ON THE FABLE AND COMPOSITION (F JULIUS CÆSAR. It appears from Peck's Collection of divers curious Hiftorical Pieces, &c. (appended to his Memoirs, &c. of Oliver Cromwell,) p. 14, that a Latin play on this fubject had been written. quomodo in fcenam prodiit ea res, acta in Ecclefia "Epilogus Cæfaris interfecti, Chrifti, Oxon. Qui Epilogus a magiftro Ricardo Eedes et fcriptus et in profcenio ibidem dictus fuit, A. D. 1582." Meres, whose Wit's Commonwealth was published in 1598, enumerates Dr Eedes among the best tragic writers of that time. STEEVENS. William Alexander, afterwards earl of Sterline, wrote a tragedy on the ftory and with the title of Julius Cæfar. It may be prefumed that Shakespeare's play was posterior to his; for lord Julius Cæfar, was a very young author, and would Sterline, when he compofed his hardly have ventured into that circle, within which the moft eminent dramatic writer of England had already walked. The death of Cæfar, which is not exhibited but related to the audience, forms the catastrophe of his piece. In the two plays many parallel passages are found, which might, perhaps, from the two authors drawing from the fame fourcehave proceeded only However, there are fome reafons for thinking the coincidence more than accidental. Mr Steevens has produced from Darius, another play of this writer's, fome lines fo like a celebrated the one muft, I apprehend, have been copied from the paflage of Shakespeare in the Tampest, Act III, that other. Lord Sterline's Darius was printed at Edinwhen he was but little acquainted with English writers: burgh in 1603, and his Julius Cæfar in 1607, at a time 1 1 i for they abound with Scoticifms, which, in the subse quent folio edition, 1637, he corrected. But neithe the Tempest, nor the Julius Cæfar of our author, wa printed till 1623. It must also be remembered, that our author has se veral plays, founded on fubjects which had been un fuccefsfully treated by others. Of this kind are King John, King Henry V, King Lear, Measure for Meafure the Taming of the Shrew, Antony and Cleopatra, the Merchant of Venice, and perhaps Macbeth*: whereas no proof has hitherto been produced, that any contemporary writer ever prefumed to new model a fstory that had already employed the pen of Shakespeare. On all these grounds it appears more probable that Shakespeare was indebted to lord Sterline, than that Jord Sterline borrowed from Shakespeare. If this reafoning be juft, this play could not have appeared before the year 1607. The real length of time in Julius Cæfar, Mr Upton observes, is as follows: About the middle of February A. U. C. 709, the festival of Luperci was held in honour of Cæfar, when the regal crown was offered to him by Antony. On the 15th of March in the fame year he was killed. Nov. 27, A. U. C. 710, the triumvirs met at a small ifland, formed by the river Rhenus, near Bononia, and there adjusted their savage profcription.-A. U. C. 711. Brutus and Caffius were defeated near Philippi. MALONE. Of this tragedy many particular passages deserve regard, and the contention and reconcilement of Brutus and Caffius is univerfally celebrated; but I have never been strongly agitated in perusing it, and think it fomewhat cold and unaffecting, compared with fome other of Shakespeare's plays; his adherence to the real story, and to Roman manners, seems to have impeded the natural vigour of his genius. JOHNSON. * See Dr Farmer's obfervations on Macbeth. CINNA. FLAVIUS, MARULLUS, } Tribunes. Confpirators against Julius ARTEMIDORUS, a Sophist of Cnidos. CINNA, a Poet: Another Poet. LUCILIUS, TITINIUS, MESSALA, Young CATO, and VARRO, CLITUS, CLADIUS, STRATO, LUCIUS DAR DANIUS, Servants to Brutus. PINDARUS, Servant to Caffius. WOMEN. CALPHURNIA, Wife to Cafar. Plebeians, Senators, Guards, Attendants, Sc. SCENE, for the first three Acts, at Rome : afterwards at an Island near Mutina; at Sardis; and near Philippi. ACT I. D A SCENE I. Rome. A Street. Enter FLAVIUS, MARULLUS, and certain Commoners. Flavius. HENCE; home, you idle creatures, get you home. Is this a holiday? What! know you not, Being mechanical, you ought not walk, profeffion? Speak, what trade art thou ? Car. Why, fir, a carpenter. Cob. Truly, fir, in respect of a fine workman, I Mar. But what trade art thou? Answer me directly. Flav. What trade, thou knave? thou naughty Cob. Nay, I befeech you, fir, be not out with me : Yet, if you be out, fir, I can mend you. Mar. What meanest thou by that? Mend me, thou faucy fellow ? Cob. Why, fir, cobble you, A 2 Fla. |