Julius Caesar

Act 5, Scene 4

Alarum. Enter BRUTUS, MESSALA, CATO, LUCILLIUS, and FLAVIO

Sounds of battle. BRUTUS,MESSALA, CATO, LUCILLIUS, and FLAVIO enter.

BRUTUS

Yet, countrymen, O, yet hold up your heads!

BRUTUS

Keep on, countrymen. Oh, keep your heads up, even now!

Exeunt BRUTUS, MESSALA, and FLAVIO

BRUTUS, MESSALA, and FLAVIO exit.

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.

I am the son of Marcus Cato, ho!

CATO

Who is so low that he wouldn’t? Who will advance with me? I will proclaim my name around the field. I am the son of Marcus Cato! An enemy to tyrants and a friend to my country. I am the son of Marcus Cato!

Enter ANTONY and OCTAVIUS’ SOLDIERS Fight

ANTONY and OCTAVIUS’ SOLDIERS enter and fight.

LUCILLIUS

And I am Brutus, Marcus Brutus, I!

Brutus, my country’s friend. Know me for Brutus!

LUCILLIUS

And I am Brutus, Marcus Brutus. Brutus, my country’s friend. Know that I am Brutus!

SOLDIERS kill young CATO

SOLDIERS kill young CATO.

O young and noble Cato, art thou down?

Why, now thou diest as bravely as Titinius,

And mayst be honored, being Cato’s son.

Oh, young and noble Cato, have you been slain? Why, you die now as bravely as Titinius. And you, being Cato’s son, will be honored.

FIRST SOLDIER

(to LUCILLIUS) Yield, or thou diest.

FIRST SOLDIER

(to LUCILLIUS) Surrender or you will die.

LUCILLIUS

Only I yield to die.

There is so much that thou wilt kill me straight.

Kill Brutus, and be honored in his death.

LUCILLIUS

I’d rather die. Here is some money for you to kill me immediately. Kill Brutus and be honored by the killing.

FIRST SOLDIER

We must not. A noble prisoner!

FIRST SOLDIER

We must not. He is a noble prisoner!

Enter ANTONY

ANTONY enters.

SECOND SOLDIER

Room, ho! Tell Antony Brutus is ta’en.

SECOND SOLDIER

Make room! Tell Antony that Brutus has been taken.

FIRST SOLDIER

I’ll tell the news. Here comes the general.

—Brutus is ta’en, Brutus is ta’en, my lord.

FIRST SOLDIER

I’ll tell him the news. Oh, here comes the general—Brutus has been caught, Brutus is taken, my lord.

ANTONY

Where is he?

ANTONY

Where is he?

LUCILLIUS

Safe, Antony. Brutus is safe enough.

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.

LUCILLIUS

He’s safe, Antony. I can assure you that no enemy will ever take the noble Brutus alive. The gods protect him from so great a shame! When you do find him, alive or dead, he’ll be found on his own terms.

ANTONY

(to SOLDIERS) 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 whether Brutus be alive or dead.

And bring us word unto Octavius’ tent

How everything is chanced.

ANTONY

(to SOLDIERS) This isn’t Brutus, friend, but, I assure you, he is a valuable prize. Keep this man safe. Be kind to him. I would rather have such men as friends than enemies. Move on, find out if Brutus is alive or dead, then return to Octavius’ tent to tell us what you’ve learned.

Exeunt severally

They exit in opposite directions.