I slig en Nat
  Trojas Murtinder Troilus besteg

when he could have used Lembcke’s, is inexplicable except on the hypothesis that he was eager to prove his own originality.  The remainder of Lorenzo’s first speech is scarcely better.  It is neither good translation nor decent verse.

In 1882 came Lassen’s Julius Caesar,[20] likewise published as a supplement to Folkevennen for use in the schools.  A short postscript tells us that the principles which governed in the translation of the earlier play have governed here also.  Lassen specifically declares that he used Foersom’s translation (Copenhagen, 1811) as the basis for the translation of Antony’s oration.  A comparison shows that in this scene Lassen follows Foersom closely—­he keeps archaisms which Lembcke amended.  One or two instances: 

Foersom:  Seer, her foer Casii Dolk igjennem den; seer, hvilken Rift den nidske Casca gjorde; her rammed’ den hoitelskte Bruti Dolk, etc.

Lembcke:  Se, her foer Cassius’ Dolk igjennem den; se hvilken Rift den onde Casca gjorde.  Her stodte Brutus den hoitelskede, etc.

Lassen:  Se! her foer Casii Dolk igjennem den; se hvilken Rift den onde Casca gjorde.  Her rammed den hoielskte Bruti Dolk, etc.

[20. Julius Caesar.  Et Skuespil af William Shakespeare.  Oversat af Hartvig Lassen.  Udgivet af Selskabet for Folkeoplysningens Fremme som forste Tillaegshefte til Folkevennen for 1882.  Kristiania, 1882.  Grondal og Son.]

For the rest, a reading of this translation leaves the same impression as a reading of The Merchant of Venice—­it is a reasonably good piece of work but distinctly inferior to Foersom and to Lembcke’s modernization of Foersom.  Lassen clearly had Lembcke at hand; he seldom, however, followed him for more than a line or two.  What is more important is that there are reminiscences of Foersom not only in the funeral scene, where Lassen himself acknowledges the fact, but elsewhere.  Note a few lines from the quarrel between Brutus and Cassius (Act IV, Sc. 3) beginning with Cassius’ speech: 

  Urge me no more, I shall forget myself.

Foersom (Ed. 1811) has: 

  Cas: 
  Tir mig ei mer at jeg ei glemmer mig;
  husk Eders Vel—­og frist mig ikke mere.

  Bru: 
  Bort, svage Mand!

  Cas: 
    Er dette muligt?

Bru:  Hor mig; jeg vil tale.  Skal jeg for Eders vilde Sind mig boie?  Troer I jeg kyses af en gal Mands Blik?

  Cas: 
  O Guder, Guder! skal jeg taale dette?

Bru:  Ja, meer.  Brum saa dette stolte Hierte brister; Gak, viis den Haeftighed for Eders Traelle, og faa dem til at skielve.  Skal jeg vige, og foie Eder?  Skal jeg staae og boie mig under Eders Luners Arrighed?  Ved Guderne, I skal nedsvaelge selv al Eders Galdes Gift, om end I brast; thi fra i dag af bruger jeg Jer kun til Moerskab, ja til latter naar I vredes.

And Lassen has: