Julius Caesar

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ACT V SCENE IV	Another part of the field.
	Alarum. Enter fighting, Soldiers of both armies; then BRUTUS, CATO, LUCILIUS, and others.
BRUTUS	Yet, countrymen, O, yet hold up your heads!
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!
BRUTUS	And I am Brutus, Marcus Brutus, I;
	Brutus, my country's friend; know me for Brutus!
	Exit
LUCILIUS	O young and noble Cato, art thou down?
	Why, now thou diest as bravely as Titinius;	10
	And mayst be honour'd, being Cato's son.
First Soldier	Yield, or thou diest.
LUCILIUS	Only I yield to die:
	There is so much that thou wilt kill me straight;
	Offering money
	Kill Brutus, and be honour'd in his death.
First Soldier	We must not. A noble prisoner!	15
Second Soldier	Room, ho! Tell Antony, Brutus is ta'en.
First Soldier	I'll tell the news. Here comes the general.
	Enter ANTONY
	Brutus is ta'en, Brutus is ta'en, my lord.
ANTONY	Where is he?
LUCILIUS	Safe, Antony; Brutus is safe enough:	20
	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,
	He will be found like Brutus, like himself.	25
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,
	And see whether Brutus be alive or dead;	30
	And bring us word unto Octavius' tent
	How every thing is chanced.
	Exeunt

Next: Julius Caesar, Act 5, Scene 5

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Explanatory Notes for Act 5, Scene 4

From Julius Caesar. Ed. Henry Norman Hudson. New York: Ginn and Co., 1908.

2. What bastard doth not: who is so base-born as not to do so?

7-8. The Folios omit the speaker's name. Rowe gave the lines to Brutus, but they are utterly uncharacteristic of him. Plutarch (see quotation below, l. 29) says that Lucilius impersonated Brutus, and Shakespeare follows this, as l. 14 indicates. The Folios have no 'Exit' or stage direction after l. 8. Professor Michael Macmillan says: "It seems probable that the printers of the Folio by mistake put the heading 'Luc.' two lines too low down."

11. "There was the son of Marcus Cato slain ... telling aloud his name, and also his father's name."-- Plutarch, Marcus Brutus.

29. "There was one of Brutus' friends called Lucilius, who seeing a troop of barbarous men making no reckoning of all men else they met in their way, but going all together right against Brutus, he determined to stay them with the hazard of his life; and being left behind, told them that he was Brutus: and because they should believe him, he prayed them to bring him to Antonius, for he said he was afraid of Cæsar, and that he did trust Antonius better. These barbarous men, being very glad of this good hap, and thinking themselves happy men, they carried him in the night, and sent some before unto Antonius, to tell him of their coming. He was marvellous glad of it and went out to meet them that brought him.... When they came near together, Antonius stayed awhile bethinking himself how he should use Brutus. In the meantime Lucilius was brought to him, who stoutly with a bold countenance said: 'Antonius, I dare assure thee, that no enemy hath taken or shall take Marcus Brutus alive, and I beseech God keep him from that fortune: for wheresoever ever he be found, alive or dead, he will be found like himself. And now for myself, I am come unto thee, having deceived these men of arms here, bearing them down that I was Brutus, and do not refuse to suffer any torment thou wilt put me to.'... Antonius on the other side, looking upon all them that had brought him, said unto them: 'My companions, I think ye are sorry you have failed of your purpose, and that you think this man hath done you great wrong: but I assure you, you have taken a better booty than that you followed. For instead of an enemy you have brought me a friend: and for my part, if you had brought me Brutus alive, truly I cannot tell what I should have done to him. For I had rather have such men my friends, as this man here, than mine enemies.' Then he embraced Lucilius, and at that time delivered him to one of his friends in custody; and Lucilius ever after served him faithfully, even to his death."-- Plutarch, Marcus Brutus.

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How to cite the explanatory notes:

Shakespeare, William. Julius Caesar. Ed. Henry Norman Hudson. New York: Ginn and Co., 1908. Shakespeare Online. 20 Dec. 2009. (date when you accessed the information) < http://www.shakespeare-online.com/plays/julius_5_4.html >.

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