Not hew him as a carcafe fit for hounds. Stir up their fervants to an act of rage, Caf. Yet I do fear him ; For in th' ingrafted love he bears to Cafar Bru. Alas, good Caffius, do not think of him: Is to himfelf; (2) take thought, and die for Cæfar: Treb. There is no fear in him; let him not die; Bru. Peace, count the clock. Caf. But it is doubtful yet, [Clock Atrikes If Cæfar will come forth to-day, or no: (2) take thought,} That is, turn melancholy. (3) For he is fuperftitious grown of late, Quite from the main opinion he held once It Of fantafy, of dreams, and ceremonies:] Cæfar, as well as Caffus, was an Epicurean. By main opinion Caffius intends a compliment to his fect, and means folid, fundamental opinion grounded in truth and nature: As by fantafy is meant ominous forebodings; and by ceremonies, atonements of the Gods by means of religious rites and facrifices. A little after, where Calphurnia fays, Cæfar, Inever flood on ceremonies, The It may be, these apparent prodigies, Dec. Never fear that; if he be fa refolv'd, For I can give his humour the true bent, Caf. Nay, we will all of us be there to fetch him. Bru. Now, good Metellus, go along to him: He loves me well; and I have giv'n him reafons; Send him but hither, and I'll fashion him. Caf. The morning comes upon's. We'll leave you, And, friends! difperfe yourfelves; but all remember The poet ufes Ceremonies in a quite different fenfe, namely, 'the turning accidents to omens, a principal fuperftition of antiquity." WARBURTON. Main opinion, is nothing more than leading, fixed, predomi nant opinion. (4)for he loves to bear, &c.] It was finely imagined by the poet, to make Cæfar delight in this fort of converfation. The Author of St. Evremond's life tells us, that the great Prince of Conde took much pleafure in remarking on the foible and ridicule of characters. WARBURTON. (5) Let not our looks] Let not our faces put on, that is, swear or fhow our defigns. B 4 With With untir'd spirits, and formal constancy. Manet Brutus. Boy, Lucius!-Faft afleep. It is no matter, SCENE III. Enter Porcia. Por. Brutus, my Lord! [Exeunt. Bru. Porcia, what mean you? Wherefore rise you now? It is not for your health, thus to commit Your weak condition to the raw cold morning. Stol'n from my bed; and, yefternight at fupper, Mufing and fighing, with your arms a-cross, Which feem'd too much inkindled; and, withal, Make Make me acquainted with your cause of grief. Bru. Why, fo I do. Good Porcia, go to bed. Bru. Kneel not, gentle Porcia. Por. I fhould not need, if you were gentle Brutus Within the bond of marriage, tell me, Brutus, Is it excepted, I fhould know no fecrets That appertain to you? am I yourself, But, as it were, in fort or limitation, To keep with you at meals, confort your bed, And talk to you fometimes? dwell I but in the fuburbs Of your good pleafure? If it be no more, Porcia is Brutus' harlot, not his wife. Bru. You are my true and honourable wife; As dear to me as are the ruddy drops That vifit my fad heart. Por. If this were true, then fhould I know this d fecret. I grant, I am a woman; but withal, A woman that Lord Brutus took to wife: I grant, I am a woman; but withal, B 5 A woman (6) A woman well reputed Cato's daughter. Tell me your counfels, I will not disclose them: Here, in the thigh: can I bear that with patience, hufband's fecrets? And not my Bru. O ye Gods! Render me worthy of this noble wife. Knock. Hark, hark, one knocks: Porcia, go in awhile; The fecrets of my heart. All my engagements I will conftrue to thee, Enter Lucius and Ligarius. Lucius, who's there that knocks? [Exit Porcia. Luc. Here is a fick man, that would fpeak with you. Bru. Caius Ligarius, that Metellus spake of. Boy, ftand afide. Caius Ligarius! how? Cai. Vouchfafe good-morrow from a feeble tongue. To wear a kerchief? would you were not fick ! Any exploit worthy the name of honour. Bru. Such an exploit have I in hand, Ligarius, (6) A woman well reputed ; Cato's daughter.] This false pointing fhould be corrected thus, A woman well reputed Cato's daughter. i.e. worthy of my birth, and the relation I bear to Cato. This indeed was a good reafon why the fhould be intrufted with the fecret. But the false pointing, which gives a fenfe only implying that she was a woman of a good character, and that the was Cato's daughter, gives no good reafon : For the might be Cato's daughter, and yet not inherit his firmness; and fhe might be a woman well reputed, and yet not the beft at a fecret. But if he was well reputed Cato's daughter, that is, worthy of her birth, fhe could neither want her father's love to her country, nor his refolution to engage in its deliverance. WARB. |