Julius Caesar
Alarum. Retreat. Enter Antony, Octavius, Messala, Lucilius and the
Army.
OCTAVIUS.
What man is that?
MESSALA.
My master’s man. Strato, where is thy master?
STRATO.
Free from the bondage you are in, Messala.
The conquerors can but make a fire of him;
For Brutus only overcame himself,
And no man else hath honour by his death.
LUCILIUS.
So Brutus should be found. I thank thee, Brutus,
That thou hast prov’d Lucilius’ saying true.
OCTAVIUS.
All that serv’d Brutus, I will entertain them.
Fellow, wilt thou bestow thy time with me?
STRATO.
Ay, if Messala will prefer me to you.
OCTAVIUS.
Do so, good Messala.
MESSALA.
How died my master, Strato?
STRATO.
I held the sword, and he did run on it.
MESSALA.
Octavius, then take him to follow thee,
That did the latest service to my master.
ANTONY.
This was the noblest Roman of them all.
All the conspirators save only he,
Did that they did in envy of great Caesar;
He only, in a general honest thought
And common good to all, made one of them.
His life was gentle, and the elements
So mix’d in him that Nature might stand up
And say to all the world, “This was a man!”
OCTAVIUS.
According to his virtue let us use him
With all respect and rites of burial.
Within my tent his bones tonight shall lie,
Most like a soldier, order’d honourably.
So call the field to rest, and let’s away,
To part the glories of this happy day.
[_Exeunt._]