In his own change, or by ill offices.

That is, either changing his inclination of himself, or by the ill offices and bad influences of others. (see 1765, VII, 71, 8)

IV.iii.30 (80,4) To hedge me in] That is, to limit my authority by your direction or censure.

IV.iii.32 (80,5) To make conditions] That is, to know on what terms it is fit to confer the offices which are at my disposal.

IV.iii.86 (82,7)

  A friend should bear a friend’s infirmities,
  But Brutus makes mine greater than they are.
  Bru. I do not, till you practise them on me]

The meaning is this; I do not look for your faults, I only see them, and mention them with vehemence, when you force them into my notice, by practising them on me. (see 1765, VII, 77, 6)

IV.iii.100 (53,8)

  There is my dagger,
  And here my naked breast; within, a heart
  Dearer than Plutus’ mine, richer than gold: 
  If that thou be’st a Roman, take it forth]

[W:  thou needst a Roman’s,] I am not satisfied with the change proposed, yet cannot deny, that the words, as they now stand, require some interpretation.  I think he means only, that he is so far from Avarice, when the cause of his country requires liberality, that if any man should wish for his heart, he would not need enforce his desire any otherwise, than by showing that he was a Roman.

V.i.5 (92,5) They mean to warn as at Philippi here] To warn, seems to mean here the same as to alarm.  Hanmer reads,

  They mean to wage us.

V.i.43 (93,6) While damned Casca, like a cur behind,/Struck Caesar on the neck] Casca struck Caesar on the neck, coming like a degenerate cur behind him.

V.i.100 (96,2)

  Even by the rule of that philosophy,
  By which I did blame Cato for the death
  Which he did give himself; (I know not how,
  But I do find it cowardly and vile,
  For fear of what might fall, so to prevent
  The time of life:) arming myself with patience]

Dr. Warburton thinks, that in this speech something is lost, but there needed only a parenthesis to clear it.  The construction is this; I an determined to act according to that philosophy which directed me to blame the suicide of Cato, arming myself with patience.

V.iv.12 (102,6) Luc. Only I yield to die:/There is so much, that then wilt kill me straight] Dr. Warburton has been much inclined to find lacunae, or passages broken by omission, throughout this play.  I think he has been always mistaken.  The soldier here says, Yield, or thou diest.  Lucilius replies, I yield only on this condition, that I may die; here is so much gold as thou seest in my hand, which I offer thee as a reward for speedy death.  What now is there wanting?

(106) General Observation.  Of this tragedy many particular passages deserve regard, and the contention and reconcilement of Brutus and Cassius is universally celebrated; but I have never been strongly agitated in perusing it, and think it somewhat cold and unaffecting, compared with some other of Shakespeare’s plays; his adherence to the real story, and to Roman manners, seems to have impeded the natural vigour of his genius.