William Shakespeare - The Complete Works/William Shakespeare - The Complete Works on CD-ROM.iso/library/line/jc/jc12.txt

Text File | 1994-05-22 | 9.7 KB | 301 lines

Act 4 Scene 2

In the rebel camp, Brutus and Cassius are no
longer the close friends that they used to be.
Brutus accuses Cassius of a greed for gold which
has led him to betray their cause. The two men
insult each other angrily, but eventually become
friends again. A poet comes to the tent and tries to
act as peacemaker, but Brutus is scornful and
sends him away. Then he explains to Cassius that
the real reason for his short temper is grief,
because he has just heard that Portia, his wife, is
dead. Messala comes to discuss the letters he has
received from Rome, with the news of PortiaÆs
death. Brutus explains why it is necessary for their
armies to advance on Philippi, where they will
meet Antony and the Roman forces. Cassius leaves
him to go to bed, and Brutus calls for Varrus and
Claudio to sleep in his tent. But Brutus cannot
sleep, and he is visited by the ghost of Caesar,
which tells him that they will meet again at
Philippi. Brutus wakes Varrus and Claudio, who
have seen nothing. These events are narrated by
Plutarch.
1    Stand: halt.
2    word: password.
4    at hand: near by.
5    do you salutation: bring you greetings.
7    In . . . change: because of some change in
himself.
by ill officers: because of the bad conduct of his
officers.
8    worthy cause: good reason.
10    be satisfied: be given an explanation.
12    full of regard: entirely deserving of
respect.
14    let . . . resolvÆd: tell me.
16    familiar instances: evidence of close
friendship.
17    free . . . conference: open and friendly
conversation.
18    As . . . old: that he has shown in the past.
19    Ever: always.
21    enforced: constrained, unnatural.
ceremony: formality.
22    tricks: deceits.
faith: friendship.
23    hollow: insincere.
hot at hand: eager so long as they are held back.
24    mettle: spirit.
26    fall: droop.
crests: proud necks.
jades: worthless horses.
27    Sink in the trial: fail when they are put to
the test.
29    horse in general: main part of the cavalry.
33    Speak . . . along: pass the order (to halt)
along the line.
37    done me wrong: injured me.
38    Wrong I: do I injure?
40    sober form: dignified manner.
41    content: calm.
42    griefs: grievances.
softly: quietly.
46    enlarge your griefs: tell me your
grievances in full.
47    give you audience: listen to you.
48    charges: forces under their command.
50    do you the like: you do the same.
53    wrongÆd: injured.
doth appear: is evident.
54    condemnÆd: found guilty.
noted: disgraced.
56    praying . . . side: pleading on his behalf.
57    I knew the man: he was a friend of mine.
slighted off: dismissed.
60    nice: trivial.
his comment: the criticism it deserves.
62    condemnÆd to have: criticized for having.
an itching palm: a hand willing to be rubbed ù
i.e. to take bribes.
63    mart: trade.
offices: official positions.
64    undeservers: men who are not worthy.
66    else: otherwise.
67     Your name protects this racket, and only
because of this (ôthereforeö) is there no
punishment for it.
72    Was there anyone so villainous as to stab
Caesar for some other reason than the cause of
justice?
75    But . . . robbers: for the very reason that
he allowed robbers to go unpunished.
78    trash: rubbish.
thus. Perhaps Brutus clenches his fist to show a
hand grasping money.
79    bay: howl at.
80    bay: try to anger.
81     you . . . in: you forget who you are, when
you try to bind me with your rules.
83    older in practice: more experienced in
practical matters.
84    make conditions: manage affairs.
85    Go to: nonsense.
88    Urge: tempt.
89    Have . . . health: think of what is good for
you.
93    Must I submit (ôgive way and roomö) to
your quick temper (ôrash cholerö)?
96    fret: rage.
98    budge: change my position.
99    observe: take notice of.
100    testy humour: irritable temper.
101    You . . . split you: you can swallow the
poison of your anger (ôspleenö) even if you burst
with it.
102    forth: onwards.
103    mirth: amusement.
104    waspish: bad-tempered.
106    Let . . . so: let me see it.
vaunting: boasting.
107    mine own part: myself.
112    durst: dare.
movÆd: angered.
118    presume: take advantage.
122    My honesty is like a strong armour.
123    they: i.e. the threats.
124    respect not: take no notice of.
send to you: sent to ask you.
126    vile: dishonourable.
127    I would rather turn my heart into gold and
my drops of blood into silver coins (ôdrachmasö)
than squeeze the hardworking (and unwilling)
hands of the peasants to get their poor money by
any dishonourable means (ôindirectionö).
131    legions: detachments of troops.
135    rascal counters: wretched bits of metal.
139    rivÆd: torn.
140    bear: accept.
infirmities: weaknesses.
142    practise: use.
146    Olympus: the mountain home of the
Greek gods.
148    alone: only.
150    bravÆd: defied.
151    CheckÆd: corrected.
152    connÆd by rote: learned by heart.
153    To . . . teeth: to repeat to my face.
