Julius Cesar / William Shakespeare

Julius Caesar

Act IV, Scene III (Page 57)

 Scene III—Brutus’s Tent

CAS:    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.

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

CAS: In such a time as this it is not meet

            That every nice offence should bear his comment.

BRU:   Let me tell you, Cassius, you yourself

            Are much cindemn’d to have an itching palm,

            To sell and mart your offices for gold

            To underservers.

CAS:                              I an itching palm!

            You know that you are Brutus that speaks this,

            Or, by the gods, this speech were else your last.

BRU:   The name Cassius honours this corruption

            And chastisement doth therefore hide his head.

CAS: Chastisement!

BRU:   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. 

Julio Cesar

Acto IV, Escena III (pagina 52)

Interior de la tienda de Bruto.

Entran Bruto y Casio.

CAS: Que me ofendiste se demuestra en esto

            Condenaste, infamaste á Lucio Pela

            Porque fue por los Sardos sobornado,

            Y mi carta, pidiendo por un hombre

            Que me era conocido, desdeñaste.

BRU: Con esa petición tú te ofendiste.

CAS: En estas circunstancia no conviene

            Tan nimio ser en castigar ofensas.

BRU: Pues permíteme, Casio, que te diga

            Que aun á ti vituperan porque sabes

            Abrir tu mano y vendes y subastas

            Los cargos por el oro á gente inepta.

CAS:    ¿Que sé yo abrir mi mano? Bruto, sabes

            Que bruto y nadie más eso me dice.

            Si otro lo hiciera, por los Dioses juro

            Que estas fueran sus últimas palabras.

BRU: Tal corrupción de Casio el nombre encubre,

            Y por eso faz vela el castigo.

CAS: ¡El castigo!

BRU: ¡Acuérdate de marzo! ¡De los idus

            ¡Acuérdate de marzo! ¿Derramada

            En aras, dí, no fué de la justicia

De Julio el potentísimo la sangre?

¿Quién, infame, lo hirió que no lo hiriera

De la justicia en nombre? ¿Por ventura,

Los que al hombre más ínclito mataron

Porque encubrió ladrones, hoy pretenden

Manchar sus manos con el vil soborno,

El vasto campo del honor vendiendo

Por la miseria que en el puño cabe?

Antes que tal Romano, can sería

Y ladrara á la luna. 

Act IV, Scene III—Brutus’s Tent

Cassius:
It’s clear that you’ve wronged me:
You’ve condemned and marked Lucius Pella
For taking bribes from the Sardians;
My letters supporting him were disregarded
Because I knew the man.

Brutus:
You did yourself a disservice by writing that.

Cassius:
During these times, it’s not right
That every minor offense gets a response.

Brutus:
Let me tell you, Cassius, you have
A greedy nature,
Selling your offices for gold
To those who don’t deserve them.

Cassius:
I have a greedy nature!
You know you’re Brutus for saying this,
Or, by the gods, this would be your last speech.

Brutus:
The name Cassius brings honor to this corruption
And so punishment hides its face.

Cassius:
Punishment!

Brutus:
Remember March, remember the Ides of March:
Didn’t great Julius bleed for the sake of justice?
What villain touched his body and stabbed him,
Not for justice? Are we supposed to be
The ones who struck the greatest man in the world
Only to support thieves? Shall we now
Contaminate our hands with bribes
And sell our great honor
For something as worthless as that?
I would rather be a dog howling at the moon
Than be such a Roman.