Julius Caesar Act V, Scene V

Brutus, Dardanius, Clitus, Strato, and Voluminus, all who are left of the officers, sit down overlooking the battle, and try to convince Brutus not to kill himself. Brutus has requested Clitus to do so, and the others cannot fathom it. Brutus maintains that the end is inevitable - he has seen Caesar's ghost too many times in the past two nights - and that he would rather go by his own hand than by that of his enemies. The others leave, and Brutus urges them on. After they are gone, Strato, who Brutus has asked to stay, shakes Brutus' hand out of respect, and holds his sword as Brutus stabs himself with it. Immediately afterward, Antony, Octavius, Messala, and Lucillius enter with the army. Messala and Lucillius have been captured. Strato is commended by Messala as having done a great service to Brutus, and is taken into service by Octavius. Octavius and Antony both proceed to complement Brutus and recognize his pure motives for killing Caesar. They understand that he was alone among the conspirators in feeling and acting so. They vow to give him a proper burial, and his body is taken into Octavius' tent for the night.

Topic Tracking: Excess 9