Imatges de pàgina
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But I am conftant as the northern star,
Of whofe true, fixt, and refting quality,
There is no fellow in the firmament.

The skies are painted with unnumbred sparks,
They are all fire, and every one doth shine;
But there's but one in all doth hold his place:
So, in the world, 'tis furnifh'd well with men,
And men are flesh and blood, and apprehensive;
Yet, in the number, I do know but one
That unaffailable holds on his rank,
Unfhak'd of motion: and, that I am he,

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Let me a little fhew it, even in this;

That I was conftant, Cimber should be banish'd;
And conftant do remain to keep him fo.

Cim. O Cæfar,

Caf. Hence! Wilt thou lift up Olympus?
Dec. Great Cæfar,

Caf. 7 Doth not Brutus bootlefs kneel?

Cafea. Speak hands for me. [They ftab Cafar.
Caf. Et tu, Brute?--Then fall Cæfar!

[Dies. Cin. Liberty! Freedom! Tyranny is dead! Run hence, proclaim, cry it about the streets.

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-appreherfive;] Sufceptible of fear, or other paffions.

5 but one] One, and only one.

JOHNSON. JOHNSON.

-holds on his rank,] Perhaps, bol's on his race; continues We commonly fay, To hold a rank, and To hold on

his courfe.

a courfe or way.
7 Deth not Brutus bootlefs kneel?] I would read,

Do not Brutus bootlef's kneel!

JOHNSON.

JOHNSON.

Doth not Brutus bootlfs kneel?] I cannot subscribe to Mr. Johnfon's opinion. Cæfar, as fome of the confpirators are preffing round him, anfwers their importunity properly; See you not my own Brutus kneeling in vain? What fuccefs can you expect to your folicitations, when his are ineffectual? This might have put the late editor in mind of the paffage of Homer, which he has employed in his preface. Thou? (faid Achilles to his captive) when Juba man as Patroclus has fallen before thee, doft thou complain of the common lot of mortality? STEEVENS

Caf

Caf. Some to the common pulpits, and cry out,
"Liberty, freedom, and enfranchisement !"
Bru. People, and fenators! be not affrighted;
Fly not, ftand still. Ambition's debt is paid.

Cafca. Go to the pulpit, Brutus.

Dec. And Caffius too.

Bru. Where's Publius?

Cin. Here, quite confounded with this mutiny. Met. Stand faft together, left fome friends of Cæfar's

Should chance

Bru. Talk not of ftanding. Publius, good cheer; There is no harm intended to your person, Nor to no Roman elfe: fo tell them, Publius.

Cafca. And leave us, Publius; left that the people, Rushing on us, should do your age fome mifchief. Bru Do fo; and let no man abide this deed, But we the doers.

Enter Trebonius.

Caf. Where is Antony?

Tre. Fled to his house amaz’d.

Men, wives, and children, ftare, cry out, and run, As it were dooms-day.

Bru. Fates! we will know your pleasures :That we fhall die, we know, 'tis but the time, And drawing days out, that men stand upon. Caf. Why, he that cuts off twenty years of life, Cuts off fo many years of fearing death.

Bru. Grant that, and then is death a benefit: So are we Cæfar's friends, that have abridg'd His time of fearing death.- Stoop, Romans, stoop;

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And

Stoop, Romans, ftoop, &c.] In all the editions this speech is afcribed to Brutus, than which nothing is more inconfiftent with his mild and philofophical character. But (as I often find speeches

And let us bathe our hands in Cæfar's blood
Up to the elbows, and befmear our swords:
Then walk we forth even to the market-place,
And, waving our red weapons o'er our heads,
Let's all cry, "Peace! Freedom! and Liberty !"
Caf. Stoop then, and wash. How many ages hence
[Dipping their fwords in Cafar's blood.

Shall this our lofty fcene be acted o'er,

In ftates unborn, and accents yet unknown?
Bru. How many times fhall Cæfar bleed in fport,
That now on Pompey's bafis lies along,

No worthier than the duft?

Caf. So oft as that shall be,

So often fhall the knot of us be call'd
The men that gave their country liberty.
Dec. What, fhall we forth?

Caf. Ay, every man away:

Brutus fhall lead; and we will grace his heels
With the most boldest, and beft hearts of Rome.

Enter a Servant.

Bru. Soft, who comes here? A friend of Antony's.

in the later editions put into wrong mouths, different from the first published by the author) L.hink this liberty not unreasonable.

