PRINTED FOR THE MALONE SOCIETY BY
HORACE HART M.A., AT THE
OXFORD UNIVERSITY
PRESS

THE TRAGEDY
OF CAESAR’S REVENGE

THE MALONE SOCIETY
REPRINTS
1911

  Plays on the subject of Caius Julius are so numerous that some difficulty arises in properly distinguishing the titles. In the case of the piece here reprinted the first title, which is also the head title, suggests a play of Chapman’s, while the running title is the traditional property of William Shakespeare. It seems, therefore, best that it should become known by the name which appears second on the title-page. And, indeed, there is reason to suppose that it was this title that the piece originally bore, for the entry in the Registers of the Stationers’ Company runs as follows:

The edition that followed upon this entry was undated, but probably appeared before the end of the year. It bore Wright’s name and address as stationer, and the initials and device of George Eld as printer. It was a quarto printed in roman type of a body similar to modern pica (20 ll. = 83 mm.). Of this original issue copies survive in the Dyce Library at South Kensington and in the collection of the Duke of Devonshire. In other copies the original title-leaf has been cancelled and replaced by a reprint. This, which is dated 1607, bears the names of both stationers, and a different address, which is presumably Fosbrook’s. The printer’s initials have been omitted, and, more important, his device has made way for the note ‘Priuately acted by the Studentes of Trinity Colledge in Oxford’. The original type had already been distributed, and not only the title, but also the list of personae on the verso of the leaf, was reset.   Why Fosbrook should have been originally forgotten, as it would seem he was, and his portion of the stock provided with a title-page which is evidently of the nature of an afterthought, there is nothing to show. Copies of this second issue are in the Bodleian Library at Oxford and the British Museum. All the copies mentioned are perfect, and for the purpose of the present reprint those in the British Museum, Bodleian and Dyce libraries have been collated throughout. The two former are in substantial agreement: the Dyce copy has both formes of sheet A in an uncorrected state: there is a curious progressive error at l. 2481.

No record of performance survives to corroborate the information supplied by the second title-page, but from internal evidence it may be supposed to have taken place some years before publication, the style of the play being modelled on those popular in the last decade of the sixteenth century, especially Tamburlaine and the Spanish Tragedie. The complete absence of comic relief, and the exceptional number of recondite classical allusions, are in favour of the academic origin of the play, and this is perhaps further evidenced by the fact that the source, upon which the anonymous author drew, appears to have been, not Plutarch, but Appian’s Bellum Civile. Appian alone (book II, chapters 113 and 117) names Bucolianus among Caesar’s murderers, though Cicero mentions him twice in his letters to Atticus as Bucilianus. There is also one local reference to connect the play with Oxford, in the lines put into Caesar’s mouth.

  The text of the play presents a good many difficulties, and in some places there is reason to suspect more or less serious lacunae. The classical names too are often badly corrupted, and the punctuation is the worst conceivable. There is a division into acts and scenes, but it neither follows a consistent principle, nor exhibits a correct numbering. A new division on the ordinarily accepted principles of the English stage has therefore been introduced in the margin. This has necessitated a somewhat minute consideration of exits and entrances, and a special list of necessary stage directions has been added below after the usual list of irregular readings.

A list of personae is given in the original on the verso of the title-leaf. The only omission is that of a Lord who has a part in several scenes.

The thanks of the editor are due to the Rev. H. E. D. Blakiston, President of Trinity College, Oxford, for information to the effect that no references to plays are traceable in the account books of the College, unless a payment of 6s. 6d. for a ‘spectaculum in festo Trinitatis’ in 1565 can be so interpreted. A similar debt is owing to Mr. J. P. Maine, librarian to the Duke of Devonshire, for information as to the readings of the copy of the original issue of the play preserved at Chatsworth.

