what could scarcely make the commencement of any kind of line. I cannot doubt that, whatever we are to do with “Yes, you are,”—whether we make these comparatively unimportant words the completion of the line of which Cassius's question forms the beginning, or take them along with what follows, which would give us a line wanting only the first syllable (and deriving, perhaps, from that mutilation an abruptness suitable to the occasion)— the close of the rhythmic flow must be as I have given it: "O Cassius, if you could But win the noble Brutus to our party." 138. Where Brutus may but find it.—If but be the true word (and be not a misprint for best), the meaning must be, Be sure you lay it in the prætor's chair, only taking care to place it so that Brutus may be sure to find it. 138. Upon old Brutus' statue.--Lucius Brutus, who expelled the Tarquins, the reputed ancestor of Marcus Lucius Brutus; also alluded to in 56, "There was a Brutus once," etc. 139. I will hie.-To hie (meaning to hasten) is used reflectively, as well as intransitively, but not otherwise as an active verb. Its root appears to be the Original English hyge, meaning mind, study, earnest application; whence the various verbal forms hyggan, hygian, hiegan, higgan, higian, hogian, hugian, and perhaps others. Hug is probably another modern derivative from the same root. 139. And so bestow these papers.-This use of bestow (for to place, or dispose of) is now gone out; though something of it still remains in stow. 140. Pompey's theatre.-The same famous structure of Pompey's, opened with shows and games of unparalleled cost and magnificence some ten or twelve years before the present date, which has been alluded to in 130 and 138. 142. You have right well conceited.-To conceit is an other form of our still familiar to conceive. And the noun conceit, which survives with a limited meaning (the conception of a man by himself, which is so apt to be one of over-estimation), is also frequent in Shakespeare with the sense, nearly, of what we now call conception, in general. So in 349. Sometimes it is used in a sense which might almost be said to be the opposite of what it now means; as when Juliet (in Romeo and Juliet, ii. 5) employs it as the term to denote her all-absorbing affection for Romeo:"Conceit, more rich in matter than in words, Brags of his substance, not of ornament: They are but beggars that can count their worth; I cannot sum the sum of half my wealth." Or as when Gratiano, in The Merchant of Venice, i. 1, speaks of a sort of men who "do a wilful stillness entertain, With purpose to be dressed in an opinion that is, deep thought. So, again, when Rosaline, in Love's Labour's Lost, ii. 1, speaking of Biron, describes his "fair tongue" as "conceit's expositor," all that she means is that speech is the expounder of thought. The scriptural expression, still in familiar use, "wise in his own conceit means merely wise in his own thought, or in his own eyes, as we are told in the margin the Hebrew literally signifies. In the New Testament, where we have "in their own conceits," the Greek is simply παρ' ἑαυτοῖς (in or with themselves). ACT II. SCENE I.-The same. BRUTUS'S Orchard. Enter BRUTUS. 143. Bru. What, Lucius! ho! I cannot, by the progress of the stars, Give guess how near to day.-Lucius, I say!— I would it were my fault to sleep so soundly.- Luc. Called 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. 147. Bru. It must be by his death: and, for my part, How that might change his nature, there's the question. And that craves wary walking. Crown him?-That ;— Then, lest he may, prevent. And, since the quarrel And therefore think him as a serpent's egg, Which, hatched, would, as his kind, grow mischievous; Re-enter LUCIUS. 148. Luc. The taper burneth in your closet, Sir. 149. Bru. Get you to bed again; it is not day. [Exit. [Gives him the letter. Bru. Look in the calendar, and bring me word. [Exit. Luc. I will, Sir. 153. Bru. The exhalations, whizzing in the air, Give so much light, that I may read by them. [Opens the letter, and reads. "6 Brutus, thou sleep'st; awake, and see thyself. Such instigations have been often dropped - Shall Rome, &c. Thus must I piece it out: Shall Rome stand under one man's awe? What! Rome? My ancestors did from the streets of Rome The Tarquin drive, when he was called a king. Am I entreated To speak, and strike? O Rome! I make thee promise, If the redress will follow, thou receivest Thy full petition at the hand of Brutus. Re-enter LUCIUS. 154. Luc. Sir, March is wasted fourteen days. [Knock within. [Exit LUCIUS. 155. Bru. 'Tis good. Go to the gate; somebody knocks. Since Cassius first did whet me against Cæsar, I have not slept. Between the acting of a dreadful thing And the first motion, all the interim is Like a phantasma, or a hideous dream: The nature of an insurrection. Re-enter LUCIUS. 156. Luc. Sir, 'tis your brother Cassius at the door, Who doth desire to see you. Bru. Is he alone? 158. Luc. No, Sir, there are moe with him. Bru. Do you know them? 160. Luc. No, Sir; their hats are pluckt about their ears, And half their faces buried in their cloaks, That by no means I may discover them By any mark of favour. 161. Bru. Let 'em enter. [Exit LUCIUS They are the faction. O Conspiracy! Sham'st thou to show thy dangerous brow by night, Where wilt thou find a cavern dark enough To mask thy monstrous visage? Seek none, Conspiracy; For, if thou path, thy native semblance on, Not Erebus itself were dim enough To hide thee from prevention. Enter CASSIUS, CASCA, DECIUS, CINNA, METELLUS CIMBER, and TREBONIUS. 162. Cas. I think we are too bold upon your rest: Good morrow, Brutus; Do we trouble you? Bru. I have been up this hour; awake, all night. Cas. Yes, every man of them; and no man here Which every noble Roman bears of you. This is Trebonius. Bru. He is welcome hither. Cas. This, Decius Brutus. Bru. He is welcome too. 168. Cas. This, Casca; this, Cinna; and this, Metellus Cimber. Bru. They are all welcome. What watchful cares do interpose themselves Cas. Shall I entreat a word? [They whisper. Dec. Here lies the east: Doth not the day break here? Casca. No. 173. Cin. O, pardon, Sir, it doth; and yon grey lines, That fret the clouds, are messengers of day. 174. Casca. You shall confess, that you are both deceived. Which is a great way growing on the south, Some two months hence, up higher toward the north 175. Bru. Give me your hands all over, one by one. 177. Bru. No, not an oath: If not the face of men, |