Act V - Scene IV

[Another part of the field.]

Alarum. Enter Messala, Cato, Lucilius, and Flavius.]

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

[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.(5)
I am the son of Marcus Cato, ho!

Enter Soldiers and fight.

BRUTUS:
And I am Brutus, Marcus Brutus, I;
Brutus, my country's friend; know me for Brutus!

[Young Cato is slain.]

O young and noble Cato, art thou down?
Why, now thou diest as bravely as Titinius,(10)
And mayst be honor'd, being Cato's son.
FIRST SOLDIER:
Yield, or thou diest.
LUCILIUS:
Only I yield to die.

[Offers money.]

There is so much that thou wilt kill me straight:
Kill Brutus, and be honor'd in his death.(15)
FIRST SOLDIER:
We must not. A noble prisoner!

Enter Antony.

SECOND SOLDIER:
Room, ho! Tell Antony, Brutus is ta'en.
FIRST SOLDIER:
I'll tell the news. Here comes the general.
Brutus is ta'en, Brutus is ta'en, my lord.
ANTONY:
Where is he?(20)
LUCILIUS:
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,(25)
He will be found like Brutus, like himself.
ANTONY:
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,(30)
And see whether Brutus be alive or dead,
And bring us word unto Octavius' tent
How every thing is chanced.

Exeunt.

Footnotes

  1. The driving force of this scene lies in the confusion Lucilius creates by convincing Antony’s soldiers that he is Brutus. In a touch of dramatic irony, the audience sees clearly that Lucilius is not Brutus. The trick works until, as we’ll see at the scene’s end, Antony recognizes the fraud.

    — Zachary, Owl Eyes Editor