Stockdale's edition of Shakespeare, with explanatory notes

PERSONS

JULIUS CASAR,
OCTAVIUS CESAR,

M. ANTONIUS,

M. EMIL. LEPIDUS

REPRESENTE D.

Triumvirs after the Death
of Julius Caefar.

CICERO, PUBLIUS, POPILIUS LENA, Senators.

BRUTUS,

CASSIUS,

CASCA,

TREBONIUS,

LIGARIUS,

DECIUS BRUTUS,

METELLUS CIMBER,

FLAVIUS, and MARULLUS, Tribunes.
ARTEMIDORUS, a Sophift of Cnidos.
A Soothsayer.

CINNA, a Poet: Another Poet.

LUCILIUS, TITINIUS, MESSALA, Young CATO, and VOLUMNIUS; Friends to Brutus and Caffius. VARRO, CLITUS, CLAUDIUS, STRATO, LUCIUS, DARDANIUS; Servants to Brutus. Confpirators against Ju- PINDARUS, Servant to Caffius.) lius Caefar.

CALPHURNIA, Wife to Cæfar.
PORTIA, Wife to Brutus.

CINNA,

Plebeians, Senators, Guards, Attendants, &c.

SCENE, for the three firft Alts, at Rome: afterwards at an Island near Mutina; at Sardis; and near Philippi.

SCENE
ROME.

A Street.

A C T I.

Enter Flavius, Marullus, and certain Commoners. ENCE; home, you idle creatures, get you home :

Flav.

Is this a holiday? What! know you not,
Being mechanical, you ought not walk,
Upon a labouring day, without the fign
Of your profeffion ?-Speak, what trade art thou?
Car. Why, fir, a carpenter.

Mar. Where is thy leather apron, and thy rule
What doft thou with thy beft apparel on ?-
You, fir; what trade are you?

Cob. Truly, fir, in refpect of a fine workman,

I am but, as you would fay, a cobler.

Flav. Thou art a cobler, art thou?

Cob. Truly, fir, all that I live by is, with the awl: I meddle with no trade,man's matters, nor woman's matters, but with awl. I am, indeed, fir, a furgeon to old shoes; when they are in great danger, I recover them. As proper men as ever trod upon neats-leather, have gone upon my handywork.

Flav. But wherefore art not in thy shop to-day? Why doft thou lead thefe men about the streets?

Cob. Truly, fir, to wear out their fhoes, to get myself into more work. But, indeed, fir, we make holiday, to fee Cæfar, and to rejoice, in his triumph.

Mar. Wherefore rejoice? What conquest brings he home?

Mar. But what trade art thou? Anfwer me What tributaries follow him to Rome,

Have you not made an univerfal shout,
That Tyber trembled underneath his banks,
To hear the replication of your founds,
Made in his concave fhores?

And do you now put on your best attire!?
And do you now cull out a holiday?
And do you now ftrew flowers-in his way,
That comes in triumph over Pompey's blood?
Be gone;

Run to your houfes, fall upon your knees,
Pray to the gods to intermit the plague
That needs muft light on this ingratitude.

[fault,

Flav. Go, go, good countrymen, and, for this Affemble all the poor men of your fort; Draw them to Tyber banks, and weep your tears Into the channel, 'till the lowest stream Do kifs the most exalted fhores of all.

[Exeunt Commoners. See, whe'r their bafeft metal be not mov'd; They vanifh tongue-ty'd in their guiltinels. Go you down that way towards the Capitol; This way will I: Difrobe the images, If you do find them deck'd with ceremonies. Mar. May we do fo?

You know, it is the feaft of Lupercal.

Flav. It is no matter; let no images Be hung with Cæfar's trophies. I'll about, And drive away the vulgar from the streets: So do you too, where you perceive them thick. Thefe growing feathers pluck'd from Cæfar's wing, Will make him fly an ordinary pitch; Who elfe would foar above the view of men, And keep us all in fervile fearfulness.

SCENE

The fame.

II.

[Exeunt.

Enter Cfar; Antony, for the courfe; Calpburnia, Portia, Decius 2, Cicero, Brutus, Caffius, Cafea, a Soothsayer, &c.

Cf., Calphurnia,

Cafea. Peace, ho! Cæfar speaks. Cef. Calphurnia,

Calp. Here, my lord.

Caf. Stand you directly in Antonius' way, When he doth run his courfe.-Antonius. Ant. Cæfar, my lord.

