Julius Caesar
will give you audience. 

CASSIUS. Pindarus, Bid our commanders lead their charges off A little from this ground. 

BRUTUS. Lucilius, do you the like; and let no man Come to our tent till we have done our conference. Lucius and Titinius, guard our door. 

 [Exeunt.]

 SCENE III. Within the tent of Brutus.

 Enter Brutus and Cassius.

Brutus

Cassius

CASSIUS. That you have wrong’d me doth appear in this: You have condemn’d and noted Lucius Pella For taking bribes here of the Sardians; Wherein my letters, praying on his side Because I knew the man, were slighted off. 

BRUTUS. You wrong’d yourself to write in such a case. 

CASSIUS. In such a time as this it is not meet That every nice offence should bear his comment. 

BRUTUS. Let me tell you, Cassius, you yourself Are much condemn’d to have an itching palm, To sell and mart your offices for gold To undeservers. 

CASSIUS. I an itching palm! You know that you are Brutus that speak this, Or, by the gods, this speech were else your last. 

BRUTUS. The name of Cassius honours this corruption, And chastisement doth therefore hide his head. 

CASSIUS. Chastisement! 

BRUTUS. Remember March, the Ides of March remember: Did not great Julius bleed for justice’ sake? What villain touch’d his body, that did stab, And not for justice? What! Shall one of us, That struck the foremost man of all this world But for supporting robbers, shall we now Contaminate our fingers with base bribes, And sell the mighty space of our large honours For so much trash as may be grasped thus? I had rather be a dog, and bay the moon, Than such a Roman. 

CASSIUS. Brutus, bait not me, I’ll not endure it. You forget yourself, To hedge me in. I am a soldier, I, Older in practice, abler than yourself To make conditions. 


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