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Julius Caesar :   Act 4, Scene 3

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	[Enter BRUTUS and CASSIUS.]	Enter (Actually, they just remain where they
		were, which now represents the interior of
	CASSIUS	Brutus' tent.)
	That you have wrong'd me doth appear in this:
	You have condemn'd and noted Lucius Pella	noted publicly disgraced
	For taking bribes here of the Sardians;	Lucius Pella a Roman magistrate stationed
	Wherein my letters, praying on his side,	in Sardis | of from | letters i.e., letter, words
4.3.5	Because I knew the man, were slighted off.	praying . . . side i.e., requesting (leniency) for
		him | slighted off contemptuously disregarded
	BRUTUS
	You wronged yourself to write in such a case.
	CASSIUS
	In such a time as this it is not meet	meet fitting, appropriate
	That every nice offence should bear his comment.	nice trivial | bear his comment i.e., be closely
		scrutinized
	BRUTUS
	Let me tell you, Cassius, you yourself
4.3.10	Are much condemn'd to have an itching palm;	to have for having
	To sell and mart your offices for gold	mart your offices auction off your influence
	To undeservers.
	CASSIUS
	I an itching palm!
	You know that you are Brutus that speak this,	You . . . last i.e., you are relying on your
	Or, by the gods, this speech were else your last.	reputation as the honorable Brutus; otherwise,
		I'd kill you
	BRUTUS
4.3.15	The name of Cassius honours this corruption,	The name . . . head i.e., your reputation as the
	And chastisement doth therefore hide his head.	honorable Cassius keeps you from being
		punished for this corruption
	CASSIUS
	Chastisement!	Chastisement! (Cassius is outraged at the idea
		that Brutus could think that he has the right to
	BRUTUS	punish him.)
	Remember March, the ides of March remember:
	Did not great Julius bleed for justice' sake?
4.3.20	What villain touch'd his body, that did stab,	villain (They would have been villains if they
	And not for justice? What, shall one of us	had killed him for any other cause than justice.)
	That struck the foremost man of all this world
	But for supporting robbers, shall we now	But only | robbers (Julius Caesar was reputed to
	Contaminate our fingers with base bribes,	countenance corrupt tax-collectors and the like.)
4.3.25	And sell the mighty space of our large honours	mighty space of our large honours our noble
	For so much trash as may be grasped thus?	reputations | trash i.e., money
	I had rather be a dog, and bay the moon,	bay the moon bay at the moon
	Than such a Roman.
	CASSIUS
	Brutus, bait not me;	bait harass, badger
	I'll not endure it: you forget yourself,
4.3.30	To hedge me in; I am a soldier, I,	hedge me in restrict my authority
	Older in practise, abler than yourself	Older in practise more experienced
	To make conditions.	make conditions decide how to manage affairs
		(such as what to do about bribery accusations)
	BRUTUS
	Go to; you are not, Cassius.	Go to (A common phrase meaning "no way,"
		"you've gotta be kidding," "b.s., " etc.)
	CASSIUS
	I am.
	BRUTUS
	I say you are not.
	CASSIUS
4.3.35	Urge me no more, I shall forget myself;	Urge push, provoke | forget myself lose control
	Have mind upon your health, tempt me no further.	of myself | tempt provoke
	BRUTUS
	Away, slight man!	slight puny, insignificant
	CASSIUS
	Is't possible?	Is't possible? i.e., I can't believe you're saying
		this!
	BRUTUS
	Hear me, for I will speak.
	Must I give way and room to your rash choler?	give . . . to yield to | choler anger
4.3.40	Shall I be frighted when a madman stares?	stares glares, looks wildly
	CASSIUS
	O ye gods, ye gods! must I endure all this?
	BRUTUS
	All this! ay, more: fret till your proud heart break;	fret (As in "fret and fume.")
