Julius Caesar: Act 4, Scene 2



           Drum. Enter BRUTUS, LUCILIUS,
           [LUCIUS,] and the army; TITINIUS
           and PINDARUS meet them.

      BRUTUS
  1   Stand, ho!
1. stand: halt.


      LUCILIUS
  2   Give the word, ho! and stand.
2. Give . . . stand: pass the word along and halt.


      BRUTUS
  3   What now, Lucilius! is Cassius near?

      LUCILIUS
  4   He is at hand; and Pindarus is come
  5   To do you salutation from his master.

      BRUTUS
  6   He greets me well. Your master, Pindarus,
6. He greets me well: i.e., Cassius has sent a worthy man.

  7   In his own change, or by ill officers,
7. In . . . officers: i.e., because of his own change of attitude towards me, or under the influence of malicious subordinates.

  8   Hath given me some worthy cause to wish
8. some worthy cause: fairly good cause.

  9   Things done, undone: but, if he be at hand,
 10   I shall be satisfied.
9-10. if . . . satisfied: i.e., since he's at hand (so I can talk to him), I'm sure he'll explain things satisfactorily.


      PINDARUS
                                           I do not doubt
 11   But that my noble master will appear
11. appear: arrive.

 12   Such as he is, full of regard and honour.
12. full of regard and honour: i.e., full of respect for you and worthy of respect from you.


      BRUTUS
 13   He is not doubted.

           [Taking Lucilius aside.]

                                 A word, Lucilius;
 14   How he received you, let me be resolved.
14. he: i.e., Cassius.  How . . . resolved: i.e., I want to know exactly what his attitude was when you talked to him.


      LUCILIUS
 15   With courtesy and with respect enough;
 16   But not with such familiar instances,
16. familiar instances: signs of personal friendship.

 17   Nor with such free and friendly conference,
17. conference: conversation.

 18   As he hath used of old.

      BRUTUS
                                        Thou hast described
 19   A hot friend cooling: ever note, Lucilius,
 20   When love begins to sicken and decay,
 21   It useth an enforced ceremony.
21. enforced ceremony: strained formality.

 22   There are no tricks in plain and simple faith;
22. faith: i.e., trust of a friend.

 23   But hollow men, like horses hot at hand,
23. hot at hand: spirited when the rider first takes the reins.

 24   Make gallant show and promise of their mettle;
24. mettle: courage, spirit.


           Low march within.
Low march within: faint drumbeat offstage.


 25   But when they should endure the bloody spur,
25. when . . . spur: i.e., when they are ridden into battle.

 26   They fall their crests, and, like deceitful jades,
26. fall their crests: i.e., let their heads droop.  jades: nags.

 27   Sink in the trial. Comes his army on?
27. Sink in the trial: fail the test of battle.


      LUCILIUS
 28   They mean this night in Sardis to be quarter'd;
28. Sardis: an important city. Located in present-day Turkey.

 29   The greater part, the horse in general,
29. the horse in general: all the cavalry.

 30   Are come with Cassius.

      BRUTUS
 30                                       Hark! he is arrived.
 31   March gently on to meet him.
31. gently: slowly, to show that there is no hostile intent.


           Enter CASSIUS and his powers.
powers: armed forces.


      CASSIUS
 32   Stand, ho!

      BRUTUS
 33   Stand, ho! Speak the word along.

      First Soldier
 34   Stand!

      Second Soldier
 35   Stand!

      Third Soldier
 36   Stand!

      CASSIUS
 37   Most noble brother, you have done me wrong.

      BRUTUS
 38   Judge me, you gods! wrong I mine enemies?
 39   And, if not so, how should I wrong a brother?

      CASSIUS
 40   Brutus, this sober form of yours hides wrongs;
40. sober form: dignified manner and appearance.

 41   And when you do them—

      BRUTUS
                                                 Cassius, be content.
41. be content: contain yourself; keep calm.

 42   Speak your griefs softly: I do know you well.
42. griefs: grievances.  I do know you well: i.e., we're friends, so you don't have to shout to make me listen.

 43   Before the eyes of both our armies here,
 44   Which should perceive nothing but love from us,
 45   Let us not wrangle: bid them move away;
 46   Then in my tent, Cassius, enlarge your griefs,
46. enlarge your griefs: fully express your grievances.

 47   And I will give you audience.
47. give you audience: hear you out.


      CASSIUS
                                                         Pindarus,
 48   Bid our commanders lead their charges off
48 . their charges: soldiers in their charge.

 49   A little from this ground.

      BRUTUS
 50   Lucius, do you the like; and let no man
 51   Come to our tent till we have done our conference.
 52   Let Lucilius and Titinius guard our door.
Let . . . door: Lucilius is the aide-de-camp of Brutus; Titinius is the aide-de-camp of Cassius. >>>


           Exeunt. Manent Brutus and Cassius.
Exeunt . . . Cassius.: All except Brutus and Cassius go offstage.