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Takes from Aufidius a great part of blame.
Let's make the best of it.

Auf
My rage
is gone,
And I am struck with sorrow.-Take him up:
Help, three o' the chiefest soldiers: I'll be one.-
Beat thou the drum that it speak mournfully:
Trail your steel pikes.-Though in this city he

Hath widow'd and unchilded many a one,
Which to this hour bewail the injury,
Yet he shall have a noble memory.2-
Assist.

[Exeunt, bearing the Body of CORICI ANUS
A dead March sounded.

THE tragedy of Coriolanus is one of the most amusing of our author's performances. The old man's merriment in Menenius; the lofty lady's dignity in Volumnia; the bridal modesty in Virgilia; the patrician and military 1 This allusion is to a custom which was most pro- haughtiness in Coriolanus; the plebeian malignity and bably unknown to the ancients, but which was observed tribunitian insolence in Brutus and Sicinius, make a in the public funerals of English princes, at the conclu- very pleasing and interesting variety; and the various sion of which a herald proclaims the style of the de-revolutions of the hero's fortune, fill the mind with anx ceased. ious curiosity. There is, perhaps, too much bustle in the first Act, and too little in the last.-JOHNSON.

2 Memorial. See Act iv. Sc. 5.

JULIUS CESAR.

PRELIMINARY REMARKS.

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1 appears from the Appendix to Peck's Memoirs of mind and conscientious love of justice in Brutus, int Oliver Cromwell, &c. p. 14, that a Latin play on him to be the head of a party in a state entirely corruptthis subject has been written: 'Epilogus Cæsari inter-ed: these amiable failings give, in fact, an unfortunate fecti, quomodo in scenam prodiit ea res acta, in Ecclesia Christi, Oxon. Qui epilogus a Magistro Ricardo Eedes, et scriptus, et in proscenio ibidem dictus fuit, A. D. 1582. Meres, in his Wits' Commonwealth, 1598, enumerates Dr. Eedes among the best tragic writers

turn to the cause of the conspirators. The play abounds
in well wrought and affecting scenes; it is scarcely
necessary to mention the celebrated dialogue between
Brutus and Cassius, in which the design of the conspi-
racy is opened to Brutus. The quarrel between them,
rendered doubly touching by the close, when Cassius
learns the death of Portia : and which one is surprised
to think that any critic susceptible of feeling should
pronounce 'cold and unaffecting The scene between
Brutus and Portia, where she endeavours to extort the
secret of the conspiracy from him, in which is that
heart-thrilling burst of tenderness, which Portia's he-
roic behaviour awakens :-

'You are my true and honourable wife,
As dear to me as are the ruddy drops
That visit my sad heart.'

of Cæsar, and the artful eloquence with which he cap-
The speeches of Mark Antony over the dead body
tivates the multitude, are justly classed among the
happiest effusions of poetic declamation.

which we should seek in vain in the works of any There are also those touches of nature interspersed, which we should seek in vain in the works of any other poet.

In the otherwise beautiful scene with

Lucius, an incident of this kind is introduced, which, though wholly immaterial to the plot or conduct of the scene, is perfectly congenial to the character of the agent, and beautifully illustrative of it. The sedate and philosophic Brutus, discomposed a little by the stupendous cares upon his mind, forgets where he

had left his book of recreation :

'Look, Lucius, here's the book I sought for so.' beauty, is to be found in the scene where the conspi Another passage of the same kind, and of eminent rators assemble at the house of Brutus at midnight Brutus, welcoming them all, says:—

'What watchful cares do interpose themselves
Betwixt your eyes and night?

Cassius. Shall I entreat a word? [They whisper.]
Decius. Here lies the east: doth not the day break
here?
Casca. No.

Cinna. O pardon, sir, it doth; and yon gray lines,
That fret the clouds, are messengers of day.
Casca. You shall confess, that you are both de
ceiv'd:

Here, as I point my sword, the sun arises;
Which is a great way growing on the south,
Weighing the youthful season of the year.
Some two months hence, up higher toward the north
He first presents his fire; and the high east
Stands as the Capitol, directly here.'