	Go show your slaves how choleric you are,	choleric bad-tempered
	And make your bondmen tremble. Must I budge?	bondmen slaves | budge flinch
4.3.45	Must I observe you? must I stand and crouch	observe defer to | stand put up with
	Under your testy humour? By the gods	crouch cringe | humour temperament
	You shall digest the venom of your spleen,	digest swallow (not spew forth)
	Though it do split you; for, from this day forth,	spleen ill temper
	I'll use you for my mirth, yea, for my laughter,
4.3.50	When you are waspish.	waspish hotheaded
	CASSIUS
	Is it come to this?
	BRUTUS
	You say you are a better soldier:
	Let it appear so; make your vaunting true,	vaunting boasting
	And it shall please me well: for mine own part,
	I shall be glad to learn of noble men.	learn of learn from (Brutus is being sarcastic.
		He means something like, "When you show that
	CASSIUS	you really are a better soldier and noble, I'll
4.3.55	You wrong me every way; you wrong me, Brutus;	listen to you.")
	I said, an elder soldier, not a better:
	Did I say "better"?
	BRUTUS
	If you did, I care not.
	CASSIUS
	When Caesar lived, he durst not thus have mov'd me.	durst not dared not | mov'd angered
	BRUTUS
	Peace, peace! you durst not so have tempted him.	Peace be quiet, shut up | tempted provoked
	CASSIUS
4.3.60	I durst not!
	BRUTUS
	No.
	CASSIUS
	What, durst not tempt him!
	BRUTUS
	For your life you durst not!
	CASSIUS
	Do not presume too much upon my love;	Do . . . love i.e., don't count too much on my
	I may do that I shall be sorry for.	affection for you | that . . . for something (to
		hurt you) that I will regret
	BRUTUS
4.3.65	You have done that you should be sorry for.	that . . . for i.e., countenancing the taking of
	There is no terror, Cassius, in your threats,	bribes
	For I am arm'd so strong in honesty	arm'd . . . honesty i.e., so sure that I am right
	That they pass by me as the idle wind,	idle insignificant
	Which I respect not. I did send to you	respect not pay no attention to
4.3.70	For certain sums of gold, which you denied me:
	For I can raise no money by vile means:	I . . . no i.e., it is against my nature
	By heaven, I had rather coin my heart,	coin make coins out of
	And drop my blood for drachmas, than to wring	drop spill | drachmas small coins
	From the hard hands of peasants their vile trash	hard i.e., callused | vile trash i.e., the little they
4.3.75	By any indirection. I did send	have | indirection dishonest or devious means
	To you for gold to pay my legions,
	Which you denied me: was that done like Cassius?
	Should I have answer'd Caius Cassius so?
	When Marcus Brutus grows so covetous,
4.3.80	To lock such rascal counters from his friends,	rascal counters paltry sums (Counters were
	Be ready, gods, with all your thunderbolts;	tokens used by shopkeepers to keep track of
	Dash him to pieces!	fractions.)
	CASSIUS
	I denied you not.
	BRUTUS
	You did.
	CASSIUS
	I did not: he was but a fool that brought	he . . . back (Cassius blames the messenger.)
4.3.85	My answer back. Brutus hath rived my heart:	rived cleft
	A friend should bear his friend's infirmities,	bear i.e., be forgiving of | infirmities foibles,
	But Brutus makes mine greater than they are.	small faults
	BRUTUS
	I do not, till you practise them on me.	practise them on me make them affect me
	CASSIUS
	You love me not.
	BRUTUS
	I do not like your faults.
	CASSIUS
4.3.90	A friendly eye could never see such faults.
	BRUTUS
	A flatterer's would not, though they do appear
	As huge as high Olympus.	Olympus Mount Olympus
	CASSIUS
	Come, Antony, and young Octavius, come,
	Revenge yourselves alone on Cassius,	alone on Cassius on Cassius alone
4.3.95	For Cassius is a-weary of the world;
	Hated by one he loves; braved by his brother;	braved defied
	Check'd like a bondman; all his faults observed,	Check'd rebuked, scolded | observed noted
	Set in a note-book, learn'd, and conn'd by rote,	learn'd . . . rote studied and memorized
	To cast into my teeth. O, I could weep	cast throw
4.3.100	My spirit from mine eyes! There is my dagger,	There is my dagger (He offers his dagger to
	And here my naked breast; within, a heart	Brutus.)
