RALPH: Welcome back, gentlemen. It seems like the conflict is heating up. You, Brutus, in a moment of inspiration in your tent have suddenly decided to put your armies on the move and are looking to attack Antony and Octavius. And even though your armies have a superior position up in the hills, you keep marching right down onto the field. I wish we could talk a little more about your strategic choices there. But we pick up the action just as Antony and Octavius come into view. It looks like they want to talk. 

BRUTUS: It's traditional for generals of opposing armies to talk before the battle begins. 

RALPH: A little trash talking, I assume. 

CASSIUS: We will speak our minds, if that's what you mean. 

BRUTUS: What do they say? 

RALPH: Well, I have a little surprise for you. If you look right over there, you can speak to them yourselves. 

BRUTUS: Ah, words before blows, eh, gentlemen? 

OCTAVIUS: We don't really love words the way you do, Brutus. 

BRUTUS: Better to be good with words than bad but the sword, Octavius. 

ANTONY: In being bad with your sword, you gave good words, Brutus. Just look at the hole you made in Caesar's heart crying, long live, hail, Caesar. 

CASSIUS: I don't know how you are with a sword, Antony. But your words are so sweet they leave the bees honey-less. 

ANTONY: Not sting-less, too? 

BRUTUS: Oh, yes, and soundless. You've stolen their buzzing so you can buzz as us before you sting. 

ANTONY: If only you had buzzed before you struck when you killed, Caesar. But no, you are villains. You've sucked up to him, and praised him, and bowed at his feet while Casca, like a dog, snuck up behind him and stabbed him in the neck. 

CASSIUS: I told you, we should have killed him when we killed Caesar. 

OCTAVIUS: Come on. Are we going to spend all day arguing? If we break a sweat arguing, we may as well spill blood. I draw a sword against conspirators. And it shall stay out until Caesar's 33 wounds are avenged or till I die at the sword of a traitor. 

BRUTUS: You won't die at the hands of traitors, unless you brought some traitors with you. 

OCTAVIUS: I hope a traitor won't kill me. I was not born to die on Brutus' sword. 

BRUTUS: If you had even a little nobility of character, you would know that you could not die a more honorable death than to be killed by me. 

CASSIUS: Come on, Brutus. They're not worth it, a schoolboy and a drunk. 

ANTONY: And you, an old man, Cassius. 

OCTAVIUS: Enough of this. If you dare fight today, come to the fields—if not, when you have stomachs for it. Can we go now? 

SERVILIA: Uh, sure. 

RALPH: Wow, well, the war of words has certainly begun. And I got to say, your level of trash talk is pretty sophisticated. I can't think of the last time I've ever heard someone insulted by referring to bees. 

CASSIUS: Why now? Blow wind, swell below, and swim bark. 

RALPH: Yes, and what does that mean exactly? 

CASSIUS: You know, it's quickly becoming like a storm at sea. The wind is blowing. The waves are swelling. And some ships are likely to sink. The storm is up. And no one is safe. 

RALPH: What the—is everything all right? 

BRUTUS: Sorry, it's a text from Lucilius. I'd better get this. 

RALPH: Oh, uh, sure, go right ahead. 

CASSIUS: Today is my birthday. 

RALPH: Really, your birthday? 

CASSIUS: This very day was Cassius born. 

RALPH: Wow, neat. Uh, happy birthday. 

CASSIUS: Give me your hand, Messala. 

RALPH: Messala? No, it's Ralph. My name's Ralph. 

CASSIUS: I want you to be my witness that, against my will, I am compelled to fight for the freedom of Rome just as Pompey did. 

RALPH: Against your will? 

CASSIUS: Yes, even the great Pompey didn't want to fight the day that Caesar defeated him. He knew he was at a disadvantage. But sometimes, the battle comes to you. 

RALPH: I'm confused. Aren't you guys the ones choosing to fight today? 

[SIGHS] 

CASSIUS: You know that I'm a big fan of Epicurus. 

RALPH: Yes, I've heard that. And I've actually been looking forward to being able to talk about that with you. This is Epicurus, the philosopher? 

