Submitting me unto the perilous night; And, thus unbraced, Casca, as you see, And, when the cross blue lightning seem'd to open CASCA. But wherefore did you so much tempt It is the part of men to fear and tremble, CAS. You are dull, Casca; and those sparks of That should be in a Roman, you do want, 5 thunder-stone:] A stone fabulously supposed to be discharged by thunder. So, in Cymbeline: "Fear no more the lightning-flash, "Nor the all-dreaded thunder-stone." STEEVENS. 6 Why birds, and beasts, from quality and kind; &c.] That is, Why they deviate from quality and nature. This line might perhaps be more properly placed after the next line : 66 66 Why birds, and beasts, from quality and kind, 7 and children CALCULATE;] Calculate here signifies to foretel or prophesy: for the custom of foretelling fortunes by judicial astrology (which was at that time much in vogue) being performed by a long tedious calculation, Shakspeare, with his usual liberty, employs the species [calculate] for the genus [foretel]. WARBURTON. Shakspeare found the liberty established. "To calculate the nativity," is the technical term. JOHNSON. So, in The Paradise of Daintie Deuises, edit. 1576, Art. 54, signed, M. Bew: Why all these things change, from their ordinance, To monstrous quality; why, you shall find, Now could I, Casca, name to thee a man Most like this dreadful night; That thunders, lightens, opens graves, and roars A man no mightier than thyself, or me, 8 In personal action; yet prodigious grown R, CASCA. 'Tis Cæsar that you mean: Is it not, CAS. Let it be who it is: for Romans now "Thei calculate, thei chaunt, thei charme, This author is speaking of women. STEEVENS. There is certainly no prodigy in old men's calculating from their past experience. The wonder is, that old men should not, and that children should. I would therefore [instead of old men, fools, and children, &c.] point thus : 66 Why old men fools, and children calculate." BLACKSTONE. 8-PRODIGIOUS grown,] Prodigious is portentous. So, in Troilus and Cressida: "It is prodigious, there will be some change." See vol. viii. p. 406. STEEVENS. 9 Have THEWES and limbs-] Thewes is an obsolete word implying nerves or muscular strength. It is used by Falstaff in The Second Part of King Henry IV. and in Hamlet : 66 For nature, crescent, does not grow alone "In thewes and bulk." The two last folios, [1664 and 1685,] in which some words are injudiciously modernized, read-sinews. STEEVENS. And he shall wear his crown by sea, and land, CAS. I know where I will wear this dagger then ; Cassius from bondage will deliver Cassius: Therein, ye gods, you make the weak most strong; If I know this, know all the world besides, I can shake off at pleasure. So can I : CASCA CAS. And why should Cæsar be a tyrant then? So vile a thing as Cæsar? But, O, grief! My answer must be made 2: But I am arm'd, The power to CANCEL his CAPTIVITY.] So, in Cymbeline, Act V. Posthumus speaking of his chains : 2 "And cancel these cold bonds." HENLEY. MY ANSWER must be made :] I shall be called to account, and must answer as for seditious words. JOHNSON. So, in Much Ado About Nothing : "Sweet prince, let me go no further to mine answer; do you hear me, and let this count kill me." STEEVENS. And dangers are to me indifferent. CASCA. You speak to Casca; and to such a man, That is no fleering tell-tale. Hold my hand3: Be factious for redress of all these griefs; And I will set this foot of mine as far, CAS. There's a bargain made. Now know you, Casca, I have mov'd already Of honourable-dangerous consequence; In favour's like the work 5 we have in hand, 3 Hold my hand:] Is the same as, "Here's my hand.” JOHNSON. 4 Be FACTIOUS for redress-] Factious seems here to mean active. JOHNSON. It means, I apprehend, embody a party or faction.' MALONE. Perhaps Dr. Johnson's explanation is the true one. Menenius, in Coriolanus, says: "I have been always factionary on the part of your general;" and the speaker, who is describing himself, would scarce have employed the word in its common and unfavourable sense. STEEVENS. 5 In FAVOUR's like the work ] The old edition reads: 66 Is favors, like the work." I think we should read: "In favour's like the work we have in hand, Favour is look, countenance, appearance. JOHNSON. To favour is to resemble. Thus Stanyhurst, in his translation of the third book of Virgil's Æneid, 1582: "With the petit town gates favouring the principal old portes." We may read It favours, or-Is favour'd-i. e. is an appearance or countenance like, &c. STEEVENS. Perhaps fev'rous is the true reading. So, in Macbeth : "Some say the earth "Was feverous, and did shake." REED. Most bloody, fiery, and most terrible. Enter CINNA. CASCA. Stand close awhile, for here comes one in haste. CAS. 'Tis Cinna, I do know him by his gait; He is a friend.-Cinna, where haste you so ? CAS. No, it is Casca; one incorporate To our attempts. Am I not staid for, Cinna? this ? 'There's two or three of us have seen strange sights. CAS. Am I not staid for, Cinna? Tell me. CIN. You are. O, Cassius, if you could but win The noble Brutus to our party Yes, CAS. Be you content: Good Cinna, take this paper, And look you lay it in the prætor's chair, Where Brutus may but find it; and throw this CIN. All but Metellus Cimber; and he's gone Come, Casca, you and I will, yet, ere day, Upon the next encounter, yields him ours. CASCA. O, he sits high, in all the people's hearts : And that, which would appear offence in us, |