To your proceeding bids me tell you this; 2 CES. How foolish do your fears seem now, Calphurnia ? I am ashamed I did yield to them.- Enter PUBLIUS, Brutus, Ligarius, Metellus, And look where Publius is come to fetch me. CES. Welcome, Publius.What, Brutus, are you stirr'd so early too ?— Good-morrow, Casca.-Caius Ligarius, Cæsar was ne'er so much your enemy, As that same ague which hath made you What is't o'clock ? BRU. lean. Cæsar, 'tis strucken eight. CES. I thank you for your pains and courtesy. Enter ANTONY. See! Antony, that revels long o' nights, Is notwithstanding up :-Good morrow, Antony. ANT. So to most noble Cæsar. CES. Bid them prepare within : I am to blame to be thus waited for. Now, Cinna :-Now, Metellus :-What, Trebonius! TREB. Cæsar, I will:-and so near will I be, [Aside. That your best friends shall wish I had been further. * And reason, &c.] (“And reason," or propriety of conduct and language, is subordinate to my love. JOHNSON. CES. Good friends, go in, and taste some wine with me; And we, like friends, will straightway go together. BRU. That every like is not the same, O Cæsar, The heart of Brutus yearns to think upon! [Exeunt. SCENE III. The Same. A Street near the Capitol. Enter ARTEMIDORUS, reading a Paper. ART. Cæsar, beware of Brutus; take heed of Cassius; come not near Casca; have an eye to Cinna; trust not Trebonius; mark well Metellus Cimber; Decius Brutus loves thee not; thou hast wronged Caius Ligarius. There is but one mind in all these men, and it is bent against Cæsar. If thou be'st not immortal, look about you: Security gives way to conspiracy. The mighty gods defend thee! Thy lover, ARTEMIDORUS. Here will I stand, till Cæsar pass along, If thou read this, O Cæsar, thou may'st live ; 4 [Exit. emulation,] Here, as on many other occasions, this word is used in an unfavourable sense, somewhat like-factious, envious, or malicious rivalry. So, in Troilus and Cressida : 5 "Whilst emulation in the army crept." STEEVENS. -the fates with traitors do CONTRIVE.] The fates join with traitors in contriving thy destruction. JOHNSON. SCENE IV. The Same. Another Part of the same Street, before the House of BRUTUS. Enter PORTIA and LUCIUS. POR. I pr'ythee, boy, run to the senate-house; Stay not to answer me, but get thee gone: Why dost thou stay? Luc. To know my errand, madam. POR. I would have had thee there, and here again, Ere I can tell thee what thou should'st do there.constancy, be strong upon my side! 0 Set a huge mountain 'tween my heart and tongue! How hard it is for women to keep counsel !— Luc. Madam, what should I do? Run to the Capitol, and nothing else? And so return to you, and nothing else? POR. Yes, bring me word, boy, if thy lord look well, For he went sickly forth: And take good note, Luc. I hear none, madam. POR. Pr'ythee, listen well: I heard a bustling rumour, like a fray, Why dost thou stay? &c.] Shakspeare has expressed the perturbation of King Richard the Third's mind by the same in cident: 66 66 Dull, unmindful villain! Why stay'st thou here, and go'st not to the duke?— "Cat. First, mighty liege, tell me your highness' pleasure, "What from your grace I shall deliver to him.' STEEVENS. Luc. Sooth, madam, I hear nothing. SOOTH. About the ninth hour, lady. POR. Is Cæsar yet gone to the Capitol? SOOTH. Madam, not yet; I go to take my stand, To see him pass on to the Capitol. POR. Thou hast some suit to Cæsar, hast thou not? SOOTH. That I have, lady: if it will please Cæsar To be so good to Cæsar, as to hear me, I shall beseech him to befriend himself. POR. Why, know'st thou any harm's intended towards him? SOOTH. None that I know will be, much that I fear may chance 8. Good morrow to you. Here the street is narrow: [Exit. POR. I must go in.-Ah me! how weak a thing The heart of woman is! O Brutus ! "Enter Soothsayer.] The introduction of the Soothsayer here is unnecessary, and, I think, improper. All that he is made to say, should be given to Artemidorus; who is seen and accosted by Portia in his passage from his first stand, p. 68, to one more convenient, p. 70. TYRWHITT. 8 None that I know will be, much that I fear MAY CHANCE.] Sir Thomas Hanmer, very judiciously in my opinion, omits-may chance, which I regard as interpolated words; for they render the line too long by a foot, and the sense is complete without them. STEEVENS. The heavens speed thee in thine enterprize! And bring me word what he doth say to thee. [Exeunt. ACT III. SCENE I. The Same. The Capitol; the Senate sitting. A Croud of People in the Street leading to the Capitol; among them ARTEMIDORUS, and the Soothsayer. Flourish. Enter CESAR, Brutus, CasSIUS, CASCA, DECIUS, METELLUS, TREBONIUS, CINNA, ANTONY, LEPIDUS, POPILIUS, PUBLIUS, and Others. CES. The ides of March are come. ART. Hail, Cæsar! Read this schedule. ART. O, Cæsar, read mine first; for mine's a suit PUB. Sirrah, give place. CAS. What, urge you your petitions in the street ? Come to the Capitol. 9 Brutus hath a suit, &c.] These words Portia addresses to Lucius, to deceive him, by assigning a false cause for her present perturbation. MALONE. |