CASSIUS: Yes. You see, he held the belief quite strongly—and he has me convinced, as well—that the gods really couldn't give a sheep's doody, if you know what I mean, about the affairs of men. 

RALPH: So there are no gods in his philosophy then? 

CASSIUS: Yes—no, it's not that there are no gods. The gods exist. They just don't care about us at all. And so they don't bother to interfere. 

RALPH: Mm, I see. So that can make a big difference in how you approach life. I mean, we've seen Romans try to figure out what the god's plans are or people appealed to the gods to either help them or sometimes to harm their enemies. But people like you and Epicurus believe that that's all just a bunch of sheep's doody, as you put it. 

CASSIUS: Yes, well, now I'm not so sure. That's what I wanted to tell you. I've got a bad feeling, Messala. 

RALPH: Messala? It's Ralph. 

CASSIUS: I think there have been signs, indications that the battle today is not going to go over well. 

RALPH: But maybe it's just that you have a bad strategy. 

CASSIUS: No, it's more than that. It's as if we are destined to be defeated. 

RALPH: You mentioned signs. What signs do you mean? 

CASSIUS: Well, you see, when we broke camp, two eagles joined our army. 

RALPH: Joined your army? 

CASSIUS: Yes, they joined our army. And they followed us here to Philippi feeding from our soldiers' hands. 

RALPH: Well, that seems weird. But I would think that eagles joining you, that would be a good thing. 

CASSIUS: Well, yes, but this morning, they flew away. And in their place, ravens, crows, and kites are flying over our heads. 

RALPH: I see. Those are scavenger birds. They eat animals that are already dead. 

CASSIUS: So why do you think they look down on us? Are we already dead? 

RALPH: Yes. And tell us how you put that. It was really striking what you said. 

CASSIUS: Their shadows seem a canopy most fatal under which our army lies ready to give up the ghost. 

RALPH: Yes, that's nice. But on the other hand, they're just a bunch of birds. It could mean nothing. 

CASSIUS: Yes, that's true, Messala. 

RALPH: Ralph—it's Ralph. My name is Ralph. 

CASSIUS: I only partly believe it's true, because I also feel invigorated. 

RALPH: Fresh of spirit, you say. 

CASSIUS: Yes, that's better put. I'm ready to meet the perils of the day and fight to whatever end may come. 

RALPH: Sorry about that. 

CASSIUS: Now, Brutus, may the gods today stand friendly that we may—

RALPH: Stand friendly—sorry. 

CASSIUS: We are lovers in peace. And may the gods lead us onto our old age. 

BRUTUS: Yes. 

CASSIUS: But just in case the worst happens, if we lose the battle today, what do you want to do? 

BRUTUS: You know, when Caesar finally killed Pompey, Cato killed himself rather than be taken prisoner. And even though I understand the philosophy behind that decision—

RALPH: You mean some things being more important than death? I've heard you two talk that way before. 

BRUTUS: Yes, well, I understand that way of thinking. But Cato's decision to me still seemed a kind of cowardice. I mean, to kill yourself because of what might happen next-- maybe it's better to be patient and see what the future brings. The higher powers that govern us below might still have some good things in the future. 

RALPH: Higher powers that govern us—so you do believe in the higher powers that affect the lives of men? 

CASSIUS: So wait. You're saying that, if we lose the battle today, you're willing to be paraded through the streets of Rome as a prisoner? 

BRUTUS: No, Cassius, no. I would never let that happen. I bear too great a mind for such humiliation. That work that we started when we killed Caesar must end today one way or another. So I don't know if we'll ever see each other again. So we should take our final goodbyes. 

RALPH: Whoa. This goodbye stuff is getting real. 

BRUTUS: Forever and forever farewell, Cassius. If we do meet again, why, we shall smile. If not, why then this parting was well made. 

CASSIUS: Forever and forever farewell, Brutus. If we do meet again, we'll smile, indeed. If not, tis true, this parting was well made. 

RALPH: Perhaps I should say my goodbyes, as well. 

BRUTUS: We should go. I wish we can already know what the fates have in store for us. But the day will end one way or another. And then we will know how it ends. 

RALPH: I guess that's true. 

BRUTUS: Let's go.