For tinctures, stains, relicks, and cognisance'.
This by Calphurnia's dream is fignify'd.

Caef. And this way have you well expounded it.
Dec. I have, when you have heard what I can say:
And know it now; The fenate have concluded
To give, this day, a crown to mighty Cæfar.
If you fhall fend them word, you will not come,
Their minds may change. Befides, it were a mock
Apt to be render'd, for fome one to say,

Break up the fenate till another time,

When Cafar's wife fhall meet with better dreams.
If Cæfar hide himself, fhall they not whisper,

Lo, Cæfar is afraid?

Pardon me, Cæfar; for my dear, dear love
To your proceeding bids me tell you this;
And reafon to my love is liable 2.

Caf. How foolish do your fears feem now, Calphurnia? I am afhamed I did yield to them.

Give me my robe, for I will go:

Enter PUBLIUS, BRUTUS, LIGARIUS, METELLUS, CASCA, TREBONIUS, and CINNA.

And look where Publius is come to fetch me.

Pub. Good morrow, Cæfar.

Caf. Welcome, Publius.

What, Brutus, are you ftirr'd fo early too?-
Good-morrow, Cafca.-Caius Ligarius,
Cæfar was ne'er fo much your enemy,

As that fame ague which hath made you lean.-
What is't o'clock ?

and that great men fhall prefs

For tinctures, ftains, relicks, and cognizance.] This speech, which is intentionally pompcus, is fomewhat confufed. There are two allufions; one to coats armorial, to which princes make additions, or give new tinctures, and new marks of cognisance; the other to martyrs, whofe reliques are preferved with veneration. The Romans, fays Decius, all come to you as to a faint, for reliques, as to a prince, for honours. JOHNSON.

I believe tinctures has no relation to heraldry, but means merely handkerchiefs, or other linen, tinged with blood. Bullokar in his Expofiter, 1616, defines it "a dipping, colouring or staining of a thing." See p. 374,

"And dip their napkins", &c. MALONE.

2 And reafon, &c.] And reafon, or propriety of conduct and language, is fubordinate to my love. JOHNSON.

Bru.

Bru. Cæfar, 'tis ftricken eight.

Caf. 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 moft noble Cæfar.

Caf. Bid them

prepare within:

I am to blame to be thus waited for.

Now, Cinna:-Now, Metellus :-What, Trebonius!
I have an hour's talk in ftore for you;

Remember that you call on me to-day:

[Afiae

Be near me, that I may remember you.
Treb. Cæfar, I will and fo near will I be,
That your
best friends fhall wish I had been further.
Caf. Good friends, go in, and taste some wine with me;
And we, like friends, will ftraightway go together.
Bru. That every like is not the fame, O Cæfar,
The heart of Brutus yearns to think upon!

SCENE III.

The fame. Aftreet near the Capitol.

Enter ARTEMIDORUS, reading a paper.

[Exeunt.

Art. Cæfar, beware of Brutus; take heed of Caffius; come not near Cafca; have an eye to Cinna; truft not Trebonius ; mark well Metellus Cimber; Decius Brutus loves thee not; thou haft wrong'd Caius Ligarius. There is but one mind in all these men, and it is bent against Cæfar. If thou be'ft not immortal, look about you: Security gives way to confpiThe mighty gods defend thee! Thy lover3,

racy.

Here will I ftand, till Cæfar pafs along,

Artemidorus.

If thou read this, O Cæfar, thou may'st live;

If not, the fates with traitors de contrive+.

3- Thy lover,] See p. 283, n. 4. MALONE.

[Exit.

4- the fates with traitors do contrive.] The fates join with trai- . tors in contriving thy deftruction. JOHNSON.

VOL. VII.

A a

SCENE

The fame. Another part of the fame fireet, before the bouft

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 doft thou ftays?

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.-
O conftancy, be ftrong upon my fide!

Set a huge mountain 'tween my heart and tongue!
I have a man's mind, but a woman's might.
How hard it is for women to keep counsel !
Art thou here yet?

Luc. Madam, what should I do?

Run to the Capitol, and nothing else?

And fo return to you, and nothing else?

Por. Yes, bring me word, boy, if thy lord look well, For he went fickly forth: And take good note,

What Cæfar doth, what fuitors prefs to him.

Hark, boy! what noise is that?

Luc. I hear none, madam.

Por. Pr'ythee, liften well:

I heard a bustling rumour, like a fray,
And the wind brings it from the Capitol.
Luc. Sooth, madam, I hear nothing.
Enter Soothsayer.

