The New Hudson Shakespeare: Julius Caesar Part 36

[PINDARUS _gives a letter to_ BRUTUS]

BRUTUS. He greets me well. Your master, Pindarus, In his own change, or by ill officers, Hath given me some worthy cause to wish Things done undone: but, if he be at hand, I shall be satisfied.

PINDARUS. I do not doubt 10 But that my n.o.ble master will appear Such as he is, full of regard and honour.

[Note: SCENE II. _Before ... Sardis_ Rowe Ff omit.]

[Note: _Enter_ BRUTUS ... _meet them_ Enter Brutus, Lucillius, and the Army. t.i.tinius and Pindarus meet them Ff.]

[Note 5: [PINDARUS _gives_ ...] Ff omit.]

[Note 7: /change/ Ff charge Hanmer.]

[Note: SCENE II. This scene is separated from the foregoing by about a year. The remaining events take place in the autumn, B.C. 42.]

[Note 6: /He greets me well./ A dignified return of the salutation.]

[Note 7: If the Folio reading be retained, 'change' will mean 'altered disposition,' 'change in his own feelings towards me.' Warburton's suggestion 'charge,' adopted by Hanmer and in previous editions of Hudson's Shakespeare, would give as the meaning of the line, Either by his own command, or by officers, subordinates, who have abused their trust, prost.i.tuting it to the ends of private gain.]

[Page 121]

BRUTUS. He is not doubted. A word, Lucilius, How he receiv'd you: let me be resolv'd.

LUCILIUS. With courtesy and with respect enough; 15 But not with such familiar instances, Nor with such free and friendly conference, As he hath us'd of old.

BRUTUS. Thou hast describ'd A hot friend cooling: ever note, Lucilius, When love begins to sicken and decay, 20 It useth an enforced ceremony.

There are no tricks in plain and simple faith: But hollow men, like horses hot at hand, Make gallant show and promise of their mettle; But when they should endure the b.l.o.o.d.y spur, 25 They fall their crests, and, like deceitful jades, Sink in the trial. Comes his army on?

LUCILIUS. They mean this night in Sardis to be quarter'd; The greater part, the horse in general, Are come with Ca.s.sius. [_Low march within_]

BRUTUS. Hark! he is arriv'd. 30 March gently on to meet him.

[Note 13-14: /word, Lucilius/ ... you: F3 F4 word Lucillius ... you: F1 F2 word, Lucilius,-- ... you, Rowe.]

[Note 30: [_Low_ ...] in Ff after l. 24.]

[Note 13-14: Mainly the Folio punctuation. A colon after 'Lucilius,' and a comma after 'you,' would give a characteristic inversion.]

[Note 14: /How:/ as to how.--/resolv'd./ See note, p. 90, l.

132.]

[Note 16: /familiar instances:/ marks of familiarity. In Schmidt is a list of the various senses in which Shakespeare uses 'instances.']

[Note 23: /hot at hand:/ spirited or mettlesome when held back.]

[Note 26: /fall:/ let fall.--/deceitful jades:/ horses that promise well in appearance but "sink in the trial." 'Jade' is 'a worthless horse.']

[Page 122]

_Enter_ Ca.s.sIUS _and his Powers_

Ca.s.sIUS. Stand, ho!

BRUTUS. Stand, ho! Speak the word along.

1 SOLDIER. Stand!

2 SOLDIER. Stand! 35

3 SOLDIER. Stand!

Ca.s.sIUS. Most n.o.ble brother, you have done me wrong.

BRUTUS. Judge me, you G.o.ds! wrong I mine enemies?

And, if not so, how should I wrong a brother?

Ca.s.sIUS. Brutus, this sober form of yours hides wrongs; And when you do them--

BRUTUS. Ca.s.sius, be content; 41 Speak your griefs softly: I do know you well.

Before the eyes of both our armies here, Which should perceive nothing but love from us, Let us not wrangle: bid them move away; 45 Then in my tent, Ca.s.sius, enlarge your griefs, And I will give you audience.

Ca.s.sIUS. Pindarus, Bid our commanders lead their charges off A little from this ground.

BRUTUS. Lucilius, do you the like; and let no man 50 Come to our tent till we have done our conference.

Let Lucius and t.i.tinius guard our door. [_Exeunt_]

[Note 34, 35, 36: SOLDIER Ff omit.]

[Note 50: /Lucilius/ Ff Lucius Craik.]

[Note 52: /Let Lucius/ Ff Lucilius Craik.--/our/ Ff the Rowe.]

[Note 46: /enlarge your griefs:/ enlarge upon your grievances.

This use of 'grief' is not unusual in sixteenth century English.]

[Note 50, 52: In previous editions of Hudson's Shakespeare was adopted Craik's suggestion that in these lines, as they stand in the Folios, the names Lucius and Lucilius got shuffled each into the other's place; and then, to cure the metrical defect in the third line, that line was made to begin with 'Let.'

Craik speaks of "the absurdity of such an a.s.sociation as Lucius and t.i.tinius for the guarding of the door." In Porter and Clarke's 'First Folio,' _Julius Caesar_, the answer to this criticism is: "But a greater absurdity is involved in sending the page with an order to the lieutenant commander of the army, and the extra length of l. 50 pairs with a like extra length in l. 51. Lucilius, having been relieved by Lucius, after giving the order returns and guards the door again."]

[Page 123]

SCENE III. BRUTUS'S _tent_

_Enter_ BRUTUS _and_ Ca.s.sIUS

Ca.s.sIUS. That you have wrong'd me doth appear in this: You have condemn'd and noted Lucius Pella For taking bribes here of the Sardians; Wherein my letters, praying on his side, Because I knew the man, was slighted off. 5

[Note: SCENE III Pope Rowe omits.--BRUTUS'S _tent_ Hanmer Ff omit.]