It is not only heroic manners and incidents which the all-powerful pen of Shakspeare has expressed with great historic truth in this play, he has entered with no less penetration into the manners of the factious plebeians, and has exhibited here, as well as in Coriolanus, the manners of a Roman mob. How could Johnson say, that his adherence to the real story, ard to Ro man manners, seems to have impeded the natura vigour of his genius!!!

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PERSONS REPRESENTED.

ARTEMIDORUS, a Sophist of Cnidos.
A Soothsayer.

Triumvirs after the death of CINNA, a Poet. Another Poet.

Julius Cæsar.

CICERO, PUBLIUS, POPILIUS LENA, Senators.

MARCUS BRUtus,

CASSIUS,

CASCA,

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LUCILIUS, TITINIUS, MESSALA, young CATO, and
VOLUMNIUS, Friends to Brutus and Cassius.
VARRO, CLITUS, CLAUDIUS, STRATO, LUCIUS,
DARDANIUS, Servants to Brutus.

PINDARUS, Servant to Cassius.

Conspirators against Julius CALPHURNIA, Wife to Cæsar.

Cæsar.

FLAVIUS and MARULLUS, Tribunes.

ACT I.

SCENE I. Rome. A Street. Enter FLAVIUS, MARULLUS, and a Rabble of Citizens.

Flavius.

PORTIA, Wife to Brutus.

Senators, Citizens, Guards, Attendants, §. SCENE, during a great part of the Play, at Rome: afterwards at Sardis; and near Philippi.

To towers and windows, yea to chimney tops,
Your infants in your arms, and there have sat
The live-long day, with patient expectation,
To see great Pompey pass the streets of Rome;
And when you saw his chariot but appear,
Have you not made an universal shout,

HENCE; home, you idle creatures, get you home; That Tyber trembled underneath her banks,'

Is this a holiday? What! know you not,
Being mechanical, you ought not walk,
Upon a labouring day, without the sign

Of your profession? Speak, what trade art thou? 1 Cit. Why, sir, a carpenter.

Mar. Where is thy leather apron, and thy rule? What dost thou with thy best apparel on ?You, sir; what trade are you ?

2 Cit. Truly, sir, in respect of a fine workman, I am but, as you would say, a cobbler. Mar. But what trade art thou? Answer me directly.

Cit. A trade, sir, that, I hope, I may use with a safe conscience: which is indeed, sir, a mender of bad soles.

Mar. What trade, thou_knave; thou naughty knave, what trade?

Cit. Nay, I beseech you, sir, be not out with me: yet, if you be out, sir, I can mend you. Mar. What mean'st thou by that? Mend me, thou saucy fellow ?

Cit. Why, sir, cobble you.
Flav. Thou art a cobbler, art thou?

2 Cit. Truly, sir, all that I live by is, with the awl: I meddle with no tradesman's matters, nor women's matters, but with awl. I am indeed, sir, a surgeon to old shoes; when they are in great danger I recover them. As proper men as ever trod upon neat's leather, have gone upon my handy

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4 Honorary ornaments; tokens of respect.

5 We gather from a passage in the next scene what these trophies were. Casca there informs Cassius that Marullus and Flavius, for pulling scarfs off Cæsar's images, are put to silence.

To hear the replication of your sounds,
Made in her concave shores?

And do you now put on your best attire?
And do you now cull out a holiday?
And do you now strew flowers in his way,
That comes in triumph over Pompey's blood?
Be gone;

Run to your houses, fall upon your knees,
Pray to the gods to intermit the plague
That needs must light on this ingratitude.

Flav. Go, go, good countrymen, and, for lis fault,

Assemble all the poor men of your sort;2
Draw them to Tyber banks, and weep your tears
Into the channel, till the lowest stream
Do kiss the most exalted shores of all.

[Exeunt Citizens.
See, whe'r3 their basest metal be not mov'd;
They vanish tongue-tied in their guiltiness.
Go you down that way towards the Capitol ;
This way will I: Disrobe the images,

If

you do find them deck'd with ceremonies.^ Mar. May we do so?

You know it is the feast of Lupercal.