Cef. Forget not, in your speed, Antonius, To touch Calphurnia: for our elders fay, The barren, touched in this holy chase, Shake off their fterile curfe.

Ant. I fhall remember :

When Cæfar fays, Do this, it is perform'd. Cf. Set on; and leave no ceremony out. Sooth. Cæfar.

Chef. Ha! Who calls?

Cajca. Bid every noife be ftill:-Peace yet again. Cf. Who is it in the prefs, that calls on me? I hear a tongue, fhriller than all the mufick, Cry, Cæfar: Speak; Cæfar is turn'd to hear. Sooth. Beware the ides of March.

1 Ceremonies for religious ornaments.

Caf. What man is that? [March. Bru. A foothfayer bids you heware the ides of Gef. Set him before me, let me fee his face. Caf. Fellow, come from the throng:-Look upon Cæfar. [again. Cf. What fay'ft thou to me now? Speak once Sooth. Beware the ides of March. Caf. He is a dreamer; let us leave him :-país [Sennet 3. Exeunt Cæfar and train. Caf. Will you go fee the order of the course ? Bru. Not I.

Be not deceiv'd: If I have veil'd my look,
I turn the trouble of my countenance
Merely upon myfelf. Vexed I am,

Of late, with pattions of fome difference 5,
Conceptions only proper to myself,

Which give fome foil, perhaps, to my behaviours:
But let not therefore my good friends be griev'd;
(Among which number, Caffius, be you one)
Nor conftrue any further my neglect,
Than that poor Brutus, with himself at war,
Forgets the fhews of love to other men.

Caf. Then, Brutus, I have much miftook your paflion;

By means whereof, this breaft of mine hath bury'd
Thoughts of great value, worthy cogitations.
Tell me, good Brutus, can you see your face?

Bru. No, Caffius: for the eye fees not itself,
But by reflection, by fome other things.

Caf. 'Tis juft:

I have heard

And it is very much lamented, Brutus,
That you have no fuch mirrors, as will turn
Your hidden worthinefs into your eye,
That you might fee your thadow.
Where many of the best respect in Rome,
(Except immortal Cæfar) ipeaking of Brutus,
And groaning underneath this age's yoke,
Have with'd that noble Brutus had his eyes.
Bru. Into what dangers would you lead me,Caffius,
That you would have me feck into myself
For that which is not in me?

Caf. Therefore, good Brutus, be prepar'd to hear:
And, fince you know you cannot fee yourself
So well as by reflection, I, your glass,
Will modeftly difcover to yourself
That of yourself which yet you know not of.
And be not jealous of me, gentle Brutus :
Were I a common laugher, or did ufe

2 This perfon was not Decius, but Decimus Brutus.

We have before obferved, that Sennet appears to be a particular tune or mode of martial mufick. 51. e. with a fluctuation of difcordant opinions and defires.

4 Strange is alien, unfamiliar.

To ftale with ordinary oaths my love
To every new protefter; if you know
That I do fawn on men, and hug them hard,
And after fcandal them; or if you know
That I profefs myself in banqueting
To all the rout, then hold me dangerous.

[Flourish and fheut. Bru. What means this fhouting? I do fear, the Choose Cæfar for their king.

Caf. Ay, do you fear it?

[people

Then muft I think you would not have it fo.
Bru. I would not, Caffius; yet I love him well:-
But wherefore do you hold me here fo long?
What is it that you would impart to me?
If it be aught toward the general good,
Set honour in one eye, and death i' the other,
And I will look on both indifferently:
For, let the gods fo fpeed me, as I love
The name of honour more than I fear death.
Caf. I know that virtue to be in you, Brutus,
As well as I do know your outward favour.
Well, honour is the fubject of my itory.---
I cannot tell, what you and other men
Think of this life; but, for my fingle felf,
I had as lief not be, as live to be
In awe of fuch a thing as I myself.

