24 trod upon plays on sense of “had sex with”
25 leather could also be slang for “vagina”
25 neat’s leather cowhide, i.e. shoes;
25 gone upon walked on/had sex with
25 handiwork possible connotations of masturbation
26 wherefore why
30 triumph victory/ceremonious procession in which the victors rode in chariots with their captives chained
32 tributaries prisoners of war (for whom a ransom would be demanded)
33 grace adorn
36 Pompey great Roman general defeated by Caesar at the battle of Pharsalus in 48 BC; he fled to Egypt where he was murdered
40 livelong entire
44 That so that
44 Tiber Rome’s river
45 replication reverberation, echo
46 concave hollowed out/curved
48 cull out choose for yourself
50 blood lifeblood/relatives (specifically, his sons, who were also defeated by Caesar)
53 intermit stop
58 till … all i.e. until the water level rises from its very lowest to reach the highest banks
60 basest mettle lowly dispositions/base metal (an image from alchemy, the pseudoscience that sought to turn base metals into gold)
60 moved stirred, persuaded/changed (into gold)
62 Capitol Capitoline Hill, site of the temple of supreme Roman god Jupiter; used in the play as the location of the senate house
63 images statues of Caesar
64 ceremonies ornamental trappings of state/worshipful tokens
66 feast of Lupercal Roman festival held on February 15 in honor of Lupercus, the god of shepherds; festivities centered around the Lupercal, a cave in which a wolf was believed to have suckled Rome’s founders, Romulus and Remus
68 trophies tokens of victory
68 about walk about (the city)
69 vulgar common people
70 thick numerous, thronging
72 pitch height (achieved by bird of prey before swooping)
73 else otherwise
1.2 for ready for
1.2 course wearing nothing but goat skins, youths celebrating the festival of Lupercal ran around Palatine Hill, striking women with strips of goat hide to promote fertility
1.2 Soothsayer prophet
2 ho a call for attention
5 Stand … course in order that Calpurnia should be touched by Antony, as an aid to fertility
18 press crowd
21 Ides of March March 15
Sennet trumpet call signaling a procession
29 order arrangement/proceedings
32 gamesome fond of sport/lively/merry
33 quick lively
36 now of late lately
38 wont accustomed
39 bear … Over are too unyielding and unfamiliar toward
42 if … myself i.e. if I have seemed distant, it is because I have directed all my anxieties inward
44 Merely entirely
45 passions … difference conflicting emotions/powerful feelings that have come between myself and my friends
46 Conceptions thoughts
46 only proper belonging only/only appropriate
47 soil stain/explanation
50 construe interpret, understand
52 shows outward manifestations
54 By means whereof as a result of which
54 buried kept to itself/suppressed/put to rest
55 cogitations thoughts, ideas
58 But except
59 just true
61 turn return/reflect
63 shadow reflection
64 of … respect most highly regarded men
66 yoke apparatus worn on the neck, used to restrict the movement of a captive or conquered enemy
67 had his eyes i.e. saw things for himself/saw things as the speaker did
71 Therefore hence/as for that
73 glass mirror
74 modestly without exaggeration
74 discover reveal
75 That … of i.e. your potential
76 jealous on mistrustful of
76 gentle noble/kind
77 common laughter subject of public ridicule
77 did use were I accustomed
78 stale make stale/depreciate/make into a laughingstock
78 ordinary common, banal
79 protester declarer of friendship
81 scandal scorn/slander
82 profess myself declare friendship
83 rout rabble/assembled company
Flourish trumpet fanfare accompanying a person in authority
91 aught anything
92 Set … i’th’other i.e. present me with both
93 indifferently impartially
94 speed prosper
97 favour appearance/face
101 as lief as soon, rather
101 be exist
102 such … myself i.e. a fellow man
107 chafing with fretting at/raging against
109 flood river
111 Accoutrèd dressed
112 bade invited/told
113 buffet it beat it back
114 lusty sinews vigorous muscles, strong arms
115 stemming cutting through
115 hearts of controversy competitive hearts, contentious spirits
116 ere before
118 Aeneas legendary founder of Rome; Virgil’s Aeneid relates how he carried his old father, Anchises, on his back as they escaped from the burning city of Troy
123 bend his body i.e. bow
126 mark note, observe
128 from … fly i.e. became pale (colour plays on the sense of “military flag,” the lips being cowardly deserters)
129 bend gaze
131 bade ordered
136 start of advantage over
137 palm palm leaf, symbol of victory
142 Colossus giant; the Colossus of Rhodes, a gigantic statue of the sun god Apollo, supposedly stood astride the entrance to the harbor
145 at some time at times
146 our stars i.e. fate
