Page 46
Brutus:
Speak no more of her. Give me a bowl of wine.
In this I bury all unkindness, Cassius.
(Drinks.)
Cassius:
My heart is thirsty for that noble pledge.
Fill, Lucius, till the wine o’erswell the cup.
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,
And call in question our necessities.
Cassius:
Portia, art thou gone?
Brutus:
No more, I pray you.
Messala, I have here received letters,
That young Octavius and Mark Antony
Come down upon us with a mighty power,
Bending their expedition toward Philippi.
Messala:
Myself have letters of the selfsame tenor.
Brutus:
With what addition?
Messala:
That by proscription and bills of outlawry
Octavius, Antony, and Lepidus
Have put to death an hundred Senators.
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,
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.
Messala:
That, methinks, is strange.
Brutus:
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:
Why, farewell, Portia. We must die, Messala.
With meditating that she must die once,
I have the patience to endure it now.
Messala:
Even so great men great losses should endure.
Cassius:
I have as much of this in art as you,
But yet my nature could not bear it so.
Brutus:
Well, to our work alive. What do you think
Of marching to Philippi presently?
Cassius:
I do not think it good.
Brutus:
Your reason?
Cassius:
This it is:
’Tis better that the enemy seek us;
So shall he waste his means, weary his soldiers,
Doing himself offence, whilst we, lying still,
Are full of rest, defence, and nimbleness.