Bru. Farewell, good Strato. Cæsar, now be still:

I kill'd not thee with half so good a will.

[He runs on his sword, and dies

Alarum. Retreat. Enter OCTAVIUS, ANTONY, MESSALA,

LUCILIUS, and their army.

Oct. What man is that?

Mes. My master's man. - Strato, where is thy master?
Stra. 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.

Luc. So Brutus should be found. I thank thee,

Brutus,

That thou hast prov'd Lucilius' saying true.

Oct. All that serv'd Brutus, I will entertain them.

Fellow, wilt thou bestow thy time with me?
Stra. Ay, if Messala will prefer me to you.

Oct. Do so, Messala.

Mes.

How died my master, Strato

Stra. I held the sword, and he did run on it.
Mes. Octavius, then take him to follow thee,

That did the latest service to my master.

Ant. This was the noblest Roman of them all :
All the conspirators, save only he,

Did that they did in envy of great Cæsar;
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!

Oct. According to his virtue let us use him,
With all respect, and rites of burial.

Within my tent his bones to-night 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.

END OF VOL. IX.

[Exeunt.

B. U. /

Syst.-
193

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