Julius Caesar, Act 5, Scene 1

Now, Antony, our hopes are answered. You said the enemy would not come down, But keep the hills and upper regions. It proves not so; their battles are at hand, They mean to warn us at Philippi here, Answering before we do demand of them.

Now, Antony, our hopes are fulfilled. You said the enemy would not come down, but would hold the hills and the high ground. It turns out otherwise; their forces are close by. They intend to challenge us here at Philippi, replying before we have even asked them.

Tut, I am in their bosoms, and I know Wherefore they do it. They could be content To visit other places, and come down With fearful bravery, thinking by this face To fasten in our thoughts that they have courage; But ’tis not so.

Nonsense, I know their innermost thoughts, and I know why they do it. They would be glad to be somewhere else, and they come down with a show of courage that hides their fear, thinking that by this appearance they will fix in our minds the idea that they are brave. But it is not so.

Prepare you, generals. The enemy comes on in gallant show; Their bloody sign of battle is hung out, And something to be done immediately.

Get ready, generals. The enemy is advancing in a fine display. Their red flag signalling battle has been put out, and something must be done at once.

Octavius, lead your battle softly on Upon the left hand of the even field.

Octavius, lead your troops forward slowly on the left side of the level field.

Upon the right hand I. Keep thou the left.

I will take the right side. You keep the left.

Why do you cross me in this exigent?

Why do you contradict me at such a critical moment?

I do not cross you; but I will do so.

I am not contradicting you; but this is what I will do.

They stand, and would have parley.

They are halting, and want to talk.

Stand fast, Titinius; we must out and talk.

Hold your position, Titinius; we must go out and talk.

Mark Antony, shall we give sign of battle?

Mark Antony, shall we give the signal to attack?

No, Caesar, we will answer on their charge. Make forth; the generals would have some words.

No, Caesar, we will reply when they attack. Go forward; their generals want a word.

Stir not until the signal.

Do not move until the signal.

Words before blows: is it so, countrymen?

Talk before fighting: is that how it is, countrymen?

Not that we love words better, as you do.

Not because we prefer words, as you do.

Good words are better than bad strokes, Octavius.

Good words are better than bad blows, Octavius.

In your bad strokes, Brutus, you give good words; Witness the hole you made in Caesar’s heart, Crying, “Long live! Hail, Caesar!”

When you strike bad blows, Brutus, you accompany them with good words. Look at the hole you made in Caesar's heart, while you cried, "Long live Caesar! Hail, Caesar!"

Antony, The posture of your blows are yet unknown; But for your words, they rob the Hybla bees, And leave them honeyless.

Antony, how your blows will land is still unknown; but as for your words, they steal from the bees of Hybla and leave them with no honey.

Not stingless too.

And not without their stings, either.

O yes, and soundless too, For you have stol’n their buzzing, Antony, And very wisely threat before you sting.

Oh yes, and without their sound too, for you have stolen their buzzing, Antony, and very sensibly you threaten before you sting.

Villains, you did not so when your vile daggers Hack’d one another in the sides of Caesar: You show’d your teeth like apes, and fawn’d like hounds, And bow’d like bondmen, kissing Caesar’s feet; Whilst damned Casca, like a cur, behind Struck Caesar on the neck. O you flatterers!

Villains, you gave no warning when your foul daggers were chopping into one another in Caesar's sides. You bared your teeth like apes, and fawned like dogs, and bowed like slaves, kissing Caesar's feet, while cursed Casca, like a mongrel, struck Caesar on the neck from behind. Oh, you flatterers!

Flatterers! Now, Brutus, thank yourself. This tongue had not offended so today, If Cassius might have rul’d.

Flatterers! Well, Brutus, you have yourself to thank for this. This tongue would not be insulting us today if Cassius had had his way.

Come, come, the cause. If arguing makes us sweat, The proof of it will turn to redder drops. Look, I draw a sword against conspirators. When think you that the sword goes up again? Never, till Caesar’s three and thirty wounds Be well aveng’d; or till another Caesar Have added slaughter to the sword of traitors.

Come, come, get to the point. If arguing makes us sweat, putting it to the test will bring out redder drops. Look, I draw my sword against conspirators. When do you think that sword will be sheathed again? Never, until Caesar's thirty-three wounds are fully avenged, or until another Caesar has been slaughtered too by the swords of traitors.

Caesar, thou canst not die by traitors’ hands, Unless thou bring’st them with thee.

Caesar, you cannot die at traitors' hands unless you bring the traitors with you.

So I hope. I was not born to die on Brutus’ sword.

That is what I hope. I was not born to die on Brutus' sword.

O, if thou wert the noblest of thy strain, Young man, thou couldst not die more honourable.

Oh, even if you were the noblest of your family, young man, you could not die more honourably.

A peevish school-boy, worthless of such honour, Join’d with a masker and a reveller.