I was born free as Cefar; fo were you :
We both have fed as well; and we can both
Endure the winter's cold, as well as he.
For once, upon a raw and gufty day,
The troubled Tyber chafing with his shores,
Cæfar faid to me, Dar't thou, Caffius, now
Leap in with me into this angry flood,
And jwim to yonder paint Upon the word,
Accoutred as I was, I plunged in,
And bade him follow: fo, indeed, he did.
The torrent roar'd; and we did buffet it
With luity finews; throwing it afide,
And ftemming it with hearts of controverfy.
But ere we could arrive the point propos'd,
Cæfar cry'd, Help me, Caffius, or I fink.
I, as Encas, our great ancestor,

Did from the flames of Troy upon his shoulder
The old Anchifes bear, fo, from the waves of Tyber

Did I the tired Cæfar: And this man
Is now become a god: and Calius is

A wretched creature, and must bend his body,
If Caefar carelessly but nod on him.
He had a fever when he was in Spain,
And, when the fit was on him, I did mark
How he did thake: 'tis true, this god did thake :
His coward lips did from their colour fly;
And that fame eye, whose bend doth awe the world,
Did lofe his luftre: I did hear him groan :
Ay, and that tongue of his, that bade the Romans
Mark him, and write his fpeeches in their books,
Alas! it cry'd, Give me jome drink, Titimus,
As a fick girl. Ye gods, it doth amaze me,
A man of fuch a feeble temper thould
So get the start of the majestick world,
And bear the palm alone.

[Shout. Flourish.

Bru. Another general shout!

I do believe, that these applaufes are

For fome new honours that are heap'd on Cæfar. Caf. Why, man, he doth beitride the narrow world,

Like a Coloffus; and we petty men
Walk under his huge legs, and peep about
To find ourselves dithonourable graves.
Men at fome time are matters of their fates:
The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars,
But in ourselves, that we are underlings.
Brutus, and Cæfar: What thould be in that Cefar?
Why should that name be founded more than yours?
Write them together, yours is as fair a name;
Sound them, it doth become the mouth as well:
Weigh them, it is as heavy; conjure with them,
Brutus will start a fpirit as foon as Cæfar.
Now in the names of all the gods at once,
Upon what meat doth this our Cæfar feed,
That he is grown fo great? Age, thou art tham'd: ̧
Rome, thou hatt lott the breed of noble bloods!
When went there by an age, fince the great flood, -
But it was fam'd with more than with one man?
When could they fay, 'till now, that talk'd of Rome,.
That her wide walls encompass'd but one man?
Now is it Rome indeed, and room enough,
When there is in it but one only man.

O! you and I have heard our fathers fay, [brook'd
There was a Brutus 2 once, that would have
The eternal devil to keep his ftate in Rome,...
As eafily as a king.

Bru. That you do love me, I am nothing jealous;
What you would work me to, I have fome aim:
How I have thought of this, and of thefe times,
I fhall recount hereafter; for this prefent,

I would not, fo with love I might intreat you,
Be any further mov'd. What you have faid,
I will confider; what you have to fay,

I will with patience hear; and find a time
Both meet to hear, and anfwer, fuch high things.
'Till then, my noble friend, chew upon this 3;
Brutus had rather be a villager,

Than to repute himself a fon of Rome
Under fuch hard conditions as this time
Is like to lay upon us.

Gaf. I am glad, that my weak words
Have ftruck but thus much fhew of fire from
Brutus.

Re-enter Caefar and his troin.

Bru. The games are done, and Cæfar is re

turning.

Caf. As they pals by, pluck Cafea by the fleeve: And he will, after his four fathion, tell you What hath proceeded, worthy note, to-day.

Bru. I will do to:-But, look you, Cañus, The angry spot doth glow on Calar's brow, And all the rett look like a chidden train: Calphurnia's cheek is pale; and Cicero Looks with fuch ferret and fuch fiery eyes, As we have feen him in the Capitol, Being crois'd in conterence by tome fenators.

1 That is, to invite every new protefter to my affect on by the fade or allurement of customary oaths.

2 i. c. Luctus Juetus Brutus.

3 i. e. ruminate on this.

3 B 4

4 A ferret has red eyes.

Caf. Cafca will tell us what the matter is.
Cef. Antonius.

Ant. Cæfar.

Cef. Let me have men about me, that are fat;
Sleek-headed men, and fuch as fleep o' nights:
You Caffius has a lean and hungry look;
He thinks too much: fuch men are dangerous.
Ant. Fear him not, Cæfar, he's not dangerous;
He is a noble Roman, and well given.

Caf. 'Would he were fatter:- -But I fear him

not:

Yet if my name were liable to fear,

I do not know the man I thould avoid
So foon as that fpare Caffius. He reads much;
He is a great obferver, and he looks
Quite through the deeds of men: he loves no plays,
As thou doft, Antony; he hears no mufick:
Seldom he fmiles; and fmiles in fuch a fort,
As if he mock'd himself, and fcorn'd his fpirit
That could be mov'd to fmile at any thing.
Such men as he be never at heart's ease,
Whiles they behold a greater than themfelves;
And therefore are they very dangerous.
I rather tell thee what is to be fear'd,
Than what I fear; for always 1 am Cæfar.
Come on my right hand, for this ear is deaf,
And tell me truly what thou think'st of him.

