It is impossible, that ever Rome Should breed thy fellow.-Friends, I owe more tears To this dead man, than you shall see me pay. I shall find time, Cassius, I shall find time.— now write, -Thou last, &c. But this was not the phraseology of Shakspeare's age. See Henry VI. Third Part, Act V. Sc. V.: "Take that the likeness of this railer here." 66 See also the Letter of Posthumus to Imogen, in Cymbeline, Act III. Sc. II. : as you, O the dearest of creatures, would not even renew me with thine eyes." Again, in King Lear: "The jewels of our father, with wash'd eyes “ Cordelia leaves you.” not ye jewels, as we now should write. Malone. I have not displaced Mr. Malone's restoration from the old copy, because it is of no great importance to our author's meaning; though I am perfectly convinced, that in the instances from Cymbeline and King Lear, the is merely the error of a compositor who misunderstood the abbreviations employed to express thou and ye in the original MSS. which might not have been remarkable for calligraphy. Both these abbreviations very nearly resemble the one commonly used for the; a circumstance which has proved the frequent source of similar corruption. A mistake of the same colour appears to have happened in p. 149, where (see note 9,) thee had been given instead of the. See likewise the volume above referred to by Mr. Malone, where the is again printed (and, as I conceive, through the same blunder,) instead of thou. The passage cited from Plutarch can have no weight on the present occasion. The biographer is only relating what Brutus had said. In the text, Brutus is the speaker, and is addressing himself, propria persona, to Cassius. Besides, why is not "Thou last," &c. the language of Shakspeare? Have we not in King Richard III. : "Thou slander of thy mother's heavy womb! "Thou loathed issue, &c. "Thou rag of honour, thou detested?" And again, in Troilus and Cressida : "Thou great and wise," &c. Again, in Hamlet: 66 know thou noble youth!" And fifty more instances to the same purpose might be introduced. Objectum est Historico (Cremutio Cordo. Tacit. Ann. 1. iv. 34.) quod Brutum Cassiumque ultimos Romanorum dixisset. Suet. Tiber. lib. iii. c. 61. STEEVENS. Come, therefore, and to Thassos* send his body; SCENE IV. Another Part of the Field. [Exeunt. Alarum. Enter fighting, Soldiers of both Armies; then BRUTUS, CATO, LUCILIUS, and Others. BRU. Yet, countrymen, O, yet hold up your heads! CATO. What bastard doth not? Who will go with me? I will proclaim my name about the field :- A foe to tyrants, and my country's friend; [Charges the Enemy. BRU. And I am Brutus, Marcus Brutus, I; Brutus, my country's friend: know me for Brutus. [Exit, charging the Enemy. CATO is overpowered, and falls. 4 - and to THASSOS-] Mr. Theobald. MALONE. Old copy―Tharsus. Corrected by It is Thassos in Sir Thomas North's translation. STEEVENS. 5 Labeo, and FLAVIUS,] Old copy-Flavio. Corrected by the -editor of the second folio. MALONE. 66 6 I am the son of Marcus Cato,] Plutarch: fighting, &c. telling aloud his name and his father's name,” &c. So, in the old translation of There was the sonne of Marcus Cato slaine valiantly STEEVENS Luc. O young and noble Cato, art thou down? Why, now thou diest as bravely as Titinius; And may'st be honour'd being Cato's son". 1 SOLD. Yield, or thou diest. Luc. Only I yield to die: There is so much that thou wilt kill me straight; [Offering Money. Kill Brutus, and be honour'd in his death. 1 SOLD. We must not.-A noble prisoner! 2 SOLD. Room, ho! Tell Antony, Brutus is ta'en. 1 SOLD. I'll tell the news 9.-Here comes the general: Enter ANTONY. Brutus is ta'en, Brutus is ta'en, my lord. 7 ANT. Where is he? Luc. Safe, Antony'; Brutus is safe enough: being Cato's son,] i. e. worthy of him. WARBUrton. Luc. Only I yield to die : Dr. There is so much that thou wilt kill me straight;] Warburton has been much inclined to find lacunæ, or passages broken by omission, throughout this play. I think he has been always mistaken. The Soldier here says, Yield, or thou diest. Lucilius replies, I yield only on this condition, that I may die; here is so much gold as thou seest in my hand, which I offer thee as a reward for speedy death. What now is there wanting? JOHNSON. 