Flav. It is no matter; let no images Be hung with Caesar's trophies. I'll about, And drive away the vulgar from the streets: So do you too, where you perceive them thick. These growing feathers pluck'd from Cæsar's wing, Will make him fly an ordinary pitch; Who else would soar above the view of men, And keep us all in servile fearfulness. [Exeunt. SCENE II. The same. A public Place. Enter in Procession, with Music, CESAR, ANTONY, for the Course; CALPHurnia, CALPHURNIA, PORTIA, DECIUS, CICERO, BRUTUS, CASSIUS, and CASCA, a great Crowd following, among them a Soothsayer. Cæs. Calphurnia,— Casca.

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6 This person was not Decius but Decimus Brutus. The poet (as Voltaire has done since) confounds the characters of Marcus and Decimus. Decimus Brutus was the most cherished by Cæsar of all his friends, while Marcus kept aloof, and declined so large a share of his favours and honours as the other had constantly accepted. Lord Sterline has made the same mistake in his tragedy of Julius Cæsar. The error has its source in North's translation of Plutarch, or in Holland's Sue tonius, 1606.

7 The old copy reads 'Antonio's way:' in other places we have Octavio, Flavio. The players were more accustomed to Italian than Latin terminations, on account of the many versions from Italian novels, and the many Italian characters in dramatic pieces formed

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Sooth. Cæsar.

Cas. Ha! who calls?

[Music.

Casca. Bid every noise be still:-Peace yet again.

[Music ceases.
Caes. Who is it in the press, that calls on me?
hear a tongue, shriller than all the music,
Cry, Cæsar: Speak; Cæsar is turn'd to hear.
South. Beware the ides of March.
Cæs.
What man is that?
Bru. A soothsayer, bids you beware the ides of
March.

Cæs. Set him before me, let me see his face.
Cas. Fellow, come from the throng: Look upon
Cæsar.

Ces. What say'st thou to me now? Speak once again.

Sooth. Beware the ides of March.
Cas. He is a dreamer: let us leave him ;-pass.
Sennet.1 Exeunt all but BRU. and CAS.
Cas. Will you go see the order of the course?
Bru. Not I.

Cas. I pray you,

do.

Bru. I am not gamesome: I do lack some part Of that quick spirit that is in Antony. Let me not hinder, Cassius, your desires; I'll leave you.

Cas. Brutus, I do observe you now of late: I have not from your eyes that gentleness, And show of love, as I was wont to have: You bear too stubborn and too strange a hand Over your friend that loves you.

Bru.

Cassius,

Be not deceiv'd: if I have veil'd my look,
I turn the trouble of my countenance
Merely upon myself. Vexed I am,
Of late, with passions of some difference,
Conceptions only proper to myself,

Which give some soil, perhaps, to my behaviours:
But let not therefore my good friends be griev❜d,
(Among which number, Cassius, be you one ;)
Nor construe any further my neglect,
Than that poor Brutus, with himself at war,
Forgets the shows of love to other men.

Cas. Then, Brutus, I have much mistook your
passion,2

By means whereof, this breast of mine hath buried
Thoughts of great value, worthy cogitations.
Tell me, good Brutus, can you see your face?
Bru. No, Cassius: for the eye sees not itself,
But by reflection, by some other things.
Cas. 'Tis just:

And it is very much lamented, Brutus,
That you have no such mirrors, as will turn

on the same originals. The correction was made by Pope.

The allusion is to a custom at the Lupercalia, the which (says Plutarch) in older time men say was the feaste of shepheards or heardsmen, and is much like unto the feast Lyceians in Arcadia. But howsoever it is, that day there are diverse noble men's sonnes, young men (and some of them magistrates themselves that govern them) which run naked through the city, striking in sport them they meet in their way with leather thongs. And many noblewomen and gentlewomen also go of purpose to stand in their way, and doe put forth their handes to be stricken, persuading themselves that being with childe they shall have good deliverie: and also being Darren, that it will make them conceive with child. Cæsar sat to behold that sport upon the pulpit for orations, in a chayre of gold, apparelled in triumphant manner. Antonius, who was consul at that time, was one of them that ronne this holy course.'-North's translation.. 1 See King Henry VIII. Act ii. Sc. 4.

