The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) (902 page)

She was sick with worry about me being gone and the strong armies led by Octavius and Mark Antony, so she became depressed and she swallowed fire.

Cassius

And died so?

And it killed her?

Brutus

Even so.

Yes.

Cassius

O ye immortal gods!

Oh, immortal gods!

Re-enter Lucius, with wine and candle.

Brutus

Speak no more of her.--Give me a bowl of wine.--


In this I bury all unkindness, Cassius.

Let’s not talk of her anymore. Give me the glass of wine. Let’s drink and let bygones be bygones, Cassius.

Cassius

My heart is thirsty for that noble pledge.


Fill, Lucius, till the wine o'erswell the cup;


I cannot drink too much of Brutus' love.

I agree. Fill up the cup, Lucius. I can’t get enough of Brutus’s love.

Brutus

Come in, Titinius!--

Come in, Titinius!

Exit Lucius.

Re-enter Titinius with Messala.

Welcome, good Messala.--


Now sit we close about this taper here,


And call in question our necessities.

Welcome, Messala. Sit with us and let’s figure out what we need.

Cassius

Portia, art thou gone?

Oh Portia, are you gone?

Brutus

No more, I pray you.--


Messala, I have here received letters,


That young Octavius and Mark Antony


Come down upon us with a mighty power,


Bending their expedition toward Philippi.

Don’t say anything else, please. Messala, I have letters here saying Octavius and Mark Antony are coming down on us with a huge army by way of Philippi.

Messala

Myself have letters of the selfsame tenour.

I have letters with the same message.

Brutus

With what addition?

Do they say anything else?

Messala

That by proscription and bills of outlawry


Octavius, Antony, and Lepidus


Have put to death an hundred Senators.

It says they have put to death a hundred senators.

Brutus

There in our letters do not well agree:


Mine speak of seventy Senators that died


By their proscriptions, Cicero being one.

My letters say about seventy senators were killed, one being Cicero.

Cassius

Cicero one!

Cicero was killed!

Messala

Cicero is dead,


And by that order of proscription.--


Had you your letters from your wife, my lord?

He is dead. Have you received your letters from your wife, my lord?

Brutus

No, Messala.

No, Messala.

Messala

Nor nothing in your letters writ of her?

And, you haven’t heard anything of her in your letters?

Brutus

Nothing, Messala.

Nothing, Messala.

Messala

That, methinks, is strange.

That’s strange.

Brutus

Why ask you? hear you aught of her in yours?

Why? Have you heard something?

Messala

No, my lord.

No, my lord.

Brutus

Now, as you are a Roman, tell me true.

Tell me the truth, as a Roman.

Messala

Then like a Roman bear the truth I tell:


For certain she is dead, and by strange manner.

Then, like a Roman, she is dead, but by a
strange manner.

Brutus

Why, farewell, Portia. We must die, Messala:


With meditating that she must die once,


I have the patience to endure it now.

Well, farewell, Portia. We must all die, Messala. I have dealt with it once. I have the patience to endure it now.

Messala

Even so great men great losses should endure.

Great men have to endure great losses.

Cassius

I have as much of this in art as you,


But yet my nature could not bear it so.

I don’t think I could bear it.

Brutus

Well, to our work alive. What do you think


Of marching to Philippi presently?

Well, back to work. What do you think about us marching to Philippi now?

Cassius

I do not think it good.

I don’t think it’s a good idea.

Brutus

Your reason?

Why not?

Cassius

This it is:


'Tis better that the enemy seek us;:


So shall he waste his means, weary his soldiers,


Doing himself offense; whilst we, lying still,


Are full of rest, defense, and nimbleness.

Because I think the enemy should pursue us and wear out his soldiers. In the meantime, we sit and wait, full of rested men ready to fight.

Brutus

Good reasons must, of force, give place to better.


