24. PLURAL VERB WITH SINGULAR SUBJECT.-This use, common to-day where a plural substantive intervenes between subject and verb, occurs but once in "Julius Cæsar."

Example: The posture of your blows are yet unknown (v, 1, 33).

25. SUBJUNCTIVE MOOD.-The subjunctive, as might be expected from the constant tendency of our language to simplify, is much more common in Shakspere than it is to-day, particularly in conditional sentences. "Julius Cæsar" is very rich in illustration.

Examples: If that thou be'st a Roman (iv, 3, 102); He were no lion, were not Romans hinds (i, 3, 106); Or, by the gods, this speech were else your last (iv, 3, 14); And that were much he should (ii, 1, 188).

26. THE SUBJUNCTIVE AFTER OTHER VERBS.-The subjunctive usually. follows verbs expressing wish or command.

Examples: I would it were my fault (ii, 1, 4); I wish your enterprise to-day may thrive (iii, 1, 13). And look you lay it in the prætor's chair (i, 3, 143); I would I might go to hell among the rogues (i, 2, 266–7).

27. I Had Rather.-This good old English usage is very common in "Julius Cæsar," and with it is associated the kindred had as lief. It should be noticed, however, that in Shakspere were better and were best occur where we should use had better and had best.

Examples: I had as lief not be (i, 2, 95); I had rather coin my heart (iv, 3, 72); I had rather be a dog and bay the moon (iv, 3, 27); You were best (iii, 3, 12).

28. INFINITIve for GerUND.—There are several cases

in "Julius Cæsar" where the infinitive is used for the

gerundial expression; e.g. "That Tiber trembled underneath her banks, To hear the replication of your sounds"; that is, "on hearing the replication," etc. (i, 1, 48-9).

Examples: You forget yourself, To hedge me in (iv, 3, 29-30); What cause withholds you, then, to mourn for him? (iii, 2, 103). But do not stain

our enter

Examples: Yet 'twas not a crown neither (i, 2, 237); Thou hast no figures nor no fantasies (ii, 1, 231); Nor for yours, neither (ii, 1, 237); Nor to no Roman else (iii, 1, 92).

PREPOSITIONS

30. The reader of Shakspere will at once become used to peculiar uses of prepositions, the meanings of which were probably less limited three centuries ago.

Examples: A surgeon to old shoes (i, 1, 27); Be not jealous on me (i, 2, 71); Tiber chafing with her shores (i, 2, 101); Govern'd with our mothers' spirits (i, 3, 83); We shall find of him A shrewd contriver (ii, 1, 157–8); Hath done this deed on Cæsar (iii, 1, 173).

31. OMISSION OF PREPOSITIONS. "Julius Cæsar" frequently omits prepositions where the modern language requires them.

Examples: Listen great things (iv, 1, 41); What trade art thou? (i, 1, 5); What hath proceeded worthy note (i, 2, 181); But ere we could arrive the point proposed (i, 2, 110).

32. CHANGED IDIOM.-Conversely, the play sometimes supplies prepositions after verbs that now do not require them.

Examples: Spurn at him (ii, 1, 11); I doubt not of your wisdom (iii, 1, 184).

CONJUNCTIONS

33. CONJUNCTIONS OMITTED.-This omission occurs most frequently in either or both of the chief members of a complex sentence denoting result.

Examples: (So omitted in the first clause): Now is that noble vessel full of grief, That it runs over, etc. (v, 5, 13–4); Have you not made an universal shout, That Tiber trembled, etc.? (i, 1, 47-8). (As omitted in the second member): I will not do thee so much wrong to wake thee (iv, 3, 268); And none so poor to do him reverence (iii, 2, 120). (Omission of both so and as): Be not fond To think (iii, 1, 39–40).

Examples of Other Omitted Conjunctions: And downward look on us, As we were sickly prey (v, 1, 85–6); It doth amaze me, A man of such a feeble temper should So get the start (i, 2, 128-30).

34. DOUBLE CONJUNCTIONS.-Conversely, compare the double conjunctive expression in "If that thou be'st a Roman" (iv, 3, 102) and in "Lest that the people" (iii, 1, 93).

NOTE.-Practically, all these uses of the conjunction are archaic to-day.

Shaksperian Diction

It will be remembered that three hundred years ago the English vocabulary had not become absolutely fixed; many nouns and adjectives assumed forms that have now

become more or less obsolete, and many words that have since become recognised as simply adjectives or nouns were then used freely as verbs. The effect of unusualness that such unhampered diction gives is further increased by the use of expressions that have now almost entirely passed out of the language. Finally, many words are used by the Elizabethan writers in a sense quite different from their modern meaning. All these matters the student must learn, not in a dry, pedantic way, but merely as a means of furthering his knowledge and appreciation of Shakspere. Most of the words will carry their meaning in the root-syllable; the rest are so few as to be easily remembered. The following lists make no pretence to being absolutely complete. They give only the most important examples, and it is hoped the student will add to them from his reading of the play.

35. OBSOLETE OR ARCHAIC FORMS: afeard (ii, 2, 67).

carrions (ii, 1, 130).
cautelous (ii, 1, 129).

charactery (ii, 1, 308).

corse (iii, 1, 200; iii, 1, 292).

gamesome (i, 2, 28).

insuppressive (ii, 1, 134).

moe=more (ii, 1, 72; v, 3, 101).

rabblement (i, 2, 244).

replication (i, 1, 49).

thorough through (iii, 1, 137).

=

wafture (ii, 1, 246).

yond (i, 2, 194).

36. NOUNS USED AS ADJECTIVES:

Tiber banks (i, 1, 61); Philippi fields (v, 5, 19);

ferret eyes (1, 2, 186).

37. COMPOUND ADJECTIVES:

honourable-dangerous (i, 3, 124).

high-sighted (ii, 1, 118).

honey-heavy (ii, 1, 230).
strange-disposed (i, 3, 33).

38. VERBS FORMED FROM NOUNS :

If thou path (ii, 1, 83); So father'd and so hus

banded (ii, 1, 297); It shall advantage, more than do us wrong (iii, 1, 243); That I do fawn on men, and hug them hard, And after scandal them (i, 2, 75-6).

39. VERBS FORMED FROM ADJECTIVES:

To stale with ordinary oaths my love (i, 2, 73); Out of use and stal'd by other men (iv, 1, 38).

40. INTRANSITIVE VERBS USED AS TRANSITIVE: Calpurnia here, my wife, stays me at home (ii, 2, 75); Weep your tears (i, 1, 61); They fall their crests (iv, 2, 26); And then I swore thee (made thee swear; v, 3, 38).

41. OBSOLETE WORDS AND OBSOLETE MEANINGS:

an if (i, 2, 265; iv, 3, 256).

=

conceit conceive, think (i, 3, 162; iii, 1, 193).
fall=happen (iii, 1, 244; v, 1, 105).

fond foolish (iii, 1, 39).

the general=the people (ii, 1, 12).

heap crowd (i, 3, 23).

hurtle to clatter, rattle, rustle (ii, 2, 22).

orchard=garden (i, 2).

proper goodly, well-appearing (i, 1, 28).