Finally, it may be noticed that it was really this Decimus Brutus who had been the special friend and favorite of Cæsar, not Marcus Junius Brutus the conspirator, as represented in the Play. In his misconception upon this point our English dramatist has been followed by Voltaire in his tragedy of La Mort de César, which is written avowedly in imitation of the Julius Cæsar of Shakespeare. NOTE. At the end of the Prolegomena, in Craik's third edition, is the following note: “I have not thought it necessary, in the present revision, to make the numerous typographical rectifications which would have been required in the margin of every page, and also in many of the references, to remove the traces of an unimportant error of one in the numbering of the speeches from, 249, which ought to be 248, onwards to the end of the play.” In this American edition I determined to make these numerous typographical rectifications,” and did not happen to notice, until the book was almost ready to go to press, that Craik's error was not where he supposed it to be (from 249 onwards), but merely in numbering 246 and 247, which he makes, as I have done, 245 and 246. It is rather provoking to find that I have thus been at considerable trouble to correct (more Hibernico) the imaginary error, while I have retained the real one; but it cannot now be helped, and luckily both errors are “unimportant." I shall be pardoned, of course, for not distrusting the author's statement in regard to his own mistakes. W. J. R. JULIUS CÆSAR. PERSONS REPRESENTED. JULIUS CÆSAR. A SOOTHSAYER. OCTAVIUS CÆSAR, Triumvirs, CINNA, a Poet. - Another POET. MARCUS ANTONIUS, > after the death LUCILIUS, TITINIUS, MESSALA, M. ÆMIL. LEPIDUS, of Julius Cæsar. Young CATO, and VOLUMNIUS; CICERO, PUBLIUS, POPILIUS LENA; Friends to Brutus and Cassius. Senators. VARRO, CLITUS, CLAUDIUS, STRA MARCUS BRUTUS, TO, LUCIUS, DARDANIUS; Servants CASSIUS, to Brutus. CASCA, Conspirators PINDARUS, Servant to Cassius. against Julius Cæsar. DECIUS BRUTUS, CALPHURNIA, Wife to Cæsar. METELLIS CIMBER, PORTIA, Wife to Brutus. CINNA, FLAVIUS and MARULLUS, Tribnines. SENATORS, CITIZENS, GUARDS, ATTENLARTEMIDORUS, a Sophist of Chidos. ANTS, ETC. SCENE, during a great part of the Play, at Rome; after wards at Sardis; and near Philippi. ACT I. 1. SCENE 1. — Rome. A Street. Enter FLAVIUS, MARULLUS, and a Rabble of CITIZENS. Flav. Hence! home, you idle creatures, get you home. Is this a holiday? What! know you not, Being mechanical, you ought not walk, Upon a labouring day, without the sign Of your profession? - Speak, what trade art thou? i Cit. Why, Sir, a carpenter. Mar. Where is thy leather apron, and thy rule? 2 Cit. Truly, Sir, in respect of a fine workman, I am but, as you would say, a cobbler. Mar. But what trade art thou? Answer me directly. 6. 2 Cit. A trade, Sir, that, I hope, I may use with a safe conscience; which is, indeed, Sir, a mender of bad soles. 7. Mar. What trade, thou knave? thou naughty knave, what trade? 8. 2 Cit. Nay, I beseech you, Sir, be not out with me: yet if you be out, Sir, I can mend you. 9. Mar. What mean'st thou by that? Mend me, thou saucy fellow? I2. 2 Cit. Why, Sir, cobble you. 2 Cit. Truly, Sir, all that I live by is with the awl. I meddle with no tradesman's matters, nor women's matters, but with awl. I am, indeed, Sir, a surgeon to old shoes; when they are in great danger, I recover them. As proper men. as ever trod upon neat's leather have gone upon my handiwork. Flav. But wherefore art not in thy shop to-day? Why dost thou lead these men about the streets ? 2 Cit. Truly, Sir, to wear out their shoes, to get myself into more work. But, indeed, Sir, we make holiday to see Cæsar, and to rejoice in his triumph. 15. Mar. Wherefore rejoice? What conquest brings he home? What tributaries follow him to Rome, To grace in captive bonds his chariot wheels ? You blocks, you stones, you worse than senseless things! O, you hard hearts, you cruel men of Rome, Knew you not Pompey? Many a time and oft Have you climbed up to walls and battlements, To towers and windows, yea, to chimney-tops, Your infants in your arms, and there have sat The live-long day, with patient expectation, To see great Pompey pass the streets of Rome: And, when you saw his chariot but appear, Have you not made an universal shout, That Tiber trembled underneath her banks, To hear the replication of your sounds Made in her concave shores? And do you now put on your best attire? That needs must light on this ingratitude. 16. Flav. Go, go, good countrymen, and, for this fault, Assemble all the poor men of your sort; way will I. Disrobe the images, You know it is the feast of Lupercal. 18. Flav. It is no matter; let no images Be hung with Cæsar's trophies. I'll about, [Exeunt SCENE II. The same. A Public Place. Enter, in Procession with Music, CÆSAR; ANTONY, for the course ; CALPHURNIA, Portia, DECIUS, Cicero, BRUTUS, CASSIUS, and CASCA, a great crowd following, among them a SooTHSAYER. Cæs. Calphurnia, - Cal. Here, my lord. When he doth run his course. - Antonius. Ant. Cæsar, my lord. To touch Calphurnia; for our elders say, Ant. I shall remember: Cæs. Set on; and leave no ceremony out. [Music. [Music ceases. Cry, Cæsar. Speak; Cæsar is turned to hear. 32. Sooth. Beware the ides of March. Cæs. What man is that? 34. Bru. A soothsayer, bids you beware the ides of March. Cæs. Set him before me; let me see his face. Sooth. Beware the ides of March. [Sennet. Exeunt all but BRUTUS and CASSIUS Bru. I am not gamesome: I do lack some part I'll leave you. I have not from your eyes that gentleness Bru. Cassius, 45. |