149 be sounded be spoken/resound/be celebrated
152 conjure invoke spirits
153 start raise, awake
155 meat food
156 great powerful (plays on the sense of “fat”)
156 Age i.e. the present time
157 breed of ability to produce/supply of
158 the great flood feature of both the Bible and Greek mythology; in the classical flood, Zeus drowns all mankind except for Deucalion and his wife Pyrrha
162 room puns on Rome (the words were pronounced in a similar way)
165 a Brutus once i.e. Lucius Junius Brutus, who expelled the last king of Rome and founded the Roman republic
165 brooked tolerated, endured
166 state throne/kingship
168 nothing jealous in no doubt
169 work persuade
169 aim idea, understanding
172 so … you if I may entreat you in friendship
173 moved urged, persuaded
176 meet fitting
176 high important
179 repute consider
181 like likely
train retinue
186 after according to
187 worthy that is worthy of
190 chidden scolded, rebuked
192 ferret ferret-like, i.e. small and red
194 crossed challenged
194 conference debate
199 Sleek-headed well-groomed, smooth-haired
200 yond i.e. yonder, over there
203 given disposed
204 Would I wish
205 my name i.e. I
207 spare lean, gaunt
208 looks … deeds i.e. sees right through to the motives behind men’s actions
211 sort way
215 greater i.e. greater man
218 Caesar i.e. not liable to fear
223 chanced happened
224 sad serious/downcast
227 crown laurel crown, symbol of kingship
228 put it by waved it away, declined it
235 marry indeed (literally, “by the Virgin Mary”)
236 gentler more courteously/with less insistence
242 mere complete
244 coronets smaller crowns, inferior to that worn by a king
245 fain willingly
248 still as whenever
249 rabblement crowd, rabble
250 chopped chapped, roughened
250 nightcaps a slighting reference to their headgear, not to caps worn in bed
253 durst dared
256 soft wait a moment
259 like likely
259 the falling sickness epilepsy
261 we … sickness i.e. our fortunes are falling, we are neglected
263 tag-rag ragged
265 use are accustomed
265 true honest
268 plucked me plucked (me is an intensifier)
269 ope open
269 doublet close-fitting Elizabethan man’s jacket
269 an if
270 a … occupation i.e. a working man, one of the crowd (plays on sense of “a man of action”)
270 taken … word taken him at his word (taken plays on sense of “struck”)
271 would wish
277 stabbed plays on sense of “penetrated sexually”
285 Greek to me i.e. unintelligible
287 put to silence i.e. removed from office (or possibly “put to death”)
290 promised forth engaged to dine elsewhere
292 mind hold inclination doesn’t change
296 blunt forthright/dull
297 quick mettle lively spirited, quick-witted
300 tardy sluggish, reluctant
301 rudeness rough, uncouth manner
301 wit intelligence
302 stomach appetite, inclination
306 home to you to your house
308 the world i.e. the state of Rome/your civic duty
309 noble begins an alchemical metaphor: “noble” metals (gold and silver) cannot be transmuted into base substances (though despite this, Cassius thinks he can alter Brutus)
310 mettle spirit, disposition (puns on “metal”)
310 wrought manipulated/transmuted
311 that … disposed its usual inclination/its natural disposition
311 meet right, fitting
312 their likes those like them
313 who i.e. who is
314 bear me hard tolerate me grudgingly, dislike me
316 He … me i.e. Brutus would not be able to sway my views (as I do his)/Caesar would still not be able to entice me
317 several hands different styles of handwriting
319 tending to concerning
320 obscurely covertly, subtly
321 glanced hinted
322 seat him sure seat himself most securely (in the chair of power), i.e. “take great care”
1 even evening
1 Brought accompanied
3 moved upset, affected
3 sway order, rule, authority (plays on sense of “swinging movement”)
5 scolding clamoring/rebuking
6 rived split
8 exalted with raised up to
12 saucy insolent, defiant
14 wonderful astonishing, extraordinary
18 sensible of feeling
19 put up sheathed
20 Against close to/in front of
21 glazed stared
22 annoying harming
23 Upon into
23 heap crowd
23 ghastly terrified
26 bird of night the owl, considered a bird of ill omen; its cry was thought to herald death
28 prodigies unnatural things/bad omens
29 conjointly meet happen in unison, coincide
32 climate region
32 point upon are directed at, happen in
34 after their fashion in their own way
35 Clean utterly
45 what what kind of
51 unbracèd with doublet unbuttoned
52 thunder-stone thunderbolt
53 cross forked/hostile
58 tokens signs, omens
59 dreadful inspiring dread and fear
59 heralds messengers
61 want lack
62 use not ignore them
64 impatience anger
67 from … kind against their natures
68 calculate (are able to) interpret events
69 ordinance appointed function
70 preformèd established, innate
71 monstrous unnatural