Por. Come hither, fellow: Which way haft thou been?
Sooth. At mine own houfe, good lady.

Por. What is't o'clock ?

Sooth. About the ninth hour, lady.

Por. Is Cæfar yet gone to the Capitol ?

Sooth. Madam, not yet; I go to take my ftand,

5 Why doft thou stay ? &c.] Shakspeare has expreffed the perturbation of K. Richard the third's mind by the fame incident:

66

Dull, unmindful villain !

"Why stay'st thou here, and go'st not to the duke?—
"Car. First, mighty liege, tell me your highness' pleasure,
"What from your grace I fhall deliver to him."

STEVENS

Το

To fee him pass on to the Capitol.

Por. Thou haft fome fuit to Cæfar, haft thou not? Sooth. That I have, lady: if it will please Cæfar To be fo good to Cæfar, as to hear me,

I shall befeech 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.

Good morrow to you. Here the street is narrow:
The throng that follows Cæfar at the heels,
Of fenators, of prætors, common fuitors,
Will crowd a feeble man almoft to death:
I'll get me to a place more void, and there
Speak to great Cæfar as he comes along.

Por. I muft go in.-Ah me! how weak a thing
The heart of woman is! O Brutus!
The heavens speed thee in thine enterprize!
Sure, the boy heard me :-Brutus hath a suit*,
That Cæfar will not grant.-O, 1 grow faint:-
Run, Lucius, and commend me to my lord;
Say, I am merry: come to me again,
And bring me word what he doth fay to thee.

ACT III.

[Exit.

[Exeunt.

SCENE I.

The fame. The Capitol; the Senate fitting.

A crowd 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, ANTO-
NY, LEPIDUS, POPILIUS, PUBLIUS, and Others.
Caf. The ides of March are come.
Sooth. Ay, Cæfar; but not gone.
Art. Hail, Cæfar! Read this schedule.
Dec. Trebonius doth defire you to o'er-read,

At your best leisure, this his humble fuit.

Brutus bath a fuit, &c.] These words Portia addreffes to Lucius, to deceive him, by affigning a falfe caufe for her present perturbation.

A a 2

MALONE.

Art.

Art. O, Cæfar, read mine firft; for mine's a fuit
That touches Cæfar nearer: Read it, great Cæfar.
Caf. What touches us ourself, fhall be last serv'd.
Art. Delay not, Cæfar; read it instantly.
Caf. What, is the fellow mad?

Pub. Sirrah, give place.

Caf. What, urge you your petitions in the street?
Come to the Capitol.

Cæfar enters the Capitol, the reft following.
All the Senators rife.

Pop. I wish, your enterprize to-day may thrive.
Caf. What enterprize, Popilius?

Pop. Fare you well.

Bru. What faid Popilius Lena?

[advances to Cæfar.

Caf. He wish'd, to-day our enterprize might thrive.

I fear, our purpose is discovered.

Bru. Look, how he makes to Cæfar: Mark him. Caf. Casca, be sudden, for we fear prevention. Brutus, what shall be done? If this be known, Caffius or Cæfar never shall turn back*,

For

*Caffius or Cæfar never fhall turn back,] I believe Shakspeare wrote: Caffius on Cæfar never fhall turn back.

The next line ftrongly fupports this conjecture. If the confpiracy was difcovered, and the affaffination of Cæfar rendered impracticable by "prevention," which is the cafe fuppofed, Caffius could have no hope of being able to prevent Cæfar from turning back" (allowing "turn back to be used for return back); and in all events this confpirator's "flaying bimfelf" could not produce that effect.

The paffage in Plutarch's life of Brutus, which Shakspeare appears to have had in his thoughts, adds fuch ftrength to this emendation, that if it had been propofed by any former editor, I should have given it a place in the text. "Popilius Læna, that had talked before with Brutus and Caffius, and had prayed the gods they might bring this enterprize to pass, went unto Cæfar, and kept him a long time with a talke.Wherefore the confpirators-conjecturing by that he had tolde them a little before, that his talke was none other but the verie discoverie of their confpiracie, they were affrayed everie man of them, and one looking in another's face, it was eafie to fee that they were all of a minde, that it was no tarrying for them till they were apprebended, but rather that they should kill themselves with their own bandes. And when Caffius and certain others clapped their handes on their fwordes under their gownes to draw them, Brutus, marking the countenance and gef. ture of Læna, &c. with a pleafant countenance encouraged Caffius." &c. They clapped their hands on their daggers undoubtedly to be ready to kill themselves, if they were discovered. Shakspeare was induced to give

.