	Dearer than Pluto's mine, richer than gold:	Dearer richer | Pluto god of the underworld >>>
	If that thou be'st a Roman, take it forth;	take it forth i.e., cut out my heart
	I, that denied thee gold, will give my heart:	I . . . gold I, who (according to your accusation)
4.3.105	Strike, as thou didst at Caesar; for, I know,	denied you money
	When thou didst hate him worst, thou lovedst him better
	Than ever thou lovedst Cassius.
	BRUTUS
	Sheathe your dagger:
	Be angry when you will, it shall have scope;	it . . .scope your anger will have free rein
	Do what you will, dishonour shall be humour.	dishonour shall be humour i.e., I'll regard your
4.3.110	O Cassius, you are yoked with a lamb	insults as the result of your temperament
	That carries anger as the flint bears fire;	yoked partnered | bears holds
	Who, much enforced, shows a hasty spark,	much enforced struck hard | hasty momentary
	And straight is cold again.	straight immediately
	CASSIUS
	Hath Cassius lived
	To be but mirth and laughter to his Brutus,
4.3.115	When grief, and blood ill-temper'd, vexeth him?	blood ill-temper'd diseased blood >>>
	BRUTUS
	When I spoke that, I was ill-temper'd too.
	CASSIUS
	Do you confess so much? Give me your hand.
	BRUTUS
	And my heart too.
	CASSIUS
	O Brutus!
	BRUTUS
	What's the matter?
	CASSIUS
	Have not you love enough to bear with me,
4.3.120	When that rash humour which my mother gave me	rash humour irritable temper
	Makes me forgetful?	forgetful i.e., forgetful of my love and respect
		for you
	BRUTUS
	Yes, Cassius; and, from henceforth,
	When you are over-earnest with your Brutus,
	He'll think your mother chides, and leave you so.	leave you so leave it at that
	Enter a Poet [to LUCILIUS and TITINIUS,
	as they stand on guard].
	Poet
	Let me go in to see the generals;
4.3.125	There is some grudge between 'em, 'tis not meet	meet fitting
	They be alone.
	LUCILIUS
	You shall not come to them.
	Poet
	Nothing but death shall stay me.	stay stop
	CASSIUS
	How now! what's the matter?
	Poet
4.3.130	For shame, you generals! what do you mean?	what do you mean? what do you think you're
	Love, and be friends, as two such men should be;	doing?
	For I have seen more years, I'm sure, than ye.
	CASSIUS
	Ha, ha! how vilely doth this cynic rhyme!	cynic rude, loud fellow
	BRUTUS
	Get you hence, sirrah; saucy fellow, hence!	sirrah (A derogatory term for an inferior.)
	CASSIUS
4.3.135	Bear with him, Brutus; 'tis his fashion.	'tis his fashion i.e., it's just how he is
	BRUTUS
	I'll know his humour, when he knows his time:	I'll . . . time I'll be understanding about his
	What should the wars do with these jigging fools?	oddities when he understands the right time for
	Companion, hence!	them | jigging rhyming | Companion ("Buddy,"
		as in "Get lost, buddy.")
	CASSIUS
	Away, away, be gone.
	Exit Poet.
	BRUTUS
	Lucilius and Titinius, bid the commanders
4.3.140	Prepare to lodge their companies to-night.
	CASSIUS
	And come yourselves, and bring Messala with you
	Immediately to us.
	Exeunt LUCILIUS and TITINIUS.
	BRUTUS [To Lucius within.]