74 state condition, state of affairs/commonwealth (i.e. Rome)
77 lightens flashes lightning
80 prodigious ominous/unnatural
81 fearful frightening
81 eruptions disturbances
84 thews sinews, muscles
85 fathers (noble) forefathers, ancestors
87 yoke and sufferance patience in servitude
90 by … land i.e. in all dominions
93 from … Cassius i.e. will commit suicide
94 Therein i.e. through suicide
98 be retentive to confine, restrict
99 bars prison bars/obstacles
101 know … besides let it be known by all the world
102 bear endure
103 pleasure will
105 bondman slave
110 hinds female deer/servants
111 make … fire i.e. achieve fame, power
112 weak straws i.e. the Roman people
112 trash twigs, hedge cuttings (i.e. paltry but flammable)
113 rubbish debris from decayed buildings
113 offal rubbish/wood shavings
115 vile base, corrupt
118 My … made I must answer for it (i.e. be punished/fight you)
121 fleering sneering
121 Hold, my enough, take my
122 factious prepared to form a faction
123 set … mine i.e. commit myself, proceed
124 who whoever
130 this this time, now
130 stay wait
131 Pompey’s porch colonnade built by Pompey in 55 BC to provide shelter for spectators attending the Theatrum Pompei (Pompey’s theatre) that was constructed at the same time
133 complexion appearance/disposition
133 element sky, heavens
136 close concealed
140 incorporate To united to, part of
141 stayed waited
142 on’t of it
149 praetor high-ranking magistrate, i.e. Brutus
150 may … it i.e. cannot avoid finding it
151 set this up attach this
153 Repair make your way
156 hie hurry
165 countenance approval/face, appearance
165 alchemy pseudoscience that sought to turn base metals into gold
168 conceited conceived of, understood/expressed with an elaborate image
2.1 Location: Brutus’ garden, Rome
2.1 orchard garden
5 When exclamation of impatience
7 taper candle
10 his i.e. Caesar’s; Brutus is in mid-thought
11 spurn strike, kick
12 general general cause, public good
15 craves requires
15 crown him that i.e. crown him
19 Remorse pity, compassion
20 affections emotions
20 swayed influenced, ruled (him)
21 proof experience
22 lowliness humility/pretended humbleness
22 ladder i.e. means of rising to power
24 upmost round highest rung
26 base degrees lower rungs/those of lower social status
28 the … is our cause for complaint cannot be justified on the grounds of his current behavior
29 colour good reason/pretext
30 Fashion contrive/fabri
cate, pervert
30 augmented i.e. once he has been given more power
33 as his kind like the rest of its species
33 mischievous harmful, dangerous
35 closet private room
44 exhalations meteors (considered bad omens, these were thought to consist of noxious vapors that had been drawn up, or “exhaled,” from the earth by the sun)
51 piece it out add to it, fill it out
54 Tarquin Tarquinius Superbus, the last king of Rome, who was expelled by Lucius Junius Brutus
58 petition request
61 whet incite (literally refers to sharpening of a knife)
64 motion suggestion/impulse
65 phantasma illusion, hallucination
66 genius attendant guardian spirit thought to influence a man throughout his life
66 mortal instruments human functions (mental and physical; these should obey the genius)
67 council intense debate, dispute
67 state condition/commonwealth
69 insurrection rebellion
70 brother brother-in-law; Cassius was married to Brutus’ sister
75 plucked about pulled down over
77 discover identify
78 mark of favour facial feature
82 free unconfined
84 visage face
86 thou … on pursue (i.e. maintain) your natural appearance
87 Erebus in classical mythology, the dark place through which the dead must pass before they reach the underworld, Hades
88 prevention being (recognized and) forestalled
89 are too bold intrude too boldly
103 watchful cares sleep-preventing anxieties
104 night i.e. sleep
108 yon yonder, those
109 fret adorn, lace
110 deceived mistaken
111 as i.e. where
112 growing on advancing toward
113 Weighing considering, taking into account
117 all over all of you
119 face of men i.e. troubled look of the people
120 sufferance suffering
121 betimes quickly
122 idle unoccupied/lazy
123 high-sighted ambitious, with the sight directed upward/soaring beyond view (image from falconry)
123 range move freely
124 lottery chance
126 steel make firm
130 Than than that of
130 secret trustworthy/concealed
131 palter equivocate, use trickery
132 engaged pledged, committed
133 fall i.e. die
134 Swear i.e. those who take oaths are
134 cautelous cautious
135 carrions corpses (used here of sick old men)
137 Such … doubt the sort of wretches one can have little faith in
138 even true, steady
139 th’insuppressive the indomitable, not suppressible
140 or either
143 several individual
143 bastardy i.e. act that shows he is no true, legitimate Roman