place in the minds of theorists and men of letters in the early years of the empire; Marcus Brutus was known to have been an earnest Stoic, a man of books, with whom the men of books sympathized; it seems as though a kind of legendary Brutus was evolved by academic thinkers and writers with all the academic merits of Marcus and the practical prestige of Decimus. And when Cæsar had fallen the work did not go on with that prompt division into Cæsarians against republicans which Shakespeare gives. There was a long period when no man could guess the upshot. Antony meant to have Caesar's place; the oligarchical party had the upper hand in the senate, but were constantly afraid to move; the conspirators had no fixed policy or plan of action; Octavius was an entirely unknown quantity, waiting to act with either party as might seem best. Brutus and Cassius went to their provinces in the East. Decimus Brutus in Gaul and Antony in Italy were neither of them strong enough to act quite decisively. Octavius began by favouring the senatorial party, but had no intention of being controlled by them; they lacked the courage to act vigorously themselves, but did not dare to trust him. Divided counsels made the action of the senatorial troops abortive; Octavius saw that there was nothing to look forward to on that side-the senate would neither use him nor allow him to use them. By combining with Antony the field would be cleared; the oligarchical party would be beaten in Italy, and then in the East, and it would be time enough then to settle future relations with Antony. The two chiefs met near Bologna; they took Lepidus (whose position in the triumvirate is sufficiently set forth in the play) into partnership, took the law into their own hands, proscribed and put to death any prominent persons whom they regarded as either dangerous or personally obnoxious, and proceeded to carry out the programme as described. In all essentials the course of events as narrated in the play is substantially accurate. The above details are here added lest erroneous impressions should be formed. It will be observed that in the play there is nothing really inconsistent with the facts so far as they are ascertainable, but that considerations of more historical than dramatic value are in it allowed to fall into the background. GLOSSARY. abide (iii. 1. 94, 2. 119), 'pay', for 'aby'. Not the same word as 'abide'=bide, await. The form is merely the result of the two ideas being confused. abjects (iv. 1. 37), offscourings, thrown away things. The word occurs accented 'abjécts' in Richard III. i. I. 106; not elsewhere as a substantive. address'd (iii. 1. 29), ready. affections (ii. 1. 20), natural inclinations. aim (i. 2. 163), guess, conjecture. O.F. esmer, Lat. adaestimare. alarum (stage-direction, passim), call to arms; another form of 'alarm' (cf. through, thorough: flip, fillip, &c.): from It. all'arme. and, an (i. 2. 268)=if. The same word is used for the conditional conjunction (enda) in Scandinavian, and this use of 'an' or 'and' is regarded by Professor Skeat as Scandinavian in consequence. Dr. Abbott regards it as merely the copula; the 'conditional' being contained in the subjunctive. Then as usage demanded the employment of a particle, it was erroneously supposed that in such cases the copula really was a conditional particle; so that 'an''if' came to be distinguished from 'and' the copula. In some cases the explanation may be that there is an ellipsis, e.g. "I will roar you an 't were any nightingale" an if it were a nightingale (I should roar better). Sh. Gr. 102, 103. annoy (i. 3. 22; ii. i. 160), molest, hurt. O.F. anoi (=ennui), Lat. in vdio, so 'to be unpleasant', hence 'injure'. anon (passim), 'at once', softened to "before long'. Cf. presently. A.S. on án, in one moment. answer: (1) reply, lit. counteraffirmation; (2) account, i. 3. 114, "My answer must be made"; (3) atonement, iii. 2. 85, "and grievously hath Cæsar answered it"; (4) with a play on the word 'charge', V. 1. 25, We will answer on their charge" repel their attack. apparent: (1) seeming; (2) visible, which have appeared, ii. 1. 198; (3) 'evident', possibly but not probably the sense in this passage. See note. apprehensive (iii. 1. 67), 'imaginative', and so 'capricious'. apt: (1)(ii. 2. 97) likely; (2) suitable; (3) (iii. 1. 160) ready; (4) (v. 3. 68) quick, easily moved. Lat. aptus, fitted. arrive (i. 2. 110), reach. Low Latin adripare (ripa, bank), come ashore. Used without a preposition by Shakespeare. augurer (ii. 1. 