[Footnote 40: This refers to the refusal of Ulysses to wed a goddess, preferring his own wife, who was no longer young.] [Footnote 41: The meaning is that no man is possest by curiosity unless some malevolence inspires him.] [Footnote 42: Narses was the associate of Belisarius in command of the Roman army in Italy in 538-539, and greatly distinguished himself as the sole commander in later years.] [Footnote 43: Agesilaus was a famous king of Sparta.] [Footnote 44: Now commonly written Tamerlane, which stands for Timour the Lame, Timour being his real name.] [Footnote 45: Adrian, now commonly called Hadrian, emperor of Rome, was born in 76, and died in 138.] [Footnote 46: This saying has been translated "Envy keeps no holidays."] [Footnote 47: Busbechius, scholar and diplomat of Flanders, was born in 1522 and died in 1592.] [Footnote 48: The meaning is that one may be so good as to be good for nothing.] [Footnote 49: Machiavelli, the famous author of "The Prince."] [Footnote 50: The reference is to Timon of Athens, a real person, who is the subject of one of Shakespeare's plays.] [Footnote 51: An early form of the word pruning, which once had a wider meaning than now.] [Footnote 52: The meaning is that manners are deeply influenced by one's studies.] [Footnote 53: Aulus Celsus, a Roman writer on medicine, who lived in the first half of the first century A.D.] SHAKESPEARE Born in 1564; died in 1616; married Anne Hathaway in 1582; went to London and became an actor in 1587; began to revise, or write, plays in 1589; bought "New Place" at Stratford in 1597; retired from the theater in 1610; his plays first collected in the Folio of 1623. I BRUTUS TO HIS COUNTRYMEN[54] _Brutus._ Be patient till the last. Romans, countrymen, and lovers! hear me for my cause, and be silent, that you may hear; believe me for mine honor, and have respect to mine honor, that you may believe; censure me in your wisdom, and awake your senses, that you may the better judge. If there be any in this assembly, any dear friend of Caesar's, to him I say, that Brutus' love to Caesar was no less than his. If then that friend demand why Brutus rose against Caesar, this is my answer: Not that I lov'd Caesar less, but that I lov'd Rome more. Had you rather Caesar were living and die all slaves, than that Caesar were dead, to live all freemen? As Caesar lov'd me, I weep for him; as he was fortunate, I rejoice at it; as he was valiant, I honor him; but as he was ambitious, I slew him. There is tears for his love; joy for his fortune; honor for his valor; and death for his ambition. Who is here so base that would be a bondman? If any, speak; for him have I offended. Who is here so rude that would not be a Roman? If any, speak; for him have I offended. Who is here so vile that will not love his country? If any, speak; for him have I offended. I pause for reply. _All._ None, Brutus, none.