Julius Caesar (35 page)

¹⁹⁰
rash humour
i.e. choler, the humor responsible for impetuous anger

¹⁹¹
forgetful
irrational, badly behaved

¹⁹⁴
leave you so
i.e. leave it at that

²⁰¹
mean
i.e. think you are doing

²⁰⁴
cynic
i.e. fault-finder (literally, a follower of Cynic philosophy, which disdained pleasure and enjoyment)

²⁰⁵
Saucy
insolent

²⁰⁶
fashion
manner

²⁰⁷
I’ll … time
I’ll acknowledge his manner when he recognizes the proper occasion for it (
time
plays on the sense of “musical time, rhythm”)

²⁰⁸
jigging
rhyming in a jerking and metrically unsophisticated manner

²⁰⁹
Companion
rogue, rascal

²¹⁷
of
with

²¹⁸
philosophy
usually identified as Stoicism, which valued endurance in the face of hardship, but according to Plutarch, Brutus was a Platonist

²¹⁹
place
room/precedence

²¹⁹
accidental evils
chance misfortunes

²²³
scaped
escaped

²²³
crossed
challenged, opposed

²²⁴
touching
deeply felt

²²⁵
Upon
as a result of

²²⁸
her
i.e. news of her

²²⁹
That tidings
i.e. news of Octavius and Antony’s power

²²⁹
distract
mad, deranged

²³⁰
fire
specifically, burning coals

²³⁷
o’erswell
overflow

²⁴¹
call in question
discuss

²⁴⁷
Bending
directing

²⁴⁷
expedition
speedy setting forth/military enterprise

²⁴⁷
Philippi
city in Macedonia

²⁴⁸
tenor
drift, substance

²⁵⁰
proscription … outlawry
i.e. legislation declaring some people to be outlaws punishable by death

²⁷⁰
must die once
had to die some day

²⁷²
Even so
in just such a manner

²⁷³
art
practiced fortitude, learned behavior

²⁷⁴
nature
natural feelings

²⁷⁴
bear it
carry it off, maintain it

²⁷⁵
alive
concerning those who are living/of present importance

²⁸²
offence
damage/attack (the opposite of
defence
)

²⁸⁴
force
necessity

²⁸⁴
place
way

²⁸⁶
affection
allegiance

²⁸⁷
contribution
resources, supplies (including soldiers)

²⁸⁹
make … up
increase its numbers

²⁹⁰
new-added
reinforced, with augmented numbers

²⁹³
These … back
behind us (supporting us/cut off from our enemy)

²⁹⁵
Under your pardon
i.e. allow me to continue

²⁹⁶
tried
put (successfully) to the test

³⁰¹
taken … flood
i.e. set sail on when it is in

³⁰²
Omitted
neglected

³⁰³
bound in shallows
confined to shallow waters

³⁰⁶
ventures
investments at sea/enterprises

³⁰⁸
along
go along

³¹¹
niggard
fob off, stint

³¹⁵
gown
dressing gown

³²⁷
instrument
musical instrument, perhaps a lute

³³⁰
art o’er-watched
have been awake (perhaps on guard) for too long

³³⁶
raise
rouse, wake

³³⁸
watch your pleasure
remain awake and ready to respond to your needs

³⁴⁰
otherwise bethink me
i.e. change my mind

³⁴⁶
touch
i.e. play on

³⁴⁷
an’t
if it

³⁵¹
might
capabilities, strength

³⁵²
look for
need, expect

³⁵⁵
hold
detain

³⁵⁷
murderous
i.e. that gives the appearance of death

³⁵⁸
leaden mace
heavy staff of office (used by a sergeant to arrest offenders by touching them with his mace)

³⁶⁷
shapes
creates, forms

³⁶⁷
monstrous
unnatural

³⁷⁰
stare
stand on end

³⁷⁸
taken heart
gathered my courage

³⁸¹
false
out of tune

³⁹⁰
Fellow thou
thou, fellow

³⁹⁸
commend me
convey my greetings

³⁹⁹
set … before
set off with his troops early in the morning

5.1
Location: near Philippi

³
keep
keep to

⁴
battles
battalions

⁵
warn
challenge

⁶
Answering
responding to/encountering for a fight

⁶
demand of
ask

⁷
am … bosoms
know their secrets

⁸
could be content
would like

⁹
visit other places
be elsewhere, take up different positions

⁹
come down
attack (by surprise)