200, 2. 37), professional interpreter of omens. commonly explained as being like 'bear a hand over', a metaphor from keeping a tight rein in riding; so 'hold severely in check', but this would only be fitting to the first example. I should rather suppose it to be 'endure hardly', 'suffer with difficulty'. But the general sense, 'bear a grudge to', is clear. bend (i. 2. 123), look, i.e. the 'bend' or 'direction' of the eye; from the use of the verb 'bend'= 'direct'. Cf. bent natural direction or inclination of the mind. bill (v. 2. 1), letter. Cf. Fr. billet. L. L. billa Lat. bulla (whence Papal bull'), a seal, and hence 'sealed writing'. bootless (iii. 1. 75), vainly, without 'boot', profit, O.E. bót, 'profit'. So 'to boot' into the bargain. = brave, bravery (v. i. 10): (1) magnificence; (2) courage. See note. Der. uncertain. break with (ii. 1. 150), not 'quarrel', but 'make disclosure to'. So always in Shakespeare with one exception (Coriolanus, iv. 6. 48). bring (i. 3.1), escort. In modern use always bring here'; in Shakespeare about as frequently 'bring there'. brook (i. 2. 159), endure, from original sense 'use', 'enjoy', O.E. brúcan. but: (1) Preposition, by-out without. Surviving only in occasional proverbs, such as 'Touch not a cat but a glove'. So (2) 'except', as in 'all but he', a form which is not apparently more strictly grammatical than 'all but him. (3) 'Except', conjunctional; "And, but thou love me, let them find me here" (Rom. ii. 2. 76). (4) With a negative, anything except that', 'other than that', e.g. "I found no man but he was true to me", v. 5. 35. (5) The negative being omitted, 'only', as 'nobbut' is used provincially (iii. 3. 38); Pluck but his name out of his heart", "Life's but a span (6) Simply adversative in its commonest use. through over-cautious' from the cautelous (ii. 1. 129), 'deceitful', primary sense of 'cautious', Lat. cautela, caution. Cautela being used by the jurists for 'security the word might have got from that a sense pretty much equivalent to 'pettifogging'. censure (iii. 2. 16), 'judge', without the specific modern sense of 'blame'. ་ ligious rite. So (1) (ii. 2. 13) ‘superceremony, Lat. caeremonia, restition',' superstitious observances'; (2) ceremonial' religious or otherwise (i. 2. 11; iii. 1. 241); (3) ‘decorations', the concrete accompaniment of ceremonial (i. 1. 70). chapped (i. 2. 246), rough, chopped. 'Chop' and 'chap' are the same word, o and a being often interchangeable, so that 'lond', 'hond', 'strond', are found for the commoner forms. So As You Like It, ii. 4. 50, "her pretty chopt hands". charactery (ii. 1. 308), written characters, writing. cheer (iii. 1. 89), countenance, mien. O. F. chere, L. L. cara, face. chew (i. 2. 171), 'ponder', exactly as we use 'ruminate'. climate (i. 3. 32), 'region', as we use 'clime'; not referring to the 'weather'. The word primarily meant slope; hence a particular region regarded in respect of its slope from equator to pole; hence, in respect of its temperature; hence the temperature or weather itself. cognizance (ii. 2. 89), memorial; not something 'to be recognized by', but something 'to remind of'. colour (ii. 1. 29), apparent justification; so frequent in Shake speare, as we use the analogous phrase 'a colourable pretext'. companion (iv. 3. 138), a term of reproach, as we use fellow'. complexion: (1) that of which the body is composed; so (2) the 'humours' (q.v.); (3) the colouring of the face, as showing the condition the 'humours' were in; (4) (i. 3. 128) applied metaphorically to the elements outside. con (iv. 3. 98), study; connected with 'can', 'ken'. conceit (i. 3. 162; iii. 1. 192), a verb='conceive', 'picture'; perhaps in the former case with a sense of the use of 'conceit' for 'fanciful expression'. Elsewhere in Shakespeare only in Othello, iii. 3. 149. condition (ii. 1. 236, 254), bodily or mental health. contriver (ii. 1. 158), schemer; for 'controver', Fr. trouver, find. courtesy, courteous act, and so the movement regarded as a sign of courtesy, 'bow', (iii. 1. 43) modern 'curtsey'. cynic (iv. 3. 133), one who professed the philosophy of the Cynic school. danger (ii. 1. 17), harm. O.F. dongier, Lat. dominium, absolute power; so 'power to harm'; so 'harm' or 'risk of harm'. dear, precious; so used simply as an intensive (iii. 2. 119, &c.). degree (ii. 1. 26), step of a ladder. deliver (iii. 1. 181), relate, explain. Lat. liber, free. dint (iii. 2. 