2 i. e the nature of the feelings which you are now fering. Thus in Timon of Athens :

I feel my maste "'s passion

Your hidden worthiness into your eye,

That you might see your shadow. I have heard.
Where many of the best respect in Rome
(Except immortal Cæsar,) speaking of Brutus,
And groaning underneath this age's yoke,
Have wish'd that noble Brutus had his eyes.
Bru. Into what dangers would you lead me,
Cassius,

That you would have me seek into myself
For that which is not in me?

Cas. Therefore, good Brutus, be prepar'd to hear.
And, since you know you cannot see yourself
So well as by reflection, I, your glass,
Will modestly discover to yourself

That of yourself which you yet know not of.
And be not jealous of me, gentle Brutus :
Were I a common laugher, or did use
To stale3 with ordinary oaths my love
To every new protester; if you know
That I do fawn on men, and hug them hard,
And after scandal them; or if you know
That I profess myself in banqueting
To all the rout, then hold me dangerous.

[Flourish and Shout. Bru. What means this shouting? I do fear, the people Choose Cæsar for their king.

Cas.
Ay, do
you fear it?
Then must I think you would not have it so.
Bru. I would not, Cassius; yet I love him well:--
But wherefore do you hold me here so long?
What is it that you would impart to me?
If it be aught toward the general good,
Set honour in one eye, and death i' the other
And I will look on both indifferently:
For, let the gods so speed me, as I love
The name of honour more than I fear death.

Cas. I know that virtue to be in you, Brutus,
As well as I do know your outward favour:
Well, honour is the subject of my story.-
I cannot tell what you and other men
Think of this life; but for my single self,

I had as lief not be, as live to be

In awe of such a thing as I myself.

I was born free as Cæsar; so were you.
We both have fed as well and we can both
Endure the winter's cold, as well as he.
For once, upon a raw and gusty day,
The troubled Tyber chafing with her shores,
Cæsar said to me, Dar'st thou, Cassius, now
Leap with me into this angry food,4
And swim to yonder point? Upon the word,
Accouter'd as I was, 1 plunged in,
And bade him follow: so, indeed, he did.
The torrent roar'd; and we did buffet it
With lusty sinews; throwing it aside
And stemming it with hearts of controversy.
But ere we could arrives the point propos'd,
Cæsar cry'd, Help me, Cassius, or I sink.
I, as Æneas, our great ancestor,

Did from the flames of Troy upon his shoulder
The old Anchises bear, so, from the waves of Tyber

3 Johnson has erroneously given the meaning of allurement to stale, in this place. 'To stale with ordinary oaths my love,' is to prostitute my love, or make it common with ordinary oaths,' &c. The use of the verb to stale here, may be adduced as a proof that in a disputed passage of Coriolanus, Act i. Sc. 1, wc should read stale instead of scale: see note there.

4 Shakspeare probably remembered what Suetonius relates of Cæsar's leaping into the sea, when he was in danger by a boat being overladen, and swimming to the next ship with his Commentaries in his hand. Hol land's Translation of Suetonius, 1606, p. 26. And in another passage, 'Were rivers in his way to hinder his passage, cross over them he would, either swimming, or else bearing himself upon blowed leather bottles. Ibid. p. 24.

5 But ere we could arrive the point propos'd.' The verb arrive, in its active sense, according to its etymo. logy, was formerly used for to approach, or come near Milton several times uses it thus without the preposition Thus in Paradise Lost, b. ii. :

▬▬▬▬▬ ere he arrive The hapny isle.'

1

Did I the tired Cæsar: And this man
Is now become a god; and Cassius is
A wretched creature, and must bend his body,
If Cæsar carelessly but nod on him.
He had a fever when he was in Spain,
And, when the fit was on him, I did mark
How he did shake: 'tis true, this god did shake:
His coward lips did from their colour fly
And that same eye, whose bend doth awe the world,
Did lose his lustre: I did hear him
groan:
Ay, and that tongue of his, that bade the Romans
Mark him, and write his speeches in their books,
Alas! it cried, Give me some drink, Titinius :
As a sick girl. Ye gods, it doth amaze me,
A man of such a feeble temper2 should
So get the start of the majestic world,
And bear the palm alone.

Bru. Another general shout!

Than to repute himself a son of Rome,
Under these hard conditions as this time
Is like to lay upon us.

Cas. I am glad that my weak words

Have struck but thus much show of fire from Brut as.
Re-enter CÆSAR and his Train.

