4 Cit. Pluck down forms, windows, any thing.

[Exeunt Citizens, with the Body.

Ant. Now let it work; Mischief; thou art afoot, Take thou what course thou wilt!-How now, fellow? Enter a Servant.

Serv. Sir, Octavius is already come to Rome.
Ant. Where is he?

Serv. He and Lepidus are at Cæsar's house.
Ant. And thither will I straight to visit him:
He comes upon a wish. Fortune is merry,
And in this mood will give us any thing.

Serv. I heard him say, Brutus and Cassius
Are rid like madmen through the gates of Rome.
Ant. Belike, they had some notice of the people,
How I had mov'd them. Bring me to Octavius. [Exeunt.

SCENE III.

The same. A Street.

Enter CINNA, the Poet.

Cin. I dreamt to-night, that I did feast with Cæsar, And things unluckily charge my fantasy:*

I have no will to wander forth of doors,

Yet something leads me forth.

Enter Citizens.

1 Cit. What is your name?
2 Cit. Whither are you going?

3 Cit. Where do you dwell?

4 Cit. Are you a married man, or a bachelor?

2 Cit. Answer every man directly.

1 Cit. Ay, and briefly.

4 Cit. Ay, and wisely.

3 Cit. Ay, and truly, you were best.

Cin. What is my name? Whither am I going? Where do I dwell? Am I a married man, or a bachelor? Then to answer every man directly, and briefly, wisely, and truly. Wisely I say, I am a bachelor.

Scene III.] The subject of this scene is taken from Plutarch.-STEEVENS. things unluckily charge my fantasy:] i. e. Circumstances oppress my fancy with an ill-omened weight.-STFEVENS.

2 Cit. That's as much as to say, they are fools that marry: You'll bear me a bang for that, I fear. Proceed; directly.

Cin. Directly, I am going to Cæsar's funeral.

1 Cit. As a friend or an enemy?

Cin. As a friend.

2 Cit. That matter is answered directly.
4 Cit. For your dwelling,-briefly.
Cin. Briefly, I dwell by the Capitol.
3 Cit. Your name, sir, truly.

Cin. Truly, my name is Cinna.

1 Cit. Tear him to pieces, he's a conspirator.

Cin. I am Cinna the poet, I am Cinna the poet.

4 Cit. Tear him for his bad verses, tear him for his bad

verses.

2 Cit. It is no matter, his name's Cinna; pluck but his name out of his heart, and turn him going.

3 Cit. Tear him, tear him. Come, brands, ho! firebrands. To Brutus', to Cassius'; burn all. Some to Decius' house, and some to Casca's: some to Ligarius': away; go. [Exeunt.

ACT IV.

SCENE I.-The same. A Room in Antony's House.* ANTONY, OCTAVIUS, and LEPIDUS, seated at a Table. Ant. These many then shall die; their names are prick'd. Oct. Your brother too must die; Consent you, Lepidus? Lep. I do consent.

Oct.

Prick him down, Antony. Lep. Upon condition Publius shall not live," Who is your sister's son, Mark Antony.

t a room in Antony's house.] It is evident that Shakspeare intended the scene to be at Rome; but the triumvirs met upon the proscription, in the small island in the little river Rhenus, near Bononia.-MALONE and HANMER.

Upon condition Publius shall not live,] Mr. Upton has sufficiently proved that the poet made a mistake as to this character mentioned by Lepidus; Lucius, not Publius, was the person meant, who was uncle by the mother's side to Mark Antony: and in consequence of this, he concludes that Shakspeare wrote;

You are his sister's son, Mark Antony.

The mistake, however, is more like the mistake of the author, than of his transcriber or printer.-STEEVENS.

Ant. He shall not live; look, with a spot I damn

him.'

But, Lepidus, go you to Cæsar's house;

Fetch the will hither, and we will determine

How to cut off some charge in legacies.

Lep. What, shall I find you here?
Oct.

The Capitol.

Or here, or at

[Exit LEPIDUS.

Ant. This is a slight unmeritable man,
Meet to be sent on errands: Is it fit,

The three-fold world divided, he should stand
One of the three to share it?

Oct.
So you thought him;
And took his voice who should be prick'd to die,
In our black sentence and proscription.