¹⁰
fearful bravery
alarming bravery/a false show of bravery to hide their fear

¹⁰
face
show

¹¹
fasten
fix the impression

¹²
’tis not so
they are unable to do so/they have no courage

¹⁴
gallant
splendid, smart

¹⁵
bloody … battle
red flag, a signal for battle

¹⁶
to
is to, must

¹⁷
softly
slowly, warily

¹⁸
even
level, flat

²⁰
exigent
critical moment

²²
have parley
negotiation, during which hostilities were suspended

²⁵
answer … charge
respond when they attack

²⁶
Make forth
go forward

³⁰
strokes
blows

³⁵
The … blows
the nature of your blows, how you will strike

³⁶
for
as for

³⁶
your words
refers to Antony’s deceptively friendly words to the conspirators after Caesar’s murder, or perhaps to his flattering words to the people regarding Caesar’s love for them

³⁶
Hybla
town in Sicily, famed for its honey

⁴⁰
buzzing
plays on the sense of “rumor mongering”

⁴¹
threat
threaten

⁴²
so
i.e. give warning

⁴⁴
showed your teeth
grinned

⁴⁴
apes
i.e. fools

⁴⁶
cur
dog

⁴⁹
This … ruled
i.e. if Cassius had had his way, Antony would have been killed along with Caesar

⁵¹
cause
grounds for hostility, central issue

⁵²
proof
trial (on the battlefield)

⁵⁴
goes up
is sheathed

⁵⁶
another Caesar
i.e. myself, Octavius Caesar

⁵⁷
added slaughter to
i.e. been killed by

⁵⁹
thou … thee
i.e. those hands are your own

⁶²
if
even if

⁶²
strain
family line

⁶³
more honourable
more honorably (than being killed by Brutus)

⁶⁴
peevish
foolish/obstinate/ill-tempered

⁶⁵
masquer
one who participates in masques (theatrical entertainments involving elaborate costumes and dancing)

⁷⁰
stomachs
courage, appetites (for battle)

⁷¹
billow
wave

⁷¹
bark
ship

⁷²
on the hazard
at stake

⁷⁸
as this
this

⁸¹
Pompey was
Pompey was reluctantly persuaded into a disastrous final battle with Caesar at Pharsalus in 48 BC

⁸¹
set
stake

⁸³
Epicurus
Greek philosopher who believed that the gods were indifferent to human affairs, and thus that omens did not influence the course of events

⁸⁵
credit
give credit to, believe

⁸⁵
presage
foretell events

⁸⁶
former ensign
foremost military banner

⁸⁷
fell
swooped

⁸⁹
consorted
accompanied

⁹¹
steads
places

⁹¹
ravens … kites
scavenging birds considered to be bad omens

⁹³
As
as if

⁹⁴
fatal
ominous, boding death

⁹⁹
constantly
resolutely

¹⁰⁰
Even so, Lucilius
Brutus finishes his private conversation with Lucilius

¹⁰²
The
may the

¹⁰³
Lovers
dear friends

¹⁰⁴
rests still
remain always

¹⁰⁵
reason with
consider

¹⁰⁹
philosophy
the antisuicide sentiment Brutus expresses is Stoic

¹¹⁰
Cato
Portia’s father, an ally of Pompey who committed suicide rather than surrender to Caesar

¹¹¹
how
i.e. why

¹¹³
fall
happen

¹¹³
prevent … life
cut short one’s natural lifespan

¹¹⁵
stay
await

¹¹⁸
in triumph
chained to the victor’s chariot during the triumphal return to Rome

¹²²
great
noble

5.2
Location: the battlefield near Philippi

5.2
Alarum
call to arms, usually with trumpet or drum

¹
bills
written commands

²
other side
i.e. Cassius’ division of the army, located in another part of the battlefield

³
set on
advance

⁴
cold
unenthusiastic/miserable

⁴
Octavio’s
i.e. Octavius’

⁴
wing
division of the army

⁵
push
attack

⁶
come down
attack (by surprise) 5.3