Julius Caesar (32 page)

²⁸⁰
place
position (as your wife)

²⁸²
charm
conjure, entreat

²⁸³
that great vow
i.e. the marriage vow

²⁸⁵
unfold
reveal

²⁸⁵
half
other half

²⁸⁶
heavy
sad

²⁸⁷
resort
access

²⁹³
excepted
made an exception (that)

²⁹⁵
in … limitation
within certain limits (legal phrase)

²⁹⁶
keep
remain

²⁹⁶
comfort
make comfortable, bring pleasure to

²⁹⁷
suburbs
outskirts, the less tightly regulated parts of a city well known for prostitution

²⁹⁹
harlot
prostitute

³⁰¹
ruddy drops
i.e. blood

³⁰⁷
Cato
Marcus Porcius Cato was known for his rigid moral integrity; as an ally of Pompey, he committed suicide rather than give in to Caesar

³¹⁰
counsels
plans/secrets

³¹¹
constancy
fortitude

³¹⁸
by and by
imminently

³¹⁸
bosom
i.e. heart

³²⁰
construe
explain

³²¹
charactery
writing, i.e. meaning

kerchief
scarf generally worn about the head (especially by invalids)

³²⁷
Vouchsafe
deign to accept

³³⁷
exorcist
one who calls up spirits by magical rites

³³⁸
mortified
deadened (by illness/by Caesar)

³³⁹
strive
contend

³⁴¹
whole
healthy, well

³⁴⁵
To whom
i.e. to meet the man to whom

³⁴⁶
Set … foot
advance, lead on

2.2
Location: Caesar’s house, Rome

⁵
present
immediate

⁶
opinions
predictions (based on study of the entrails of sacrificed animals)

¹³
stood on
insisted on, gave weight to

¹³
ceremonies
omens, portents

¹⁶
watch
night watchmen

¹⁷
whelpèd
given birth

¹⁸
yawned
gaped open

¹⁹
fiery warriors
i.e. comets, considered to be bad omens

²²
hurtled
clashed noisily

²⁴
ghosts … squeal
ghosts were traditionally supposed to have thin, high-pitched voices

²⁵
use
customary experience

²⁸
end
outcome

²⁸
purposed
determined, intended

³⁰
to
directed just as much to

³²
blaze forth
i.e. proclaim with meteors, fire

⁴¹
of … forth
out of one of the sacrificial animal corpses

⁴³
in shame of
to shame

⁴⁸
littered
born

⁵²
consumed in
devoured by

⁵⁹
humour
whim, fancy

⁶³
happy
opportune

⁷¹
greybeards
old men (often derogatory)

⁷⁹
stays
detains

⁸²
lusty
vigorous, lively, eager

⁸⁴
apply for
interpret as

⁸⁷
amiss
wrongly

⁹²
press
appeal/crowd forward

⁹³
tinctures, stains, relics
i.e. tokens marked with a martyr’s blood
(tinctures
also includes the sense “colours on a coat of arms”)

⁹³
cognizance
tokens/heraldic badge worn by a nobleman’s servant

¹⁰⁰
were … rendered
would be a likely joke

¹⁰⁸
reason … liable
decorum is overruled by my love

¹¹⁸
ague
fever, sickness

¹²³
notwithstanding up
nevertheless out of bed

¹³⁰
remember
acknowledge, reward

¹³⁴
like friends
may not actually be so

¹³⁵
That … same
i.e. the fact that those who behave

¹³⁶
earns
grieves

2.3
Location: a street near the Capitol, Rome

⁵
bent
resolved/directed

⁶
security
overconfidence, complacency

⁶
way
opportunity/access

⁷
lover
dear and loyal friend

¹⁰
suitor
petitioner

¹²
Out of
free from

¹²
teeth
i.e. bite

¹²
emulation
ambitious rivalry

¹⁴
contrive
plot, conspire

2.4
Location: outside Brutus’ house, Rome

⁷
constancy
resolution, fortitude

⁹
man’s
i.e. strong, virtuous

¹⁰
counsel
secrets

¹⁶
take good note
observe closely

²¹
bustling rumour
agitated commotion

²¹
fray
fight, noisy brawl/din, stir

²³
Sooth
in truth

³¹
suit
petition, formal request

³⁴
befriend
i.e. help, protect

⁴⁰
praetors
magistrates (of whom Brutus is one)

