[II.2] Rome ... Enter Brutus Malone | Enter Brutus in his Orchard Ff.
[II.3] What. A common exclamation frequent in Shakespeare. So in [V, iii, 72]. The 'when' of l. 5 shows increasing impatience.
[II.4] when? Ff | when! Delius.
[II.4] what, Lucius! | what Lucius? Ff.
[II.6] Brutus has been casting about on all sides to find some means to prevent Cæsar's being king, and here admits that it can be done only by killing him. Thus the soliloquy opens in just the right way to throw us back upon his antecedent meditations. In expression and in feeling it anticipates Hamlet, III, i, 56-88. From now onwards the speeches of Brutus strangely adumbrate those of Hamlet.
[II.7] the general: the general public, the community at large. Cf. Hamlet, II, ii, 457, "pleas'd not the million; 't was caviare to the general." See [III, ii, 89], and [V, v, 71-72].
[II.8] The sunshine of royalty will kindle the serpent in Cæsar. The figure in 32-34 suggests that 'bring forth' may here mean 'hatch.'
[II.9] him?—that;—Camb Globe | him that, Ff | him—that—Rowe.
[II.10] do danger with: do mischief with, prove dangerous. Cf. Romeo and Juliet, V, ii, 20: "neglecting it May do much danger."
[II.11] Remorse. Constantly in Shakespeare 'remorse' is used for 'pity' or 'compassion.' Here it seems to mean something more, 'conscience,' 'conscientiousness.' So in Othello, III, iii, 468: