The New Hudson Shakespeare: Julius Caesar Part 43

VARRO. } CLAUDIUS.} Did we, my lord?

BRUTUS. Ay: saw you any thing?

VARRO. No, my lord, I saw nothing.

CLAUDIUS. Nor I, my lord. 305

BRUTUS. Go and commend me to my brother Ca.s.sius; Bid him set on his powers betimes before, 307 And we will follow.

VARRO. } CLAUDIUS.} It shall be done, my lord. [_Exeunt_]

[Note 300: [_To_ VARRO] Globe Camb Ff omit.]

[Note 304, 308: VARRO, CLAUDIUS Both Ff.]

[Note 291: /false:/ out of tune. A charming touch in this boy study.]

[Note 306: /commend me to:/ greet from me, remember me kindly to.]

[Note 307: /set on:/ cause to advance.--/betimes:/ early.

Formerly 'betime'; "the final 's' is due to the habit of adding '-s' or '-es' to form adverbs; cf. 'whiles' (afterwards 'whilst') from 'while.'"--Skeat.]

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ACT V

SCENE I. _The plains of Philippi_

_Enter_ OCTAVIUS, ANTONY, _and their_ Army

OCTAVIUS. Now, Antony, our hopes are answered: You said the enemy would not come down, But keep the hills and upper regions.

It proves not so: their battles are at hand; They mean to warn us at Philippi here, 5 Answering before we do demand of them.

ANTONY. Tut, I am in their bosoms, and I know Wherefore they do it: they could be content To visit other places, and come down With fearful bravery, thinking by this face 10 To fasten in our thoughts that they have courage; But 'tis not so.

[Note _The plains of Philippi_: Capell The Fields of Philippi, with the two Camps Rowe Ff omit.]

[Note 4: /battles:/ troops, battalions. 'Battle' was used for an 'army,' especially an army embattled, or ordered in battle array. The plural is here used with historical correctness, as Brutus and Ca.s.sius had each an army; the two armies of course cooperating, and acting together as one. Cf. 'battle' in l. 16 and 'battles' in V, iii, 108.]

[Note 5: /warn:/ summon to fight. Cf. _King John_, II, i, 201.

In _Richard III_, I, iii, 39, we have "warn them to his royal presence."]

[Note 7: /am in their bosoms:/ am familiar with their intention.]

[Note 10: /bravery:/ bravado, defiance. The epithet 'fearful'

probably means that fear is behind the attempt to intimidate by display and brag. Dr. Wright interprets 'bravery' as 'ostentation,' 'display.']

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_Enter a_ Messenger

MESSENGER. Prepare you, generals: The enemy comes on in gallant show; Their b.l.o.o.d.y sign of battle is hung out, And something to be done immediately. 15

ANTONY. Octavius, lead your battle softly on, Upon the left hand of the even field.

OCTAVIUS. Upon the right hand I; keep thou the left.

ANTONY. Why do you cross me in this exigent? 19

OCTAVIUS. I do not cross you; but I will do so. [_March_]

[Note 14: /b.l.o.o.d.y sign./ "The next morning, by break of day, the signal of battle was set out in Brutus' and Ca.s.sius' camp, which was an arming scarlet coat."--Plutarch, _Marcus Brutus_.]

[Note 17: Plutarch tells that Ca.s.sius, though the more experienced soldier, allowed Brutus to lead the right wing.

"Shakespeare made use of this incident, but transferred to the opposite camp, in order to bring out the character of Octavius which made Antony yield. Octavius really commanded the left wing."--Clar.]

[Note 19: /exigent:/ exigency. So in _Antony and Cleopatra_, IV, xiv, 63.]

[Note 20: /I will do so:/ I will do as I have said. Not 'I will cross you.' At this time Octavius was but twenty-one years old, and Antony was old enough to be his father. At the time of Caesar's death, when Octavius was in his nineteenth year, Antony thought he was going to manage him easily and have it all his own way with him; but he found the youngster as stiff as a crowbar, and could do nothing with him. Caesar's youngest sister, Julia, was married to Marcus Atius Balbus, and their daughter Atia, again, was married to Caius Octavius, a n.o.bleman of the plebeian order. From this marriage sprang the present Octavius, who afterwards became the Emperor Augustus. He was mainly educated by his great-uncle, was advanced to the patrician order, and was adopted as his son and heir; so that his full and proper designation at this time was Caius Julius Caesar Octavia.n.u.s. The text gives a right taste of the man, who always stood firm as a post against Antony, till the latter finally knocked himself to pieces against him.]

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_Drum._ _Enter_ BRUTUS, Ca.s.sIUS, _and their_ Army; LUCILIUS, t.i.tINIUS, MESSALA, _and others_

BRUTUS. They stand, and would have parley.

Ca.s.sIUS. Stand fast, t.i.tinius: we must out and talk.

OCTAVIUS. Mark Antony, shall we give sign of battle?

ANTONY. No, Caesar, we will answer on their charge.

Make forth; the generals would have some words. 25

OCTAVIUS. Stir not until the signal.

BRUTUS. Words before blows: is it so, countrymen?

OCTAVIUS. Not that we love words better, as you do. 28

BRUTUS. Good words are better than bad strokes, Octavius.

ANTONY. In your bad strokes, Brutus, you give good words.

Witness the hole you made in Caesar's heart, Crying, 'Long live! hail, Caesar!'

Ca.s.sIUS. Antony, The posture of your blows are yet unknown; But, for your words, they rob the Hybla bees, And leave them honeyless.