To monstrous quality, - why, you shall find That heaven hath infus'd them with these spirits, Now could I, Casca, name to thee a man Most like this dreadful night, That thunders, lightens, opens graves, and roars A man no mightier than thyself or me In personal action, yet prodigious grown And fearful, as these strange eruptions are.. 70 Casca. 'Tis Cæsar that you mean; is it not, Cassius? Cas. Let it be who it is: for Romans now Have thews and limbs like to their ancestors; But, woe the while! our fathers' minds are dead, And we are govern'd with our mothers' spirits; Our yoke and sufferance show us womanish. Casca. Indeed, they say the senators to-morrow And he shall wear his crown by sea and land, 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; If I know this, know all the world besides, I can shake off at pleasure. 80 90 [Thunder still. So Casca. So can I: 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 And I will set this foot of mine as far As who Cas. goes farthest. 100 110 There's a bargain made. 120 Now know you, Casca, I have mov'd already Of honourable-dangerous consequence; : In Pompey's porch for now, this fearful night, And the complexion of the element In favour's like the work we have in hand, Most bloody, fiery, and most terrible. 130 106. [hinds. A double sense of deer, and menial servant.] 125. [by this=by this time.] Casca. Stand close awhile, for here comes one in haste. Cas. 'Tis Cinna; I do know him by his gait; He is a friend. Enter CINNA. Cinna, where haste you so? Cin. To find out you. Who's that? Cimber? Cas. No, it is Casca; one incorporate Metellus l'o our attempts. Am I not stay'd for, Cinna? Cin. I am glad on 't. What a fearful night is this! There's two or three of us have seen strange sights. Cas. Am I not stay'd for? tell me. Cas. Be you content: good Cinna, take this paper, And look you lay it in the prætor's chair, Where Brutus may but find it; and throw this Cin. All but Metellus Cimber; and he's gone Come, Casca, you and I will yet ere day 146. [See Act I., Sc. 2, 1. 159.] 150 [Exit Cinna 148. Is Decius Brutus and, etc. Mere heedless writing; not the " grammar " of Shakespeare's time. So in line 154, below, "three parts of him is," etc. Is ours already, and the man entire Upon the next encounter yields him ours. Casca. O, he sits high in all the people's hearts: And that which would appear offence in us, His countenance, like richest alchemy, Will change to virtue and to worthiness. 160 Cas. Him and his worth and our great need of him You have right well conceited. Let us go, For it is after midnight; and ere day We will awake him and be sure of him. [Exeunt. ACT II BRUTUS's orchard. SCENE I. Rome. Enter BRUTUS. Bru. What, Lucius, ho! I cannot by the progress of the stars, Enter LUCIUS. Luc. Call'd you, my lord? Bru. Get me a taper in my study, Lucius: When it is lighted, come and call me here. Luc. I will, my lord. [Exit. Bru. It must be by his death: and for my part, 10 I know no personal cause to spurn at him, 159. [countenance = favor. Here again one may note the curious interchange in meaning in all these words, face," "favor," "countenance." We use the last with similar significance, both as a verb and as a noun.] 5. When . . . when ?= Will you ever come? pression of impatience - an ex How that might change his nature, there's the ques tion. It is the bright day that brings forth the adder; that; Crown him?-- And then, I grant, we put a sting in him, 20 20 30 Then, lest he may, prevent. And, since the quarrel Re-enter LUCIUS. Luc. The taper burneth in your closet, sir. Searching the window for a flint, I found This paper, thus seal'd up; and, I am sure, It did not lie there when I went to bed. 19. [Remorse = pity.] [Gives him the letter. 20. affections does not mean love, but prejudices, habits of mind, taste, feeling excited by a man's surroundings; that which he affects and which affects him. |