Mes. My master's man.-Strato, where is thy master?

Stra. Free from the bondage you are in, Messala:

The conquerors can but make a fire of him:
For Brutus only overcame himself,

And no man else hath honour by his death.
Luc. So Brutus should be found.-I thank
thee, Brutus,

That thou hast proved Lucilius' saying true.

Oct. All that served Brutus, I will entertain them.

Fellow, wilt thou bestow thy time with me? Stra. Ay, if Messala will prefer me to you. Oct. Do so, good Messala.

Mes. How died my master, Strato?

Stra. I held the sword, and he did run on it.

Mes. Octavius, then, take him to follow thee, That did the latest service to my master.

Ant. This was the noblest Roman of them all.

All the conspirators, save only he,

Did that they did in envy of great Cæsar:
He, only, in a general honest thought,
And common good to all, made one of them.
His life was gentle; and the elements

So mixed in him, that Nature might stand up
And say to all the world, "This was a man!"

Oct. According to his virtue let us use him; With all respect and rites of burial. Within my tent his bones to-night shall lie, Most like a soldier, ordered honourably.So call the field to rest: and let's away, To part the glories of this happy day. [Exeunt.

"Have you not made an universal shout,

That Tiber trembled underneath her banks." Act I., Scene 1. Drayton, in his "POLYOLBION," frequently describes the rivers of England as females, even when he speaks of the presiding power of the stream. Spenser, more classically, represents them as males.

Of the address to the plebeians in which the quoted passage occurs, Mr. Campbell eloquently remarks, "It can be no great exaggeration to say, that these lines in the speech. of Marullus are among the most magnificent in the English language. They roll over my mind's ear like the lordliest notes of a cathedral organ."

"Let no images

Be hung with Cæsar's trophies."-Act I., Scene 1. There were set up images of Cæsar in the city, with diadems on their head like kings. Those the two tribunes went and pulled down.-PLUTARCH (North's Translation).

"Let me have men about me that are fat; Sleekhead d men, and such as sleep o' nights." Act I., Scene 2. Cæsar also had Cassius in great jealousy, and suspected him much whereupon he said on a time to his friends, "What will Cassius do, think ye? I like not his pale looks." Another time, when Cæsar's friends complained unto him of Antonius and Dolabella, that they pretended some mischief towards him, he answered them again, "As for those fat men and smooth-combed heads (quoth he), I never reckon of them; but these pale-visaged and carrion-lean people, I fear them most:" meaning Brutus and Cassius.—PLUTARCH.

“A common slave (you know him well by sight) Held up his left hand, which did flame and burn.” Act I., Scene 3. 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, inasmuch as they that saw it thought he had been burned; but when the fire was out, it was found he had no hurt.-PLUTARCH.

"Good Cinna, take this paper,

And look you lay it in the prætor's chair, Where Brutus may but find it."-Act I., Scene 3. For Brutus, his friends and countrymen, both by divers procurements and sundry rumours of the city, and by many bills also, did openly call and procure him to do that he did. For under the image of his ancestor Junius Brutus (that drave the kings out of Rome), they wrote, "O that it pleased the gods thou wert now alive, Brutus!" And again, "That thou wert here among us now!" His tribunal, or chair, where he gave audience during the time he was prætor, was full of such bills:-"Brutus, thou art asleep, and art not Brutus indeed!"-PLUTARCH.

"The genius and the mortal instruments Are then in council."-Act II., Scene 1. Shakspere is describing what passes in a single bosom; the insurrection which a conspirator feels agitating the little

"I can o'ersway him; for he loves to hear That unicorns may be betrayed with trees, And bears with glasses, elephants with holes.” Act II., Scene 1. Unicorns are said to have been taken by one who, running behind a tree, eluded the violent push the animal was making at him; so that the unicorn's horn spent its force on the trunk, and stuck fast, detaining the animal till he was despatched by the hunter. There is a similar allusion in Spenser's "FAERY QUEEN," (b. ii., c. 5). Bears are reported to have been surprised by means of a mirror, which they would gaze on, affording their pursuers an opportunity of taking the surer aim. Elephants were seduced into pitfalls, lightly covered with hurdles and turf, on which a proper bait to tempt them was exposed.-STEEVENS.

"I grant I am a woman; but withal

A woman that lord Brutus took to wife.”

Act II., Scene 1.

