Oct. According to his virtue let us use him, [Exeunt. 80 NOTES The following contractions are used in the notes: O. E. = Old English; O. Fr. = Old French; Gr.=Greek; Lat. = Latin; Cf. = confer (compare); Abbott Dr. Abbott's Shakespearean Grammar; Cl. P. S. Clarendon Press Series; and Co. S. Collins's Series. ACT I Page 37. 3. Mechanical. Mechanics or artisans.-Ought not walk. This is the only instance in Shakespeare where ought is not followed by to. After the verbs bid, see, make, hear, tell, and others, we have at present no to; because with these verbs the old infinitives in an remained longer in use. And Dr. Abbott points out that, in the Elizabethan period, there was much inconsistency in the use or omission of the to. 4. A laboring-day. A working day. The word laboring is not here an adjective or participle, but a gerund or verbal noun, like frying-pan, walking-stick, working-dress, riding-coat (=pan for frying, etc.).-Without the sign. There was no such sumptuary law among the Romans. 10. In respect of. In comparison with. 11. A cobbler. A botcher or bungler. 12. Directly. Straightforwardly. Shakespeare in the same way uses roundly. Page 38. 16. Knave. Fellow; not in the bad modern sense. In O. E. (as in modern German, Knabe) it simply meant a boy. Sir John Mandeville calls Mahomet "a poure knave."-Naughty. Good for naught or nothing.—Be not out. Cf. fall out.—If you be out. Here used in the second of the two senses, that is, at heels. Cf. out at elbows. 27. Recover. Used in the two senses of recover and re-cover. 29. Neat's leather. Ox leather. Neat is the O. E. word for cattle, and is still found in Scotland in the form of nowt. Cf. neat's foot oil. 34. To see Cæsar. Cæsar had just returned from Spain, triumphant over the sons of Pompey in the battle of Munda, in the spring of 45 B. C. 40. Pompey (106-48 B. C.). His successes in war first made him the idol of the Romans. He shared with Cæsar the highest political honors, and married Cæsar's daughter. Later they became hostile, and Pompey was forced to flee to Egypt, where he was killed. Page 39. 46. But. Merely or only. 48. That. So that.-Tiber ... her. Shakespeare makes the Tiber feminine; but the Romans made it masculine-" Father Tiber." 49. Replication. Echo or reverberation. From Lat. replico, I fold or turn back. 61. Tiber banks. So we have in Act V Philippi fields; and in other plays, Pisa walls, Cyprus wars, music vows, the region kites. For this use of a proper name as an adjective, see Abbott, sect. 22. 62. Till the lowest stream. That is, till the stream at its lowest be increased by your tears until it touches the top of the banks. A hyperbole of the strongest kind. 64. Whether. Often used as a monosyllable by Shakespeare. The th is not pronounced here.-Metal. Another form of the word mettle; both from Gr. metallon, a mine. 66. Capitol. The temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus and citadel of Rome (Capitolium), to which a victorious general, entering the city in triumph, rode to return thanks to Jupiter. 67. Disrobe. Laurel crowns, tied with a white fillet, had been placed upon the statues of Cæsar. 68. Ceremonies. Trophies and scarfs. 70. Lupercal. One of the most ancient Roman festivals, celebrated annually in honor of Lupercus, the god of fertility. It was held on the 15th of February, near the Lupercal, at the foot of the Mons Aventinus, where Romulus and Remus were said to have been found with their nurse, the she-wolf. The Luperci, or priests, sacrificed goats and young dogs, and ran through the city with thongs cut from their skins, touching and striking men and women. This act was a symbolic purification of the land, and the touching was a purification of the people. Page 40. 73. Vulgar. From Lat. vulgus, the common people. 76. Pitch. The highest flight of a hawk or falcon. 78. Servile. Such as befits slaves. From Lat. servus, a slave. SCENE II Page 40. 11. Sterile curse. Curse of sterility. Cæsar was now childless, his daughter having died. Page 41. 17. The press. The crowd. Cf. Chaucer: Fly from the presse, and dwell with soothfastnesse. See also Mark ii, 4. 20. The Ides. The Roman method of reckoning the days of the month was peculiar. The first of each month was called Kalends (Kalendar); the Nones (Nonal) were the 5th (but on the 7th in March, May, July, and October); and the Ides (Idus) eight days later than the Nones. From these three fixed points the Romans counted backward. Thus the 30th of January was three days (taking in both the day counted from and the day counted to) before, or the third day before, the Kalends of February; and so on. The Ides of March, May, July, and October fell on the 15th day. 26. Sennet. A piece of martial music, or a set of notes played on a trumpet as a signal for a procession to move. 27. Order of the course. The manner in which the procession is marshalled, and the direction in which it is led. 30. Gamesome. Inclined for frolic. 31. Quick. Lively. Spirit. Turn of mind. 36. As. That. Still in use by uneducated people. Shakespeare frequently uses it as a relative pronoun in this and other plays. 37. You bear a hand. You are too distant and unfriendly. The metaphor is borrowed from horsemanship. Page 42. 41. Vexed I am . . . difference. I have been troubled by conflicting emotions. ... 43. Conceptions. to myself. Thoughts or ideas which concern me only.-Proper. Peculiar. So we have in Shakespeare their proper selves, my proper hand. But in I, i, 28, proper means goodly. 44. Soil. Tarnish, stain.-Behaviors. Shakespeare frequently uses the plural where the singular is generally employed. He means behavior on several occasions. 51. By means whereof. 56. Just. Quite true. 61. And through this mistake. Where. Of instances in which.-Respect. Highest note or distinction. 64. His. Probably written carelessly for their. Page 43. 73. Be not jealous on me. Be not suspicious of me. So we also find in Shakespeare, revenged on her death, fond on her, command upon me. |