Julius Caesar: Act 2, Scene 3



           Enter ARTEMIDORUS.

      ARTEMIDORUS [Reading a letter he has written.]
  1     'Caesar, beware of Brutus; take heed of Cassius;
  2     come not near Casca; have an eye to Cinna, trust not
  3     Trebonius: mark well Metellus Cimber: Decius Brutus
  4     loves thee not: thou hast wronged Caius Ligarius.
  5     There is but one mind in all these men, and it is
  6     bent against Caesar. If thou beest not immortal,
  7     look about you: security gives way to conspiracy.
7. security gives way to conspiracy: overconfidence opens the door to conspiracy.

  8     The mighty gods defend thee!
  9                                                      Thy lover,
9. lover: friend, follower, well-wisher.

 10                                                            ARTEMIDORUS.'
 11   Here will I stand till Caesar pass along,
 12   And as a suitor will I give him this.
12. suitor: one who has a favor to ask.

 13   My heart laments that virtue cannot live
 14   Out of the teeth of emulation.
14. Out of the teeth of emulation: out of danger from malicious envy.

 15   If thou read this, O Caesar, thou mayst live;
 16   If not, the Fates with traitors do contrive.
16. contrive: conspire.


           Exit.


Artemidorus
"Here will I stand till Caesar pass along"
[Illustrator: H.C. Selous]