For tinctures, stains, relicks, and cognisance'. Caef. And this way have you well expounded it. Break up the fenate till another time, When Cafar's wife fhall meet with better dreams. Lo, Cæfar is afraid? Pardon me, Cæfar; for my dear, dear love 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?- As that fame ague which hath made you lean.- 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. See! Antony, that revels long o'nights, Is notwithstanding up-Good morrow, Antony. Caf. Bid them prepare within: I am to blame to be thus waited for. Now, Cinna:-Now, Metellus :-What, Trebonius! Remember that you call on me to-day: [Afiae Be near me, that I may remember you. 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 ; Luc. To know my errand, madam. Por. I would have had thee there, and here again, Set a huge mountain 'tween my heart and tongue! 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, Por. Come hither, fellow: Which way haft thou been? 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?— 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: Por. I muft go in.-Ah me! how weak a thing ACT III. [Exit. [Exeunt. SCENE I. The fame. The Capitol; the Senate fitting. A crowd of people in the street leading to the Capitol; 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 Pub. Sirrah, give place. Caf. What, urge you your petitions in the street? Cæfar enters the Capitol, the reft following. Pop. I wish, your enterprize to-day may thrive. 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 . |