Why all these things change, from their ordinance, Now could I, Cafca, name to thee a man That thunders, lightens, opens graves, and roars A man no mightier than thyfelf, or me, Cafca. 'Tis Cæfar that you mean: is it not, Caffius? Cafca. Indeed, they fay, the fenators to-morrow Mean to establish Cæfar as a king: And he fhall wear his crown, by fea, and land, Caf. I know where I will wear this dagger then: Caffius from bondage will deliver Caffius. Therein, ye Gods, you make the weak moft ftrong; Therein, ye Gods, you tyrants do defeat: or prophefy for the custom of foretelling fortunes by judicial aftrology (which was at that time much in vogue) being performed by a long tedious calculation, Shakespeare, with his ufual liberty, employs the fpecies [calculate] for the genus [foretel]. WARD. Shakespeare found the liberty established. To calculate a nati vity, is the technical term. JOHNSON. Have thewes and limbs-] Therves is an old obfolete word implying nerves or mufcular firength. The word is ufed by Falfef in the Second Part of Hen. IV. and in Hamlet, "For nature, crefcent, does not grow alone C 3 STEVENS Nor Nor ftony tower, nor walls of beaten brass, If I know this, know all the world befides, Cafea. So can I : So every bondman in his own hand bears Caf. And why fhould Cæfar be a tyrant then? So vile a thing as Cæfar? But, oh grief! 2 My answer must be made. But I am arm'd, Cafca. You fpeak to Cafca; and to such a man, That is no flearing tell-tale. 3 Hold my hand: 4 Be factious for redrefs of all these griefs; And I will fet this foot of mine as far, As who goes fartheft. Caf. There's a bargain made. Now know you, Cafca, I have mov'd already 2 My answer must be made.] I fhall be called to account, and muft anfwer as for feditious words. JOHNSON. 3- Hold my hand :] Is the fame as, Here's my hand. JOHNSON. 4 Be factious for redrijs-] Factious feems here to mean active. JOHNSON. To undergo, with me, an enterprize "It favours, like the work we have in hand, Enter Cinna. Cafca. Stand clofe awhile, for here comes one in hafte. Caf. 'Tis Cinna, I do know him by his gait; He is a friend.-Cinna, where hafte you fo? Cin. To find out you. Who's that? Metellus Cimber? Caf. No, it is Cafca; one incorporate To our attempts. Am I not ftaid for, Cinna? Cin. I am glad on't. What a fearful night is this? There's two or three of us have feen ftrange fights. Caf. Am I not ftaid for? Tell me. Cin. Yes, You are. O Caffius, if you could but win The noble Brutus to our party Caf. Be you content. Good Cinna, take this paper, And look you lay it in the prætor's chair, Where Brutus may but find it; and throw this In at his window; fet this up with wax 5 Is fev'rous, like the work-] The old edition reads, It favours, like the work I think we should read, In favour's, like the work we have in hand, Moft bloody, fiery, and most terrible. Favour is look, countenance, appearance. JOHNSON. We should rather read is favour'd. Perhaps Shakespeare has made a verb from the fubftantive favour, i. e. countenance, i. e. it is in appearance or countenance like, &c. C 4' STEEVENS. Upon Upon old Brutus' ftatue: all this done, Repair to Pompey's porch, where you fhall find us. Cin. All, but Metellus Cimber; and he's gone [Exit Cinna. Come, Cafca, you and I will, yet, ere day, Cafca. O, he fits high in all the people's hearts: Will change to virtue and to worthiness. Caf. Him, and his worth, and our great need of You have right well conceited. Let us go, [Exeunt. ACT II. SCENE I. Brutus's Garden. Enter Brutus. BRUTUS. HAT, Lucius! ho!- WH I cannot by the progress of the stars, Give guess how near to day.--Lucius, I fay!-I would, it were my fault to fleep fo foundly.. When, When, Lucius, when? awake, I fay: what, Lu cius ! Enter Lucius. Luc. Call'd you, my lord? Bru. Get me a taper in my study, Lucius: When it is lighted, come and call me here. Luc. I will, my lord. [Exit. Bru. It must be by his death: and, for my part, I know no personal caufe to fpurn at him, But for the general. He would be crown'd :How that might change his nature, there's the quef tion. It is the bright day, that brings forth the adder; That at his will he may do danger with, 8 Then, left he may, prevent. And, fince the quarrel Will bear no colour, for the thing he is, 6 Remorse from power: Remorse, for mercy. WARB. Remorfe (fays the Author of the Revisal) fignifics the conscious uneafinefs arifing from a fenfe of having done wrong; to extinguifh which feeling, nothing hath fo great a tendency as abfolute uncontrouled power. I think Warburton right. 7-common proof,] Common experiment. -baje degrees] Low steps. JOHNSON. JOHNSON. JOHNSON. Fashion |