Ant. Octavius, I have seen more days than you:
And though we lay these honours on this man,
To ease ourselves of divers slanderous loads,
He shall but bear them as the ass bears gold,
To groan and sweat under the business.
Either led or driven, as we point the way;
And having brought our treasure where we will,
Then take we down his load, and turn him off,
Like to the empty ass, to shake his ears,

And graze in commons.

Oct.

You may do your will;

But he's a tried and valiant soldier.

Ant. So is my horse, Octavius; and, for that,

I do appoint him store of provender.
It is a creature that I teach to fight,
To wind, to stop, to run directly on;
His corporal motion govern'd by my spirit.
And, in some taste, is Lepidus but so;
He must be taught, and train'd, and bid
A barren-spirited fellow; one that feeds
On objects, arts, and imitations ;"

go

forth:

w On objects, arts, and imitations ;] I cannot but agree with Theobald in considering this line corrupted, though I should hesitate in admitting his emendadation, and reading "On abject orts," i. c. rejected scraps and fragments. Steevens does not allow the necessity of any alteration, and says, "It is easy

Which, out of use, and stal'd by other men,
Begin this fashion: Do not talk of him,
But as a property. And now, Octavius,
Listen great things.-Brutus and Cassius,

Are levying powers: we must straight make head:
Therefore, let our alliance be combin'd,

Our best friends made, and our best means stretch'd out; And let us presently go sit in council,

How covert matters may be best disclos'd,

And open perils surest answered.

Oct. Let us do so: for we are at the stake,

And bay'd about with many enemies;

And some, that smile, have in their hearts, I fear,
Millions of mischief.

[Exeunt.

SCENE II.

Before Brutus' Tent, in the Camp near Sardis.

Drum. Enter BRUTUS, LUCILIUS, LUCIUS, and Soldiers: TITINIUS, and PINDARUS meeting them.

Bru. Stand here.

Luc. Give the word, ho! and stand.

Bru. What now, Lucilius? is Cassius near?
Luc. He is at hand; and Pindarus is come

To do you salutation from his master.

[PINDARUS gives a Letter to BRUTUS.

Bru. He greets me well.-Your master, Pindarus, In his own change, or by ill officers,

Hath given me some worthy cause to wish

Things done, undone : but, if he be at hand,
I shall be satisfied.

to find a reason why that devotee to pleasure and ambition, Antony, should call Lepidus barren-spirited, who could be content to feed his mind with objects, i. e. speculative knowledge, or arts, i. e. mechanic operations."--perhaps the text would be rightly restored by retaining part of Theobald's emendation, and reading" abject arts."

xa property] i. e. As a thing quite at our disposal, and to be treated as we please.-STEEVENS.

at the stake,] An allusion to bear-baiting.-STEEVENS.

But that my noble master will appear
Such as he is, full of regard, and honour..
Bru. He is not doubted.-A word, Lucilius;
How he receiv'd you, let me be resolv❜d.

Luc. With courtesy, and with respect enough;
But not with such familiar instances,

Nor with such free and friendly conference,
As he hath used of old.

Bru.

Thou hast describ'd

A hot friend cooling: Ever note, Lucilius,
When love begins to sicken and decay,
It useth an enforced ceremony.

There are no tricks in plain and simple faith:
But hollow men, like horses hot at hand,
Make gallant show and promise of their mettle:
But when they should endure the bloody spur,
They fall their crests, and, like deceitful jades,
Sink in the trial. Comes his army on?

Luc. They mean this night in Sardis to be quarter'd ; The greater part the horse in general,

Are come with Cassius.

Bru.

[March within.

March gently on to meet him.

Enter CASSIUS and Soldiers.

Cas. Stand, ho!

Bru. Stand, ho! Speak the word along.

Within. Stand.

Within. Stand.

Within. Stand.

Cas. Most noble brother, you have done me wrong. Bru. Judge me, you gods! Wrong I mine enemies? And, if not so, how should I wrong a brother?

Cas. Brutus, this sober form of yours hides wrongs; And when you do them

Bru.

Cassius, be content,

Speak your griefs' softly,-I do know you well:-
Before the eyes of both our armies here,

Which should perceive nothing but love from us,

your griefs-] i.e. Your grievances.