Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare
Act 4 - Scene 2
Camp near Sardis. Before BRUTUS’s tent.
Brutus : Stand, ho!
Lucilius : Give the word, ho! and stand.
Brutus : What now, Lucilius! is Cassius near?
Lucilius : He is at hand; and Pindarus is come
[p]To do you salutation from his
master.
Brutus : He greets me well. Your master, Pindarus,
[p]In his own change, or by
ill officers,
[p]Hath given me some worthy cause to wish
[p]Things
done, undone: but, if he be at hand,
[p]I shall be satisfied.
Pindarus : I do not doubt
[p]But that my noble master will appear
[p]Such as he
is, full of regard and honour.
Brutus : He is not doubted. A word, Lucilius;
[p]How he received you, let me be
resolved.
Lucilius : With courtesy and with respect enough;
[p]But not with such familiar
instances,
[p]Nor with such free and friendly conference,
[p]As he
hath used of old.
Brutus : Thou hast described
[p]A hot friend cooling: ever note,
Lucilius,
[p]When love begins to sicken and decay,
[p]It useth an
enforced ceremony.
[p]There are no tricks in plain and simple
faith;
[p]But hollow men, like horses hot at hand,
[p]Make gallant
show and promise of their mettle;
[p]But when they should endure the
bloody spur,
[p]They fall their crests, and, like deceitful
jades,
[p]Sink in the trial. Comes his army on?
Lucilius : They mean this night in Sardis to be quarter'd;
[p]The greater part,
the horse in general,
[p]Are come with Cassius.
Brutus : Hark! he is arrived.
[p][Low march within]
[p]March gently on to meet
him.
Cassius : Stand, ho!
Brutus : Stand, ho! Speak the word along.
First Soldier : Stand!
Second Soldier : Stand!
Third Soldier : Stand!
Cassius : Most noble brother, you have done me wrong.
Brutus : Judge me, you gods! wrong I mine enemies?
[p]And, if not so, how
should I wrong a brother?
Cassius : Brutus, this sober form of yours hides wrongs;
[p]And when you do
them--
Brutus : Cassius, be content.
[p]Speak your griefs softly: I do know you
well.
[p]Before the eyes of both our armies here,
[p]Which should
perceive nothing but love from us,
[p]Let us not wrangle: bid them
move away;
[p]Then in my tent, Cassius, enlarge your griefs,
[p]And I
will give you audience.
Cassius : Pindarus,
[p]Bid our commanders lead their charges off
[p]A little
from this ground.
Brutus : Lucilius, do you the like; and let no man
[p]Come to our tent till we
have done our conference.
[p]Let Lucius and Tintinius guard our door.
Previous: Act 4 - Scene 1
Next: Act 4 - Scene 3