Bru. The games are done, and Cæsar is re-
turning.

Cas. As they pass by, pluck Casca by the sleevo
And he will, after his sour fashion, tell you
What hath proceeded, worthy note, to-day.

Bru. I will do so :-But, look you, Cassius,
The angry spot doth glow on Cæsar's brow,
And all the rest look like a chidden train:
Calphurnia's cheek is pale; and Cicero
[Shout. Flourish. Looks with such ferret and such fiery eyes,
As we have seen him in the Capitol,

I do believe, that these applauses are

For some new honours that are heap'd on Cæsar.
Cas. Why, man, he doth bestride the narrow
world,

Like a Colossus: and we petty men
Walk under his huge legs, and peep about
To find ourselves dishonourable graves.

Men at some time are masters of their fates:
The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars,
But in ourselves, that we are underlings.
Brutus, and Cæsar: What should be in that Cæsar?
Why should that name be sounded more than yours?
Write them together, yours is as fair a name;
Sound them, it doth become the mouth as well ;4
Weigh them, it is as heavy; conjure with them,
Brutus will start a spirit as soon as Cæsar. [Shout.
Now, in the names of all the gods at once,
Upon what meat doth this our Cæsar feed,
That he is grown so great? Age, thou art sham'd:
Rome, thou hast lost the breed of noble bloods!
When went there by an age, since the great flood,
But it was fam'd with more than with one man?
When could they say, till now, that talk'd of Rome,
That her wide walls encompass'd but one man?
Now is it Rome indeed, and room enough,
When there is in it but one only man.
O! you and I have heard our fathers
There was a Brutus once, that would have brook'd
The eternal devil to keep his state in Rome,
As easily as a king.

say,

Bru. That you do love me, I am nothing jealous;
What you would work me to, I have some aim;6
How I have thought of this, and of these times,
I shall recount hereafter; for this present,
I would not, so with love I might entreat you,
Be any further mov'd. What you have said,
I will consider; what you have to say,
I will with patience hear: and find a time
Both meet to hear, and answer, such high things.
Till then, my noble friend, chew upon this ;"
Brutus had rather be a villager,

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Being cross'd in conference by some senators.
Cas. Casca will tell us what the matter is.
Cæs. Antonius.

Ant. Cæsar.

Cas. Let me have men about me that are fat
Sleek-headed men, and such as sleep o' nights:
Yond' Cassius has a lean and hungry look;
He thinks too much: such men are dangerous.
Ant. Fear him not, Cæsar, he's not dangerous:9
He is a noble Roman, and well given.

Cæs. 'Would he were fatter:-But I fear hizi
not:

Yet if my name were liable to fear,

I do not know the man I should avoid
So soon as that spare Cassius. He reads much;
He is a great observer, and he looks
Quite through the deeds of men: he loves no plays,
As thou dost, Antony; he hears no music:10
Seldom he smiles; and smiles in such a sort,
As if he mock'd himself, and scorn'd his spirit
That could be mov'd to smile at any thing
Such men as he be never at heart's ease,
Whiles they behold a greater than themselves.
And therefore are they very dangerous.
I rather tell thee what is to be fear'd,
Than what I fear, for always I am Cæsar.
Come on my right hand, for this ear is deaf,
And tell me truly what thou think'st of him.

[Exeunt CESAR and his Train. CASCA
stays behind.

Casca. You pull'd me by the cloak; Would you speak with me?

Bru. Ay, Casca; tell us what hath chanc'd today,

That Cæsar looks so sad.

Casca. Why, you were with him, were you not?
Bru. I should not then ask Casca what hath

chanc'd.

Casca. Why, there was a crown offer'd him:11 and being offer'd him, he put it by with the back of his hand, thus; and then the people fell a shouting.

1 This is oddly expressed, but a quibble, alluding to vestiges of old phraseology it still lingers among the a coward flying from his colours, was intended.

2 Temperament, constitution.

?

'But I the meanest man of many more,

Yet much disdaining unto him to lout,

Or creep between his legs.'

Spenser's Faerie Queene, b. iv. c. x. st. 19.

