The dramatic fluctuation of passion, the calmness of Brutus, the
heat of Cassius, are admirably described; and the exclamation of
Cassius on hearing of the death of Portia, which he does not learn
till after the reconciliation, 'How 'scap'd I killing when I crost
you so?' gives double force to all that has gone before. The scene
between Brutus and Portia, where she endeavours to extort the secret
of the conspiracy from him, is conceived in the most heroical
spirit, and the burst of tenderness in Brutus:
You are my true and honourable wife;
As dear to me as are the ruddy drops
That visit my sad heart--
is justified by her whole behaviour. Portia's breathless impatience
to learn the event of the conspiracy, in the dialogue with Lucius,
is full of passion. The interest which Portia takes in Brutus and
that which Calphurnia takes in the fate of Caesar are discriminated
with the nicest precision. Mark Antony's speech over the dead body
of Caesar has been justly admired for the mixture of pathos and
artifice in it: that of Brutus certainly is not so good.
The entrance of the conspirators to the house of Brutus at midnight
is rendered very impressive. In the midst of this scene we meet with
one of those careless and natural digressions which occur so
frequently and beautifully in Shakespeare. After Cassius has
introduced his friends one by one, Brutus says:
They are all welcome.
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