aring of foolish plays, and in marrying these players,
tumblers, jesters, and such sort of people."--Plutarch,
_Marcus Antonius_.]

[Note 204: The power of music is repeatedly celebrated by
Shakespeare, and sometimes in strains that approximate the
classical hyperboles about Orpheus, Amphion, and Arion. What
is here said of Cassius has an apt commentary in _The Merchant
of Venice_, V, 1, 83-85:

The man that hath no music in himself,
Nor is not mov'd with concord of sweet sounds,
Is fit for treasons, stratagems and spoils.]

[Note 213: This is one of the little touches of invention that
so often impart a fact-like vividness to Shakespeare's
scenes.]

[Note 217: /sad./ The word is used here probably in its early
sense of 'weary' (as in Middle English) or 'resolute' (as in
Chaucer and old Ballads). In _2 Henry IV_, V, i, 92, is the
expression "a jest with a sad brow," where 'sad' evidently
means 'wise,' 'sage.']

[Page 24]

CASCA. Why, there was a crown offer'd him; and being offer'd
him, he put it by with the back of his hand, thus; and then
the people fell a-shouting. 222

BRUTUS. What was the second noise for?

CASCA. Why, for that too.

CASSIUS. They shouted thrice: what was the last cry for?

CASCA. Why, for that too. 226

BRUTUS. Was the crown offer'd him thrice?

CASCA. Ay, marry, was't, and he put it by thrice, every time
gentler than other; and at every putting by mine honest
neighbours shouted. 230

CASSIUS. Who offer'd him the crown?

CASCA. Why, Antony.

BRUTUS. Tell us the manner of it, gentle Casca.

CASCA. I can as well be hang'd as tell the manner of it:
it was mere foolery; I did not mark it. I saw Mark Antony
offer him a crown--yet 'twas not a crown neither, 'twas one
of these coronets--and, as I told you, he put it by once:
but, for all that, to my thinking, he would fain have had it.
Then he offer'd it to him again; then he put it by again:
but, to my thinking, he was very loth to lay his fingers off it.
And then he offer'd it the third time; he put it the third
time by: and, still, as he refus'd it, the rabblement hooted
and clapp'd their chopp'd hands, and threw up their sweaty
nightcaps and utter'd such a deal of stinking breath because
Caesar refus'd the crown, that it had almost chok'd Caesar;
for he