University of Virginia Library

SCENE III.

Cassius.
You ask'd me fifty Talents for your Legions,
And in a Style as to your Treasurer,
As if I should prefer yours to my own:
Am I to be impos'd on thus by you?

Brutus.
Sure, Cassius little knows the Force of Friendship;
Writing so freely, shew'd my Trust and Kindness.
He that desires a Favour from a Friend,
Does him the greatest in desiring it.

Cassius.
Come, I must tell you, over-great Applause
Lifts you too high. Shou'd I, who kill'd ev'n Cæsar,
Only for his excessive Pow'r and Pride,
Should I at last submit thus to another?
From a Superior my Stars defend me!

Brutus.
From a Superior! you little know me:
I scarce would be superior to my Slaves,
Except in Virtue; that is worthy Pride.

Cassius.
Then think not, Sir, of being above me.

Brutus.
I wish I were not, by these weak Suspicions.
What! jealous of a Friend? it moves my Pity.

Cassius.
Pity! I scorn it.

Brutus.
Scorn your Rage, that moves it.
My Pity is not, ought not, to be slighted:
'Tis like the kind Compassion of a Parent,
Full of Concern, and free from all Contempt,
Rather deserves your Thanks than your Reproach.

Cassius.
My Thanks! for what? for domineering o'er me?

Brutus.
Yet Reason has some Right to govern Passion.

Cassius.
Brutus, you have an over-ruling way,
Which, under Colour of a patient Calmness,
Expects Compliance with your gentle Temper.
But I see thro' it.

Brutus.
See! your Passion blinds you.

Cassius.
You have no Passion, yet provoke another's.

Brutus.
It is provoking to inform a Brother
Of Faults no other dares presume to tell him,
And yet most necessary he should know?
Your Troops have done most dismal Outrages;
Forc'd harmless Wretches from their native Homes,
Slighted the Widows and the Orphans Tears,
Gather'd their last Remains with greedy Gripe;
That which poor Swains had labour'd for whole Years,
Is in one Moment plunder'd by your Soldiers.
This sinks our Cause, which rose at first so glorious.
Shall we, who soar'd so high in Reputation,
And open'd ev'ry Mouth in our just Praises,
Now on a sudden fall to dire Oppression?
Shall we at last pull down with our own Hands
That lofty Fabrick of well-founded Honour?

Cassius.
Am I to answer for it?

Brutus.
With your Fame;
That stands expos'd to ev'ry just Man's Censure.

Cassius.
Go on no more; I will no longer bear it.

Brutus.
By Heav'n you shall hear all; then do your worst.
Dare I not say whatever you dare act?
Am I not equally concern'd with you
In this great War for Freedom of our Country?
Yet must not tell whatever hurts our Cause?

Cassius.
Tempt me no farther, Sir; you may repent it.

Brutus.
Tempt not you me with all your furious Looks:
I am above your Threats, and can look down
Both on yourself and them.

Cassius.
Were it not for the Cause we have in Hand,
I wou'd not bear this Heap of Injuries.

Brutus.
I injure! Where is that unlucky Man
Who can with Reason make Complaint of me?
If any, I'll acknowledge it with Shame.
The Man who wrongs his meanest Adversary,
Exalts his Enemy above himself.
And can you think that I could injure Cassius,
My Brother, and my Friend?

Cassius.
If hearing Lyes
With greedy Ears, and soon believing them;
If misinterpreting whate'er I do,
And representing things in foulest Colours,
Can be call'd wronging, who was e'er so wrong'd?

Brutus.
If I have said one Word that sounds unkindly,
My Tongue has slipp'd, and quite deceiv'd my Heart,
That melts like Wax before your hottest Anger.
Behold my Tears for having so much vex'd you.

Cassius.
What says my Brutus? Speak that Word again:
Am I not then so full, so full of Faults?

Brutus.
It was my Frailty to presume so much.

Cassius.
And mine to be suspicious of my Brutus.
All shall be mended.

Brutus.
But can you forgive
Too sharp Expressions, tho' with kind Intent?

Cassius.
So kind Intent, I own the Obligation.
No Man but Brutus durst have spoke so boldly;
No Man but Brutus would have spoke so kindly.

Brutus.
Oh! Cassius, nothing but the tender'st Friendship,
And when I thought it for the publick Good,
Could have embolden'd me to censure you.

Cassius.
Embrace me close, and witness how my Heart
Leaps up transported with this sudden Change.

Brutus.
It was an eager Argument indeed,
But ends as it should do between such Friends,
Resenting nothing but their Country's Wrongs.
Methinks good Spirits hov'ring all around us,
Should to the World proclaim our happy Union,
Now, while our Enemies combine in Mischief.
Thus firmly join'd, we'll first be Conquerors,
Then make all Rome contented as ourselves.