For, I believe, they are portentous things Cic. Indeed, it is a strange-difpofed time: Cafca. He doth; for he did bid Antonius Cafca. Farewel, Cicero. [Exit Cicero. Enter Caffius. Caf. Who's there? Cafca. A Roman. Caf. Cafca, by your voice. Cafca. Your ear is good. Caffius, what night is this? Caf. A very pleasing night to honest men. Cafca. Who ever knew the heavens menace fo? For my part, I have walk'd about the streets, Cafca. But wherefore did you so much tempt It is the part of men to fear and tremble, Caf. You are dull, Cafca; and those sparks of life And And put on fear, and caft yourself in wonder, I To monftrous quality; why, you fhall find, Now could I, Cafca, name to thee a man. That thunders, lightens, opens graves, and roars A man no mightier than thyfelf, or me, Cafca. 'Tis Cæfar that you mean: Is it not, Caffius? Why birds, and beafts, from quality and kind;] That is, Why they deviate from quality and nature. This line might perhaps be more properly placed after the next line: Why birds, and beafts, from quality and kind; JOHNSON. -and children calculate ;] Calculate here fignifies to foretel or prophefy for the custom of foretelling fortunes by judicial aftrology (which was at that time much in vogue) being performed by a long tedious calculation, Shakspeare, with his ufual liberty, employs the fpecies [calculate] for the genus [foretel].. WARBURTON. Shakspeare found the liberty established. To calculate a nativity, is the technical term. JOHNSON. There is certainly no prodigy in old men's calculating from their past experience. The wonder is, that old men fhould not, and that children fhould. I would therefore point thus: 2 Why old men fools, and children calculate. BLACKSONE. -prodigious grown,] Prodigious is portentous. See Vol. III. p. 134. STEEVENS. Caf. Let it be who it is: for Romans now Have thews and limbs like to their ancestors; But, woe the while! our fathers' minds are dead, And we are govern'd with our mothers' spirits; Our yoke and fufferance fhew us womanish. Cafca. Indeed, they say, the fenators to-morrow Mean to establish Cæfar as a king: And he shall wear his crown, by fea, and land, Caf. I know where I will wear this dagger then; If I know this, know all the world befides, Cafca. So can I: So every bondman in his own hand bears Caf. And why fhould Cæfar be a tyrant then? So vile a thing as Cæfar? But, O, grief! 3 Have thewes and limbs. ] Thewes is an obfolete word implying nerves or muscular strength. It is ufed by Falstaff in the Second Part of Henry IV. and in Hamlet. The two laft folios, in which fome words are injudiciously modernized, read finews. STEEVENS. Where Where haft thou led me? I, perhaps, fpeak this * My answer must be made: But I am arm'd, 6 Cafca. You fpeak to Cafca: and to fuch a man, That is no flearing tell-tale. Hold my hand: Be factious for redrefs of all these griefs; And I will fet this foot of mine as far, As who goes farthest. Caf. There's a bargain made. Now know you, Casca, I have mov'd already It favours like the work we have in hand, 4 My answer must be made.] I fhall be called to account, and must answer as for feditious words. JOHNSON. 5 Hold my hand :] Is the fame as, Here's my band. JOHNSON. • Be factious for redress-] Factious feems here to mean active, JOHNSON. 7 Is fev'rous, like the work-] The old edition reads: 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. See Vol. II. p. 118. JOHNSON. To favour is to refemble. Thus Stanyhurft in his translation of the Third Book of Virgil's Æneid, 1582: We "With the petit town gates favouring the principal old portes." may read It favours, or-Is favour'd-i. e. is in appearance or countenance like, &c. STEEVENS. Enter Enter Cinna. Cafca. Stand close awhile, for here comes one in hafte. Caf. 'Tis Cinna, I do know him by his gait; He is a friend.-Cinna, where hafte you fo? Cin. To find out you: Who's that, Metellus Cimber? Caf. No, it is Cafca; one incorporate To our attempts. Am I not ftaid for, Cinna? Cin. Yes, You are. O, Caffius, if you could but win Caf. 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 Repair to Pompey's porch, where you fhall find us. Cin. All but Metellus Cimber; and he's gone Come, Cafca, you and I will, yet, ere day, Cefca. O, he fits high in all the people's hearts: |