Ever thinking about the correlation between Caesar and Christ. Today, Octavius opens the eyes wide open in the following reply to Cassius:
Come, come, the cause: if arguing make us sweat,
The proof of it will turn to redder drops. Look;
I draw a sword against conspirators;
When think you that the sword goes up again?
Never, till Caesar's three and thirty wounds
Be well avenged; or till another Caesar
Have added slaughter to the sword of traitors.
This is a startling passage on two fronts. First, in an almost "Doubting Thomas" type moment, Octavius' wonder is connected to the wounds. The answer to his question is related to the wounds of Caesar. Second, the number. Three and thirty. The two great lives of Caesar by Plutarch and Suetonius report that the number wounds was three and twenty. According to T.S. Dorsch in the second Arden edition, Theobald emended accordingly. Big mistake. The number here is three and thirty for a reason, a very good reason. To draw a parallel between Caesar's wounds and the supposed age of Christ when he was crucified (mortally stabbed). An extremely effective device here that should not be tampered with. The most unkindest cuts of all deserve to placed at the center of the table.
Side note: I always think that Thomas gets a bad rap.
Nicely done, Mike, the parallels between the two JC's are everywhere, many of them as subtle as the one you just mentioned.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Arnie. I get a little chill thinking about it. Dante putting Brutus and Judas together. Shakespeare putting Caesar and Christ together. Not that they're the same, but....
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