perhuman than this scene between Brutus and
Cassius."--Coleridge.]

[Note 1: "Now as it commonly happened in great affairs between
two persons, both of them having many friends and so many
captains under them, there ran tales and complaints between
them. Therefore, before they fell in hand with any other
matter they went into a little chamber together, and bade
every man avoid, and did shut the doors to them. Then they
began to pour out their complaints one to the other, and grew
hot and loud, earnestly accusing one another, and at length
both fell a-weeping. Their friends that were without the
chamber, hearing them loud within, and angry between
themselves, they were both amazed and afraid also, lest it
would grow to further matter: but yet they were commanded that
no man should come to them."--Plutarch, _Marcus Brutus_.]

[Note 2: /noted:/ marked with a stigma. North thus uses the
word. See quotation from _Marcus Brutus_ on following page, l.
3.]

[Note 3: "The next day after, Brutus, upon complaint of the
Sardians, did condemn and note Lucius Pella.... This judgment
much misliked Cassius, because himself had secretly ... warned
two of his friends, attainted and convicted of the like
offences, and openly had cleared them."--Plutarch, _Marcus
Brutus_.]

[Note 5: /was./ The verb is attracted into the singular by the
nearest substantive.--/slighted off/: contemptuously set
aside.]

[Page 124]

BRUTUS. You wrong'd yourself to write in such a case.

CASSIUS. In such a time as this it is not meet
That every nice offence should bear his comment.

BRUTUS. Let me tell you, Cassius, you yourself
Are much condemn'd to have an itching palm, 10
To sell and mart your offices for gold
To undeservers.

CASSIUS. I an itching palm!
You know that you are Brutus that speaks this,
Or, by the gods, this speech were else your last.

BRUTUS. The name of Cassius honours this corruption,
And chastisement doth therefore hide his head. 16

[Note 6: /to write:/ by writing. This gerundive use of the
infinitive is very common in this play. Cf. 'to have' in l.
10; 'To sell and mart' in l. 11; 'To hedge me in' in l. 30,
and so on. See Abbott, Sect. 356.]

[Note 8: /nice:/ foolish, trifling.--/his:/ its. The meaning
of the line is, Every petty or trifling offense should not be
rigidly scrutinized and censured. Cassius naturally thinks
that "the honorable men whose dagge