The New Hudson Shakespeare: Julius Cæsar

by William Shakespeare

Let him command,

And to obey shall be in me remorse,

What bloody business ever.

The possession of dictatorial power is apt to stifle or sear the conscience, so as to make a man literally remorseless.

[II.12] affections sway'd passions (inclinations) governed.

[II.13] proof: experience. So in Twelfth Night, III, i, 135.

[II.14] climber upward Ff | climber-upward Warburton.

[II.15] Warburton put a hyphen between 'climber' and 'upward.' Delius, however, would connect 'upward' with 'whereto' and 'turns.'

[II.16] base degrees: lower steps. 'Degrees' is here used in its original, literal sense for the rounds, or steps, of the ladder.

[II.17] lest F₂F₃F₄ | least F₁.