	Lucius, a bowl of wine!
	CASSIUS
	I did not think you could have been so angry.
	BRUTUS
	O Cassius, I am sick of many griefs.
	CASSIUS
4.3.145	Of your philosophy you make no use,	your philosophy Stoicism
	If you give place to accidental evils.	give place to yield to, are affected by
		accidental caused by chance (Stoics are
	BRUTUS	supposed to be impervious to such evils.)
	No man bears sorrow better. Portia is dead.
	CASSIUS
	Ha! Portia!
	BRUTUS
	She is dead.
	CASSIUS
4.3.150	How 'scaped I killing when I cross'd you so?	'scaped I killing escaped being killed
	O insupportable and touching loss!
	Upon what sickness?
	BRUTUS
	Impatient of my absence,	Impatient of unable to bear
	And grief that young Octavius with Mark Antony
	Have made themselves so strong—for with her death	for . . . came i.e., with news of her death came
4.3.155	That tidings came. With this she fell distract,	news that Octavius and Antony had gained
	And, her attendants absent, swallow'd fire.	strength | fire live embers >>>
	CASSIUS
	And died so?
	BRUTUS
	Even so.
	CASSIUS
	O ye immortal gods!
	Enter Boy [LUCIUS] with wine and tapers.	tapers candles
	BRUTUS
	Speak no more of her. Give me a bowl of wine.
	In this I bury all unkindness, Cassius.
	Drinks.
	CASSIUS
4.3.160	My heart is thirsty for that noble pledge.
	Fill, Lucius, till the wine o'erswell the cup;	o'erswell overflow
	I cannot drink too much of Brutus' love.
	[Drinks. Exit LUCIUS.]
	Enter TITINIUS and MESSALA.
	BRUTUS
	Come in, Titinius! Welcome, good Messala.
	Now sit we close about this taper here,
4.3.165	And call in question our necessities.	call in question consider, discuss
		our necessities what we must do
	CASSIUS
	Portia, art thou gone?
	BRUTUS
	No more, I pray you.
	Messala, I have here received letters,
	That young Octavius and Mark Antony	That saying that
	Come down upon us with a mighty power,	power army
4.3.170	Bending their expedition toward Philippi.	Bending their expedition directing their rapid
		march
	MESSALA
	Myself have letters of the selfsame tenor.	tenor general meaning
	BRUTUS
	With what addition?
	MESSALA
	That by proscription and bills of outlawry,	proscription a declaration that a person is not
	Octavius, Antony, and Lepidus,	protected by the law | bills written announce-
4.3.175	Have put to death an hundred senators.	ments, posted in public places
	BRUTUS
	Therein our letters do not well agree;
	Mine speak of seventy senators that died
	By their proscriptions, Cicero being one.
	CASSIUS
	Cicero one?
	MESSALA
	Cicero is dead,
4.3.180	And by that order of proscription.
	Had you your letters from your wife, my lord?
	BRUTUS
	No, Messala.
	MESSALA
	Nor nothing in your letters writ of her?
	BRUTUS
	Nothing, Messala.	Nothing (Is Brutus lying, or did Shakespeare
		revise the scene?) >>>
	MESSALA
	That, methinks, is strange.
	BRUTUS
4.3.185	Why ask you? hear you aught of her in yours?
	MESSALA
	No, my lord.
	BRUTUS
	Now, as you are a Roman, tell me true.
	MESSALA
	Then like a Roman bear the truth I tell:
	For certain she is dead, and by strange manner.
	BRUTUS
4.3.190	Why, farewell, Portia. We must die, Messala:
	With meditating that she must die once,	once at some time
	I have the patience to endure it now.	patience fortitude
	MESSALA
	Even so great men great losses should endure.	Even so in just such a way
	CASSIUS
	I have as much of this in art as you,	this i.e., Brutus' Stoicism | in art in theory
4.3.195	But yet my nature could not bear it so.
	BRUTUS
	Well, to our work alive. What do you think	alive concerning the living, and immediate,
	Of marching to Philippi presently?	pressing | presently immediately
	CASSIUS
	I do not think it good.
