1 Pleb. Tear him to pieces, he's a confpirator. Cin. I am Cinna the poet, I am Cinna the poet. 4 Pleb. Tear him for his bad verses, tear him for his bad verses. Cin. I am not Cinna the confpirator. 4 Pleb. It is no matter, his name's Cinna; pluck but his name out of his heart, and turn him going. 3 Pleb. Tear him, tear him; come, brands, ho, firebrands: To Brutus, to Caffius, burn all. Some to Decius's house, And fome to Cafca's, fome to Ligarius: away, go. [Exeunt. A C T IV. SCENE, a fmall Island near Mutina. (24) Enter ANTONY, OCTAVIUS, and LEPIDUS. ANTONY. THESE many then fhall die, their names are prick'd. O. Your brother too muft die; confent you, Lepidus? Lep. I do confent. O. Prick him down, Antony. Lep. Upon condition Publius fhall not live, (25) (24) SCENE, afmall island.] Mr Rowe, and Mr Pope after him, have marked the fcene here to be at Rome. The old copies fay nothing of the place. Shakespeare, I dare fay, knew from Plutarch, that thefe triumvirs met, upon the profcription, in a little ifland, which Appian, who is more particular, fays, lay near Mutina upon the river Lavinius. (25) Upon condition Publius shall not live;] I don't know Who is your fifter's fon, Mark Antony. [him. Ant. He shall not live; look, with a spot, I dama But, Lepidus, go you to Cæfar's house; Fetch the will hither, and we fhall determine Oất. Or here, or at the Capitol. [Exit Lepidus. The three-fold world divided, he should stand So you thought him; And took his voice who fhould be prick'd to die, In our black fentence and profcription.. Ant. Octavius, I have feen mére days than you: And having brought our treafure where we will, Of. You may do your will; But he's a tried and valiant foldier. Ant. So is my horfe, Octavius: and for that, I do appoint him ftore of provender. whom our Author means by this Publius. I know that one Publius Silicius, as he is called by Plutarch, (and Sicilius Coronas, by Dion Caffius) fell under this profcription; but the three perfons, about whom the Triumvirs had fo particular a fquabble, were Cicero, whofe life Antony infifted on; Paulus, who was condemned by his own brother Lepidus, according to fome accounts; and Lucius Cæfar, Antony's uncle by the mother's fide, whose blood Octavius demanded. It is a creature that I teach to fight, He must be taught, and trained, and bid go forth A barren-fpirited fellow, one that feeds. On abject orts and imitations; (26) Which, out of use, and staled by other men, But as a property. And now, Octavius, Listen great things. Brutus and Caffius Are levying powers; we must straight make head. Therefore let our alliance be combined; Our best friends made, and our beft means stretch'd And let us prefently go fit in council, (26) A barren-fpirited fellow, one that feeds On objects, arts, and imitations, &c.] [out, "Tis hard to conceive why he fhould be called a barrenfpirited fellow, that could feed either on objects, or arts; that is, as I prefume, form his ideas and judgment upon them: ftale and obfolete imitation, indeed, fixes fuch a character. am perfuaded, to make the Poet confonant to himself, we muft read, as I have restored the text; On abje&orts, i. e. on the fcraps and fragments of things rejected and defpifed by others. The word orts (which, as Skinner tells us, is of Teutonic derivation, and fignifies fragmenta, menfe reliquie) is not fo much antiquated, though corrupted in the pronunciation, but that children are warned to this day of leaving eris on their plate. Our Author has used the word in feveral other paflages. As in Timon of Athens, the thief fays; It is fome poor fragment, fome fender crt of his remainder. And, in Tcilus; The fractions of her faith, orts of her love, The fragments, fcraps, &c. And likewife in his poem, called Tarquin and Lucrece, Stanz, 141. Let him have time a beggar's orts to crave. Р How covert matters may be best disclosed, Oct. Let us do fo; for we are at the stake, And fome, that fmile, have in their hearts, I fear, Millions of mischiefs. T [Exeunt. SCENE, before Brutus's Tent, in the Camp near Sardis. Drum. Enter BRUTUS, LUCILIUS, and Soldiers: TITINIUS aud PINDARUS meeting them. Bru. Stand, ho! Luc. Give the word, ho! and ftand! Bru. What now, Lucilius? is Caffius near? To do you falutation from his master. Bru. He greets me well. Your mafter, Pindarus, In his own change, or by ill officers, Hath given me fome worthy cause to wifh Pin. I do not doubt But that my noble mafter will appear Luc. With courtesy, and with respect enough; But not with fuch familiar instances, Nor with fuch free and friendly conference, Bru. Thou haft defcribed A hot friend, cooling: ever note, Lucilius, There are no tricks in plain and fimple faith: But hollow men, like horses hot at hand, Luc. They mean this night in Sardis to be quartered; The greater part, the horfe in general, Are come with Caffius. [Low March within. Enter CASSIUS and Soldiers. Bru. Hark, he is arrived; March gently on to meet him. Caf. Stand, ho! Bru. Stand, ho! fpeak the word along. Within. Stand! Caf. Moft noble brother, you have done me wrong. Bru. Judge me, you gods! wrong I mine enemies? And if not fo, how fhould I wrong a brother? Ca Brutus, this fober form of yours hides wrongs, And when you do them---- Bru. Caffiùs, be content, Speak your griefs fofily, I do know you well. (Which fhould perceive nothing but love from us) Caf. Pindarus, Bid our commanders lead their charges off Bru. Lucilius, do the like; and let no man Come to our tent, till we have done our conference. Let Lucius and Titinius guard the door. [Exeunt. |