University of Virginia Library

SCENE I.

The Field of Philippi.
Brutus, Cassius, Lucilius and Titinius, with other Officers, at the Head of their Army.
Enter Varius hastily.
Varius.
Propitious Stars favour our Cause already.
Behold! a heedless Party of Octavius,
Hast'ning too fast, is fall'n within our Ambush;
And we may cut them off without Defence.

Cassius.
Fall on 'em instantly.

Brutus.
Hold, Cassius, hold,
And spare your Fellow-Citizens at Mercy.

Cassius.
The Death of these will make the Day our own.

Brutus.
'Twill rather make the rest more desperate.
Consider, Cassius, they are Romans all.

Cassius.
So much the worse, fighting against their Country.

Brutus.
Alas! they do but follow wicked Leaders,
And are our Countrymen, with all their Faults;
Kindred, nay Friends, perhaps, to thee or me.

Cassius.
Thy tender Nature will undo us all.

Brutus.
Good Cassius, let me over-rule in this,
And you in all Things else shall govern me.
Order our Soldiers not to kill a Man. [To Lucilius.

But seize them gently, as your future Friends.
Oh! Cassius, what a Pleasure 'tis to save
Romans from falling in a shameful Cause!

Cassius.
I can no longer contradict my Brutus,
Your Mercy is so moving; yet I own
This Battle never was approv'd by me:
For I would ne'er have ventur'd at one Blow
So great a Stake as all our Liberties;
But rather have prolong'd th'important War.
I use to slight Presages; but of late,
My Mind, I know not how, foreboding Ill,
Spite of my Reason, feels a drooping Sadness,
And by its gloomy Light foresees Misfortune.

Brutus.
In such a Cause it were a Fault to fear;
Else, Cassius, I might have some Fancies too.
For Cæsar's Ghost appear'd to me last Night,
At all his gaping Wounds breathing Revenge;
And when I would have reason'd with it, vanish'd.

Cassius.
Alas! good Brutus, what can be in that,
But an Effect of melancholy Fumes?
A dark and dismal Picture lively drawn
By dreaming Fancy, tho' we think we wake?
Our Sect believes no Spirits; if there be,
At least, if they are such as Plato fancies,
Those purer Beings, who behold our Cause,
Those Demi-gods will sure encourage Virtue,
And give their Fellow-Creatures just Assistance.
Thus, in the Midst of Slaughter we shall find
Ten thousand airy Legions on our Side,
Sent to our Aid, as Heav'n's Auxiliaries.

Enter Lucilius, with an Officer of the other Army.
Lucilius.
My Lord, your gen'rous Orders were obey'd,
And see the just Success! This worthy Tribune,
Won by your Mercy to those other Soldiers,
Is come to join us with a valiant Band,
Hoping they never will be Foes to Brutus.

Officer.
Such Virtue needs no Army to support it;
It vanquishes beyond the Reach of Force,
And makes our very Minds yield due Submission.

Brutus.
Submission only should be paid to Heav'n,
And I must blush to hear it from a Roman.
We scarce have in this little Span of Life
Sufficient Time for Exercise of Virtue;
We should do Ill to lose the least Occasion.
Let all his Cohort charge with our chief Legion.
Such a Desertion is a timely Service.

Officer.
Your Approbation is our highest Aim:
And this Day we'll deserve it.

Brutus.
'Tis not doubted:
Your Country's Freedom will excite your Valour.
Let him have Rank among our chief Commanders.

[Exit Officer with Varius and Titinius.