I being, O Brutus (said she), the daughter of Cato, was married unto thee, not to be thy companion in bed and at board only, like a harlot; but to be partaker also with thee of thy good and evil fortune. Now for thyself, I can find no cause of fault in thee touching our match: but for my part, how may shew my duty towards thee, and how much 1 would do for thy sake, if I cannot constantly bear a secret mischance or grief with thee which requireth secrecy and fidelity? I confess that a woman's wit commonly is too weak to keep a secret safely: but yet, Brutus, good education and the company of virtuous men have some power to reform the defect of nature. And for myself, I have this benefit moreover, that I am the daughter of Cato and wife of Brutus.PLUTARCH.

"And graves have yawned and yielded up their dead. Act II, Scene 2.

This line recals a passage in "HAMLET:"—

"A little ere the mightiest Julius fell, The graves stood tenantless, and the sheeted dead Did squeak and gibber in the Roman streets."

"Pon. I pr'y thee, 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.”—Act II., Scene 3. Perturbation of mind is admirably expressed in "KING RICHARD III.," as here by Portia :

"Rich. Dull, unmindful villain!

Why stay'st thou here, and go'st not to the duke ?

Cat. First, mighty liege, tell me your highness' pleasure."

"Et tu, Brute?-Then fall, Caesar!"-Act III., Scene 1. Suetonius relates that, according to some authorities, Cæsar exclaimed in Greek, as Brutus approached to stab him, "And thou, my son?" He makes no mention of the Latin phrase attributed to him in the text, neither does Plutarch, who states that the conspirators "compassed him on every side, with their swords drawn in their hands, that Cæsar turned him nowhere but he was stricken by some. Men report also, that Cæsar did still defend himself against the rest, running every way with his body; but when he saw Brutus with his sword drawn in his hand, then he pulled his gown over his head, and made no more resistance."

The often-quoted words probably appeared for the first time in the earlier Latin play on the subject, by Dr. Eedes.

"There is no harm intended to your person,

Nor to no Roman else."-Act III., Scene 1.

The use of two negatives, not to make an affirmative, but to deny more strongly, is common to Chaucer, Spenser, and other of our ancient writers. Hickes observes that, in the Saxon, even four negatives are sometimes conjoined, and still preserve a negative signification.-STEEVENS.

"Cry' Havock!' and let slip the dogs of war."

Act III., Scene 1. In military operations of old, the word "havock" signified that no quarter should be given. By the "dogs of war," are probably meant famine, sword, and fire. As in "KING HENRY V.:"

"Leashed in like hounds, should famine, sword, and fire, Crouch for employment."

"Those that will hear me speak, let them stay here." Act III., Scene 2.

A great number of men being assembled together, one after another, Brutus made an oration unto them, to win the favour of the people, and to justify that they had done. All those that were by, said they had done well, and cried unto them that they boldly come down from the Capitol whereupon Brutus and his companions came boldly down into the market place. The rest followed in troop, but Brutus went foremost, very honourably compassed in round about with the noblest men of the city.-PLUTARCH.

"Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears. I come to bury Cæsar, not to praise him." Act III, Scene 2. Then Antonius, thinking good his testament should be read openly, and also that his body should be honourably buried, and not in hugger mugger, lest the people might thereby take occasion to be worse offended if they did otherwise, Cassius stoutly spake against it, but Brutus went with the motion, and agreed unto it: wherein it seemeth he committed a second fault: for the first fault he did was when he would not consent to his fellow-conspirators that Antonius should be slain; and therefore he was justly accused that thereby he had saved and strengthened a strong and grievous enemy of their conspiracy. The second fault was when he agreed that Cæsar's funerals should be as Antonius would have them; the which indeed marred all. For, first of all, when Cæsar's testament was openly read amongst them, whereby it appeared that he bequeathed unto every citizen of Rome, seventy-five drachmas a man, and that he left his gardens and arbours unto the people which he had on this side of the river Tiber, in the place where now the temple of Fortune is built, the people then loved him, and were marvellous sorry for him.-PLUTARCH.

"I am not Cinna the conspirator."-Act III., Scene 3. "Through a most extraordinary licence, or indolence in the collation of copies, this entire line is omitted in all modern editions."-PICTORIAL SHAKSPERE.

