Bru. I fhould not then ask Cafca what had chanc'd. Cafca. Why, there was a crown offer'd him: and being offer'd him, he put it by with the back of his hand, thus; and then the people fell a' fhouting. Bru. What was the fecond noife for? Cafca. Why for that too.

Caf. They fhouted thrice; What was the laft for?

cry

Cafca. Why for that too.

Bru. Was the crown offer'd him thrice? Cafca. Ay, marry, was't, and he put it by thrice, every time gentler than other; and at every putting by, mine honest neighbours fhouted.

Caf. Who offer'd him the crown?
Cafca. Why, Antony.

Bru. Tell us the manner of it, gentle Cafca. Cafca. I can as well be hang'd, as tell the manner of it: it was meer foolery, I did not mark it. I faw Mark Antony offer him a crown; yet 'twas not a crown neither, 'twas one of these coronets';—and, as I told you, he put it by once: but, for all that, to my thinking, he would fain have had it. Then he offer'd it to him again; then he put it by again: but, to my thinking, he was very loth to lay his fingers off it. And then he offer'd it the third time; he put it the third time by and ftill as he refus'd it, the rabblement hooted, and clapp'd their chopt hands, and threw up their fweaty night-caps, and utter'd fuch a deal of ftinking breath because Cæfar refus'd the crown, that it had almost choak'd Cæfar; for he fwooned, and fell down at it: And for mine own part, I durft not laugh, for fear of opening my lips, and receiving the bad air.

Caf. But, foft, I pray you: What? did Cæfar

fwoon?

one of these coronets ;] So, in the old tranflation of Plutarch: 66 -he came to Cæfar, and prefented him a diadem wreathed about with laurel." STEEVENS. VOL. VIII. с

Cafca.

Cafca. He fell down in the market-place, and foam'd at mouth, and was fpeechlefs.

Bru. 'Tis very like; he hath the falling-fickness. Caf. No, Cæfar hath it not; but you, and I, And honeft Cafca, we have the falling-fick nefs.

Cafea. I know not what you mean by that; but, I am fure, Cæfar fell down. If the tag-rag people did not clap him, and hifs him, according as he pleas'd, and difpleas'd them, as they ufe to do the players in the theatre, I am no true man.

Bru. What faid he, when he came unto himself? Cafca. Marry, before he fell down, when he perceiv'd the common herd was glad he refus'd the crown, he pluck'd me ope his doublet, and offer'd them his throat to cut.-An I had been a man of any occupation, if I would not have taken him at a word, I would I might go to hell among the rogues: -and fo he fell. When he came to himself again, he faid, If he had done, or faid, any thing amifs, he defir'd their worships to think it was his infirmity. Three or four wenches, where I ftood, cry'd, Alas, good foul!-and forgave him with all their hearts : But there's no heed to be taken of them; if Cæfar had ftabb'd their mothers, they would have done no lefs.

Bru. And after that, he came, thus fad, away?
Cafca. Ay.

Caf. Did Cicero fay any thing?
Cafca. Ay, he fpoke Greek.
Caf. To what effect?

Cafca. Nay, an I tell you that, I'll ne'er look you i' the face again: But thofe, that understood him, finil'd at one another, and shook their heads: but, for mine own part, it was Greek to me. I could tell you more news too: Marullus and Flavius, for pull

2

-a man of any occupation,] Had I been a mechanick, one of the Plebeians to whom he offer'd his throat. JOHNSON.

ing scarfs off Cæfar's images, are put to filence. Fare you well. There was more foolery yet, if I could remember it..

Caf. Will you fup with me to-night, Cafca?
Cafca. No, I am promis'd forth.

Caf. Will you dine with me to-morrow? Cafca. Ay, if I be alive, and your mind hold, and your dinner worth the eating.

[Exit.

Caf. Good; I will expect you.
Cafca. Do fo: Farewel both.
Bru. What a blunt fellow is this grown to be?
He was quick metal, when he went to fchool.
Caf. So is he now, in execution
Of any bold or noble enterprize,
However he puts on this tardy form.
This rudeness is a fauce to his good wit,
Which gives men ftomach to digeft his words
With better appetite.