A bad-tempered schoolboy, who does not deserve such an honour, teamed up with a man who wastes his time at parties and masked balls.

Old Cassius still!

The same old Cassius!

Come, Antony; away! Defiance, traitors, hurl we in your teeth. If you dare fight today, come to the field; If not, when you have stomachs.

Come, Antony, let's go! Traitors, we throw our defiance in your faces. If you dare to fight today, come onto the battlefield; if not, come when you have the appetite for it.

Why now, blow wind, swell billow, and swim bark! The storm is up, and all is on the hazard.

Well then, let the wind blow, the waves swell, and the ship sail! The storm has broken, and everything is at risk.

Ho, Lucilius! Hark, a word with you.

Hey, Lucilius! Listen, a word with you.

My lord?

My lord?

Messala.

Messala.

What says my General?

What does my general say?

Messala, This is my birth-day; as this very day Was Cassius born. Give me thy hand, Messala: Be thou my witness that against my will As Pompey was, am I compell’d to set Upon one battle all our liberties. You know that I held Epicurus strong, And his opinion. Now I change my mind, And partly credit things that do presage. Coming from Sardis, on our former ensign Two mighty eagles fell, and there they perch’d, Gorging and feeding from our soldiers’ hands, Who to Philippi here consorted us. This morning are they fled away and gone, And in their steads do ravens, crows, and kites Fly o’er our heads, and downward look on us, As we were sickly prey: their shadows seem A canopy most fatal, under which Our army lies, ready to give up the ghost.

Messala, today is my birthday; on this very day Cassius was born. Give me your hand, Messala. Be my witness that, just as Pompey was, I am forced against my will to stake all our liberties on a single battle. You know that I firmly held to Epicurus and his views. Now I have changed my mind, and I partly believe in things that foretell the future. As we came from Sardis, two mighty eagles swooped down on our foremost standard and perched there, gorging themselves and feeding from our soldiers' hands, and they accompanied us here to Philippi. This morning they have flown away and gone, and in their place ravens, crows and hawks fly over our heads and look down on us as though we were sick prey. Their shadows seem like a deadly canopy, under which our army lies, ready to die.

Believe not so.

Do not believe that.

I but believe it partly, For I am fresh of spirit, and resolv’d To meet all perils very constantly.

I only partly believe it, for my spirits are fresh and I am determined to face every danger with complete steadiness.

Even so, Lucilius.

Just so, Lucilius.

Now, most noble Brutus, The gods today stand friendly, that we may, Lovers in peace, lead on our days to age! But, since the affairs of men rest still incertain, Let’s reason with the worst that may befall. If we do lose this battle, then is this The very last time we shall speak together: What are you then determined to do?

Now, most noble Brutus, may the gods be our friends today, so that we may live on as friends in peace into old age! But since human affairs always remain uncertain, let us consider the worst that could happen. If we lose this battle, then this is the very last time we shall speak to each other. What have you decided to do in that case?

Even by the rule of that philosophy By which I did blame Cato for the death Which he did give himself, I know not how, But I do find it cowardly and vile, For fear of what might fall, so to prevent The time of life, arming myself with patience To stay the providence of some high powers That govern us below.

By the very principle of that philosophy which made me blame Cato for the death he gave himself — I do not quite know why, but I find it cowardly and shameful, out of fear of what might happen, to cut short one's life like that — I will arm myself with patience and wait for the will of the higher powers that govern us here on earth.

Then, if we lose this battle, You are contented to be led in triumph Thorough the streets of Rome?

Then, if we lose this battle, you are willing to be led in a victory procession through the streets of Rome?

No, Cassius, no: think not, thou noble Roman, That ever Brutus will go bound to Rome; He bears too great a mind. But this same day Must end that work the Ides of March begun; And whether we shall meet again I know not. Therefore our everlasting farewell take. For ever, and for ever, farewell, Cassius. If we do meet again, why, we shall smile; If not, why then this parting was well made.

No, Cassius, no. Do not think, noble Roman, that Brutus will ever go to Rome in chains; his spirit is too great for that. But this very day must finish the work that began on the Ides of March, and I do not know whether we shall meet again. So let us take our final farewell of each other. For ever and for ever, farewell, Cassius. If we do meet again, then we shall smile; if not, then this parting was well done.

For ever and for ever farewell, Brutus. If we do meet again, we’ll smile indeed; If not, ’tis true this parting was well made.

For ever and for ever, farewell, Brutus. If we do meet again, we shall certainly smile; if not, it is true that this parting was well done.

Why then, lead on. O, that a man might know The end of this day’s business ere it come! But it sufficeth that the day will end, And then the end is known. Come, ho! away!

Well then, lead on. Oh, if only a man could know how this day's business will end before it comes! But it is enough that the day will end, and then the ending will be known. Come on, let's go!