Shall I be frighted, when a Madman stares?
Ca.s.si. O ye G.o.ds, ye G.o.ds, Must I endure all this?
Bru. All this? I more: Fret till your proud hart break.
Go shew your Slaues how Chollericke you are, And make your Bondmen tremble. Must I bouge?
Must I obserue you? Must I stand and crouch Vnder your Testie Humour? By the G.o.ds, You shall digest the Venom of your Spleene Though it do Split you. For, from this day forth, Ile vse you for my Mirth, yea for my Laughter When you are Waspish
Ca.s.si. Is it come to this?
Bru. You say, you are a better Souldier: Let it appeare so; make your vaunting true, And it shall please me well. For mine owne part, I shall be glad to learne of n.o.ble men
Ca.s.s. You wrong me euery way: You wrong me Brutus: I saide, an Elder Souldier, not a Better.
Did I say Better?
Bru. If you did, I care not
Ca.s.s. When Caesar liu"d, he durst not thus haue mou"d me
Brut. Peace, peace, you durst not so haue tempted him
Ca.s.si. I durst not
Bru. No
Ca.s.si. What? durst not tempt him?
Bru. For your life you durst not
Ca.s.si. Do not presume too much vpon my Loue, I may do that I shall be sorry for
Bru. You haue done that you should be sorry for.
There is no terror Ca.s.sius in your threats: For I am Arm"d so strong in Honesty, That they pa.s.se by me, as the idle winde, Which I respect not. I did send to you For certaine summes of Gold, which you deny"d me, For I can raise no money by vile meanes: By Heauen, I had rather Coine my Heart, And drop my blood for Drachmaes, then to wring From the hard hands of Peazants, their vile trash By any indirection. I did send To you for Gold to pay my Legions, Which you deny"d me: was that done like Ca.s.sius?
Should I haue answer"d Caius Ca.s.sius so?
When Marcus Brutus growes so Couetous, To locke such Rascall Counters from his Friends, Be ready G.o.ds with all your Thunder-bolts, Dash him to peeces
Ca.s.si. I deny"d you not
Bru. You did
Ca.s.si. I did not. He was but a Foole That brought my answer back. Brutus hath riu"d my hart: A Friend should beare his Friends infirmities; But Brutus makes mine greater then they are
Bru. I do not, till you practice them on me
Ca.s.si. You loue me not
Bru. I do not like your faults
Ca.s.si. A friendly eye could neuer see such faults
Bru. A Flatterers would not, though they do appeare As huge as high Olympus
Ca.s.si. Come Antony, and yong Octauius come, Reuenge your selues alone on Ca.s.sius, For Ca.s.sius is a-weary of the World: Hated by one he loues, brau"d by his Brother, Check"d like a bondman, all his faults obseru"d, Set in a Note-booke, learn"d, and con"d by roate To cast into my Teeth. O I could weepe My Spirit from mine eyes. There is my Dagger, And heere my naked Breast: Within, a Heart Deerer then Pluto"s Mine, Richer then Gold: If that thou bee"st a Roman, take it foorth.
I that deny"d thee Gold, will giue my Heart: Strike as thou did"st at Caesar: For I know, When thou did"st hate him worst, y loued"st him better Then euer thou loued"st Ca.s.sius
Bru. Sheath your Dagger: Be angry when you will, it shall haue scope: Do what you will, Dishonor, shall be Humour.
O Ca.s.sius, you are yoaked with a Lambe That carries Anger, as the Flint beares fire, Who much inforced, shewes a hastie Sparke, And straite is cold agen
Ca.s.si. Hath Ca.s.sius liu"d To be but Mirth and Laughter to his Brutus, When greefe and blood ill temper"d, vexeth him?
Bru. When I spoke that, I was ill temper"d too
Ca.s.si. Do you confesse so much? Giue me your hand
Bru. And my heart too
Ca.s.si. O Brutus!
Bru. What"s the matter?
Ca.s.si. Haue not you loue enough to beare with me, When that rash humour which my Mother gaue me Makes me forgetfull
Bru. Yes Ca.s.sius, and from henceforth When you are ouer-earnest with your Brutus, Hee"l thinke your Mother chides, and leaue you so.
Enter a Poet.
Poet. Let me go in to see the Generals, There is some grudge betweene "em, "tis not meete They be alone
Lucil. You shall not come to them
Poet. Nothing but death shall stay me
Cas. How now? What"s the matter?
Poet. For shame you Generals; what do you meane?
Loue, and be Friends, as two such men should bee, For I haue seene more yeeres I"me sure then yee
Cas. Ha, ha, how vildely doth this Cynicke rime?
Bru. Get you hence sirra: Sawcy Fellow, hence
Cas. Beare with him Brutus, "tis his fashion
Brut. Ile know his humor, when he knowes his time: What should the Warres do with these Iigging Fooles?
Companion, hence
Cas. Away, away be gone.
Exit Poet
Bru. Lucillius and t.i.tinius bid the Commanders Prepare to lodge their Companies to night
Cas. And come your selues, & bring Messala with you Immediately to vs
Bru. Lucius, a bowle of Wine
Cas. I did not thinke you could haue bin so angry
Bru. O Ca.s.sius, I am sicke of many greefes
Cas. Of your Philosophy you make no vse, If you giue place to accidentall euils