	BRUTUS
	Your reason?
	CASSIUS
	This it is:
	'Tis better that the enemy seek us:
4.3.200	So shall he waste his means, weary his soldiers,
	Doing himself offence; whilst we, lying still,	offence harm
	Are full of rest, defense, and nimbleness.
	BRUTUS
	Good reasons must, of force, give place to better.	of force by necessity
	The people 'twixt Philippi and this ground
4.3.205	Do stand but in a forced affection;
	For they have grudged us contribution:	grudged us contribution unwillingly con-
	The enemy, marching along by them,	tributed men and money | by among
	By them shall make a fuller number up,	make a fuller number up add to their forces (by
	Come on refresh'd, new-added, and encouraged;	recruiting among the locals) | new-added with
4.3.210	From which advantage shall we cut him off,	additional troops
	If at Philippi we do face him there,
	These people at our back.	These people the locals who would otherwise
		provide recruits to the enemy
	CASSIUS
	Hear me, good brother.
	BRUTUS
	Under your pardon. You must note beside,	Under your pardon i.e., excuse me, allow me to
	That we have tried the utmost of our friends,	finish | tried . . . friends gotten all that we can
4.3.215	Our legions are brimfull, our cause is ripe:	from our supporters
	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;
4.3.220	Omitted, all the voyage of their life	Omitted missed
	Is bound in shallows and in miseries.	bound in confined to
	On such a full sea are we now afloat;
	And we must take the current when it serves,
	Or lose our ventures.	ventures investments (in trading enterprises
		at sea)
	CASSIUS
	Then, with your will, go on;	with your will as you wish
4.3.225	We'll along ourselves, 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.	niggard stint, pay off with as little as possible >>>
	There is no more to say?
	CASSIUS
	No more. Good night:
4.3.230	Early to-morrow will we rise, and hence.	hence depart, get going
	BRUTUS
	Lucius!
	Enter LUCIUS.
	My gown.	gown dressing gown
	[Exit LUCIUS.]
	Farewell, good Messala:
	Good night, Titinius. Noble, noble Cassius,
	Good night, and good repose.
	CASSIUS
	O my dear brother!
	This was an ill beginning of the night:
4.3.235	Never come such division 'tween our souls!	Never . . . souls! i.e., Let us never again have
	Let it not, Brutus.	such a quarrel as we had tonight.
	Enter LUCIUS with the gown.
	BRUTUS
	Every thing is well.
	CASSIUS
	Good night, my lord.
	BRUTUS
	Good night, good brother.
	TITINIUS, MESSALA
	Good night, Lord Brutus.
	BRUTUS
	Farewell, every one.
	Exeunt [all but BRUTUS and LUCIUS].
	Give me the gown. Where is thy instrument?	instrument (It's likely it's a lute.) >>>
	LUCIUS
4.3.240	Here in the tent.
	BRUTUS
	What, thou speak'st drowsily?
	Poor knave, I blame thee not; thou art o'er-watch'd.	knave boy, rascal (said affectionately)
	Call Claudio and some other of my men:	o'er-watch'd worn out from watching—staying
	I'll have them sleep on cushions in my tent.	up late on duty
	LUCIUS
	Varrus and Claudio!
	Enter VARRUS and CLAUDIO.
	VARRUS
4.3.245	Calls my lord?
	BRUTUS
	I pray you, sirs, lie in my tent and sleep;
	It may be I shall raise you by and by	raise rouse, awake
	On business to my brother Cassius.	brother i.e., brother-in-arms
	VARRUS
	So please you, we will stand and watch your pleasure.	watch your pleasure stay awake and await your
		commands
	BRUTUS
4.3.250	I will not have it so: lie down, good sirs;
	It may be I shall otherwise bethink me.	otherwise bethink me change my mind
	[VARRUS and CLAUDIO lie down.]
