CAS. Those that have known the earth so full of faults. a For my part, I have walk'd about the streets, CASCA. But wherefore did you so much tempt the heavens? It is the part of men to fear and tremble, [life b CAS. You are dull, Casca; and those sparks of Now could I, Casca, name to thee a man That thunders, lightens, opens graves, and roars CASCA. 'Tis Cæsar that you mean; is it not, CAS. Let it be who it is: for Romans now CASCA. Indeed, they say the senators to-morrow Mean to establish Cæsar as a king; And he shall wear his crown by sea and land, In every place, save here in Italy. CAS. I know where I will wear this dagger then ; Cassius from bondage will deliver Cassius: Therein, ye gods, you make the weak most strong; athe thunder-stone:] "The thunder-stone is the imaginary produce of the thunder, which the ancients called Brontia, mentioned by Pliny (N. H. xxxvii. 10) as a species of gem, and as that which, falling with the lightning, does the mischief."CRAIK. b Why birds and beasts, from quality and kind;] That is, why they reverse their habits and nature. Why old men fools, and children calculate ;] The old copy points thus, "Why old men, fools, and children calculate; " Therein, ye gods, you tyrants do defeat: [Thunder still. So can I : So every bondman in his own hand bears The power to cancel his captivity. CAS. And why should Cæsar be a tyrant, then? So vile a thing as Cæsar!-but, O, grief! CASCA. You speak to Casca; and to such a man CAS. Of honourable-dangerous consequence; In Pompey's porch for now, this fearful night, In favour's like the work we have in hand, [haste. CASCA. Stand close awhile, for here comes one in CAS. 'Tis Cinna,-I do know him by his gait; He is a friend. but the punctuation we adopt, which was long ago suggested by Blackstone, clearly gives the sense and antithesis intended, i. e. why we have all these fires, &c. why old men, in spite of their experience, have turned fools, and children prophesy. dmonstrous-] unnatural, ominously prophetic. eprodigious-] Portentous, ominous. f In favour's like] This is Johnson's reading. The folio has, "Is Favors, like," &c. Capell proposed, "Is favoured like; Rowe, "Is fererous like," &c.; and Mr. Hunter would substitute "It favours like," &c. To seek you at your house. Well, I will hie, CAS. That done, repair to Pompey's theatre. Come, Casca, you and I will yet, ere day, CASCA. O, he sits high in all the people's hearts: You have right well conceited. Let us go, question. It is the bright day that brings forth the adder; And that craves wary walking. Crown him?that; And then, I grant, we put a sting in him, I have not known when his affections sway'd quarrel Will bear no colour for the thing he is, And kill him in the shell. BRU. Get you to bed again, it is not day. Is not to-morrow, boy, the ides of March? Luc. I know not, sir. BRU. Look in the calendar, and bring me word. Luc. I will, sir. [Exit. BRU. The exhalations, whizzing in the air, Give so much light, that I may read by them. [Opens the letter and reads. "Brutus, thou sleep'st; awake! and see thyself. Shall Rome, &c. Speak, strike, redress !"— Brutus, thou sleep'st; awake! Such instigations have been often dropp'd Shall Rome, &c. Thus must I piece it out; Re-enter LUCIUS. Luc. The taper burneth in your closet, sir. Searching the window for a flint, I found [Giving a letter. This thus seal'd up; and, I am sure, paper, It did not lie there when I went to bed. I know no personal cause to spurn at him, This may either mean,-I know no personal cause of enmity against him; only the general, i.e. the public good; or,-I know no personal cause, &c. only the general one, that he would be crowned. bhe may do danger with.] He may do damage, or mischief with. c-prevent.] We have before explained that to prevent (prævenire) in Shakespeare's day was always employed in the sense of to come before, or anticipate; whether the purpose of prevention were to hinder or to aid. das his kind,-] According to his nature; or, like his species. |