Julius Caesar :   Act 5, Scene 5


    
      Enter BRUTUS, DARDANIUS, CLITUS, STRATO,   
      and VOLUMNIUS.   
    
      BRUTUS   
      Come, poor remains of friends, rest on this rock.   
    
      CLITUS   
      Statilius show'd the torchlight, but, my lord,   show'd the torchlight (As a signal. See Plutarch .)
      He came not back: he is or ta'en or slain.   or . . . or either . . . or | ta'en taken, captured
    
      BRUTUS   
      Sit thee down, Clitus: slaying is the word;   
5.5.5      It is a deed in fashion. Hark thee, Clitus.   
    
      [Whispers.]   
    
      CLITUS   
      What, I, my lord? No, not for all the world.   
    
      BRUTUS   
      Peace then! no words.   
    
      CLITUS   
                                 I'll rather kill myself.   
    
      BRUTUS   
      Hark thee, Dardanius.   
    
      [Whispers.]   
    
      DARDANIUS   
                                  Shall I do such a deed?   
    
      CLITUS   
      O Dardanius!   
    
      DARDANIUS   
5.5.10      O Clitus!   
    
      CLITUS   
      What ill request did Brutus make to thee?   
    
      DARDANIUS   
      To kill him, Clitus. Look, he meditates.   
    
      CLITUS   
      Now is that noble vessel full of grief,   
      That it runs over even at his eyes.   That . . . eyes (Brutus' eyes are tearing up.)
    
      BRUTUS   
5.5.15      Come hither, good Volumnius; list a word.   list listen to
    
      VOLUMNIUS   
      What says my lord?   
    
      BRUTUS   
                               Why, this, Volumnius:   
      The ghost of Caesar hath appear'd to me   
      Two several times by night; at Sardis once,   several separate
      And, this last night, here in Philippi fields:   
5.5.20      I know my hour is come.   
    
      VOLUMNIUS   
                                    Not so, my lord.   
    
      BRUTUS   
      Nay, I am sure it is, Volumnius.   
      Thou seest the world, Volumnius, how it goes;   
      Our enemies have beat us to the pit:   beat driven | pit animal trap; grave
    
      Low alarums.   
    
      It is more worthy to leap in ourselves,   
5.5.25      Than tarry till they push us. Good Volumnius,   
      Thou know'st that we two went to school together:   
      Even for that our love of old, I prithee,   
      Hold thou my sword-hilts, whilst I run on it.   hilts hilt
    
      VOLUMNIUS   
      That's not an office for a friend, my lord.   office function
    
      Alarum still.   Alarum still continual trumpet-calls to battle
    
      CLITUS   
5.5.30      Fly, fly, my lord; there is no tarrying here.   
    
      BRUTUS   
      Farewell to you; and you; and you, Volumnius.   
      Strato, thou hast been all this while asleep;   
      Farewell to thee too, Strato. Countrymen,   
      My heart doth joy that yet in all my life   
5.5.35      I found no man but he was true to me.   
      I shall have glory by this losing day   
      More than Octavius and Mark Antony   
      By this vile conquest shall attain unto.   
      So fare you well at once; for Brutus' tongue   fare you well at once without further ado
5.5.40      Hath almost ended his life's history:   
      Night hangs upon mine eyes; my bones would rest,   
      That have but labour'd to attain this hour.   That . . . hour that have striven only to reach this
    time (of peace)
      Alarum. Cry within, "Fly, fly, fly!"   
    
      CLITUS   
      Fly, my lord, fly.   
    
      BRUTUS   
                               Hence! I will follow.   
    
      [Exeunt CLITUS, DARDANIUS, and VOLUMNIUS.]   
    
      I prithee, Strato, stay thou by thy lord:   
5.5.45      Thou art a fellow of a good respect;   respect reputation
      Thy life hath had some smatch of honour in it:   smatch smack, taste
      Hold then my sword, and turn away thy face,   
      While I do run upon it. Wilt thou, Strato?   
    
      STRATO   
      Give me your hand first. Fare you well, my lord.   
    
      BRUTUS   
5.5.50      Farewell, good Strato.   
    
      [Runs on his sword.]   
    
                                   Caesar, now be still:   
      I kill'd not thee with half so good a will.   
    
      Dies.   
    
      Alarum. Retreat. Enter ANTONY, OCTAVIUS,   Retreat Trumpet signal to retreat.
     MESSALA, LUCILIUS, and the army.  
    
    
      OCTAVIUS   
      What man is that?   
    
      MESSALA   
      My master's man. Strato, where is thy master?   
    
      STRATO   
      Free from the bondage you are in, Messala:   the bondage you are in (Messala is the prisoner of
5.5.55      The conquerors can but make a fire of him;   Antony.) | make a fire of i.e., cremate
      For Brutus only overcame himself,   Brutus only overcame himself only Brutus
      And no man else hath honour by his death.   conquered Brutus
    
      LUCILIUS   
      So Brutus should be found. I thank thee, Brutus,   
      That thou hast proved Lucilius' saying true.   Lucilius' saying (See Act 5, Scene 4, lines 21-25 .)
    
      OCTAVIUS   
5.5.60      All that served Brutus, I will entertain them.   entertain them give them employment
      Fellow, wilt thou bestow thy time with me?   
    
      STRATO   
      Ay, if Messala will prefer me to you.   prefer recommend
    
      OCTAVIUS   
      Do so, good Messala.   
    
      MESSALA   
      How died my master, Strato?   
    
      STRATO   
5.5.65      I held the sword, and he did run on it.   
    
      MESSALA   
      Octavius, then take him to follow thee,   follow serve
      That did the latest service to my master.   latest last
    
      ANTONY   
      This was the noblest Roman of them all:   
      All the conspirators save only he   
5.5.70      Did that they did in envy of great Caesar;   
      He only, in a general honest thought   He . . . them only he joined the conspiracy out of
      And common good to all, made one of them.   sincere commitment to high ideals and the common
      His life was gentle, and the elements   good | gentle noble | elements substances >>>
      So mix'd in him that Nature might stand up   So mix'd i.e., perfectly balanced
5.5.75      And say to all the world "This was a man!"   
    
      OCTAVIUS   
      According to his virtue let us use him,   According to in accordance with | use treat
      With all respect and rites of burial.   
      Within my tent his bones to-night shall lie,   
      Most like a soldier, order'd honourably.   order'd honourably treated with due ceremony
5.5.80      So call the field to rest; and let's away,   the field i.e., the army in the field
      To part the glories of this happy day.   part share | happy fortunate
    
      Exeunt