  List of Irregular and Doubtful Readings

A 1v Casca. (Casea. 1607)
  Augur. (Augur: 1607)
  Senators. (Seuators. 1607)
  Octauian. (Actauian. 1607)
  Camber. (both)
11 which (what)
14 her (? his)
20 field
25 Heauens. O (Heauens, O)
31 sig. A2 (B2 Dyce only)
32 Vomit (vomit)
  ills (? ills:)
34 Be
44 shild
46 greatnesse. (? greatnesse;)
55 praizd (i.e. valued)
59 swaye. (swaye,)
87 When as
98 liuing (liung Dyce only)
108 ouerthrowne, (ou erthrowne, B.M., Devon.)
132 a sleepe
136 a waite
143 bisse. (blisse.)
148 beare. (beare,)
149 Wihch (Which)
163 starrs. (starrs,)
167 remououe
169 haue. (haue—)
171 this, (i.e. thus,)
175 a misse,
182 farwell, then (farwell then,)
182 c.w. Here (183 Heere)
192 woundring
203 T’was
215 babish
216 sound (sound.)
219 Io ioyfull, Io
227 boucher’d
237 stange
247 enternally
252 c.w. Whilst (253 Whil’st)
261 Thee (? Flee)
  blood (blood.)
262 thirst. (thirst,)
263 goaring
277 Romaine, (Romaine)
288 when as
308 When as
324 Temple (Tempe)
325 waues, (waues.)
335 Scythia
344 freedon,
349 vnderringing
354 fall:
357 blast,
363 dol-full
410 they (thy)
411 Soule. (point doubtful, read Soule,)
412 What (? That)
413 Libians
430 petition. (petition,)
432 permit,.
434 Some what
450 turnde, (turnde)
  460 with out
468 shue (sue)
474 griefe. (griefe,)
  c.w. VVhich (475 Which)
494 handmayde, forth (handmayde forth,)
498 hath
508 woundring
513 poastes. (poastes)
514 name, (name.)
515 bring: (bring)
519 pearles. (pearles)
527 beheld (behold)
535 althings
  sees. (sees)
542 But. (? Ant.)
544 Cæsa,
549 thee (the)
  cut, (cut)
561 weaud (? weand B.M. only)
567 fized (fixed)
568 ouer (? euer)
576 Neptnnus
598 Piramids. (Piramids,)
602 Gnidas (Gnidus)
609 Antho. (Dis.)
617 Iollity. (Iollity,)
620 Setorius (Sertorius)
621 ouerthrowe. (ouerthrowe,)
622 Nepoune
627 waight,
  blisse. (blisse,)
628 haue. (haue,)
633 night. (night,)
634 plauges
642 SCENA 4.
646 they
  selfe. (selfe)
652 like wise
  Ptolomeis
  gould. (gould,)
655 made. (made,)
670 wordly
699 a vaile
704 soueraignety. (soueraignety,)
708 Men. (Men,)
709 entertaynd, (entertaynd.)
713 Earth. (Earth,)
725 sway (sway.)
734 a non,
751-2 (lacuna ?)
763 letter pattens
784 if, (if)
786 a like,
807 cease. (cease,)
818 graue. (graue,)
826 Alacke (Alike)
828 a like
829 causer which (? causer, mine)
835 perlexed
838 be hould
848 Queene, (Queene.)
851 framd. (framd,)
864 prefest.
874 instruments. (instruments,)
883 Ncmean
885 os (of)
891 Be sides
893 Alcionus:
899 rosall
  head, (head.)
900 Phœbus
902 respendent
913 Spicery, (?)
914 Nardus
924 Queene, (Queene)
925 ofhirs:
936 speech (speech.)
947 Camber (Cimber)
960 Cæs. (Cas.)
969 tale, (tale,)
971 blood, (blood.)
989 Cam. (Cim.)
991 Cum. (990 c.w. Cam.)
996 Cibills
  verse. (verse)
  1003 sepulcher. (sepulcher,)
1012 praise
1014 bespent (? besprent)
1022 Romaine, (Romaines,)
1025 Gic.
1027 borne
1050 learne; (learne,)
1051 althings
1053 blessiings
1059 Counrries
1075 nor (not)
1082 Hilias (Allias)
  sight: (? fight:  B.M. only)
1103 slay (stay)
1108 Countries: (Countries)
1111 Sene.
1118 it (it.)
  vse, (vse)
1121 vertues (? vertue)
  brunt’s,
1137 me (me?)
1149 Adastria (Adrastia)
  Queene. (Queene,)
1159 sleepe. (sleepe,)
1161 die, (die.)
1162 paintcd
1182 backes. (backes,)
1196 Lords, (? Lord,)
1198 a fore,
1201 be-hind
  past. (past,)
1203 triump (trump)
1205 witner (witnes)
1207 it bound it
1208 Phægiean (Phlegraean)
1209 Tropheus (Trophies)
1213 Pompeous
1218 crowne, (crowne.)
1221 onmy
1222 beare. (beare)
1229 Africans,
