therefore, to regard some feet as stressed and some as unstressed; the latter are called " pyrrhics." 3. Variation in the number of syllables to a stress. This may vary from one to three, as in the line: Friends, | Romans, | countrymen, | lend me your ears." The varied number of syllables to a stress and the varied position of the stress cause: 4. Variation in the kind of feet. In the line just quoted, "Romans" is a trochee, and "countrymen" a dactyl. The last foot is the only iambus in the line. The first foot in a line and the foot following the cesural pause are often trochees, as: "Looks in the clouds, | scorning | the base | degrees." II. i., 26. 5. Variation in the position of the cesura, the pause within the line. In the following lines the cesural pause comes after the first (or seventh), the third, and the fourth syllables respectively. “Here, | under leave of Brutus and the rest,— For Brutus | is an honourable man; 99 So are they all, | all honourable men- III. ii., 84-6. 6. Variation in the verse-endings. In the lines below it will be seen that there is an extra, unstressed syllable at the end of each; this is called a "feminine (or double) ending." It will also be noticed that there is no pause at the end of the first line, the sense runs on to the next one; a line without a pause sufficient to call for at least a comma is therefore called a "run-on line." "Villains, you did not so when your vile daggers Hack'd one another in the sides of Caesar." V. i., 39-40. In his incomparable use of such variations, which enrich rather than mar the music of the fundamental cadence, we see Shakspere's mastery of his art. With what increasing freedom he used certain of these variations is shown by a comparison of our play with two others -Love's Labour's Lost, probably the earliest of his plays, and A Winter's Tale, perhaps the latest. The figures given, which are based on several authorities, show with approximate accuracy the percentages of the several variations in each play. The relative number of the above and other less important variations in any play is thus a means of determining the probable date of its writing. THE DATE OF THE PLAY. Julius Caesar is not known to have been published before it appeared in the First Folio, the earliest collected edition of the plays; this was issued in 1623, six years after the poet's death. There is, however, general agreement that the play was written in or about 1601. For the date the chief indications in the play itself are those already noted the number of variations from the typical verse, the subject of the play, and its general tone; these all point, more or less clearly, to the early part of the Third Period. Other works also aid in fixing the date of this. In 1601 appeared Weever's Mirror of Martyrs, in which are the following lines: "The many-headed multitude was drawn By Brutus's speech that Caesar was ambitious; His virtues, who but Brutus then was vicious?" It is probable though, I think, not quite certain—that there is allusion here to the speeches in our play; and as Julius Caesar is not given in Francis Meres's list of Shakspere's plays, which was published in 1598, it was apparently written between that date and the date of publication of Weever's book. It was probably the first of the great tragedies, having been followed by its companion play, Hamlet, in which there seems to be an allusion to our play when Polonius says (III. ii): "I did enact Julius Caesar: I was killed in the Capitol; Brutus killed me." SHAKSPERE AND PLUTARCH. The dramatic possibilities of the career of Julius Caesar had not escaped the eyes of playwrights when Shakspere wrote his tragedy, but our author seems not to have been indebted to any earlier play. His one souree, apparently, was Plutarch's Lives of Caesar, Brutus, and Antony. The version used by him was that of Sir Thomas North, translated not from the Greek but from a French version. To "North's Plutarch" Shakspere's indebtedness is great. To the Greek biographer he owes not only the plot of our play but numerous details not essential to the plot. To the English translator he owes frequent turns of expression, some of which seem distinctly Shak sperean in flavor. The nature and extent of the indebtedness to Plutarch is suggested by the following enumeration, the wording of which is largely taken from Mr. A. W. Verity's admirable edition of the play. For students who may wish to make comparison of the text of the play with that of North's version of the biographies, references are made, by page numbers, to Skeat's Shakespeare's Plutarch. ACT I SCENE 1.-Offense at Caesar's "triumph over Pompey's blood " (91). The tribunes "disrobe the images" of Caesar (96). This admirable prelude is almost wholly Shakespeare's. SCENE 2.-Antony "doth run his course "at the Lupercalia (95-6; 163). The warning of the Soothsayer (98). The interview between Cassius and Brutus (112–3). Caesar's description of "that spare Cassius" (97; 111). Caesar's refusal of the crown (96); his " falling "sickness; his " plucking ope his doublet" (95). The "writings" to incite Brutus (97; 112). The long discussion between Brutus and Cassius, which reveals the men and the times as no action could do, has but the slight suggestion of Plutarch: Now when Cassius felt his friends, and did stir them up against Cæsar, they all agreed, and promised to take part with him, so Brutus were the chief of their conspiracy. Therefore Cassius, considering this matter with himself, did first of all speak to Brutus, since they grew strange together for the suit they had for the prætorship. SCENE 3.-The omens (97). Lines 3-28 of this scene are a good instance of the "rich mantle of poetry" which Shakspere has thrown over all he borrowed. Compare the description put on the lips of Cassius with the prosaic account of Plutarch: For, touching the fires in the element, and spirits running up and down in the night, and also the solitary birds to be seen at noondays sitting in the great market-place, are not all these signs perhaps worth the noting, in such a wonderful chance as happened? But Strabo the philosopher writeth that divers men were seen going up and down in fire: and furthermore, that there was a slave of the soldiers that did cast a marvellous burning flame out of his hand, insomuch as they that saw it thought he had been burnt; but when the fire was out, it was found he had no hurt. Cassius's interview with Casca (ll. 41-132) has no suggestion in Plutarch. ACT II SCENE 1.-No oath taken by the conspirators; the decision not to include Cicero (114). Brutus's refusal to have Antony killed (119; 164). Portia's wound and her interview with Brutus (115). Brutus and Ligarius (113). The self-revelations of Brutus by his treatment of Lucius and in his soliloquy are wholly Shakspere's. So also is the night meeting of the conspirators. SCENE 2.-Calpurnia's dream (98; 117). The victim without a heart (98). Caesar and Decius (99). SCENE 3.-Artemidorus and his petition (90). SCENE 4.-Portia sends messages to Brutus (117). ACT III SCENE 1. The warnings of the Soothsayer (98) and of Artemidorus (99). The incident of Popilius Lena (117-8). The drawing Antony aside; the suit for Publius Cimber (118). The killing of Caesar (100-1; 118-9). Brutus, against the wish of Cassius, allows Antony "to speak in the order of Caesar's funeral (121). The highly dramatic incident of the bathing in Caesar's blood is Shakspere's; so also is the scene, perhaps the most |