Met. Is there no voice more worthy than my own, Bru. I kiss thy hand, but not in flattery, Cæsar; Have an immediate freedom of repeal. Cæs. What, Brutus ! Pardon, Cæsar: Cæsar, pardon: As low as to thy foot doth Cassius fall, To beg enfranchisement for Publius Cimber. The skies are painted with unnumber'd sparks, Let me a little show it, even in this; That I was constant, Cimber should be banish'd, hold of his Arm. He is then stabbed by several other Conspirators, and at last by MARCUS BRUTUS. 7 · apprehensive ;] i. e. intelligent, capable of apprehending. 8 Unshak'd of motion :] i. e. Unshak'd by suit or solicitation. Cæs. Et tu, Brute?-Then fall, Cæsar. [Dies. The Senators and People retire in confusion. Cin. Liberty! Freedom! Tyranny is dead!Run hence, proclaim, cry it about the streets. Cas. Some to the common pulpits, and cry out, Liberty, freedom, and enfranchisement ! Bru. People, and senators! be not affrighted; Fly not; stand still:-ambition's debt is paid. Casca. Go to the pulpit, Brutus '. Dec. Bru. Where's Publius? And Cassius too. Cin. Here, quite confounded with this mutiny. Met. Stand fast together, lest some friend of Cæsar's Should chance Bru. Talk not of standing;-Publius, good cheer; There is no harm intended to your person, Nor to no Roman else': so tell them, Publius. Cas. And leave us, Publius; lest that the people, Rushing on us, should do your age some mischief. Bru. Do so;-and let no man abide this deed, But we the doers. Re-enter TREBONIUS. Cas. Where's Antony? Tre. Fled to his house amaz'd: Men, wives, and children, stare, cry out, and run, As it were doomsday. 9 Go to the pulpit, Brutus.] We have now taken leave of Casca. Shakspeare for once knew that he had a sufficient number of heroes on his hands, and was glad to lose an individual in the croud. It may be added, that the singularity of Casca's manners would have appeared to little advantage amidst the succeeding varieties of tumult and war. STEEVENS. 1 Nor to no Roman else:] This use of two negatives, not to make an affirmative, but to deny more strongly, is common to Chaucer, Spenser, and other of our ancient writers. Dr. Hickes observes, that in the Saxon, even four negatives are sometimes conjoined, and still preserve a negative signification. Bru. Bru. Grant that, and then is death a benefit: Cas. Stoop then, and wash. - How many ages hence, Shall this our lofty scene be acted over, In states unborn, and accents yet unknown? Bru. How many times shall Cæsar bleed in sport, That now on Pompey's basis lies along, No worthier than the dust? Cas. So oft as that shall be, So often shall the knot of us be call'd Ay, every man away : Cas. Enter a Servant. Bru. Soft, who comes here? A friend of Antony's. Serv. Thus, Brutus, did my master bid me kneel; Thus did Mark Antony bid me fall down: And, being prostrate, thus he bade me say, Stoop then, and wash.] To wash does not mean here to cleanse, but to wash over, as we say, washed with gold; for Cassius means that they should steep their hands in the blood of Cæsar. Cæsar was mighty, bold, royal, and loving: Say, I fear'd Cæsar, honour'd him, and lov'd him. Tell him, so please him come unto this place, Serv. I'll fetch him presently. [Exit Servant. Bru. I know, that we shall have him well to friend. Cas. I wish, we may: but yet have I a mind, That fears him much; and my misgiving still Falls shrewdly to the purpose. Re-enter ANTONY. Bru. But here comes Antony. Antony. Welcome, Mark Ant. O mighty Cæsar! Dost thou lie so low? I know not, gentlemen, what you intend, If I myself, there is no hour so fit As Cæsar's death's hour; nor no instrument Of half that worth, as those your swords, made rich 3 who else is rank:] Who else may be supposed to have overtopped his equals, and grown too high for the publick safety. I do beseech ye, if you bear me hard, Now, whilst your purpled hands do reek and smoke, I shall not find myself so apt to die: No place will please me so, no mean of death, Bru. O Antony! beg not your death of us. Hath done this deed on Cæsar. For your part, In the disposing of new dignities. Bru. Only be patient, till we have appeas'd Ant. I doubt not of your wisdom. Let each man render me his bloody hand: Our arms, in strength of malice,] i. e. To you (says Brutus) our swords have leaden points: our arms, strong in the deed of malice they have just performed, and our hearts united like those of brothers in the action, are yet open to receive you with all possible regard. VOL. VII. E |