⁴²
void
empty

⁴⁶
speed
prosper

⁴⁹
commend me
convey my greetings

3.1
Location: on the way to and then within the Capitol, Rome

³
schedule
document

⁴
o’erread
read over

⁷
touches Caesar nearer
affects Caesar more directly

⁸
served
seen to, addressed/formally delivered (legal term)

¹¹
Sirrah
sir (term of address used to a social inferior)

¹¹
place
way

²⁰
makes to
approaches

²¹
sudden
swift

²¹
prevention
interruption, intervention

²³
turn back
return (alive)

²⁵
constant
steady, controlled

²⁷
Caesar
i.e. Caesar’s expression

³¹
prefer
advance, promote

³²
addressed
prepared

³²
second
support

³³
rears
raises up

³⁶
puissant
powerful

³⁷
seat
chair of state/high status

⁴⁰
These couchings
this bowing, stooping

⁴⁰
lowly courtesies
humble (or “low”) bows

⁴¹
fire
excite/incite to action

⁴²
pre-ordinance … decree
previously established and fundamental laws

⁴²
turn … lane
cast … into the path/return (or transform) … to the narrow understanding;

⁴³
lane
may be a variant of “line” (i.e. “rule”) though many editors emend to “law”

⁴³
fond
(so) foolish

⁴⁴
rebel blood
i.e. blood that will revolt against reason

⁴⁵
quality
nature, property/excellence

⁴⁶
sweet
flattering, sugary

⁴⁷
Low-crookèd
with body and knee bent low (both “low” and “crooked” have connotations of dishonesty)

⁴⁷
spaniel-fawning
dog-like fawning (spaniels were proverbially submissive)

⁴⁹
pray
beg

⁵⁰
spurn
kick

⁵⁰
cur
dog

⁵¹
cause
good reason

⁵²
satisfied
convinced (to grant a pardon)

⁵⁵
repealing
recalling (from exile)

⁵⁸
freedom of repeal
permission to be recalled/freedom resulting from being recalled

⁶²
enfranchisement
liberation

⁶⁴
pray to move
plead with others to act

⁶⁵
northern star
the only star in the sky which does not appear to move when viewed from earth

⁶⁶
resting
unchanging, stable

⁶⁷
fellow
counterpart, equal

⁶⁷
firmament
sky

⁶⁸
sparks
i.e. stars

⁷²
apprehensive
capable of perception and understanding

⁷⁴
holds … rank
maintains his position

⁷⁵
of motion
by movement of his own/by the persuasions of others

⁸⁰
Hence
be gone

⁸⁰
Olympus
in Greek mythology, the mountain home of the gods

⁸²
bootless
pointlessly, uselessly

⁸³
hands
i.e. his own hands; perhaps also those of the other conspirators

⁸⁴
Et tu, Bruté?
“And you (too), Brutus?” (Latin)

⁸⁷
common pulpits
public speaking platforms

⁸⁹
affrighted
frightened

⁹⁰
ambition’s … paid
i.e. the price for Caesar’s ambition has been paid with his death (and no one else will be harmed)

⁹⁴
confounded with
dumbfounded, confused by

⁹⁴
mutiny
chaos/revolt

⁹⁵
fast
firm

⁹⁷
standing
making a stand

⁹⁷
good cheer
cheer up, be heartened

¹⁰¹
age
elderly personage

¹⁰¹
mischief
injury, harm

¹⁰²
abide
pay the penalty for/remain with

¹⁰⁵
amazed
stunned/dismayed/alarmed

¹⁰⁷
As
as if

¹⁰⁸
pleasures
wills

¹⁰⁹
time
i.e. time of death

¹¹⁰
drawing days out
prolonging of life

¹¹⁰
stand upon
are uncertain about/attach importance to/demand to know

¹¹⁸
market-place
i.e. the Forum, center of public life

¹²²
acted over
acted out/acted over again

¹²³
accents
languages