Bru. He greets me well.-Your mafter, Pindarus, 'In his own change, or by ill officers, Hath given me fome worthy caufe to wish Things done, undone: but if he be at hand, Pin. I do not doubt, But that my noble mafter will appear, Luc. With courtefy, and with refpect enough; Nor with fuch free and friendly conference, Bru. Thou haft describ'd In his own change, or by ill officers,] The fenfe of which is this, Either your mafter, by the change of bis virtuous nature, or by his officers abufing the power be bad intrufled to them, hath don' fome things I could wish undone. This implies a doubt which of the two was the cafe. Yet, immediately after, on Pindarus's faying, His mafter was full of regard and bonour, he replies, He is not doubted. To reconcile this, we should read, In his own CHARGE, or by ill officers, i. e. Either by those under his immediate command, or under the command of bis lieutenants, who had abufed their truft. Charge is fo ufual a word in Shakespeare, to fignify the forces committed to the truft of a commander, that I think it needless to give any inftances. WARBURTON. The arguments for the change propofed are infufficient. Brutus could not but know whether the wrongs committed were done by thofe who were immediately under the command of Caffius, or thofe under his officers. The anfwer of Brutus to the fervant is only an act of artful civility; his question to Lucilius proves, that his fufpicion ftill continued. Yet I cannot but fufpect a corruption, and would read, In his own change, or by ill offices. That is, either changing his inclination of himself, or by the ill of fices and bad influences of others. JOHNSON. A A hot friend cooling. Ever note, Lucilius, There are no tricks in plain and simple faith: Luc. They mean this night in Sardis to be quar- The greater part, the horse in general, Are come with Caffius. Enter Caffius and Soldiers. [March within. Bru. Hark, he is arriv❜d :— March gently on to meet him. Caf. Stand, ho! Bru. Stand, ho! Speak the word along. Within. Stand! Within. Stand! Within. Stand! Caf. Most noble brother, you have done me wrong. Bru. Judge me, you Gods! Wrong I mine ene mies? And, if not fo, how fhould I wrong a brother? Caf. Brutus, this fober form of yours And when you do them- Bru. Caffius, be content, Speak your griefs foftly.-I do know hides wrongs, you well: Before the eyes of both our armies here, Which should perceive nothing but love, from us, Caf. Caf. Pindarus, Bid our commanders lead their charges off Bru. Lucilius, do the like; and let no man Come to our tent, 'till we have done our conference. Let Lucius and Titinius guard our door. The infide of Brutus's tent. Re-enter Brutus and Caffius. [Exeunt. Caf. That you have wrong'd me, doth appear in this : You have condemn'd and noted Lucius Pella, Bru. You wrong'd yourself to write in fuch a cafe. Caf. I an itching palm? You know, that you are Brutus, that speak this; Bru. Remember March, the Ides of March remember! Did not great Julius bleed for juftice fake? 2-every nice offence-] i. e. fmall trifling offence. So in Romeo and Juliet, A& V. "The letter was not nice, but full of charge WARE. STEEVENS. And And not for juftice? What, fhall one of us, Caf. Brutus, bait not me, I'll not endure it: you forget yourself, Bru. Go to; you are not Caffius. Bru. I fay, you are not. Caf. Urge me no more, I fhall forget myself; Have mind upon your health,-tempt me no further. Bru. Away, flight man! Caf. Is't poffible?- Bru. Hear me, for I will speak. Muft I give way and room to your rash choler? 3 I had rather be a dog, and bay the moon, Than fuch a Roman.] The poets and common people, who generally think and speak alike, fuppofe the dog bays the moon out of envy to its brightnefs; an allufion to this notion makes the beauty of the paffage in queftion: Brutus hereby infinuates a covert accufation against his friend, that it was only envy at Cæfar's glory which fet Caffius on confpiring against him; and ancient hiftory feems to countenance fuch a charge. Caffius understood him in this fenfe, and with much confcious pride retorts the charge by a like infinuation, -Brutus, bay not me. WARB. To hedge me in ;-] That is, to limit my authority by your direction or cenfure. JOHNSON. 5 To make conditions.] That is, to know on what terms it is fit to confer the offices which are at my disposal. JOHNSON. Bru. Bru. All this! ay, more. Fret, 'till your proud heart break; Go, fhew your flaves how cholerick you are, Caf. Is it come to this? Bru. You fay, you are a better foldier: Let it appear fo; make your vaunting true, And it thall pleafe me well. For mine own part, I fhall be glad to learn of noble men. Caf. You wrong me every way,-you wrong me, Brutus ; I said, an elder foldier; not a better : Did I fay better? Bru. If you did I care not. Caf. When Cæfar liv'd, he durft not thus have mov'd me. Bru. Peace, peace, you durft not so have tempted him. Caf. I durft not!— Bru. No. Caf. What? durft not tempt him? Bru. For your life you durft not. Caf. Do not prefume too much upon my love; I may do that, I fhall be forry for. Bru. You have done that, you should be forry for. There is no terror, Caffius, in your threats; For I am arm'd fo ftrong in honefty, That they pass by me, as the idle wind, For certain fums of gold, which you deny'd me;- VOL. VIII. By |