The line in question was first, probably, omitted in the

last edition of Steevens and Reed (1803); at least we have found it in all those earlier copies that have hitherto fallen in our way. We will, therefore, merely mention four editions of subsequent date, and of no extraordinary pretensions, in which we have observed the line supposed by our contemporary to be "omitted in all modern editions." These are, Whittingham's (7 vols., Chiswick, 1814); Hurst and Robinson's (2 vols., 1819); Fraser and Crawford's (Edinb., 1 vol., 1838; Orr, London); Sherwood's (London Stage edition, 1 vol., 1825). These copies have all come casually under our notice, and there are doubtless many others that give the line quoted; at the same time, it must be admitted that we have also seen several in which it is wanting. Our contemporary has unwittingly fallen into so many mistakes as to the supposed errors of all preceding modern editions, particularly with reference to the three great Roman plays, that it is but fair towards others to enter a general caution on the subject, without impeaching the special merits of the critic alluded to.

"Most noble brother, you have done me wrong."

Act IV., Scene 2. About this time, Brutus sent to pray Cassius to come to the city of Sardis, and so he did. Brutus understanding of his coming, went to meet him with all his friends. There, both armies being armed, they called them both Emperors.

Now, as it commonly happeneth in great affairs between two persons, both of them having many friends, and so many captains under them, there ran tales and complaints betwixt them. Therefore, before they fell in hand with any other matter, they went into a little chamber together, and bade every man avoid, and did shut the doors to them. They then began to pour out their complaints one to the other, and grew hot and loud, earnestly accusing one another, and at length fell both a-weeping.-PLUTARCH.

44

By heaven, I had rather coin my heart,

And drop my blood for drachmas, than to wring
From the hurd hands of peasants their vile trash
By any indirection !"-Act IV., Scene 3.

This is a noble sentiment, altogether in character, and expressed in a manner inimitably happy. For "to wring" implies both to get unjustly, and to use force in getting: and "hard hands" signify both the peasant's great labour and pains in acquiring, and his great unwillingness to quit his hold.-WARBURTON.

"CAS. A friend should bear his friend's infirmilies; But Brutus makes mine greater than they are.

BRU. I do not till you practise them on me."
Act IV., Scene 3.

The meaning is this:-"I do not look for your faults: I only see them, and mention them with vehemence, when you force them into my notice by practising them on me."JonNsoN.

"What should the wars do with these jigging fools?" Act IV., Scene 3. By "jigging fools" is meant silly poets. A jig signified (as mentioned in the notes to "HAMLET," Act ii.) a metrical composition, as well as a dance.

With this she fell distract,

And her attendants absent, swallowed fire."

Act IV., Scene 3.

And for Portia, Brutus' wife, Nicolaus the philosopher, and Valerius Maximus do write that she, determining to kill herself (her parents and friends carefully looking to her to keep her from it), took hot burning coals and cast them into her mouth, and kept her mouth so close that she choked herself. PLUTARCH.

"BRU. Speak to me what thou art.

GHOST. Thy evil spirit, Brutus."--Act IV., Scene 3. As they prepared to pass over again out of Asia into Europe, there went a rumour that there appeared a wonderful sign unto him.

Brutus was a careful man, and slept very little. After he had slumbered a little after supper, he spent all the rest of the night in despatching of his weightiest causes; and after he had taken order for them, if he had any leisure left him he would read some book till the third watch of the night, at what time the captains, petty captains, and colonels, did use to come unto him.

So, being ready to go into Europe, one night (when all the camp took quiet rest), as he was in his tent with a little light, thinking of weighty matters, he thought he heard one come in to him, and, casting his eye towards the door of his tent, that he saw a wonderful, strange, and monstrous shape of a body coming towards him, and said never a word. So Brutus boldly asked what he was, a god or a man, and what cause brought him thither. The spirit answered him, "I am thy evil spirit, Brutus, and thou shalt see me by the city of Philippes." Brutus, being no otherwise afraid, replied again unto it, "Well, then, I shall see thee again."

The spirit presently vanished away; and Brutus called his men unto him, who told him that they heard no noise, nor saw anything at all. Thereupon Brutus returned again to think on his matters as he did before: and when the day broke he went unto Cassius, to tell him what vision had appeared unto him in the night.-PLUTARCH.

"They mean to warn us at Philippi here."-Act V., Scene 1.

