus. Killing is the most likely, it No it can't be, my lord.
seems to be in fashion. Listen, Clitus.

[Brutus whispers to Clitus]

Brutus Give me your hand first. Farewell, my lord.

No, I'm sure it is, Volumnius. You can see how Brutus
things are going, Volumnius. Our enemies have
Farewell, good Strato.
driven us to the edge of an abyss.
[Runs on his sword]
[Low trumpet calls]
Caesar, your spirit can rest, you have been
It would be more noble of us to leap into that
revenged. I didn't want to kill you nearly as
void ourselves than hang on un l they push us
much as I wanted to kill myself.
in. Good Volumnius, you know we went to
school together. For that old friendship, please, [Dies. Trumpet call. Retreat. Enter Octavius,
hold my sword's hilt while I run into it. Antony, Messala, Lucilius, and the army]
Volumnius Octavius
That's not a job for a friend, my lord. Who's that man?
[Trumpet calls s ll] Messala
Clitus It's Brutus' servant. Strato, where is Brutus?
Run, retreat, my lord, we can't wait here. Strato
Brutus He's free from the cap vity you are in, Messala.
The conquerors can only burn his body now.
Farewell to you, and you, and you, Volumnius.
Brutus alone defeated himself; no other man
Strato, you've been here asleep all this me.
will receive honor from his death.
Farewell to you too, Strato. My fellow Romans,
my heart is glad, even now, that in this life I Lucilius
knew so many true friends. I will have glory on
this day of defeat, more glory than Antony or This is how a noble man like Brutus should be
Octavius will get from this vile conquest. So found. Thank you, Brutus; you proved my words
farewell to all of you at once, for my tongue has of praise to be true.
almost said its last words. I am weary with life, Octavius
my eyes are red, and my bones want to rest.
My body has worked hard just to reach to this I will take into my service everyone who served
hour. Brutus. You, fellow, will you serve me?

[Trumpet call. Cry off stage, 'Fly, fly, fly!'] Strato

Clitus Yes, if Messala will recommend me to you.

Retreat, my lord, retreat! Octavius

Brutus Do so, good Messala.

Go forth from here, I will follow you. Messala

[Exit Clitus, Dardanius, and Volumnius] How did Brutus die, Strato?

Please, Strato, stay here with your lord. You are Strato
respected. Your life has some honor in it. So hold
I held the sword and he ran onto it.
my sword, and look away while I run into it. Will
you do this, Strato? Messala
Strato Then take him on as a follower, Octavius, for he
performed the last service for Brutus.
Antony

Brutus was the noblest Roman of them all. All

the other conspirators did what they did
because they envied Caesar. He alone became
one of them because of honest concern for the
greater good. He was noble in his life, and he
well rounded that Nature itself might stand up
and proclaim to the world, "Now this was a real
man!"

Octavius

Let us treat him as his virtue requires, and give

him a respec ul burial with all the tradi onal
rites. His body will lie in my tent tonight, like a
soldier treated honorably. So call for peace on
the ba lefield, and let's go to share the glory of
this fortunate day.

[Exit]