186

BRUTUS. Now, as you are a Roman, tell me true.

MESSALA. Then like a Roman bear the truth I tell:
For certain she is dead, and by strange manner.

[Note 179-180: Cicero is ... proscription | One line in Ff.]

[Note 185: Two lines in Ff.--/aught/ Theobald | ought Ff.]

[Note 179: "These three, Octavius Caesar, Antonius, and
Lepidus, made an agreement between themselves, and by those
articles divided the provinces belonging to the empire of Rome
among themselves, and did set up bills of proscription and
outlawry, condemning two hundred of the noblest men of Rome to
suffer death, and among that number Cicero was
one."--Plutarch, _Marcus Brutus_.]

[Note 183: Both 'nor nothing' and 'writ' survive to-day as
vulgarisms.]

[Note 184: /Nothing, Messala./ This may seem inconsistent with
what has gone before (see more particularly ll. 154-155), but
we are to suppose that Brutus's friends at Rome did not write
to him directly of Portia's death, as they feared the news
might unnerve him, but wrote to some common friends in the
army, directing them to break the news to him, as they should
deem it safe and prudent to do so.]

[Page 136]

BRUTUS. Why, farewell, Portia. We must die, Messala:
With meditating that she must die once, 191
I have the patience to endure it now.

MESSALA. Even so great men great losses should endure.

CASSIUS. I have as much of this in art as you,
But yet my nature could not bear it so. 195

BRUTUS. Well, to our work alive. What do you think
Of marching to Philippi presently?

CASSIUS. I do not think it good.

BRUTUS. Your reason?

CASSIUS. This it is:
'Tis better that the enemy seek us:
So shall he waste his means, weary his soldiers, 200
Doing himself offence; whilst we, lying still,
Are full of rest, defence, and nimbleness.

[Note 191: /once/: at some time or other. So in _The Merry
Wives of Windsor_, III, iv, 103:

I thank thee; and I pray thee, once to-night
Give my sweet Nan this ring.]

[Note 194: /art:/ theory. This speech may be paraphrased, I am
as much a Stoic by profession and theory as you are, but my
natural strength is weak when it comes to putting the
doctrines into practice.]

[Note 196: /work alive:/ work in which we have to do with the
living.]

[Note 197: /presently:/ at once. See not