Julius Caesar: Act 5, Scene 1
Enter OCTAVIUS, ANTONY, and
their army.
OCTAVIUS
1 Now, Antony, our hopes are answered:
1. our . . . answered: what we hoped for has come true.
2 You said the enemy would not come down, 3 But keep the hills and upper regions;
3. keep: keep to, remain in.
4 It proves not so: their battles are at hand;
4. battles: battalions.
5 They mean to warn us at Philippi here, 6 Answering before we do demand of them.
5-6. They . . . them: They intend to challenge us here on the plains of Philippi, offering battle before we force them to.
ANTONY
7 Tut, I am in their bosoms, and I know
7. I . . . bosoms: I know what's in their hearts.
8 Wherefore they do it: they could be content 9 To visit other places; and come down
8-9. they . . . places: they would be happy to be anywhere but here.
10 With fearful bravery, thinking by this face
10. this face: i.e., this false show of courage.
11 To fasten in our thoughts that they have courage; 12 But 'tis not so. Enter a Messenger.
Messenger
Prepare you, generals: 13 The enemy comes on in gallant show; 14 Their bloody sign of battle is hung out,
14. bloody sign of battle: crimson battle flag.
15 And something to be done immediately.
15. And something to be done immediately: i.e., as if battle were to be joined immediately.
ANTONY
16 Octavius, lead your battle softly on,
16. battle: battalion. softly: slowly, cautiously.
17 Upon the left hand of the even field.
17. the even field: i.e., the plains of Philippi.
"Upon the right hand I; keep thou the left."
OCTAVIUS
18 Upon the right hand I; keep thou the left. ANTONY
19 Why do you cross me in this exigent?
19. cross: contradict. exigent: critical moment.
OCTAVIUS
20 I do not cross you; but I will do so.
20. I do not cross you; but I will do so: There are two different interpretations of this line.
March.
Drum. Enter BRUTUS, CASSIUS,
and their army [LUCILIUS,
TITINIUS, MESSALA, and others].
BRUTUS
21 They stand, and would have parley.
21. They stand, and would have parley: They have halted and want to parley.
CASSIUS
22 Stand fast, Titinius: we must out and talk. OCTAVIUS
23 Mark Antony, shall we give sign of battle? ANTONY
24 No, Caesar, we will answer on their charge.
24. we . . . charge: we will retaliate when they attack.
25 Make forth; the generals would have some words.
25. Make forth: step forward.
OCTAVIUS [To his troops.]
26 Stir not until the signal. BRUTUS
27 Words before blows: is it so, countrymen? OCTAVIUS
28 Not that we love words better, as you do. BRUTUS
29 Good words are better than bad strokes, Octavius.
29. Good words are better than bad strokes: i.e., it's better to negotiate than to engage in unnecessary violence.
ANTONY
30 In your bad strokes, Brutus, you give good words: 31 Witness the hole you made in Caesar's heart,
31. Witness: for example, consider.
32 Crying 'Long live! hail, Caesar!' CASSIUS
Antony, 33 The posture of your blows are yet unknown;
33. posture: effectiveness.
34 But for your words, they rob the Hybla bees,
34. for: as for. Hybla: a town in Sicily famous for its honey. (Cassius is being heavily sarcastic about Antony's ability to sweet-talk people into doing what he wants.)
35 And leave them honeyless. ANTONY
Not stingless too? BRUTUS
36 O, yes, and soundless too;
37 For you have stol'n their buzzing, Antony, 38 And very wisely threat before you sting.
38. very wisely: i.e., with the knowledge that you are much better at making threats than at actually fighting. threat: threaten.
ANTONY
39 Villains, you did not so, when your vile daggers
39. you did not so: i.e., you gave no warning when you assassinated Caesar.
40 Hack'd one another in the sides of Caesar: 41 You show'd your teeth like apes, and fawn'd like hounds,
40. show'd your teeth: i.e., grinned.
42 And bow'd like bondmen, kissing Caesar's feet; 43 Whilst damned Casca, like a cur, behind 44 Struck Caesar on the neck. O you flatterers! CASSIUS
45 Flatterers! Now, Brutus, thank yourself:
46 This tongue had not offended so today,
46. This tongue: i.e., Antony's tongue.
47 If Cassius might have ruled.
47. ruled: prevailed. Cassius urged that Antony be killed, too, but Brutus overruled him. See Act 2, Scene 1.
OCTAVIUS
48 Come, come, the cause: if arguing make us sweat, 49 The proof of it will turn to redder drops.
48-49. Come . . . drops: i.e., Come on, let's on with the battle; if arguing over Caesar's assassination makes us sweat, fighting over it will make us bleed.
50 Look; 51 I draw a sword against conspirators; 52 When think you that the sword goes up again? 53 Never, till Caesar's three and thirty wounds 54 Be well avenged; or till another Caesar 55 Have added slaughter to the sword of traitors.
54-55. till . . . traitors: i.e., until the sword of traitors has slaughtered another Caesar, myself.
BRUTUS
56 Caesar, thou canst not die by traitors' hands, 57 Unless thou bring'st them with thee.
56-57. Unless . . . thee: i.e., unless there are traitors in your army who will kill you.
OCTAVIUS
So I hope;
57. So I hope: i.e., I hope you are right that I can not die by a traitor's hand, because that would mean that you can not kill me, traitor.