4 A similar thought occurs in Heywood's Rape of Lucrece :

'What diapason's more in Tarquin's name
Than in a subject's? Or what's Tullia

More in the sound than should become the name
Of a poor maid ?

5 'Lucius Junius Brutus (says Dion Cassius) would as soon have submitted to the perpetual dominion of a læmon, as to the lasting government of a king.'

common people :-'I cannot say as I did,' &c. for that
I did. I will add an example from Langland, who
flourished in the middle of the fourteenth century :-
'The godes of the ground aren like to the grete wawes
As [which] wyndes and wederes walwen aboute.'
Piers Ploughman, ed. 1813, p. 166.

9 When Cæsar's friends complained unto him of Antonius and Dolabella, that they pretended some mischief towards him, he answered, As for those fat men and smooth-combed heads (quoth he,) I never reckon of them; but these pale-visaged and carrion-lean people, I fear them most; meaning Brutus and Cassius.' North's Plutarch, 1579.

And in another place :- Cæsar had Cassius in great jealousy, and suspected him much; whereupon he said 6 i. e. guess. So in the Two Gentlemen of Verona:-on a time to his friends, What will Cassius do, think But fearing lest my jealous aim might err.'

7 Ruminate on this, consider it at leisure. 8 As, according to Tooke, is an article, and means the same as that, which, or it: accordingly we find it often so employed by old writers; and particularly in our excellent version of the Bible. Thus Lord Bacon also, in his Apophtt egmes, No. 210: One of the Romans said to his friend; what think you of such a one, as was taken with the manner in adultery ? Like other

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you? I like not his pale looks.'

10 Shakspeare considered this as an infallible mark of an austere disposition. The reader will remember the passage in The Merchant of Venice so often quoted:

The man who hath no music in himself, Is fit for treasons, stratagems, and spoils." 11 Thus in the old translation of Plutarch: came to Cæsar, and presented him a diaden wreathed about with laurel'

he

Bru. What was the second noise for?

Casca. Why, for that too.

pulling scarfs off Cæsar s images, are put to silence. Fare you well. There was more foolery yet, if I

Cas. They shouted thrice: What was the last could remember it. cry for?

Cusca. Why, for that too.

Bru. Was the crown offer'd him thrice?

Casca. Ay, marry, was't, and he put it by thrice, every time gentler than other; and at every putting by, mine honest neighbours shouted.

Cas. Who offered him the crown?
Casca. Why, Antony.

Bru. Tell us the manner of it, gentle Casca. Casca. I can as well be hanged, as tell the manner of it: it was mere foolery. I did not mark it. I saw Mark Antony offer him a crown ;-yet 'twas not a crown neither, 'twas one of these coronets ;and, as I told you, he put it by once; but, for all that, to my thinking, he would fain have had it. Then he offered it to him again; then he put it by again: but, to my thinking, he was very loath to lay his fingers off it. And then he offered it the third time; he put it the third time by: and still as he refused it, the rabblement hooted, and clapped their chapped hands, and threw up their sweaty night-caps, and uttered such a deal of stinking breath because Cæsar refused the crown, that it had almost choked Cæsar; for he swooned, and fell down at it: And for mine own part, I durst not laugh, for fear of opening my lips, and receiving the bad air.

Cas. But, soft, I pray you: What? did Cæsar

swoon?

Casca. He fell down in the market-place, and foamed at mouth, and was speechless.

Bru. 'Tis very like: he hath the falling-sickness. Cas. No, Cæsar hath it not; not; but you, and I, And honest Casca, we have the falling-sickness. Casca. I know not what you mean by that; but, I am sure Cæsar fell down. If the tag-rag people did not clap him, and hiss him, according as he pleased, and displeased them, as they use to do the players in the theatre, I am no true' man.

Bru. What said he when he came unto himself? Casca. Marry, before he fell down, when he perceived the common herd was glad he refused the crown, he plucked me ope his doublet, and offered them his throat to cut.-An I had been a man of any occupation,2 if I would not have taken him at a word, I would I might go to hell among the rogues : and so he fell. When he came to himself again, he said, if he had done, or said any thing amiss, he desired their worships to think it was his infirmity. Three or four wenches, where I stood, cried, Alas, good soul!-and forgave him with all their hearts: But there's no heed to be taken of them

if Cæsar had stabbed their mothers, they would

have done no less.

