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Julius Caesar

Act 5, Scene 5

Enter BRUTUS, DARDANIUS, CLITUS, STRATO, and VOLUMNIUS	BRUTUS, DARDANIUS, CLITUS, STRATO, and VOLUMNIUS enter.
BRUTUS Come, poor remains of friends, rest on this rock.	BRUTUS Come, last of my friends, rest on this rock.
CLITUS Statilius showed the torchlight but, my lord, He came not back. He is or ta’en or slain.	CLITUS Statilius waved the torchlight at us, but he hasn’t come back. He’s been captured or killed.
BRUTUS Sit thee down, Clitus. Slaying is the word. It is a deed in fashion. Hark thee, Clitus. (whispers to CLITUS)	BRUTUS Sit down, Clitus. Killed, most likely—it’s become a trend. Listen, Clitus. (he whispers to CLITUS)
CLITUS What, I, my lord? No, not for all the world.	CLITUS Who, me, my lord? No, not for all the world.
BRUTUS Peace then! No words.	BRUTUS Silence, then! Don’t give it away.
CLITUS I’ll rather kill myself.	CLITUS I’d rather kill myself.
BRUTUS Hark thee, Dardanius. (whispers to DARDANIUS)	BRUTUS Listen, Dardanius. (he whispers toDARDANIUS)
DARDANIUS Shall I do such a deed?	DARDANIUS Would I dare do something like that?
CLITUS O Dardanius!	CLITUS Oh Dardanius!
DARDANIUS O Clitus!	DARDANIUS Oh Clitus!
CLITUS (aside to DARDANIUS) What ill request did Brutus make to thee?	CLITUS (speaking so that only DARDANIUS can hear) What awful thing did Brutus ask of you?
DARDANIUS (aside to CLITUS) To kill him, Clitus. Look, he meditates.	DARDANIUS (speaking so that only CLITUS can hear) To kill him, Clitus. Look, he’s meditating on what to do.
CLITUS (aside to DARDANIUS) Now is that noble vessel full of grief, That it runs over even at his eyes.	CLITUS (speaking so that only DARDANIUS can hear) That noble man is so full of grief that it spills out of his eyes.
BRUTUS Come hither, good Volumnius. List a word.	BRUTUS Come here, good Volumnius. Listen a minute.
VOLUMNIUS What says my lord?	VOLUMNIUS What is it, my lord?
BRUTUS Why this, Volumnius: The ghost of Caesar hath appeared to me Two several times by night. At Sardis once, And this last night here in Philippi fields. I know my hour is come.	BRUTUS Just this, Volumnius. The ghost of Caesar has appeared to me at night twice. Once at Sardis and once last night, here in Philippi fields. I know that my hour has come.
VOLUMNIUS Not so, my lord.	VOLUMNIUS No, it hasn’t, my lord.
BRUTUS Nay, I am sure it is, Volumnius. Thou seest the world, Volumnius, how it goes. Our enemies have beat us to the pit.	BRUTUS No, I’m sure it has, Volumnius. You see how the world goes, Volumnius. Our enemies have driven us to the edge of the grave.
Low alarums	Faint sounds of battle.
It is more worthy to leap in ourselves Than tarry till they push us. Good Volumnius, Thou know’st that we two went to school together. Even for that our love of old, I prithee, Hold thou my sword hilts, whilst I run on it.	It’s nobler to leap in ourselves than dawdle until they push us. Good Volumnius, you know that we went to school together. For the sake of our old friendship, I ask you, hold my sword handle while I run on it.
VOLUMNIUS That’s not an office for a friend, my lord.	VOLUMNIUS That’s not a job for a friend, my lord.
Alarum still	Continued sounds of battle.
CLITUS Fly, fly, my lord. There is no tarrying here.	CLITUS Run, run, my lord. We can’t wait here.
BRUTUS Farewell to you.—And you.—And you, Volumnius. —Strato, thou hast been all this while asleep. Farewell to thee too, Strato.—Countrymen, My heart doth joy that yet in all my life I found no man but he was true to me. I shall have glory by this losing day More than Octavius and Mark Antony By this vile conquest shall attain unto. So fare you well at once, for Brutus’ tongue Hath almost ended his life’s history. Night hangs upon mine eyes. My bones would rest, That have but labored to attain this hour.	BRUTUS Farewell to you, and you, and you, Volumnius. Strato, you’ve slept this whole time. Farewell to you too, Strato. Countrymen, my heart rejoices that in all my life I knew no men who were untrue to me. I’ll have glory in this losing day—more than Octavius and Mark Antony will gain by their foul conquest. So farewell, all, for my tongue has almost finished with its life. I can’t see ahead of me. My bones want to rest after helping me up to this hour.
