_Alarum. Enter_ BRUTUS, _young_ CATO, LUCILIUS, _and
others_
BRUTUS. Yet, countrymen, O, yet hold up your heads!
CATO. What bastard doth not? Who will go with me?
I will proclaim my name about the field.
I am the son of Marcus Cato, ho!
A foe to tyrants, and my country's friend; 5
I am the son of Marcus Cato, ho!
_Enter_ Soldiers, _and fight_
LUCILIUS. And I am Brutus, Marcus Brutus, I;
Brutus, my country's friend; know me for Brutus!
O young and noble Cato, art thou down?
Why, now thou diest as bravely as Titinius; 10
And mayst be honour'd, being Cato's son.
1 SOLDIER. Yield, or thou diest.
[Note: SCENE IV Capell | Scene VII Pope.--_Another part_ ...
Capell | Ff omit.]
[Note: _Enter_ BRUTUS ... | Enter Brutus, Messala, Cato,
Lucillius and Flauius Ff]
[Note 7: LUCILIUS | Bru. Rowe | Ff omit.]
[Note 9-11: Ff give to LUC. (Lucilius).]
[Note 2: /What bastard doth not:/ who is so base-born as not
to do so?]
[Note 7-8: The Folios omit the speaker's name. Rowe gave the
lines to Brutus, but they are utterly uncharacteristic of him.
Plutarch (see quotation below, l. 29) says that Lucilius
impersonated Brutus, and Shakespeare follows this, as l. 14
indicates. The Folios have no 'Exit' or stage direction after
l. 8. Professor Michael Macmillan says: "It seems probable
that the printers of the Folio by mistake put the heading
'Luc.' two lines too low down."]
[Note 11: "There was the son of Marcus Cato slain ... telling
aloud his name, and also his father's name."--Plutarch,
_Marcus Brutus_.]
[Page 161]
LUCILIUS. Only I yield to die:
There is so much that thou wilt kill me straight;
[_Offering money_]
Kill Brutus, and be honour'd in his death.
1 SOLDIER. We must not. A noble prisoner! 15
2 SOLDIER. Room, ho! Tell Antony, Brutus is ta'en.
1 SOLDIER. I'll tell the news. Here comes the general.
_Enter_ ANTONY
Brutus is ta'en, Brutus is ta'en, my lord.
ANTONY. Where is he?
LUCILIUS. Safe, Antony; Brutus is safe enough: 20
I dare assure thee that no enemy
Shall ever take alive the noble Brutus:
The gods defend him from so great a shame!
When you do find him, or alive or dead,
He will be found like Brutus, like himself 25
ANTONY. This is not Brutus, friend; but, I assure you,
A prize no less in worth: keep this man safe,
Give him all kindness: I had rather have
Such men my friends than enemies. Go on,
And see where Brutus be alive or dead; 30
And bring us word unto Octavius' tent
How every thing is chanc'd. [_Exeunt_]
[Note 13: [_Offering money_] | Ff omit.]
[Note 15: 1 SOLDIER | Sold. Ff.]
[Note 17: /the news/ Pope (ed. 1728) | thee newes Ff.]
[Note 18: _Enter_ ANTONY | in Ff after l. 15.]
[Note 26: /Brutus, friend/ F4 | Brutus friend | F1 F2 F3.]
[Note 30: /where/ Ff | whether Camb Globe | wh'er Capell.]
[Note 29: "There was one of Brutus' friends called Lucilius,
who seeing a troop of barbarous men making no reckoning of all
men else they met in their way, but going all together right
against Brutus, he determined to stay them with the hazard of
his life; and being left behind, told them that he was Brutus:
and because they should believe him, he prayed them to bring
him to Antonius, for he said he was afraid of Cæsar, and that
he did trust Antonius better. These barbarous men, being very
glad of this good hap, and thinking themselves happy men, they
carried him in the night, and sent some before unto Antonius,
to tell him of their coming. He was marvellous glad of it and
went out to meet them that brought him.... When they came near
together, Antonius stayed awhile bethinking himself how he
should use Brutus. In the meantime Lucilius was brought to
him, who stoutly with a bold countenance said: 'Antonius, I
dare assure thee, that no enemy hath taken or shall take
Marcus Brutus alive, and I beseech God keep him from that
fortune: for wheresoever ever he be found, alive or dead, he
will be found like himself. And now for myself, I am come unto
thee, having deceived these men of arms here, bearing them
down that I was Brutus, and do not refuse to suffer any
torment thou wilt put me to.'... Antonius on the other side,
looking upon all them that had brought him, said unto them:
'My companions, I think ye are sorry you have failed of your
purpose, and that you think this man hath done you great
wrong: but I assure you, you have taken a better booty than
that you followed. For instead of an enemy you have brought me
a friend: and for my part, if you had brought me Brutus alive,
truly I cannot tell what I should have done to him. For I had
rather have such men my friends, as this man here, than mine
enemies.' Then he embraced Lucilius, and at that time
delivered him to one of his friends in custody; and Lucilius
ever after served him faithfully, even to his
death."--Plutarch, _Marcus Brutus_.]
[Page 162]