1234 starre. (starre)
1237 Gouernesse. (Gouernesse,)
1246 Æmelius,
1258 Romulus. (Romulus,)
1260 Ouer- (? Euer-)
1262 exquies
1263 Ioue. (Ioue,)
1264 fame. (fame,)
1265 Hydasspis,
1270 Whereby (Were by)
  resistles, (resistles)
  powers (? power)
1276 Rohdans
1278 Thames. (Thames)
1283 greefe (greefe.)
1318 Afrigted
1321 winde (? minde)
1322 on (i.e. one)
1329 my
1335 one (i.e. on)
1361 the (thee)
1364 receiue (? reuiue)
1389 persumption:
1423 by (ly)
1426 lotheth (? bodeth)
1429 ACT. 2.
1430 Anthony (Anthony,)
  Lords, (? Lord,)
1431 Pharthia
1432 Cæsars (? Crassus)
1438 Armenians
  Medians
1448 troopes. (troopes,)
1462 victorye. (victorye,)
1467 there by
1468 spur. (spur)
1472 selfe (? selfe’s)
1474 will (? well)
1479 euerdaring (? ouerdaring)
1481-2 (lacuna?)
1486 or (are)
1491 fame. (fame)
1494 Pincely
1498 liberty. (liberty,)
1522 Cumber (? Cimber,)
1539 mis boding
1577 quench-les
1582 a peerce
  1604 T’was
1613 hap (hap.)
1619 Bec (?)
1623 fore-cast, (fore-cast)
1633-4 (? lacuna)
1637 steeps
1638 threeatning
1643 bale full
1649 bale-full
1650 consort.  In (consort, in)
1657 Dre ame
  which (with)
1662 Pre. (i.e. Præcentor.)
1665 ilde
1666 Thout
  a non
1670 anon, (anon.)
1673 nigh. (nigh,)
1674 house- (?)
1676 sits, (sits ?)
1677 daunger (daunger,)
1693 (? lacuna)
1700 Aloud
1702 Cum.... Cumber
1704 (not indented)
1718 yout (your)
1719 plauge
1730 geeue
1731 liues. (liues)
1735 ambition, (ambition)
1742 see (see?)
1751 heard
1761 a mong
  starrs. (starrs)
1763 Cæsar, (Cæsar)
1771 Anthony. (Anthony)
1774 a laromes,
1793 in great (? ingrate)
1804 more (more,)
  songs. (songs,)
1809 Hearse Calphurnia (Hearse, Calphurnia,)
1829 deathes,
1836 (not indented)
1846 they (thy)
1855 Commonwealth. (Commonwealth,)
1857 Vntucht. (Vntucht,)
1859 e ndles (e nd les B.M. only)
1864 yeares. (yeares)
1865 vnconquered; (vnconquered,)
1899 Romains (? Romes)
1902 soundes,
1905 hasted
1906 sound,
1909 tombe: (e doubtful)
1924 pytiyng
1925 fore
1929 Syre,
1971 Mirapont.
1972 ACT. 3. SCE. 1.
1979 life. (life)
1981 heauens: (?)
1992 A lcides
1999 Spayne (Spayne,)
2004 auaylesthis
2005 hand. (hand)
2008 Crest. (Crest,)
2019 on (one)
2025 Iiberian
2030 war-faire (warfare)
2038 warre-faire (warre faire)
2039 Stike
2046 for got
2055 Fathers
2063 hate. (hate)
2067 a rise
2068 vnquenced
2071 comsort (? consort)
2078 youth full
2090 vowd’,
2093 Dieties
2100 Gradinus (Gradiuus)
2101 ouerburning (euerburning)
2102 Carpeian (Tarpeian)
2114 Stremonia, (? Strymon)
  2122 -men (-man)
2136-7 (? lacuna)
2155 Lyeas (Lycus)
2157 Tursos
2164 (And Dolabella [And Dolabella (]
  spoyles. (spoyles)
2192 Numantia. (Numantia,)
2209 Gradinus (Gradiuus)
2213 liues.) [?]
2221 Strenghen
2232 acts. (acts)
2252 eur
2272 slaine. (slaine)
2274 Behould (Beheld)
  fiends. (fiends)
2276 vpbraues
2283 In (in)
2291 Comegreesly
2309 earth. (earth,)
  c.w. wish (Wish)
2313 ire. (ire,)
2318 Cæsars (Brutus)
2324 expiate. Altheas come. (? expiate Altheas crime.)
2337 power
2338 extols. (extols,)
2346 c.w. Where (Cass. Where)
2356-7 (? reversed)
2363 Echalarian
2366 Then yet (? alternatives)
2371 cruell (turned n for u)
2375 foyld:
2411 accurs’d (space before d but apostrophe doubtful)
2422 breath? (? breathe,)
2470 come (come,)
  friend (friend;)
2481 comfort rings. B.M. and Bodl.: comfort gs .
    Devon.: comfort gs.
    Dyce: read comfort brings.
2498 bee. (bee,)
2500 life. (life;)
2517 a round
2522 cndlesse
  vpon. (? vpon,)
2533 The (the)
2552 But (? Nor)
2559 Elysium

  Additional Stage Directions