ACT 5
[Enter BRUTUS, DARDANIUS, CLITUS, STRATO, and VOLUMNIUS]
BRUTUS
Come, poor remains of friends, rest on this rock.
Come, all remaining friends, rest on this rock.
CLITUS
Statilius showed the torch-light, but, my lord,
Statilius flashed his torchlight, but, my lord,
He came not back: he is or ta'en or slain.
He’s not returned. He’s either killed or captured.
BRUTUS
Sit thee down, Clitus: slaying is the word;
Sit down, Clitus. I’d say that he’s been killed;
It is a deed in fashion. Hark thee, Clitus.
Most of the people have been. Listen, Clitus.
[Whispers]
CLITUS
What, I, my lord? No, not for all the world.
What? Me, my lord? No, not for all the world!
BRUTUS
Peace then! No words.
Quiet, don’t speak.
CLITUS
I'll rather kill myself.
I’d rather kill myself.
BRUTUS
Hark thee, Dardanius.
Listen, Dardanius.
[Whispers]
DARDANIUS
Shall I do such a deed?
Would I do such a thing?
CLITUS
O Dardanius!
Oh, Dardanius!
DARDANIUS
O Clitus!
Oh, Clitus!
CLITUS
What ill request did Brutus make to thee?
What awful thing did Brutus ask of you?
DARDANIUS
To kill him, Clitus. Look, he meditates.
To kill him, Clitus. Look, he’s pondering.
CLITUS
Now is that noble vessel full of grief,
That noble man’s so overwhelmed with grief
That it runs over even at his eyes.
That it has even caused him now to cry.
BRUTUS
Come hither, good Volumnius; list a word.
Come here, Volumnius. Lend me your ears.
VOLUMNIUS
What says my lord?
What does my lord say?
BRUTUS
Why, this, Volumnius:
This, Volumnius:
The ghost of Caesar hath appeared to me
The ghost of Caesar has appeared to me
Two several times by night; at Sardis once,
Two different times at night; at Sardis once,
And, this last night, here in Philippi fields:
And last night in the fields of Phillipi.
I know my hour is come.
I know my days are over.
VOLUMNIUS
Not so, my lord.
No, my lord!
BRUTUS
Nay, I am sure it is, Volumnius.
No, I am sure it’s true, Volumnius.
Thou seest the world, Volumnius, how it goes;
You know how this world turns, Volumnius.
Our enemies have beat us to the pit:
Our enemies have dug a grave for us.
[Low alarums]
It is more worthy to leap in ourselves,
There is more merit jumping in ourselves
Than tarry till they push us. Good Volumnius,
Than waiting till they push us. Good Volumnius,
Thou know'st that we two went to school together:
You know that you and I both schooled together;
Even for that our love of old, I prithee,
And for that old-time love, I beg of you,
Hold thou my sword-hilts, whilst I run on it.
Hold out my sword whilst I run onto it.
VOLUMNIUS
That's not an office for a friend, my lord.
That’s not a job a friend can do, my lord.
[Alarum still]
CLITUS
Fly, fly, my lord; there is no tarrying here.
Run, run, my lord! We cannot wait round here!
BRUTUS
Farewell to you; and you; and you, Volumnius.
Goodbye to you…and you…and you, Volumnius.
Strato, thou hast been all this while asleep;
Strato, you’ve been asleep through all of this.
Farewell to thee too, Strato. Countrymen,
Goodbye to you too, Strato. Countrymen,
My heart doth joy that yet in all my life
My heart is full of joy that through my life
I found no man but he was true to me.
I only met men who were true to me.
I shall have glory by this losing day
I’ll have more glory on this day, defeated,
More than Octavius and Mark Antony
Than Antony and Octavius will garner
By this vile conquest shall attain unto.
From their pathetic, vile victory.
So fare you well at once; for Brutus' tongue
So, goodbye everyone; these words of mine
Hath almost ended his life's history:
Will be almost the last ones of my life.
Night hangs upon mine eyes; my bones would rest,
It’s time my eyes were closed, my bones were rested,
That have but laboured to attain this hour.
For they have worked so hard to reach this point.
[Alarum. Cry within, 'Fly, fly, fly!']
CLITUS
Fly, my lord, fly.
Run, my lord, run!
BRUTUS
Hence! I will follow.
Soon. I will follow you.
[Exeunt CLITUS, DARDANIUS, and VOLUMNIUS]
I prithee, Strato, stay thou by thy lord:
I beg you, Strato, stay here by your lord.
Thou art a fellow of a good respect;
You are a man of much respected rank;
Thy life hath had some smatch of honour in it:
Your life has had its share of honour in it.
Hold then my sword, and turn away thy face,
So, hold my sword, and turn your face away
While I do run upon it. Wilt thou, Strato?
While I run onto it. Will you do that?
STRATO
Give me your hand first. Fare you well, my lord.
Give me your hand first. So, goodbye, my lord.
BRUTUS
Farewell, good Strato.
Goodbye, good Strato.
[Runs on his sword]
Caesar, now be still:
Caesar, rest; I’m through.
I killed not thee with half so good a will.
I was just half as sure when killing you.
[Dies]
[Alarum. Retreat. Enter OCTAVIUS, ANTONY, MESSALA, LUCILIUS, and the army]
OCTAVIUS
What man is that?
Who is this man?
MESSALA
My master's man. Strato, where is thy master?
My master’s man. Strato, where is your master?
STRATO
Free from the bondage you are in, Messala:
Free from the bondage you are in, Messala.
The conquerors can but make a fire of him;
The conquerors can only burn his body,
For Brutus only overcame himself,
No one defeated Brutus, but himself,
And no man else hath honour by his death.
And no one else gets credit for his death.
LUCILIUS
So Brutus should be found. I thank thee, Brutus,
That’s how we should find Brutus. I must thank you,
That thou hast proved Lucilius' saying true.
For you have proved my own predictions right.
OCTAVIUS
All that served Brutus, I will entertain them.
If you served Brutus, you can work for me.
Fellow, wilt thou bestow thy time with me?
Good man, will you give me your time and trust?
STRATO
Ay, if Messala will prefer me to you.
Yes, if Messala recommends me to you.
OCTAVIUS
Do so, good Messala.
Do that, good Messala.
MESSALA
How died my master, Strato?
How did my master die, Strato?
STRATO
I held the sword, and he did run on it.
I held the sword, and he ran onto it.
MESSALA
Octavius, then take him to follow thee,
Octavius, then take him for your service,
That did the latest service to my master.
For he did help my master till the end.
ANTONY
This was the noblest Roman of them all:
He was the noblest Roman of them all.
All the conspirators save only he
Except for him, all of the other henchmen
Did that they did in envy of great Caesar;
Did what they did to Caesar out of envy.
He only, in a general honest thought
He was the only honest man who thought
And common good to all, made one of them.
About the greater good of everyone.
His life was gentle, and the elements
He led a gentle life and all his traits
So mixed in him that Nature might stand up
Were so well balanced, nature could stand up
And say to all the world 'This was a man!'
And say to all the world, “This was a man!”
OCTAVIUS
According to his virtue let us use him,
Just like his traits, let’s treat him just the same,
With all respect and rites of burial.
With full respect and sacred rites of burial.
Within my tent his bones to-night shall lie,
His corpse will lie within my tent tonight,
Most like a soldier, ordered honourably.
Just as a soldier would, with all the honour.
So call the field to rest; and let's away,
Tell all the troops to rest; let’s go away
To part the glories of this happy day.
And share the glories of this happy day.
[Exeunt]
—END—
