The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) (903 page)

Yes, my lord, if it pleases you.

Brutus

It does, my boy:


I trouble thee too much, but thou art willing.

It does, my boy. I know I am a lot of trouble.

Lucius

It is my duty, sir.

It’s my duty, sir.

Brutus

I should not urge thy duty past thy might;


I know young bloods look for a time of rest.

You need your rest, too. I shouldn’t trouble you so much.

Lucius

I have slept, my lord, already.

I have already slept, my lord.

Brutus

It was well done; and thou shalt sleep again;


I will not hold thee long: if I do live,


I will be good to thee.--

I promise I won’t keep you long, and if I do, I’ll pay you back.

Music and song.

This is a sleepy tune.--O murderous Slumber,


Lay'st thou thy leaden mace upon my boy,


That plays thee music?--Gentle knave, good night;


I will not do thee so much wrong to wake thee:


If thou dost nod, thou breakst thy instrument;


I'll take it from thee; and, good boy, good night.--


Let me see, let me see; is not the leaf turn'd down


Where I left reading? Here it is, I think.

This is a sleepy tune. Oh, let the music help me sleep. You may go now. You might fall asleep on your instrument. Give it to me and have a good night. Let’s see. Where did I leave off? Here is the page, I think.

Enter the Ghost of Caesar.

How ill this taper burns! Ha! who comes here?


I think it is the weakness of mine eyes


That shapes this monstrous apparition.


It comes upon me.--Art thou any thing?


Art thou some god, some angel, or some devil,


That makest my blood cold and my hair to stare?


Speak to me what thou art.

How weird this candle is burning! Who’s there? My eyes must be weak; I think I see a ghost. Are you some god, or angel, or devil. You make my blood cold and my hair stand on end. Tell me what you are.

Ghost

Thy evil spirit, Brutus.

I am your evil spirit, Brutus.

Brutus

Why comest thou?

Why are you here?

Ghost

To tell thee thou shalt see me at Philippi.

To tell you I will be in Philippi.

Brutus

Well; then I shall see thee again?

Well, then I will see you again.

Ghost

Ay, at Philippi.

Yes, at Philippi.

Brutus

Why, I will see thee at Philippi, then.

Why will I see you at Philippi?

Exit Ghost.

Now I have taken heart, thou vanishest:


Ill spirit, I would hold more talk with thee.--


Boy! Lucius!--Varro! Claudius! Sirs, awake!--Claudius!

Now, that I am curious, you have disappeared. Evil spirit, I would like to talk with you some more. Lucius! Varro! Claudius! Wake up! Claudius!

Lucius

The strings, my lord, are false.

The strings are not right, my lord.

Brutus

He thinks he still is at his instrument.--


Lucius, awake!

He thinks he’s still playing his instrument. Wake up, Lucius!

Lucius

My lord?

My lord?

Brutus

Didst thou dream, Lucius, that thou so criedst out?

Did you dream and cry out in your sleep, Lucius?

Lucius

My lord, I do not know that I did cry.

I don’t think so.

Brutus

Yes, that thou didst: didst thou see any thing?

You did. Did you see anything?

Lucius

Nothing, my lord.

Nothing, my lord.

Brutus

Sleep again, Lucius.--Sirrah Claudius!--


[To Varro.] Fellow thou, awake!

Go back to sleep, Lucius. Claudius!

To Varro.

Are you awake?

Varro

My lord?

My lord?

Claudius

My lord?

My lord?

Brutus

Why did you so cry out, sirs, in your sleep?

Why did you all cry out in your sleep?

Varro and Claudius

Did we, my lord?

Did we, my lord?

Brutus

Ay: saw you any thing?

Yes, did you see anything?

Varro

No, my lord, I saw nothing.

No, I didn’t.

Claudius

Nor I, my lord.

Me either.

Brutus

Go and commend me to my brother Cassius;


Bid him set on his powers betimes before,


And we will follow.

Go tell Cassius, to set out first thing and we will follow him.

Varro and Claudius

It shall be done, my lord.

We will, my lord.

Exit.

Enter Octavius, Antony, and their army.

Octavius

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 answered. You thought the enemy wouldn’t come to us, but stay in the hills. Yet, here they are to meet us.

Antony

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.

I know them, and I know what they are up to. They want us to think they are brave, but I know better.

Enter a Messenger.

Messenger

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 coming. Their battle sign is out and something needs to be done immediately.

Antony

Octavius, lead your battle softly on,


Upon the left hand of the even field.

Octavius, lead your men on the left side of the field.

Octavius

Upon the right hand I; keep thou the left.

I’ll take the right. You take the left.

Antony

Why do you cross me in this exigent?

Why do you disagree with me in this dire hour?

Octavius

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

I’m not disagreeing with you, but I will.

March.

Drum. Enter Brutus, Cassius, and their armies. Lucilius, Titinius, Messalus, and others.

Brutus

They stand, and would have parley.

They stand and are ready to fight.

Cassius

Stand fast, Titinius: we must out and talk.

Stay here, Titinius. We must ride out and talk.

Octavius

Mark Antony, shall we give sign of battle?

Mark Antony, shall we give sign of battle?

Antony

No, Caesar, we will answer on their charge.


Make forth; the generals would have some words.

No, Caesar, we wait until they charge. Go forward. The generals want to talk.

Octavius

Stir not until the signal.

Don’t do anything until I give you the signal.

Brutus

Words before blows: is it so, countrymen?

Words before blows. So, that’s how it’s going to be, countrymen.

Octavius

Not that we love words better, as you do.

We don’t love words like you do.

Brutus

Good words are better than bad strokes, Octavius.

Good words are better than bad fighting, Octavius.

Antony

In your bad strokes, Brutus, you give good words:


Witness the hole you made in Caesar's heart,


Crying, "Long live! Hail, Caesar!"

You have good words for your bad deeds. Weren’t you crying out, “Hail, Caesar,” when you were stabbing him?

Cassius

Antony,


The posture of your blows are yet unknown;


But for your words, they rob the Hybla bees,


And leave them honeyless.

Antony, we don’t know how well you fight, but your words drip with honey.

Antony

Not stingless too.

They don’t sting, though.

Brutus

O, yes, and soundless too,


For you have stol'n their buzzing, Antony,


And very wisely threat before you sting.

Your words are not soundless, either. They are very effective, Antony, warning your enemy before you fight.