The people 'twixt Philippi and this ground


Do stand but in a forced affection;


For they have grudged us contribution:


The enemy, marching along by them,


By them shall make a fuller number up,


Come on refresh'd, new-added, and encouraged;


From which advantage shall we cut him off,


If at Philippi we do face him there,


These people at our back.

That’s a good reason, but there may be a better one to move us forward. Between here and Philippi, they stand a chance of adding men to their regimen. If we meet them, we cut that chance off.

Cassius

Hear me, good brother.

Listen, brother.

Brutus

Under your pardon. You must note besides,


That we have tried the utmost of our friends,


Our legions are brim-full, our cause is ripe:


The enemy increaseth every day;


We, at the height, are ready to decline.


There is a tide in the affairs of men


Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune;


Omitted, all the voyage of their life


Is bound in shallows and in miseries.


On such a full sea are we now afloat;


And we must take the current when it serves,


Or lose our ventures.

I beg your pardon, but you must remember our armies are full and ready. The enemy is increasing every day. We must act quickly while the time is right.

Cassius

Then, with your will, go on:


We'll along ourselves, and meet them at Philippi.

Then, we will go and meet them at Philippi.

Brutus

The deep of night is crept upon our talk,


And nature must obey necessity;


Which we will niggard with a little rest.


There is no more to say?

It’s night now, so we better rest. Anything else?

Cassius

No more. Good night:


Early to-morrow will we rise, and hence.

No more. Goodnight. We will begin early in the morning.

Brutus

Lucius!--My gown.--Farewell now, good Messala:--


Good night, Titinius:--noble, noble Cassius,


Good night, and good repose.

Lucius!

Enter Lucius.

Bring me my gown.

Exit Lucius.

Goodbye, Messala. Goodnight, Titinius. Noble Cassius, goodnight and sleep well.

Cassius

O my dear brother!


This was an ill beginning of the night.


Never come such division 'tween our souls!


Let it not, Brutus.

Oh, my dear brother. We had a rough start tonight. May nothing ever come between us, Brutus.

Brutus

Every thing is well.

All is well.

Cassius

Good night, my lord.

Goodnight, my lord.

Brutus

Good night, good brother.

Goodnight, my good brother.

Titinius and Messala

Good night, Lord Brutus.

Goodnight, Lord Brutus.

Brutus

Farewell, everyone.--

Farewell, everyone.

Exit all but Brutus.

Re-enter Lucius with the gown.

Give me the gown. Where is thy instrument?

Give me the gown. Where is your instrument?

Lucius

Here in the tent.

Here in the tent.

Brutus

What, thou speak'st drowsily:


Poor knave, I blame thee not, thou art o'er-watch'd.


Call Claudius and some other of my men;


I'll have them sleep on cushions in my tent.

You sound tired. Poor man, I don’t blame you. You have been overworked. Call Claudius and some of the other men to sleep on cushions in my tent.

Lucius

Varro and Claudius!

Varro and Claudius!

Enter Varro and Claudius.

Varro

Calls my lord?

You called, my lord?

Brutus

I pray you, sirs, lie in my tent and sleep;


It may be I shall raise you by-and-by


On business to my brother Cassius.

Do you mind, sirs, sleeping in here. I may wake up and need you to take a message to my brother, Cassius.

Varro

So please you, we will stand and watch your pleasure.

We will stand guard.

Brutus

I would not have it so; lie down, good sirs:


It may be I shall otherwise bethink me.--


Look, Lucius, here's the book I sought for so;


I put it in the pocket of my gown.

No, lie down. Look, Lucius, here’s the book I was looking for. I put it in the pocket of my gown.

Varro and Claudius lie down.

Lucius

I was sure your lordship did not give it me.

I didn’t think you gave it to me.

Brutus

Bear with me, good boy, I am much forgetful.


Canst thou hold up thy heavy eyes awhile,


And touch thy instrument a strain or two?

Sorry, boy, I am very forgetful. Can you stay awake a little longer and play some music?

Lucius

Ay, my lord, an't please you.