Yet, when all is said and done, what a fine figure Cassius is, and how much both of love and respect he can inspire. Plutarch’s story of his death already bears witness to this, but Shakespeare with a few deeper strokes marks his own esteem.
Cassius thinking in deede that Titinius was taken of the enemies, he then spake these wordes: “Desiring too much to live, I have lived to see one of my best frendes taken, for my sake, before my face.” After that, he gote into a tent where no bodie was, and tooke Pyndarus with him, one of his freed bondmen, whom he reserved ever for suche a pinche, since the cursed battell of the Parthians, when Crassus was slaine, though he notwithstanding scaped from that overthrow; but then casting his cloke over his head, and holding out his bare neck unto Pindarus, he gave him his head to be striken of. So the head was found severed from the bodie: but after that time Pindarus was never seene more. Whereupon some tooke occasion to say that he had slaine his master without his commaundement. By and by they knew the horsemen that came towards them, and might see Titinius crowned with a garland of triumphe, who came before with great speede unto Cassius. But when he perceived by the cries and teares of his frends which tormented them selves the misfortune that had chaunced to his Captaine Cassius by mistaking; he drew out his sword, cursing him selfe a thousand times that he had taried so long, and so slue him selfe presentlie in the fielde. Brutus in the meane time came forward still, and understoode also that Cassius had bene over throwen: but he knew nothing of his death, till he came verie neere to his campe. So when he was come thither, after he had lamented the death of Cassius, calling him the last of all the Romanes, being impossible that Rome should ever breede againe so noble and valliant man as he: he caused his bodie to be buried, and sent it to the citie of Thassos, fearing least his funerals within the campe should cause great disorder.
In the play Pindarus is not yet enfranchised, and though he gains his freedom by the fatal stroke, would rather remain a slave than return to his native wilds at such a price. Titinius places his garland on the dead man’s brow, and in fond regret slays himself, not with his own but with Cassius’ sword. Brutus, with hardly a verbal change, repeats the eulogy that Plutarch puts in his mouth,
The last of all the Romans, fare thee well!
It is impossible that ever Rome
Should breed thy fellow.
But he does not stop here. Flushed with his initial success, he expects to triumph and to live, and the years to come seem darkened with grief for his “brother”:
Friends, I owe more tears
To this dead man than you shall see me pay.
I shall find time, Cassius, I shall find time.