Page 2236 - Shakespeare - Vol. 2

To undeservers.

CASSIUS
I an itching palm!
You know that you are Brutus that speaks this, [65]
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. [70]
Did not great Julius bleed for justice’ sake?
What villain touched 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 [75]
Contaminate our fingers with base bribes,

And sell the mighty space of our large honours
For so much trash as may be graspèd thus?
I had rather be a dog and bay the moon
Than such a Roman.

CASSIUS

Brutus, bait not me, [80]
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.

BRUTUS
Go to! You are not, Cassius.