Act V

Act V

Scene i

Octavius and Antony are on the plains of Philippi. Octavius is pleased to see that Brutus and Cassius have left the high ground and come to meet them on the plains. Antony advises Octavius to fight with his army along the left hand side of the field. Octavius brashly demands to take the right and for Antony to take the left.

Before the battle begins, the leaders of all the armies meet. Antony and Octavius trade insults with Brutus and Cassius. The verbal battle can be seen as a symbol of the actual battle about to take place, and it is won by Antony and Octavius, just as the actual battle will be. In the end, Antony and Octavius storm out, challenging Brutus and Cassius to meet them on the battlefield, 'if you dare fight today' (V.i.65).

Cassius speaks to Messala in a spare moment and confides that he's worried about the upcoming fight. Even though he wasn't superstitious in the beginning of the play, he has noticed that the eagles that flew with the army on their way to Philippi have been replaced by crows, and he takes this as a bad sign. He's unhappy at having to risk everything on one battle, just like Pompey did against Julius Caesar.

Cassius asks Brutus what he will do if the battle is lost. Brutus replies that he doesn't believe in suicide, but when Cassius presses him he states that he won't allow himself to be paraded through the streets of Rome as a prisoner. Brutus and Cassius then take their leave of one another with Brutus acknowledging that 'this same day / Must end that work the ides of March begun' (V.i.112). This parting is designed to arouse the sympathy of the audience as these men bravely face their fates.

Scene ii

In this short scene, the battle has begun. Brutus has seen a weakness in Octavius' wing and gives Messala instructions for an immediate attack there.

Scene iii

This scene follows the action on a different part of the battlefield where Cassius and his army are in trouble. Cassius tells Titinius of how his own men have started to run away. He's even had to kill his own standard bearer. At the same time Titinius tells of how Brutus' soldiers have been so successful against Octavius that they have started looting and aren't helping them against Antony on their side of the battle.

Pindarus, a slave, enters with the news that Mark Antony and his soldiers have fought their way into Cassius camp and tents. Cassius asks Titinius to ride to his camp and find out whether the soldiers there are help sent from Brutus or the enemy. He then sends Pindarus up the hill to watch Titinius' progress.

Pindarus sees Titinius reach the camp and get off his horse as he is surrounded by the soldiers. Pindarus mistakes this for the worst and tells Cassius that Titinius has been captured. Cassius calls Pindarus down from the hill. Cassius then tells him that he will set him free if Pindarus will kill him. Pindarus takes the sword from Cassius and kills him, then leaves a free man.

Titinius returns with Messala and the news of Octavius' defeat for Cassius. They find Cassius' dead body and Messala leaves to report the news to Brutus. Titinius laments the mistake that has caused Cassius to kill himself saying, 'Alas, thou hast misconstru'd every thing!' (V.iii.84) Titinius takes Cassius' sword and kills himself.

Brutus enters with Messala, Young Cato, Strato, Volumnius and Lucilius. When Brutus sees the bodies, he speaks to Caesar,

'O Julius Caesar, thou art mighty yet!
Thy spirit walks abroad, and turns our swords
In our own proper entrails.' (V.iii.94)

Brutus declares that the two men were great Romans and then speaks even more earnestly of Cassius' worthiness and nobility. He promises to find the time to mourn Cassius properly, but there is a second battle that must be fought tonight.

Scene iv

As the fighting progresses, Young Cato challenges the other soldiers to fight him by shouting his name. When he does this, Lucilius declares himself to be Brutus in order to confuse the soldiers and give Brutus more time to get away. Cato is killed and Lucilius is captured. The soldiers believe that he is Brutus and prepare to kill him, but Antony arrives and tells them that they haven't captured Brutus.

Antony tells his men that Lucilius is 'A prize no less in worth' and orders them to treat him well. He then goes on to find Brutus and finish the battle.

Scene v

Brutus has realised that he is beaten and his friends grieve with him at their loss. He asks both Clitus and Dardanius to kill him and he is touched by their loyalty when they refuse to do so. He then asks Volumnius, and he also refuses to kill Brutus. Brutus also declares that he will have more glory on this losing day than either Antony or Octavius will find in their shameful victory.

As they hear a cry to 'Fly, fly, fly' (V.v.43), Brutus tells his men to go on ahead and he will follow. He asks Strato to stay behind with him. Brutus asks Strato to hold his sword while he runs on it and Strato agrees. When Brutus has impaled himself he speaks again to Caesar: 'Caesar, now be still; I kill'd thee not with half so good a will.' (V.v.50)

Octavius and Antony enter with Lucilius and Messala as prisoners. They find Brutus' body and learn that he has killed himself. Antony then offers an impressive tribute to his enemy, 'This was the noblest Roman of them all'. He goes on to say that of all the conspirators, Brutus was the only one to be motivated by 'honest thought' and a belief in the common good.

Octavius also offers tribute to Brutus and has his body taken to his own tent so that it can be prepared for a proper burial. The play ends with Octavius calling for an end to the fighting, perhaps another suggestion of Octavius' future as ruler of Rome.