Alarum. Cry within “Fly, fly, fly!”	Sounds of battle. Offstage, someone cries, “Run, run, run!”
CLITUS Fly, my lord, fly.	CLITUS Run, my lord, run.
BRUTUS Hence. I will follow.	BRUTUS Go on! I’ll follow.
Exeunt CLITUS, DARDANIUS, and VOLUMNIUS	CLITUS, DARDANIUS, and VOLUMNIUS exit.
I prithee, Strato, stay thou by thy lord. Thou art a fellow of a good respect. Thy life hath had some smatch of honor in it. Hold then my sword and turn away thy face While I do run upon it. Wilt thou, Strato?	I beg you, Strato, stay by me. You’re a man with a good reputation. Your life has had honor in it. Then, hold my sword and turn your face away while I run on it. Will you, Strato?
STRATO Give me your hand first. (holds BRUTUS’ sword) Fare you well, my lord.	STRATO Give me your hand, first. (holds BRUTUS’ sword) Farewell, my lord.
BRUTUS Farewell, good Strato. (runs on his sword) Caesar, now be still. I killed not thee with half so good a will. (dies)	BRUTUS Farewell, good Strato. (runs on his sword) Caesar, you can rest now. I didn’t kill you half as willingly. (he dies)
Alarum. Retreat. Enter OCTAVIUS, ANTONY, MESSALA, LUCILLIUS, and the army	Sounds of battle. Trumpets sound a retreat. OCTAVIUS, ANTONY, MESSALA, and LUCILLIUS enter with the army.
OCTAVIUS What man is that?	OCTAVIUS What man is that?
MESSALA My master’s man.—Strato, where is thy master?	MESSALA My master’s man. Strato, where’s your master?
STRATO Free from the bondage you are in, Messala. The conquerors can but make a fire of him. For Brutus only overcame himself, And no man else hath honor by his death.	STRATO Free from the bondage you are in, Messala. The conquerors can only make a fire of him, because only Brutus triumphed over himself, and no other man gets to triumph in his death.
LUCILLIUS So Brutus should be found.—I thank thee, Brutus, That thou hast proved Lucillius’ saying true.	LUCILLIUS It’s fitting that Brutus be found like this. Thank you, Brutus, for proving my prediction true.
OCTAVIUS All that served Brutus, I will entertain them. —Fellow, wilt thou bestow thy time with me?	OCTAVIUS I’ll take all who served Brutus into my service. You, will you join with me?
STRATO Ay, if Messala will prefer me to you.	STRATO Yes, if Messala recommends me to you.
OCTAVIUS Do so, good Messala.	OCTAVIUS Do so, good Messala.
MESSALA How died my master, Strato?	MESSALA How did my master die, Strato?
STRATO I held the sword and he did run on it.	STRATO I held the sword and he ran on it.
MESSALA Octavius, then take him to follow thee, That did the latest service to my master.	MESSALA Then take this man into your service, Octavius, for he did the final service to my master.
ANTONY This was the noblest Roman of them all. All the conspirators save only he Did that they did in envy of great Caesar. He only in a general honest thought And common good to all, made one of them. His life was gentle, and the elements So mixed in him that Nature might stand up And say to all the world, “This was a man.”	ANTONY This was the noblest Roman of them all. All the rest of the conspirators acted out of jealousy of great Caesar. Only he acted from honesty and for the general good. His life was gentle, and the elements mixed so well in him that Nature might stand up and say to all the world, “This was a man.”
OCTAVIUS According to his virtue let us use him, With all respect and rites of burial. Within my tent his bones tonight shall lie Most like a soldier, ordered honorably. So call the field to rest, and let’s away To part the glories of this happy day.	OCTAVIUS Let’s treat him according to his virtue, with all the respect and rituals of burial. His body will lie in my tent tonight, with the honorable observance that suits a soldier. So order the armies to rest, and let’s go home to share the glories of this happy day.
Exeunt omnes	Everyone exits.