Bru. And after that, he came, thus sau, away?
Casca. Ay.

Cas. Did Cicero say any thing?
Casca. Ay, he spoke Greek.
Cas. To what effect?

Casca. Nay, an I tell you that, I'll ne'er look you 'the face again: But those, that understood him, smiled at one another, and shook their heads; but, for mine own part, it was Greek to me. I could tell you more news too: Marullus and Flavius, for

1 i. e. no honest man.

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Cas. Will you sup with me to-night, Casca?
Casca. No, I am promised forth.

Cas. Will you dine with me to-morrow? Casca. Ay, if I be alive, and your mind hold, and your dinner worth the eating.

Cas. Good; I will expect you. Casca. Do so: Farewell, both. [Exit CLICA. Bru. What a blunt fellow is this grown to be? He was quick mettle when he went to school. Cas. So he is now, in execution Of any bold or noble enterprize, However he puts on this tardy form. This rudeness is a sauce to his good wit, Which gives men stomach to digest his words With better appetite.

you

Bru. And so it is. For this time I will leave To-morrow, if you please to speak with me, I will come home to you: or, if you will, Come home with me, and I will wait for you Cas. I will do so:-till then, think of the world. [Exit BRUTUS. Well, Brutus, thou art noble ; yet, I see, I Thy honourable metal may be wrought From that it is dispos'd :3 Therefore 'tis meet That noble minds keep ever with their likes: For who so firm, that cannot be seduc'd? Cæsar doth bear me hard ; but he loves Brutus : If I were Brutus now, and he were Cassius, He should not humour me. I will this night, In several hands, in at his windows throw, As if they came from several citizens, Writings all tending to the great opinion That Rome holds of his name; wherein obscurely Cæsar's ambition shall be glanced at: And, after this, let Cæsar seat him sure; For we will shake him, or worse days endure.

5

[Ext.

SCENE III. The same. A Street. Thunder and Lightning. Enter, from opposite sides, CASCA, with his sword drawn, and Cicero.

Cic. Good even, Casca: Brought you Cæsar home ?6

Why are you breathless? and why stare you so? Casca. Are not you mov'd, when all the sway of

earth

Shakes, like a thing unfirm? O, Cicero,
Have riv'd the knotty oaks; and I have seen
I have seen tempests, when the scolding winds
The ambitious ocean swell, and rage, and foam
To be exalted with the threat'ning clouds:
But never till to-night, never till now,
Did I go through a tempest dropping fire.
Either there is a civil strife in heaven;
Or else the world, too saucy with the gods,

Incenses them to send destruction.

Cic. Why, saw you any thing more wonderful? Casca. A common slave3 (you know him well by sight,) Like twenty torches join'd; Held up his left hand, which did flame and burn Not sensible of fire, remain'd unscorch'd. and yet his hand, Besides (I have not since put up my sword,) Against the Capitol I met a lion,

Who glar'd' upon me, and went surly by,

humour signifies to turn and wind by inflaming his pas

2 Had I been a mechanic, one of the plebeians to | sions.
whom he offered his throat.' So in Coriolanus:-
You have made good work,

You and your apron-men; you that stood so much
Upon the voice of occupation, and
The breath of garlic-eaters.'

Men of occupation; Opifices et tabernarii.'--Baret.
3 The best metal or temper may be worked into
qualities contrary to its disposition, or what it is dis-
posed to.'

4 Has an unfavourable opinion of me.' The same phrase occurs again in the first scene of Act iii.

5 I think Warburton's explanation of this passage the uue one:- If I were Brutus, (said he,) and Brutus Cassius, he should not cajole me as do him. To

6' Did you attend Cæsar home? So in Measure 101 Measure :

'That we may bring you something on the way.' 7 The whole weight or momentum of this globe.' 8A slave of the souldiers that did cast a marvellous burning flame out of his hande, insomuch as they that saw it thought he had been burnt; but when the fire was out, it was found that he had no hurt.'--North's Plutarch.

9 The old copies erroneously read :

"Who glazd upon me.' Malone determined obstinately to oppose himself to Steevens's judicious reading of glar'd, and reads, with less propriety and probability, gaz'd. Steevens has

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