No, Cæfar fhall not; Danger knows full well, Cal. Alas, my Lord, Your wifdom is confum'd in confidence: Do not go forth to day; call it my fear, Caf. Mark Antony fhall fay, I am not well; SCENE V. Enter Decius. Here's Decius Brutus, he fhall tell them fo. Caf. And you are come in very happy time, To bear my Greeting to the Senators, 9 In old editions, to the whole; and the fentiment We heard two lions- -] The will neither be unworthy of first folio, We heare The copies have been all corrupt, and the paffage, of courfe, unin telligible. But the flight alteration, I have made, reftores fenfe Shakespeare, nor the boat too extravagant for Cæfar in a vein of vanity to utter: that he and Danger were two twin whelps of a lion, and he the elder, and more terrible of the two. THEOB. Caf. Shall Cæfar fend a lye? Have I in conqueft ftretcht mine arm so far, Dec. Moft mighty Cafar, let me know fome cause, Left I be laugh'd at, when I tell them fo. Caf. The caufe is in my will, I will not come ; That is enough to fatisfy the Senate. But for your private fatisfaction, Because I love you, I will let you know. Your Statue, fpouting blood in many pipes, 1 '-and that Great Men fhall prejs For tinctures, ftains, relicks, and cognisance.] That this dream of the ftatue's fpouting blood should fignify, the increase of power and empire to Rome from the influence of Cafar's arts and arms, and wealth and honour to the noble Romans through his beneficence, expreffed by the words, From you, great Rome hall fuck reviving blood, Caf, Caf. And this way have you well expounded it. "When Cefar's Wife fhall meet with better Dreams.” 2 Pardon me, Cafar; for my dear, dear, love And reafon to my love is liable. you this: Caf. How foolish do your Fears feem now, Calphurnia? I am afhamed, I did yield to them. Give me my Robe, for I will go. And, Icok, tude only; and if fo, it appears that fome lines are wanting between this and the preceding; which want fhould, for the future, be marked with aflcrifks. The fenfe of them is not difficult to recover, and, with it, the propriety of the line in queftion. The fpeaker had faid, the Statue fignified, that by Cafar's influence Rome thould flourish and increafe in empire, and that great men fhould prefs to him to partake of his good fortune, just as men run with handkerchiefs, &c. to dip them in the blood of martyrs, that they may partake of their merit. It is true, the thought is from the Chriftian Hillory; but fo mall an anachronifm is nothing with our poet. Befides, it is not my interpretation which introduces it, it was there before: For the line in question can bear I am not of opinion that any nours. And reafon, &c.] And reafon, or propriety of conduct and language, is fubordinate to my love. SCENE i 1 Enter Brutus, Ligarius, Metellus, Cafca, Trebonius, Cinna and Publius. Where Publius is come to fetch me. Caf. Welcome, Publius. What, Brutus, are you ftirr'd fo early too? As that fame Ague which hath made you lean. Bru. Cafar, 'tis ftricken eight. Caf. I thank you for your pains and courtesy, Enter Antony. See! Antony, that revels long o' nights, Caf. Bid them prepare within: I am to blame to be thus waited for. Now, Cinna; now Metellus. What Trebonius! [Afide. That your beft Friends fhall wish I had been further. Caf. Good Friends, go in, and tafte fome wine with me. And we, like Friends, will ftraightway go together. Bru. That every like is not the fame, O Cæfar, The heart of Brutus yerns to think upon! [Exeunt. SCENE S CE NE VII. Changes to a Street near the Capitol. Enter Artemidorus, reading a paper. ÆSAR, beware of Brutus; take heed of Caffius; come not near Cafca; have an eye to Cinna; truft not Trebonius; mark well Metellus Cimber; Decius Brutus loves thee not; thou hast wrong'd Caius Ligarius. There is but one mind in all these men, and it is bent against Cæfar. If thou best not immortal, look about thee; fecurity gives way to confpiracy. The mighty Gods defend thee! Thy Lover, Artemidorus. Here will I ftand, 'till Cæfar pass along, If thou read this, O Cafar, thou may'ft live; Enter Porcia and Lucius. [Exit. Por. I pr'ythee, Boy, run to the Senate-house; Luc. To know my errand,, Madam. Por. I would have had thee there, and here again, Ere I can tell thee what thou shouldst do there O Conftancy, be strong upon my fide, Set a huge mountain 'tween my heart and tongue; Art thou here yet? 3-the fates with Traitors do contrive.] The fates join with trai tors in contriving thy deftruction. Luc. |