THE TENT SCENE

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

Cassius. That you have wronged me doth appear in

this:

You have condemned and noted Lucius Pella,

For taking bribes here of the Sardians;

Wherein, my letters (praying on his side,

Because I knew the man) were slighted off.

Brutus. You wronged yourself, to. write in such a

case.

Cas. At such a time as this, it is not meet That every nice offence should bear its comment. Bru. Let me tell you, Cassius, you yourself Are much condemned to have an itching palm; To sell and mart your offices for gold,

To undeservers.

Cas.

I an itching palm?

You know that you are Brutus that speak this,
Or, by the gods, this speech were else your last.
Bru. The name of Cassius honors this corruption,
And chastisement doth therefore hide his head.
Cas. Chastisement?

Bru. Remember March, the ides of March remember! Did not great Julius bleed for justice' sake?

What villain touched his body, that did stab,
And not for justice? -What! shall one of us,
That struck the foremost man of all this world,
But for supporting robbers;-shall we now
Contaminate our fingers with base bribes,
And sell the mighty space of our large honors
For so much trash as may be grasped thus?—
I had rather be a dog, and bay the moon,
Than such a Roman.

Cas.

Brutus, bay not me:

I'll not endure it: you forget yourself,
To hedge me in. I am a soldier, I,
Older in practice, abler than yourself
To make conditions.

Bru.

Cas. I am.

Go to! you are not, Cassius.

Bru. I say you are not.

Cas. Urge me no more: I shall forget myself:

Have mind upon your health: tempt me no further. Bru. Away, slight man!

Cas. Is't possible!

Bru.

Hear me, for I will speak.

Must I give way and room to your rash choler?
Shall I be frighted when a madman stares?

Cas. Must I endure all this?

Bru. All this? Ay, more.

heart break.

Fret till your proud

Go show your slaves how choleric you are,

And make your bondmen tremble. Must I budge?
Must I observe you? Must I stand and crouch
Under your testy humor?

You shall digest the venom of your spleen,

Though it do split you; for, from this day forth,
I'll use you for my mirth, yea, for my laughter,
When you are waspish.

Cas.

Is it come to this?

Bru. You say you are a better soldier: Let it appear so; make your vaunting true,

And it shall please me well.

For mine own part,

I shall be glad to learn of noble men.

1

Cas. You wrong me every way; you wrong me, Brutus; I said an elder soldier, not a better:

Did I say better?

Bru.

If you did, I care not.

Cas. When Cæsar lived, he durst not thus have

moved me.

Bru. Peace, peace! you durst not so have tempted him. Cas. I durst not!

Bru. No.

Cas. What! Durst not tempt him?

Bru.

For your life you durst not.

Cas. Do not presume too much upon my love;

I may do that I shall be sorry for.

Bru. You have done that you should be sorry for.

There is no terror, Cassius, in your threats;
For I am armed so strong in honesty,

denied me:

That they pass me by as the idle wind,
Which I respect not. I did send to you
For certain sums of gold, which you
For I can raise no money by vile means:
I had rather coin my heart,

And drop my blood for drachmas, than to wring
From the hard hands of peasants their vile trash
By any indirection. I did send

To you for gold to pay my legions;

Which you denied me.
Should I have answered Caius Cassius so?
When Marcus Brutus grows so covetous,

Was that done like Cassius?

To lock such rascal counters from his friends,
Be ready, gods, with all your thunderbolts,
Dash him to pieces!

Cas.

Bru. You did.

Cas.

I denied you not.

I did not he was but a fool

That brought my answer back. - Brutus hath rived my

heart.