58 I was not born to die on Brutus' sword.
BRUTUS
59 O, if thou wert the noblest of thy strain,
59. if: even if. strain: family line.
60 Young man, thou couldst not die more honourable. CASSIUS
61 A peevish schoolboy, worthless of such honour,
61. schoolboy: i.e., Octavius, 18 years old. worthless . . . honor: unworthy of the honor of doing battle against Brutus.
62. a masker and a reveller: i.e., Antony, who had a playboy reputation. >>>
62. a masker and a reveller: i.e., Antony, who had a playboy reputation. >>>
62 Join'd with a masker and a reveller! ANTONY
63 Old Cassius still!
63. Old Cassius still!: Still the same old Cassius!
OCTAVIUS
Come, Antony, away! 64 Defiance, traitors, hurl we in your teeth: 65 If you dare fight today, come to the field; 66 If not, when you have stomachs.
66. stomachs: 1) appetites. 2) enough courage to fight.
Exeunt OCTAVIUS, ANTONY, and army.
CASSIUS
67 Why, now, blow wind, swell billow and swim bark!
67. billow: wave. swim bark: i.e., the ship will have to cope as best it can.
68 The storm is up, and all is on the hazard.
68. all is on the hazard: everything is at stake and subject to the chances of war.
BRUTUS
69 Ho, Lucilius! hark, a word with you. Lucilius and [then] Messala stand forth.
LUCILIUS
My lord? [BRUTUS and LUCILIUS converse apart.]
CASSIUS
70 Messala! MESSALA
What says my general? CASSIUS
Messala, 71 This is my birthday; as this very day
71. as: on.
72 Was Cassius born. Give me thy hand, Messala: 73 Be thou my witness that against my will, 74 As Pompey was, am I compell'd to set
74. As Pompey was: as Pompey was at the battle of Pharsalus. set: gamble.
75 Upon one battle all our liberties. 76 You know that I held Epicurus strong 77 And his opinion: now I change my mind,
76-77. held . . . opinion: i.e. strongly agreed with the opinion of Epicurus that there are no omens from the gods.
78 And partly credit things that do presage.78. presage: foretell the future.
79 Coming from Sardis, on our former ensign
79. former ensign: foremost banner. >>>
80 Two mighty eagles fell, and there they perch'd,
80. fell: swooped down.
81 Gorging and feeding from our soldiers' hands; 82 Who to Philippi here consorted us:
82. consorted: accompanied.
83 This morning are they fled away and gone; 84 And in their steads do ravens, crows and kites,
84. ravens, crows and kites: all three birds feed on carrion, including the corpses of soldiers.
85 Fly o'er our heads and downward look on us, 86 As we were sickly prey: their shadows seem 87 A canopy most fatal, under which
"A canopy most fatal"
88 Our army lies, ready to give up the ghost. MESSALA
89 Believe not so. CASSIUS
I but believe it partly; 90 For I am fresh of spirit and resolved
90. fresh of spirit: optimistic, hopeful.
91 To meet all perils very constantly.
91. constantly: i.e., with a steady spirit.
BRUTUS
92 Even so, Lucilius.
92. Even so, Lucilius: that's right, Lucilius. — Brutus is done speaking to Lucilius and turns to Cassius.
CASSIUS
Now, most noble Brutus, 93 The gods today stand friendly, that we may,
93. The . . . friendly: may the gods be our friends.
94 Lovers in peace, lead on our days to age!
94. Lovers: best friends. lead . . . age: grow old (rather than die now).
95 But since the affairs of men rest still incertain,
95. rest still incertain: are always uncertain.
96 Let's reason with the worst that may befall.
96. reason with: consider.
97 If we do lose this battle, then is this 98 The very last time we shall speak together: 99 What are you then determined to do?
99. What are you then determined to do?: what have you decided that you will do?
BRUTUS
100 Even by the rule of that philosophy
100. that philosophy: i.e., Stoicism.
101 By which I did blame Cato for the death
101. Cato: i.e., Brutus' father-in-law, who committed suicide.
102 Which he did give himself, I know not how,103 But I do find it cowardly and vile,104 For fear of what might fall, so to prevent
104. what might fall: what might chance to happen.
105 The time of life: arming myself with patience
104-105. so . . . life: by suicide cut life short.
106 To stay the providence of some high powers
106. stay: wait for.
107 That govern us below. CASSIUS
Then, if we lose this battle,108 You are contented to be led in triumph
108. in triumph: as a captive in a triumphal procession.
109 Thorough the streets of Rome? BRUTUS
110 No, Cassius, no: think not, thou noble Roman,111 That ever Brutus will go bound to Rome;
111. bound: bound in chains.
112 He bears too great a mind. But this same day
"whether we shall meet again I know not"
113 Must end that work the ides of March begun;114 And whether we shall meet again I know not.115 Therefore our everlasting farewell take:116 For ever, and for ever, farewell, Cassius!117 If we do meet again, why, we shall smile;118 If not, why then, this parting was well made. CASSIUS
119 For ever, and for ever, farewell, Brutus!120 If we do meet again, we'll smile indeed;121 If not, 'tis true this parting was well made. BRUTUS
122 Why, then, lead on. O, that a man might know123 The end of this day's business ere it come!
123. ere: before.
124 But it sufficeth that the day will end,125 And then the end is known. Come, ho! away! Exeunt.