9 I'll tell THE news.] The old copy reads: I'll tell thee news. JOHNSON. Corrected by Mr. Theobald. MALONE. I Safe, Antony ;] So, in the old translation of Plutarch: "In the mean time Lucilius was brought to him, who stowtly with a bold countenaunce sayd, Antonius, I dare assure thee, that no enemie hath taken, nor shall take Marcus Brutus aliue: and I beseech God keepe him from that fortune. For wheresoeuer he be found, aliue or dead, he will be founde like himselfe. And now. for my selfe, I am come vnto thee, hauing deceiued these men of armes here, bearing them downe that I was Brutus: and doe not refuse to suffer any torment thou wilt put me to. Lucilius wordes made them all amazed that heard him. Antonius on the other side, looking vpon all them that had brought him, sayd vnto them: my companions, I thinke ye are sorie you have failed of your pur I dare assure thee, that no enemy Shall ever take alive the noble Brutus: The gods defend him from so great a shame! ANT. This is not Brutus, friend; but, I assure you, A prize no less in worth: keep this man safe, [Exeunt. SCENE V. Another Part of the Field. Enter BRUTUS, DARDANIUS, CLITUS, STRATO, and VOLUMNIUS. BRU. Come, poor remains of friends, rest on this rock. CLI. Statilius shew'd the torch-light 2; but, my lord, pose, & that you thinke this man hath done great wrong: but I doe assure you, you have taken a better bootie, then that you For, instead of an enemie, you have brought me a friend." followed. STEEVENS. 2 Statilius show'd the torch-light; &c.] So, in the old translation of Plutarch: "Furthermore, Brutus thought that there was no great number of men slaine in battell, and to know the trueth of it, there was one called Statilius, that promised to goe through his enemies (for otherwise it was impossible to goe see their campe,) and from thence if all were well, that he woulde lift vp a torch-light in the ayer, and then returne againe with speed to him. The torche-light was lift vp as he had promised, for Statilius went thither. Nowe Brutus seeing Statilius tarie long after, and that he came not again, he say'd if Statilius be aliue, he will come He came not back; he is or ta'en, or slain. [Whispering. CLI. What, I, my lord? No, not for all the CLI. What ill request did Brutus make to thee? DAR. To kill him, Clitus: Look, he meditates. CLI. Now is that noble vessel full of grief, That it runs over even at his eyes. againe. But his euil fortune was suche, that as he came backe, he lighted in his enemies hands, and was slaine. Now, the night being farre spent, Brutus as he sate, bowed towards Clitus one of his men, and told him somewhat in his eare; the other aunswered him not, but fell a weeping. Thereupon he proued Dardanus, and sayd somewhat also to him: at length he came to Volumnius him selfe, and speaking to him in Græke, prayed him for the studies sake which brought them acquainted together, that he woulde helpe him to put his hande to his sword, to thrust it in him to kill him. Volumnius denied his request, and so did many others: and amongest the rest, one of them sayd, there was no tarrying for them there, but that they must needes flie. Then Brutus rising vp, we must flie in deede, sayd he, but it must be with our hands, not with our feete. Then taking euery man by the hand, he sayd these words vnto them with a chearfull countenance. It rejoyceth my hart that not one of my frends hath failed me at my neede, and I do not complaine of my fortune, but only for my contries sake: for, as for me, I thinke my selfe happier than they that have ouercome, considering that I leaue a perpetuall fame of our corage and manhoode, the which our enemies the conquerors shall neuer attaine vnto by force nor money, neither can let their posteritie to say, that they have been naughtie and unjust men, haue slaine good men, to vsurpe tyrannical power not pertaining to them. Hauing sayd so, he prayed euery man to shift for them selues, and then he went a litle aside," &c. STEEVENS. 3 I do such a deed?] Old copy-Shall I do, &c. STEEVENS. |