	Look, Lucius, here's the book I sought for so;
	I put it in the pocket of my gown.
	LUCIUS
	I was sure your lordship did not give it me.
	BRUTUS
4.3.255	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?	touch play on | strain tune, or part of one
	LUCIUS
	Ay, my lord, an't please you.	an't if it
	BRUTUS
	It does, my boy:
	I trouble thee too much, but thou art willing.
	LUCIUS
4.3.260	It is my duty, sir.
	BRUTUS
	I should not urge thy duty past thy might;	urge push | might strength
	I know young bloods look for a time of rest.	young bloods youthful natures
	LUCIUS
	I have slept, my lord, already.
	BRUTUS
	It was well done; and thou shalt sleep again;
4.3.265	I will not hold thee long: if I do live,	hold keep, detain
	I will be good to thee.
	Music, and a song.
	This is a sleepy tune. O murderous slumber,	murderous slumber (Lucius has fallen dead
	Lay'st thou thy leaden mace upon my boy,	asleep.) | leaden heavy | mace a sheriff's staff of
	That plays thee music? Gentle knave, good night;	office, used in arrests | thee i.e., "slumber" >>>
4.3.270	I will not do thee so much wrong to wake thee:
	If thou dost nod, thou break'st thy instrument;
	I'll take it from thee; and, good boy, good night.
	Let me see, let me see; is not the leaf turn'd down
	Where I left reading? Here it is, I think.
	Enter the Ghost of CAESAR.
4.3.275	How ill this taper burns! Ha! who comes here?	taper candle (Candles were supposed to dim in
	I think it is the weakness of mine eyes	the presence of a ghost.)
	That shapes this monstrous apparition.
	It comes upon me. Art thou any thing?	upon toward
	Art thou some god, some angel, or some devil,
4.3.280	That makest my blood cold and my hair to stare?	stare stand on end
	Speak to me what thou art.
	GHOST
	Thy evil spirit, Brutus.
	BRUTUS
	Why comest thou?
	GHOST
	To tell thee thou shalt see me at Philippi.
	BRUTUS
	Well; then I shall see thee again?
	GHOST
4.3.285	Ay, at Philippi.
	BRUTUS
	Why, I will see thee at Philippi, then.
	[Exit Ghost.]
	Now I have taken heart thou vanishest:
	Ill spirit, I would hold more talk with thee.
	Boy, Lucius! Varrus! Claudio! Sirs, awake!
4.3.290	Claudio!
	LUCIUS
	The strings, my lord, are false.	false out of tune
	BRUTUS
	He thinks he still is at his instrument.
	Lucius, awake!
	LUCIUS
	My lord?
	BRUTUS
4.3.295	Didst thou dream, Lucius, that thou so criedst out?
	LUCIUS
	My lord, I do not know that I did cry.
	BRUTUS
	Yes, that thou didst: didst thou see any thing?
	LUCIUS
	Nothing, my lord.
	BRUTUS
	Sleep again, Lucius. Sirrah Claudio!
	[To VARRUS.]
4.3.300	Fellow thou, awake!
	VARRUS
	My lord?
	CLAUDIO
	My lord?
	BRUTUS
	Why did you so cry out, sirs, in your sleep?
	Both [VARRUS and CLAUDIO]
	Did we, my lord?
	BRUTUS
	Ay: saw you any thing?
	VARRUS
4.3.305	No, my lord, I saw nothing.
	CLAUDIO
	Nor I, my lord.
	BRUTUS
	Go and commend me to my brother Cassius;	commend me to give my respects to
	Bid him set on his powers betimes before,	Bid . . . before tell him to get his troops on the
	And we will follow.	march early and in the forefront
	Both [VARRUS and CLAUDIO]
	It shall be done, my lord.
	Exeunt.

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