[Exeunt Cafar, and his train. Manent Brutus and Caffius: Cafea to them. Cafea. You pull'd me by the cloak; Would you fpeak with me?

Bra. Ay, Cafca; tell us what hath chanc'd to-day,

That Cæfar looks fo fad.

Cafea. Why you were with him, were you not? Bru. I fhould not then afk Cafca what had chanc'd.

Cafea. Why, there was a crown offer'd him : and being offer'd him, he put it by with the back of his hand, thus; and then the people fell a' fhouting.

Bru. What was the fecond noife for?

Cafea. Why for that too.

Jand ftill as he refus'd it, the rabblement hooted, and clapp'd their chopt hands, and threw up their fweaty night-caps, and utter'd fuch a deal of ftinking breath because Cæfar refus'd the crown, that it had almoft choak'd Cæfar; for he fwooned, and fell down at it: And for mine own part, I durft not laugh, for fear of opening my lips, and receiving the bad air.

Caf. But, foft, I pray you: What? did Cæfar fwoon

Cafca. He fell down in the market-place, and foam'd at mouth, and was fpeechlefs.

Bru. 'Tis very like; he hath the falling-ficknefs.

Caf. No, Cæfar hath it not; but you, and I, And honeft Cafca, we have the falling-fickness.

Cafea. I know not what you mean by that; but, I am fure, Cæfar fell down. If the tag-rag people did not clap him, and hiss him, according as he pleas'd, and difpleas'd them, as they ufe to do the players in the theatre, I am no true man.

Bru. What faid he, when he came unto himself? Cafea. Marry, before he fell down, when he perceiv'd the common herd was glad he refus'd the crown, he pluck'd me ope his doublet, and offer'd them his throat to cut.-An I had been a man of any occupation, if I would not have taken him at a word, I would I might go to hell among the rogues :-and fo he fell. When he came to himself again, he said, If he had done, or faid, any thing amifs, he defir'd their worthips to think it was his infirmity. Three or four wenches, where I flood, cry'd, Alas, good foul!—and forgave him with all their hearts: But there's no heed to be taken of them: if Cæfar had ftabb'd their mothers, they would have done no lefs.

Bru. And after that, he came, thus fad, away? ́
Cafea. Ay.

Caf. Did Cicero fay any thing?
Cafea. Ay, he spoke Greek.
Caf. To what effect ?

Cafea. Nay, an I tell you that, I'll ne'er look

Caf. They fhouted thrice; What was the laftou i' the face again: But thofe, that underflood cry for?

Gajca. Why for that too.

him fmil'd at one another, and fhook their heads: but for mine own part, it was Greek to me. I could tell you more news too: Marullus and Flavius, for pulling fcarfs off Cæfar's images, are put

Bru. Was the crown offer'd him thrice? Cafea. Ay, marry, was't, and he put it by thrice, every time gentler than other; and at every put-to filence. Fare you well. There was more

ting by, mine honest neighbours fhouted.

Caf. Who offer'd him the crown?

Cafea. Why, Antony.

foolery yet, if I could remember it.

Caf. Will you fup with me to-night, Casca ?
Cafca. No, I am promis'd forth.

Caf. Will you dine with me to-morrow? Cafea. Ay, if I be alive, and your mind hold, and your dinner worth the eating.

[Exit.

Bru. Tell us the manner of it, gentle Cafca.
Cafea. I can as well be hang'd, as tell the man-
ner of it: it was meer foolery, I did not mark it.
I faw Mark Antony offer him a crown,-yet
'twas not a crown neither, 'twas one of these coro-
nets; and, as I told you, he put it by once: but,
for all that, to my thinking, he would fain have
had it. Then he offer'd it to him again; then he
put it by again but, to my thinking, he was very | Of any bold or noble enterprize,
loth to lay his fingers off it. And then he offer'd However he puts on this tardy form.
it the third time; he put it the third time by: This rudeness is a fauce to his good wit,

Caf. Good; I will expect you.
Cafea. Do fo: Farewel both.
Bru. What a blunt fellow is this grown to be?
He was quick mettle, when he went to school.
Caf. So is he now, in execution

1 i. e. Had I been a mechanick, one of the Plebeians, to whom he offered his throat.

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