153    weep . . . eyes: die of grief.
156    Pluto: the god of the underworld, but
often confused (as here) with Plutus, god of riches.
162    scope: free expression.
163    dishonour . . . humour: when you insult
me, I will think that you are only in a mood.
164    yoked: allied.
165     Brutus says that in his anger he is like a
flint that does not give fire until it has been struck
repeatedly and with violence (ômuch enforcedö);
then it gives a brief (ôhastyö) spark, and is
immediately (ôstraightö) cold again.
169    blood ill-temperÆd: ill humour.
171    confess: admit.
173    bear: be patient.
174    that . . . me: that quick temper that I was
born with.
175    forgetful: forget myself.
176    over-earnest: too hard on.
177    chides: is angry.
leave you so: leave it at that.
179    grudge: quarrel.
meet: right.
185    cynic: would-be philosopher.
187    Ætis his fashion: itÆs just his way.
188    IÆll make allowances (ôknowö) for his
manner (ôhumourö) when he recognizes that
there is a proper time for it.
189    What use are these rhyming (ôjiggingö)
fools in time of war?
190    Companion: fellow.
192    lodge: pitch camp for.
196    sick: weary.
griefs: problems.
197    You are not being very philosophical if
you give in to difficulties that only happen by
chance (ôaccidentalö).
202    ÆscapÆd: escaped.
crossÆd: angered.
203    The loss of someone very close to
(ôtouchingö) you is unbearable (ôinsupportableö).
204    Upon: of.
Impatient: unable to endure.
206    for . . . came: the news of her death came
together with that other news.
207    fell distraught: went out of her mind.
208     her . . . absent: when her attendants had
left her alone.
swallowÆd fire: Portia committed suicide by filling
her mouth with burning coals and keeping her lips
together.
209sd    tapers: candles.
211    I will drown all the bad feeling
(ôunkindnessö) between us in this wine.
213    oÆerswell: overflows.
217    Ask ourselves what needs to be done.
221    Come . . . us: are advancing towards us.
222    Bending: directing.
expedition: rapid movement.
223    of . . . tenor: to the same effect.
224    With anything else.
225    proscription: condemning to death.
bills of outlawry: sentencing to exile.
233    Had . . . wife: were your letters from your
wife?
233    S
235    writ of: written about.
237    aught: anything.
243    When I think that she must die at some
time (ôonceö).
245    Even so: this is just the way.
246    art: theory.
248    to . . . alive: let us get on with the
business of living.
252    waste: exhaust.
means: supplies.
253    Doing himself offence: harming himself.
lying still: staying in the same place.
255    of force: necessarily.
257    Are only friendly towards us because they
are compelled (ôforcÆdö) to be.
258    grudgÆd us contribution: been unwilling
to supply us.
259    by them: through their land.
260    By them: from them.
make . . . up: increase the size of his army.
261    Come on: advance.
new-added: reinforced.
266    tried . . . friends: we have asked our allies
for all the help they can give.
267    Our . . . brim-full: our armies are as large
as they need to be.
our . . . ripe: this is the right moment to fight for
our cause.
269    at the height: i.e. of strength and fortune.
271    flood: high tide.
272    Omitted: if men fail to take the
opportunity presented to them.
273    bound in shallows: stranded in shallow
water.
275    serves: is best for us.
276    ventures: enterprises (goods risked in
trade).
with: at.
278    It has got late into the night whilst we
have been talking.
279    Human nature must admit its needs, and
we will satisfy these needs with a short rest
(ôniggardö be sparing, or mean, with).
283    gown: dressing-gown.
293    art oÆer-watchÆd: have been kept awake
too long.
298    raise: rouse.
299    On business: to go on business.
300    watch your pleasure: stay awake until
you need us.
302    otherwise bethink me: decide to do
something else.
308    touch . . . two: play one or two tunes on
your instrument (probably a lute).
309    anÆt: if it.
313    bloods: constitutions.
look for: need.
316    hold: keep.
319    leaden: heavy (made of lead).
mace. Officers arresting wrong-doers carried a
mace, with which they touched the criminal on the
shoulder as a token of arrest; Shakespeare often
personifies death and sleep as arresting officers.
320    plays thee music. Brutus thinks of
LuciusÆs playing, intended to lull him to sleep, as a
serenade to the personification of sleep.
knave: boy (the tone is affectionate).
326    How . . . burns. Elizabethan superstition
believed that
a candle (ôtaperö) would burn blue if a ghost
approached.
329    upon: towards.
any thing: i.e. real.
331    stare: stand on end.
332    Speak to: tell.
338    taken heart: recovered my courage;
ghosts (the Elizabethans believed) would
disappear when they were challenged.
339    would hold: would like to have.
341    false: out of tune.
356    commend me: present my compliments
to.
357    set on his powers: order his troops to
advance.
betimes: early.
before: i.e. before my soldiers.