Bru. And fo it is. For this time I will leave you:
To-morrow, if you please to speak with me,
I will come home to you; or, if you will,
Come home to me, and I will wait for you.

Caf. I will do fo:-'till then, think of the world. [Exit Brutus.

Well, Brutus, thou art noble: yet, I fee,
3 Thy honourable metal may be wrought
From that it is difpos'd: Therefore 'tis meet
That noble minds keep ever with their likes:
For who fo firm, that cannot be seduc'd?
Cæfar doth bear me hard; but he loves Brutus:
4. If I were Brutus now, and he were Caffius,

He

3 Thy honourable metal may be wrought
From what it is difpos'd:]

The best metal or temper may be worked into qualities contrary to its original conftitution. JOHNSON.

4 If I were Brutus now, and he were Caffius,
He should not humour me.]

C 2

This

He should not humour me. I will this night,
In feveral hands, in at his windows throw,
As if they came from feveral citizens,
Writings, all tending to the great opinion
That Rome holds of his name; wherein obfcurely
Cæfar's ambition fhall be glanced at:

And, after this, let Cæfar feat him sure;
For we will shake him, or worse days endure. [Exit.

Thunder and lightning. Enter Cafca, bis fword drawn; and Cicero, meeting him.

Brought you Cæfar

Cic. Good even, Cafca:
home?
Why are you breathlefs? and why ftare you fo?
Cafca. Are you not mov'd, when all the 'fway of

earth

Shakes, like a thing unfirm? O Cicero,
'I have seen tempefts, when the fcolding winds

This is a reflection on Brutus's ingratitude; which concludes, as is ufual on fuch occafions, in an encomium on his own better conditions. If I were Brutus (fays he) and Brutus, Caffius, he fhould not cajole me as I do him. To humour fignifies here to turn and wind him, by inflaming his paffions. The Oxford editor alters the laft line to

Cafar fhould not love me.

What he means by it, is not worth inquiring. WARBURTON.

The meaning, I think, is this, Cæfar loves Brutus, but if Brutus and I were to change places, his love fhould not humour me, fhould not take hold of my affection, fo as to make me forget my principles. JOHNSON.

S

-Brought you Cæfar home?] Did you attend Cæfar home? JOHNSON. fway of earth] The whole weight or momentum of this globe. JOHNSON.

Have riv'd the knotty oaks; and I have seen
The ambitious ocean fwell, and rage, and foam,
To be exalted with the threatning clouds:
But never 'till to-night, never 'till now,
Did I go through a tempeft dropping fire.
Either there is a civil ftrife in heaven;
Or elfe the world, too faucy with the gods,
Incenses them to fend deftruction.

Cic. Why, faw you any thing more wonderful? Cafca. A common flave' (you know him well by fight)

Held up his left hand, which did flame, and burn,
Like twenty torches join'd; and yet his hand,
Not fenfible of fire, remain'd unfcorch'd.
Befides, (I have not fince put up my fword)
Against the Capitol I met a lion,

Who glar'd upon me, and went furly by,
Without annoying me: And there were drawn
Upon a heap a hundred ghaftly women,
Transformed with their fear; who fwore, they faw
Men, all in fire, walk up and down the ftreets.
And, yesterday, the bird of night did fit,
Even at noon-day, upon the market-place,
Hooting, and fhrieking. When these prodigies
Do fo conjointly meet, let not men say,
These are their reafons,-They are natural;

7

<<

? A common flave, &c.] So, in the old tranflation of Plutarch: a flave of the fouldiers that did caft a marvelous burning flame out of his hande, infomuch as they that faw it, thought he had bene burnt; but when the fire was out, it was found he had no hurt." STEEVENS.

-] The first edition reads:

$ Who glar'd upon me,Who glaz'd upon me, Perhaps, Who gaz'd upon me.

JOHNSON.

Glar'd is certainly right. To gaze is only to look ftedfaftly, or with admiration. Glar'd has a fingular propriety, as it expreffes the furious fcintillation of a lion's eyes: and, that a lion hould appear full of fury, and yet attempt no violence, augments the prodigy. STEEVENS.

For,

C. 3

1