And he shall say, you are not well to-day : Cas. Mark Antony shall say, I am not well; Here's Decius Brutus, he shall tell them so. Dec. Cæsar, all hail! Good morrow, worthy Cæsar : I come to fetch you to the senate-house. Cas. And you are come in very happy time, To bear my greeting to the senators, Cas. Shall Cæsar send a lie? Dec. Most mighty Cæsar, let me know some cause, Ces. The cause is in my will, I will not come ; But, for your private satisfaction, Because I love you, I will let you know. my portrait 6 n. 2. my statua,] See Vol. II, p. 226, n. 4; and Vol. XI, p. 113. Steevens. 7 warnings, portents,] Old copy, unmetrically-warnings and portents. Steevens. 8 And evils imminent;] The late Mr. Edwards was of opinion that we should read: Of evils imminent. Steevens. The alteration proposed by Mr. Edwards is needless, and tends to weaken the force of the expressions, which form, as they now stand, a regular climax. Henley. It was a vision, fair and fortunate: Cas. And this way have you well expounded it. When Casar's wife shall meet with better dreams.1 Pardon me, Cæsar; for my dear, dear love 9 and that great men shall press For tinctures, stains, relicks, and cognizance.] This speech which is intentionally pompous, is somewhat confused. There are two allusions; one to coats armorial, to which princes make additions, or give new tinctures, and new marks of cognizance; the other to martyrs, whose reliques are preserved with veneration. The Romans, says Decius, all come to you as to a saint, for reliques, as to a prince, for honours. Johnson. I believe tinctures has no relation to heraldry, but means merely handkerchiefs, or other linen, tinged with blood. Bullokar, in his Expositor, 1616, defines it "a dipping, colouring or staining of a thing." So, in Act III, sc. ii: "And dip their napkins," &c. Malone. I concur in opinion with Mr. Malone At the execution of several of our ancient nobility, martyrs, &c. we are told that handkerchiefs were tinctured with their blood, and preserved as affectionate or salutary memorials of the deceased. Steevens. 1 When Cesar's wife shall meet with better dreams.] So, in Lord Sterline s Julius Cæsar, 1607: "How can we satisfy the world's conceit, "Whose tongues still in all ears your praise proclaims? "Or shall we bid them leave to deal in state, "Till that Calphurnia first have better dreams?" Malone. 2 And reason &c.] And reason, or propriety of conduct and language, is subordinate to my love. Johnson Cas. How foolish do your fears seem now, Calphurnia? I am ashamed I did yield to them. Give me my robe, for I will go : Enter PUBLIUS, BRUTUS, LIGARIUS, METELLUS, CASCA, TREBONIUS, and CINNA. And look where Publius is come to fetch me. Pub. Good morrow, Casar. Cas. Welcome, Publius. What, Brutus, are you stirr'd so early too?— As that same ague which hath made you lean.一 Bru. Ces. I thank . you Casar, 'tis strucken eight. See! Antony, that revels long o'nights, Good morrow, Antony. Ant. So to most noble Cæsar. - I am to blame to be thus waited for.- Treb. Cæsar, I will:—and so near will I be, [Aside. SCENE III. The same. A Street near the Capitol. [Exeunt. Enter ARTEMIDORUS, reading a Paper. Art. Cæsar, beware of Brutus; take heed of Cassius; come not near Casca; have an eye to Cinna; trust not Trebonius; mark well Metellus Cimber; Decius Brutus loves thee not; thou hast wronged Caius Ligarius. There is but one mind in all these men, and it is bent against Cæ sar. If thou beʼst not immortal, look about you: Security gives way to conspiracy. The mighty gods defend thee! Thy lover,3 Artemidorus. Here will I stand, till Cæsar pass along, If thou read this, O Cæsar, thou may'st live; SCENE IV. [Exit. The same. Another Part of the same Street, before the House of Brutus. Enter PORTIA and LUCIUS. Por. I pr'ythee, boy, run to the senate-house; Stay not to answer me, but get thee gone: Why dost thou stay?6 To know my errand, madam. Luc. Set a huge mountain 'tween my heart and tongue! How hard it is for women to keep counsel!- Luc. Madam, what should I do? Run to the Capitol, and nothing else? And so return to you, and nothing else? Por. Yes, bring me word, boy, if thy lord look well, 3 Thy lover,] See Vol. IV, p. 384, n. 5. Malone. 4 emulation,] Here, as on many other occasions, this word is used in an unfavourable sense, somewhat like-factious, envious, or malicious rivalry. So, in Troilus and Cressida: 3 "Whilst emulation in the army crept." Steevens. the fates with traitors do contrive.] The fates join with traitors in contriving thy destruction. Johnson. 6 Why dost thou stay? &c.] Shakspeare has expressed the pertur bation of King Richard the Third's mind by the same incident: 66 Dull, unmindful villain! "Why stay'st thou here, and go'st not to the duke?--"Cat. First, mighty liege, tell me your highness' pleasure, "What from your grace I shall deliver to him." Steevens. For he went sickly forth: And take good note, Luc. I hear none, madam. Por. Pr'ythee, listen well: I heard a bustling rumour, like a fray, Por. Which way hast thou been? Sooth. Come hither, fellow : At mine own house, good lady. About the ninth hour, lady. Por. What is 't o'clock? Por. Is Cæsar yet gone to the Capitol ? Sooth. Madam, not yet; I go to take my stand, To see him pass on to the Capitol. Por. Thou hast some suit to Cæsar, hast thou not? Sooth. That I have, lady: if it will please Cæsar To be so good to Cæsar, as to hear me, I shall beseech him to befriend himself. Por. Why, know'st thou any harm 's intended towards him? Sooth. None that I know will be, much that I fear may chance 8 Good morrow to you. Here the street is narrow: Por. I must go in.-Ah me! how weak a thing The heart of woman is! O Brutus! The heavens speed thee in thine enterprise! [Exit. 7 Enter Soothsayer.] The introduction of the Soothsayer here is unnecessary, and, I think, improper. All that he is made to say, should be given to Artemidorus; who is seen and accosted by Portia in his passage from his first stand, p. 55, to one more convenient, p. 57. Tyrwhitt. 8 None that I know will be, much that I fear may chance.] Sir T. Hanmer very judiciously in my opinion, omits-may chance, which I regard as interpolated words; for they render the line too long by a foot, and the sense is complete without them. Steevens. |