198), blow, pressure. The same word as 'dent,' and local 'dunt'. directly. Direct= 6 straight'; so (i. 1. 12; iii. 3. 10) 'without circumlocution', and (iv. 1. 32) literally 'straight on'. drachma (iii. 2. 247), a Greek coin. See note sub loc. earn. See yearn. element (i. 3. 128), air, sky. Everything was supposed to be composed of various proportions of the four elements, viz. earth, air, water, fire; and the term is more particularly employed for 'air'. At v. 5. 73, elements-humours, q.v. entertain (v. 5. 60), take into service. envy (ii. 1. 164), hatred. exigent (v. 1. 19), exigency. exorcist (ii. 1. 323), conjurer, one who controls spirits. The more correct sense is 'one who expels spirits'. factious (i. 3. 118), energetic, in conjunction with others. The modern use implies wanton and mischievous energy, as also in our use of the word faction, which, at ii. 1. 77, is used without any such sinister sense. falling sickness (i. 2. 256), epilepsy. The name is used in North. fatal (v. 1. 88), not 'causing doom' but 'ominous of doom'. favour (i. 2. 91), personal appearance. So we speak of 'wellfavoured', 'ill-favoured', and sometimes of 'favouring' a person when we mean 'bearing a likeness to'. fearful, fearfulness (i. 1. 80), condition of fear; (v. I. 10) either 'feeling fear' or 'causing fear '; probably the former, but see note sub loc. fleering (i. 3. 117), mocking. The word is of Scandinavian origin. fond (iii. 1. 39), foolish; cf. "a foolish fond old man" (Lear). This is the common use in Shakespeare, and 'fond is still used locally for 'silly'. The sense of 'doting and unreasonable affection' comes from this, and thence simply of 'affection'. formal (ii. 1. 227), dignified; or perhaps in outward appearance'. former (v. 1. 80), foremost; here of place; we always use it of time. gorge (v. I. 82), feed, the regular term for the manner of feeding of birds of prey. Fr. gorge, throat. grief (i. 3. 118, &c.), grievance. havoc (iii. 1. 273), equivalent to 'no quarter'. Der. unknown, but the word is probably O. E. hafoc, hawk. Precisely how it came to be used as an exclamation remains uncertain. The suggestion is that it has something to do with letting the hawk loose on the quarry. I. heap (i. 3. 23), crowd, cluster. Cf. Richard III. ii. 53, 'Amongst this princely heap' So in Henry V. and Troilus. hoot (i. 2. 245), shout, without any sense of disapproval as now. The word represents the sound made, like 'shout', 'boo hoo', 'hue and cry'. humour (passim). The four 'humours' of which the 'complexion' (q.v.) was made up were 'blood, phlegm, choler, and melancholy', and were referred respectively to the four 'elements', air, water, fire, earth. While the humours were mixed in proper proportion mind and body were in health; any disorder of the humours resulted in some form of ill-health. A 'humorous' person was one in whom the humours were not duly mixed (cf. "elements", v. 5. 73). 7th), or Ides (13th or 15th) of each month. In eight months the nones and ides fell on the 5th and 13th; in the other four-March, May, July, October-on the 7th and 15th. indirection (iv. 3. 75), indirect or crooked action, i.e. dishonesty. insuppressive (ii. 1. 134), insuppressible; the active form used for the passive; like" e "unexpressive" (As You Like It, iii. 2. 10). jade (iv. 2. 26), an ill-conditioned horse (used either for a vicious, weak, or tired animal, whence the modern use of 'jaded'). Der. unknown. jealous (i. 2. 71, 161), distrustful. Jealous' and 'zealous' are primarily the same word. From the special application to a lover came the ordinary sense of the word implying distrust under particular circumstances; hence distrust' generally. kerchief (ii. 1. 315), headcovering in sickness, as opposed to a helmet or other normal head gear for a man. So, 'napkin' or 'shawl'. Fr. couvre-chef, like 'curfew' from couvre-feu. kind (i. 3. 64), nature, specific qualities. Hence 'kindly' 'natural' in the Prayer Book phrase the kindly fruits of the earth". 'Kin' is from the same root. knave (iv. 3. 241), boy, servant; whence the derivative sense 'rogue', a transition to which compare 'varlet' from 'valet'. O.E. cnafa, Germ.' knabe, boy. Probably of Celtic origin, from a time when the Teutonic races had numerous Celtic slaves. lethe (iii. 1. 206), life-bloodif the reading is correct. But there is no satisfactory explanation. Probably it has something to do either with Lat. letum, death', or Lethe, one of the rivers of the in fernal regions. |