Antony and the Roman people in "Julius Cæsar." "Voltaire," says a French editor of the "Death of Cæsar," "instead of translating the monstrous work of Shakespeare, composed, in the English taste, the present play." For the most part, its plot runs parallel to that of Shakespeare; only Voltaire, according to his principle of admitting nothing into tragedy which is not elevated above common life, gives us none of those scenes between citizens, and none of those sentiments of the mob, which lend so much of life and reality to the English play, and he omits, too, the softening elements supplied by Portia and Calphurnia. On the other hand, he introduces a new and strong point in making Brutus the son of Cæsar. The dictator, in an early scene, reveals to Antony how he had secretly married Servilia, the sister of Cato; that stern Republican, ignorant of the marriage, had caused her to wed another, and Brutus had passed for the son of this second husband. But, in dying, Servilia wrote to remind Cæsar that he was Brutus's true father. On this ground Cæsar accounts for the fondness with which, in spite of Brutus's unceasing opposition to himself, he regards that implacable patriot, and even finds excuses for that hostility; as thus:—
Be Cæsar's son, a master he must hate.
I from my earliest youth have thought like him;
I hated Sylla and all tyrants else.
Had not puffed Pompey sought to smother me
Beneath his glory, I were freedom's friend.
Born proud, ambitions, still for virtue born,
Were I not Cæsar, I would Brutus be.'"
At this point Brutus enters with the Republican
