Second Citizen. They were villains, murderers. The will! Read the will! Antony. You will compel me, then, to read the will? Shall I descend? And will you give me leave? Citizens. Come down. Second Citizen. Descend. [He comes down. Third Citizen. You shall have leave. Fourth Citizen. A ring! stand round. 165 170 First Citizen. Stand from the hearse; stand from the body. 175 You all do know this mantle: I remember The first time ever Cæsar put it on ; 'Twas on a summer's evening, in his tent, That day he overcame the Nervii. Look! in this place ran Cassius' dagger through. 180. That day. What is the grammatical construction of "day?" (See Swinton's New English Grammar, § 105, ix. and note.) 180 185 This was the most unkindest cut of all; For when the noble Cæsar saw him stab, Ingratitude, more strong than traitors' arms, 190 Quite vanquished him. Then burst his mighty heart; Even at the base of Pompey's statuë,* Which all the while ran blood, great Cæsar fell. O, what a fall was there, my countrymen ! Fourth Citizen. O traitors, villains! First Citizen. O most bloody sight! Revenge-about-seek-burn-fire-kill-slay,—let not a traitor live! Antony. Stay, countrymen. First Citizen. Peace there! hear the noble Antony. 195 200 205 210 Second Citizen. We'll hear him, we'll follow him, we'll die with 215 him. 195. statuë. The word is here pro- | 201. dint, impression, emotion. LITERARY ANALYSIS.-Give the etymology of "statuë" (195); of “dint" (201). 190. most unkindest. This is not to be flippantly condemned as a pleonasm; for, though contrary to modern usage, the doubling of comparatives and superlatives was a common idiom in Shakespeare's time: thus we have the expressions " more elder," "more better," "most boldest," "most worst," etc., the adverbs being intensive. 211. Revenge... slay. 215. We'll hear... die. effect of repeating "we'll ?" Supply the ellipsis. Point out the figure. (See Def. 33.) What is the Antony. Good friends, sweet friends, let me not stir you up To such a sudden flood of mutiny. They that have done this deed are honorable : I come not, friends, to steal away your hearts : But, as you know me all, a plain blunt man, That love my friend; and that they know full well Show you sweet Cæsar's wounds, poor, poor dumb mouths, And Brutus Antony, there were an Antony Would ruffle up your spirits, and put a tongue 220 225 230 235 In every wound of Cæsar, that should move The stones of Rome to rise and mutiny. Citizens. We'll mutiny. First Citizen. We'll burn the house of Brutus. Third Citizen. Away, then! come, seek the conspirators.' 220. griefs, grievances. | 228. wit, intellectual power. * 240 LITERARY ANALYSIS. — 217–237. In this speech of twenty-one lines (one hundred and eighty-three words), only fourteen words-proper names excepted -are of other than Anglo-Saxon origin. (See Def. 49, i.) Point out these exceptions. Why does Shakespeare here use so large a proportion of native words?-Point out an example of alliteration (see Def. 37) in this speech. 218. such a sudden flood of mutiny. From what is the metaphor taken? 221, 222. they're wise... answer you. What three words are used ironically? 223. to steal away your hearts. Change this into plain language. 224-230. What do you suppose to be Antony's purpose in seeking to make the audience think he was "no orator?" 228. wit. How does "wit" as here used differ from its modern meaning? 230. To stir men's blood. Change into plain language. 235. Would ruffle up your spirits. Explain this expression. 236, 237. should move The stones, etc. What figure of speech? (See Def. 34.) 240. conspirators. Give the etymology of this word. Antony. Yet hear me, countrymen ; yet hear me speak. You have forgot the will I told you of. Citizens. Most true; the will!-let's stay, and hear the will. To every Roman citizen he gives, To every several man, seventy-five drachmas. Second Citizen. Most noble Cæsar! Third Citizen. O royal Cæsar ! All. Peace, ho! 245 250 We'll revenge his death. Antony. Moreover, he hath left you all his walks, To walk abroad and recreate yourselves. And to your heirs forever, common pleasures, Here was a Cæsar! when comes such another? We'll burn his body in the holy place, First Citizen. Never, never!-Come, away, away! And with the brands fire the traitors' houses. 255 260 Take up the body. Second Citizen. Go fetch fire. Third Citizen. Pluck down benches. Fourth Citizen. Pluck down forms, windows, anything. [Exeunt Citizens with the body. Antony. Now let it work. Mischief, thou art afoot, Take thou what course thou wilt! thirteen or fourteen dollars of our money. 244. loves. The plural is here used to 250. seventy-five drachmas = indicate that the feeling was shared severally by those ad- 259. to walk abroad: that is, to walk dressed. 246. have forgot. See note to line 62, 263. fire. The word "fire" is here "spoke." pronounced as a dissyllable. abroad in. LITERARY ANALYSIS.-266. Pluck down benches, etc. The incidents in the play of Julius Cæsar are largely taken from Plutarch's Lives. It is well known 265 II. TRIAL SCENE FROM THE MERCHANT OF VENICE. [INTRODUCTION.-The Trial Scene forms the second scene, act iv., of the Merchant of Venice, first published in 1600. It has always been one of the most popular of Shakespeare's comedies, both with readers and audiences—a popularity justified by the fact that it stands in the first rank for the almost tragic interest of its main plot, for the variety and strongly marked discrimination of its characters, and for the sweetness, beauty, and grace that pervade it.] Scene-A Court of Justice. Present-The DUKE, the Magnificoes, ANTONIO, BASSANIO, GRATIANO, SALERIO, and others. I. Duke. What, is Antonio here? Antonio. Ready, so please your grace. Duke. I am sorry for thee: thou art come to answer A stony adversary, an inhuman wretch Uncapable of pity, void and empty From any dram of mercy. Your grace hath ta'en great pains to qualify His rigorous course; but since he stands obdurate NOTES.-2. so please = if it so please. 5. Uncapable, incapable. 5, 6. empty From. speare always uses of, as we do with void and empty. Elsewhere Shake- 8. qualify, modify. that Shakespeare used this work, for one of the few existing autographs of the great poet is found in a copy of Sir Thomas North's translation of Plutarch. The following passage from North's text will illustrate what Shakespeare had "to go on" in writing Julius Cæsar: "Afterwards, when Cæsar's body was brought into the market-place, Antonius making his funeral oration in praise of the dead, according to the ancient custom of Rome, and perceiving that his words moved the common people to compassion, he framed his eloquence to make their hearts yearn the more; and, taking Cæsar's gown all bloody in his hand, he laid it open to the sight of them all, showing what a number of cuts and holes it had upon it. Therewithal the people fell presently into such a rage and mutiny that there was no more order kept amongst the common people. For some of them cried out, Kill the murtherers!' others plucked up forms, tables, and stalls about the market-place, and having laid them all on a heap together, they set them on fire, and thereupon did put the body of Cæsar, and burnt it in the midst of the most holy places. And, furthermore, when the fire was throughly kindled, some here, some there, took burning fire-brands, and ran with them to the murtherers houses that killed him, to set them on fire." |