Cassius is dismayed at cowardice among some of his own soldiers. Titinius brings discouraging news about Brutus’ army, and Pindarus arrives and says that Mark Antony has made his way into Cassius’ camp. Cassius asks Titinius to take his horse and find out whether a group of soldiers are friends or enemies, and tells Pindarus to climb a hill and report on how the battle is going. Pindarus sees a group of men surrounding a dismounted Titinius, and Cassius asks him to stop looking and help him kill himself. Pindarus stabs Cassius and runs away. Titinius and Messala come up to where Cassius’ body lies, revealing that Titinius was among friendly forces all along and the battle is not as dire as Cassius had thought. After they discover the body, Messala goes to look for Pindarus, and Titinius gives a laurel wreath to Cassius before stabbing himself. Brutus re-enters with Messala and Cato. Brutus is upset seeing Cassius’ body and promises to mourn him properly when the battle is over.
Cassius
Oh look, Titinius, look, our own soldiers are running away! I've had to fight them. Even our flag-bearer was turning tail, so I killed the coward and took the flag from him.
Titinius
Oh Cassius, Brutus gave the command too early for his troops to brake ranks and pursue the enemy. He had some success over Octavius, but he took it too eagerly. Now while his soldiers are off looting, we've been surrounded by Antony's forces.
Pindarus
Retreat further, my lord, retreat further! Mark Antony has reached your camp, my lord. Retreat, noble Cassius, retreat farther away!
Cassius
This hill we're on is far enough. Look, look, Titinius—are those my tents on fire there?
Titinius
They are, my lord.
Cassius
Titinius, if you're my friend, take my horse and dig your spurs into him until you reach those troops over there and return. I have to know whether those troops are friendly or enemies.
Titinius
I'll be there and back again quick as a thought.
Cassius
Go, Pindarus, go higher up on that hill. My eyesight has always been bad. Look around, Titinius, and tell me what you notice happening on the battlefield.
This is the day I was born; time has come full turn. I'm likely to die the same day I was born. My life has completed its circle. [To Pindarus] Hey, what's happening?
Pindarus
[Above] Oh my lord!
Cassius
What is it?
Pindarus
[Above] Titinius is surrounded by cavalry galloping towards him, but he's riding on. Now they've almost reached him. Titinius! Now some of the soldiers are dismounting. Oh, he's dismounting too! He's been captured! [Shout] And listen, they're shouting for joy.
Cassius
Come down. You’ve seen enough. Oh, I'm a coward to to see my best friend captured before my eyes.
Come here. In Parthia when I took you prisoner, I made you swear that in return for my sparing your life, you would attempt to carry out anything I ever asked of you. Now don't break that oath. Now I give you your freedom; just take this good sword that ran through Caesar and run it through me. Here, hold it by the hilt, and now that I have my face covered, thrust the sword.
Caesar, you have been avenged with the very sword that killed you.
Pindarus
So now I am free, although I would not be so, if it had been up to me. Oh Cassius! I'll run far away from this country where no Romans will ever find me.
Messala
It's just the change of fortune in battle, Titinius. For Octavius's forces have been defeated by Brutus' forces, just as Cassius' army has been defeated by Antony's.
Titinius
This news should comfort to Cassius.
Messala
Where did you leave him?
Titinius
He was very distressed, standing here on this hill with his slave Pindarus.
Messala
Isn't that him lying on the ground?
Titinius
Oh, that isn't how the living lie down. Oh my heart!
Messala
Isn't that him?
Titinius
No, it was him, Messala, but Cassius is no more. Oh setting sun, just as you set into a red sky, Cassius' day has sunk into his red blood. The sun of Rome has set. Our glory days are over. Now storms and dangers will come—no more great deeds. This tragedy resulted from his fear that I would discover that the approaching cavalry were the enemy.
Messala
Cassius' misreading of my good discovery cased this horrible deed. Oh error of misreading bad for good, stemming from pessimism, why do you make such susceptible men see things that aren't true? Oh error, so hastily conceived, instead of giving birth to a happy outcome, you always end up killing the mind who conceived you!
Titinius
Pindarus! Where are you, Pindarus?
Messala
Go look for him, Titinius. I'll go meet Brutus and thrust this news into his ears. I say thrust because a stabbing blade or a poisoned dart would be as welcome as news of this sight.
Titinius
Go, Messala. I'll look for Pindarus in the meantime.
Why did you send me as a scout, brave Cassius? Didn't I meet up with your friends, and didn't they put this victory wreath on my head and tell me to give it to you? Didn't you hear their shouts? Alas, you misunderstood everything! But wait, take this victory wreath on your head. Your friend Brutus asked me to give it to you, and I'll do what he asked. Brutus, come quickly, and see how I admire Caius Cassius. Excuse me, gods, this is my duty as a Roman—come, Cassius' sword, pierce my heart!
Brutus
Where, Messala, where is his body?
Messala
It's over there, where Titinius is mourning.
Brutus
Titinius is facing upward.
Cato
He's been killed.
Brutus
Oh Julius Caesar, you still have power in this world! Your ghost walks among us and turns our swords onto our own guts.
Cato
Brave Titinius! Look, he has crowned dead Cassius with the victory wreath!
Brutus
Are there any two living Romans who could equal these men? To the last of the true Romans, farewell. It is impossible another like you will ever be born in Rome. Friends, I should weep more for these deaths than you will see me do; I will find time, Cassius, I will find time. So come on, send his body to Thasos. His funeral will not be held in our camp, lest it affect morale. Come, Lucilius, and come, young Cato, let's get back to the battlefield. Labeo and Flavius, begin the fight. Romans, it's three o'clock now, and we'll test our fortunes in a second battle before night.
