Oa. So you thought him; And took his voice who fhould be prick'd to die, Ant. Octavius, I have feen more days than you; Otta. You may do your will ; But he's a try'd and valiant foldier. Ant. So is my horfe, Octavius: and for that, He must be taught, and train'd, and bid go forth; out of ufe, and ftal'd by other men, Our best friends made, and our beft means ftretcht out; (7) In the old editions, A barren-fpirited fellow, one that feeds On objects, arts, and imitation, &c.] 'Tis hard to conceive, why he'fhould be called a barren-fpirited fellow, that could feed either on objects, or arts: that is, as I prefume, from his ideas and judgment upon them: ftale and obfolete imitation, indeed, fixes fuch a character. I am perfuaded, to make the poet con fonant to himfelf, we muft read, as I have reftored the text, On abject Orts, i. e. on the fcraps and fragments of things rejected and defpifed by others. THEOBALD. And let us presently go fit in council, How covert matters may be best disclos'd, Octa. Let us do fo; for we are at the stake, And fome that fmile, have in their hearts, I fear, SCENE II. [Exeunt. Before Bratus's Tent, in the camp near Sardis. Drum. Enter Brutus, Lucilius, and Soldiers: Titinius, and Pindarus meeting them. Bru. STAND, ho! Luc. Give the word, ho! and stand! Bru. What now, Lucilius, is Caffius near? Luc. He is at hand, and Pindarus is come To do you falutation from his master. Bru. He greets me well. Your mafter, Pindarus, (8) In his own change, or by ill officers, Hath given me fome worthy caufe to wish Things (8) In his own change, or by ill officers,] The fenfe of which is this, Either your mafter, by the change of his virtuous nature, or by his officers abufing the power he had intrufted to them, bath done fome things I could wifb 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 honour, he replies, he is not doubted. To reconcile this we should read, In his own CHARGE, or by ill officers, i. e. either by thofe under his immediate command, or under the command of his lieutenants who had abufed their trust. Charge is fo ufual a word in Shakespeare, to fignify the forces committed to the truft of a commander, that I think it needlefs to give any inftances. WARBURTON. The arguments for the change proposed are insufficient. Brutu's 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 Things done undone; but if he be at hand, Pin. I do not doubt, But that my noble mafter will appear, Luc. With courtesy, and with respect enough; Nor with fuch free and friendly conference, Bru. Thou haft defcrib'd A hot friend cooling. Ever note, Lucilius, There are no tricks in plain, and fimple faith Luc. They mean this night in Sardis to be quar ter'd, The greater part, the horfe in general, Are come with Caffius. [Low march within. Enter Caffius and Soldiers. 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. Moft noble brother, you have done me wrong. that his fufpicion ftill continued. Yet I cannot but suspect 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 affices and bad influence of others. Bru. Bru. Judge me, you Gods! Wrong I mine ene» mies? And, if not fo, how fhould I wrong a brother? And when you do them Bru. Caffius, be content, hides wrongs, Speak your griefs foftly-I do know you well.- Which should perceive nothing, but love, from us, Caf. Pindarus, Bid our commanders lead their charges off A little from this ground. 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. SCENE III. Changes to the Infide of Brutus's Tent. Caf THA Re-enter Brutus and Caffius. [Exeunt. HAT you have wrong'd me, doth appear You have condemn'd and noted Lucius Pella, Bru. You wrong'd yourfelf to write in fuch a cafe. That (9) ev'ry nice offence fhould bear its comment. To undefervers. Caf. I an itching palm ? (9) ev'ry nice offence. e. fmall trifling offence. WARBURTON. You You know, that you are Brutus, that fpeak this; Bru. Remember March, the Ides of March remember! Did not great Julius bleed for juftice fake? Caf. Brutus, bait not me, I'll not endure it; you forget yourself, Bru. (4) Go to: you are not Caffius. (1) I had rather be a dog, and bay the moon, Caf Than fuch a Roman.] The poets and common people, who generally think and fpeak 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 Gafar's glory which fet Caffius on confpiring against him; and ancient history feems to countenance fuch à charge. Caffius understood him in this fenfe, and with much confcious pride retorts the charge by a like infinuation. -Brutus, bay not me. (2) To hedge me in; your direction or cenfure. WARBURTON. -] That is, to limit my authority by (3) To make conditions.] That is, to know on what terms it is fit to confer the offices which are at my difpofal. (4) Go to: you are not Caffius.] We are not to understand this as if Brutus had faid, You are not an able foldier, which would be wrangling on a childish question beneath the character of Brutus. On the contrary, when Caffius had made fo unbecoming a boaft, Brutus, in his reply, only reproves him for degeneracy: And he could not do it in words more pathetic than |