"To warn" meant formerly to summon, as well as to caution. As in "KING JOHN:"

"Who is it that hath warned us to the walls?" And in "KING RICHARD III.:"

"And sent to warn them to his royal presence."

"Ride, ride, Messala, ride, and give these hills

Unto the legions on the other side."-Act V., Scene 2. In the meantime, Brutus, that led the right wing, sent little bills to the colonels and captains of private bands, in which he wrote the order of the battle.-PLUTARCH.

"Statilius showed the torchlight; but, my lord, Ile came not back."-Act V., Scene 5. Furthermore, Brutus thought that there was no great number of men slain in battle; and to know the truth of it there was one, called Statilius, that promised to go through his enemies (for otherwise it was impossible to go see their camp), and from thence, if all were well, that he should lift up a torchlight in the air, and then return again with speed to him. The torchlight was lift up as he had promised, for Statilius went thither. Now Brutus, seeing Statilius tarry long after that, and that he came not again, he said, "If Statilius be alive, he will come again:" but his evil fortune was such that, as he came back, he lighted in his enemies' hands, and was slain.-PLUTARCH.

"Sit thee down, Clitus: slaying is the word."

Act V., Scene 5.

Now the night being far spent, Brutus, as he sat, bowed towards Clitus, one of his men, and told him somewhat in his ear: the other answered him not, but fell a-weeping. Thereupon he proved Dardanus, and said somewhat also to him.

At length he came to Volumnius himself, and, speaking to him in Greek, prayed him for the studies' sake which brought them acquainted together, that he would help him to put his hand to his sword, to thrust it in him to kill him. Volumnius denied his request, and so did many others; and amongst the rest, one of them said there was no tarrying for them there, but that they must needs fly.

Then Brutus, rising up, "We must fly, indeed (said he), but it must be with our hands, not with our feet.” Then, taking every man by the hand, he said these words unto them with a cheerful countenance: "It rejoiceth my heart that not one of my friends hath failed me at my need; and I do not complain of my fortune, but only for my country's sake: for, as for me. I think myself happier than they that have overcome, considering that I leave a perpetual fame of our courage and manhood; the which our enemies, the conquerors, shall never attain unto by force or money: neither can let [hinder] their posterity to say that they, being naughty and unjust men, have slain good men, to usurp tyrannical power not pertaining to them."

Having said so, he prayed every man to shift for themselves; and then he went a little aside with two or three only, among the which Strato was one, with whom he came first acquainted by the study of rhetoric. He came as near to him as he could, and taking his sword by the hilts with both his hands, and falling down upon the point of it, ran himself through. Others say that not he, but Strato (at his request), held the sword in his hand, and turned his head aside, and that Brutus fell down upon it, and so ran himself through, and died presently.-PLUTARCH.

Gildon long ago remarked that Brutus was the true hero of this tragedy, and not Cæsar. Schlegel makes the same observation. The poet has portrayed the character of Brutus with peculiar care, and developed all the amiable traits, the feeling, and patriotic heroism of it with supereminent skill. He has been less happy in personifying Cæsar, to whom he has given several ostentatious speeches, unsuited to his character, if we may judge from the impressions made upon us by his own Commentaries. The character of Cassius is also touched with great nicety and discrimination, and is admirably contrasted to that of Brutus: his superiority in independent volition, and his discernment in judging of human affairs, are pointed out;" while the purity of mind and conscientious love of justice in Brutus, unfit him to be the head of a party in a state entirely corrupted: these amiable failings gave, in fact, an unfortunate turn to the cause of the conspirators.

The play abounds in well-wrought and affecting scenes. It is scarcely necessary to mention the celebrated dialogue between Brutus and Cassius, in which the design of the conspiracy is opened to Brutus:-the quarrel between them, rendered doubly touching by the close, when Cassius learns the death of Portia; and which one is surprised to think that any critic susceptible of feeling should pronounce "cold and unaffecting;"--the scene between Brutus and Portia, where she endeavours to extort the secret of the conspiracy from him, in which is that heart-thrilling burst of tenderness which Portia's heroic behaviour awakens:

"You are my true and honourable wife:
As dear to me as are the ruddy drops
That visit my sad heart."

The speeches of Marc Autony over the dead body of Cæsar, and the artful eloquence with which he captivates the multitude, are justly classed among the happiest effusions of poetic declamation.-SINGER.