РОРЕ.

-Stoop, Romans, foop ;] Mr. Pope has arbitrarily taken away the remainder of this fpeech from Brutus, and placed it to Cafca: because he thinks nothing is more inconfiftent with Brutus's mild and philofophical character. I have made bold to reflore the fpeech to its right owner. Brutus efteem'd the death of Cæfar a facrifice to liberty: and, as fuch, gloried in his heading the enterprize. Befides, our poet is ftrictly copying a fact in hiftory. Plutarch, in the life of Cæfar, fays, "Brutus and his followers, being 66 yet hot with the murder, march'd in a body from the fenate house "to the capitol, with their drawn fwords, with an air of confidence " and affurance." And, in the life of Brutus,-" Brutus and "his party betook themselves to the Capitol, and in their way, "fhewing their bands all bloody, and their naked fwords, proclaim'd liberty to the people."

Dr. Warburton follows Pope.

THEOB. JOHNSON.

;

Serv. Thus, Brutus, did my mafter bid me kneel
Thus did Mark Antony bid me fall down; [Kneeling.
And, being proftrate, thus he bade me fay.
Brutus is noble, wife, valiant, and honeft;
Cæfar was mighty, bold, royal, and loving:
Say, I love Brutus, and I honour him;

Say, I fear'd Cæfar, honour'd him, and lov'd him.
If Brutus will vouchfafe that Antony
May fafely come to him, and be refolv'd
How Cæfar hath deserv'd to lie in death,
Mark Antony fhall not love Cæfar dead,
So well as Brutus living; but will follow
The fortunes and affairs of noble Brutus,
Thorough the hazards of this untrod state,
With all true faith. So fays my mafter Antony.
Bru. Thy master is a wife and valiant Roman;
I never thought him worse.

Tell him, so please him come unto this place,
He fhall be satisfied; and, by my honour,

Depart untouch'd.

Serv. I'll fetch him prefently.

[Exit Servant.

Bru. I know that we shall have him well to friend.

Caf. I wish we may : but yet have I a mind, That fears him much; and my mifgiving ftill Falls fhrewdly to the purpose.

Enter Antony.

Bru. But here comes Antony.-Welcome, Mark
Antony.

Ant. O mighty Cæfar! doft thou lie fo low?
Are all thy conquefts, glories, triumphs, fpoils,
Shrunk to this little measure ?-Fare thee well.-
I know not, gentlemen, what
you intend,
Who elfe must be let blood, 9 who elfe is rank:

—who else is rank;] Who elfe may be fuppofed to have overtopped his equals, and grown too high for the public fafety. JOHNS.

If I myself, there is no hour fo fit

As Cæfar's death's hour; nor no inftrument
Of half that worth as thofe your fwords, made rich
With the most noble blood of all this world.

I do befeech ye, if ye bear me hard,

Now, whilft your purpled hands do reek and smoke,
Fulfil your pleasure. Live a thousand years,
I fhall not find myself fo apt to die:

No place will please me fo, no mean of death,
As here by Cæfar, and by you cut off,
The choice and mafter fpirits of this age.

Bru. O Antony! beg not your death of us.
Though now we must appear bloody and cruel,
As, by our hands, and this our present act,
You fee, we do; yet fee you but our hands,
And this the bleeding bufinefs they have done:
Our hearts you fee not, they are pitiful;
And pity to the general wrong of Rome
(As fire drives out fire, fo pity, pity)

Hath done this deed on Cæfar. For your part,
To you our swords have leaden points, Mark
Antony :

2 Our arms in strength of malice, and our hearts, Of brother's temper, do receive you in

With all kind love, good thoughts, and reverence.

1 Our arms exempt from malice,] This is the reading only of the modern editions, yet perhaps the true reading. The old copy has, Our arms in ftrength of malice. JOHNSON.

The old reading I believe to have been what the author meant, and the last editor feems to have given a fanction to the alteration of his predeceffors without confidering the context.

To you, (fays Brutus) cur fwords have leaden points; our arms, Strong in the deed of malice they have just performed, and our hearts united like thofe of brothers in the action, are yet open to receive you with all posible affection. The fuppofition that Brutus meant, their hearts were of brothers temper in respect of Antony, seems to have mifled those who have confidered this paffage before. I have replaced the old reading. Mr. Pope firft fubftituted the words exempt from, in its place. STEEVENS.

Caf.

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