The first scene starts with Antony, Octavius and their armies entering the battlefield at Philippi. Next, the enemy preparation for the war is announced by a messenger who reports it to Antony and Octavius. Afterward, Antony that was a more experienced warrior in comparison to Octavius, suggests him to start the attack from the left. However, Octavius refuses and suggest Antony to attack from left while he and his soldiers attack from right. Antony gets slightly angry and tells Octavius that why he opposes his plan; but, Octavius shows no expressions and stands solid.
The enemy groups consisting of Cassius and Brutus along with Lucillius, Messala, Tinnitus and their armies enter the battlefield. Antony and Octavius counsel on whether they will start the war or they would wait for the enemy to take the first step. Antony that at this point calls Octavius “Caesar”, exclaims that they will wait for the enemy to begin the war. Octavius and Antony rush forward to join the enemy commanders, Brutus and Cassius. “Caesar’s death must be avenged.” Octavius shouts as he holds his sword up in the air. Octavius swears that he will not allow any traitors to pass alive from his blade. After Octavius and Antony went back to their armies, Brutus calls Messala and Lucillius to have a conversation with them. A soldier who it was his birthday that day, was called by Cassius and was informed of recent negative portent that was about two huge and powerful eagles that used to alighte the foremost banners and eat seeds from the soldiers’ hands; however, the two eagles were gone on the day of the great war and commanders found the absence of the eagles to be a bad sign that brings them bad luck. Now there were only scavenger birds flying upon their army in circles which caused them to become horrified. Cassius talks about an uncertain future as he walks to Brutus who was deeply drowning in thoughts after noticing the negative omens. A while later, Brutus stands firm, “I'd rather die than going back to Rome as a defeated commander.” He comments and continues, “Must end that work the ides of March begun.”
The battle begins in the scene ii and the sound of swords and horseshoes scratches the wide sky. Rivers of blood flow through the battlefield and the scavenger birds start hooting. Afterward, Brutus announces Cassius of a weakness in Octavius’s army, next they try to take advantage of their opportunity to penetrate to the enemy’s army.
The scene iii starts with Cassius watching the battle on a hill with Titinius. Although, Brutus notes the correct weakness in Octavius’s army, the coin of their luck flips suddenly and their opportunity that they were taking advantage of to defeat the enemy’s army changes against them. Cassius becomes shocked by the news that announces him of his military camp being conquered by the enemy’s troops. Cassius’s counselor, Pindarus suggest him to backup to a more distant spot. Cassius pays no attention to what Pindarus suggests and all of a sudden he catches his sight on a group of tents burning in fire, he asks if those tents are his own tents or not. After a while of silence Titinius confirms that they are his tents. On the other side of the battlefield a number of shining swords in the air approaching, draw Cassius’s attention and leaving him wondering who those troops are. Cassius sends Titinius with his own horse inorder to investigate about the approaching troops. Titinius asks Pindarus to hide on a hill nearby where he goes to monitor the progress. Titinius becomes surrounded by a large group of unknown troops. In the meantime, Cassius asks Pindarus to stop monitoring the progress come to him. He gives his sword to Pindarus and asks to kill him while he covers his eyes with his shaking hands and his counselor complies his last demand. Cassius exclaims his last words, “Caesar’s soul is taking his revenge with the very same sword that we used to kill him!”
Titinius realizes that the unknown troops are Brutus’s army and unexpectedly, Titinius finds out that Cassius’s army are defeated by Antony’s forces but the Octavius’s army are nearly defeated by Brutus’s forces. Brutus comes to Titinius to send him to announce this great victory to Cassius; however, Messala, explains the recent events to Brutus. At this point they all gather around Cassius body and Titinius cries and stabs himself and dies. “O Julius Caesar, thou art mighty yet,” Brutus says and prepares the rest of the army to fight against Octavius & Antony armies.