Propizio, com’io vi sarò fedele.”
This entire scene, as others in Pescetti, make us regret that his slavish subservience to his models caused him to smother his dramatic ability in an avalanche of verbiage. He shows, in spite of many omissions, a true perception of the dramatic possibilities of his material. Had he only been able to condense his work by almost three-quarters, his tragedy would rank high as a representative of its type. Shakespeare uses the same material, takes out his few ounces of gold, and casts away the tons of dross. Nothing that can impede the swiftly approaching climax is tolerated, yet everything necessary to heighten the suspense is introduced.
Pop.— I wish your enterprise to-day may thrive. Cas.— What enterprise, Popilius? Pop.— Fare you well
(Advances to Caesar) Bru.— What said Popilius Lena? Cas.— He wished to-day our enterprise might thrive.
I fear our purpose is discovered. Bru.— Look, how he makes to Caesar: mark him. Cas.— Casca,
Be sudden, for we fear prevention.
Brutus, what shall be done? If this be known,
Cassius, or Caesar never shall turn back,
For I will slay myself. Bru.— Cassius, be constant:
Popilius Lena speaks not of our purposes;
For, look he smiles, and Caesar doth not change.[[70]]
These scenes are not only significant from a critical standpoint; they are historically of prime importance. In Muretus and Grévin the matter of Antony’s entry into the conspiracy is confined to a few lines; Pescetti is the first to give it more importance and the first to employ material which later reappears in Shakespeare’s work. The Popilius Lena scene is even more important, for it is in “Cesare” that we find the first dramatic treatment of this significant episode. Shakespeare’s treatment almost exactly parallels the work of his humble predecessor.
Pescetti seemed well aware of the dramatic value of suspense. In “Julius Caesar”, Shakespeare’s use of this device is much commended, but in this particular play he seems to have been anticipated by the Italian. The preceding scene is not the only one wherein it is employed by Pescetti. Some time before, D. Brutus joins Cassius and M. Brutus, deploring the perversity of fortune.[[71]] He fears that Caesar has scented the conspiracy and will not attend that day’s session of the Senate. The introduction of this matter at this time strongly resembles Shakespeare’s use of the same device, under the same circumstances. Cassius says to D. Brutus:
Cas.— Bruto tu sè turbato. D. B.— E n’hò cagione. Cas.— Che c’è? D. B.— S’appon fortuna, à desir nostri. Cas.— . . . . . . . . . . . . .
“Ma che cosa incontrat’è, ch’interrompe
I nostri alti disegni? D. B.— S’è pentito
D’ir in Senato Cesar, e dimane
Come dianzi vi dissi, prende à guardia,
Del corpo suo cinquanta huomini eletti:
Et ò pur, che non abbia qualche cosa
Della congiura, e dell’ insidie udito.”—Pp. 92–93.
In Shakespeare we read:
Cas.— “But it is doubtful yet
Whether Caesar will come forth to-day or no;
For he is superstitious grown of late,
Quite from the main opinion he held once
Of fantasy, of dreams and ceremonies.
It may be these apparent prodigies,
The unaccustomed terror of this night,
And the persuasion of his augurers,
May hold him from the Capitol to-day.” Act II., I, l. 194 ff.
In both dramas the object is the same; to awaken doubts in the spectators’ minds as to the ultimate success of the plotters and to awaken an interest in the means whereby the conspirators succeed in overcoming Caesar’s suspicion. The difference in content in the parallels seems due to the fact that while Pescetti follows Appian, Shakespeare follows Plutarch.