Calpurnia’s speeches, the recitals of the Messengers, and the comments of the Chorus are the dramatic counterpart in “Cesare” of the speeches of Antony in “Julius Caesar.” Thus Calpurnia exclaims at the news of Caesar’s death:
“O dolce, ò caro, ò mio fedel consorte, O di quanti mai Roma Produsse figli, più possente, e forte, O della nostra età sovrano pregio, O domator de’ ribellanti Galli, Del feroce German, del fier Britanno; O altrettanto dolce Al perdonar, quanto al combatter pronto, O stupor delle genti, O miracol del mondo, Le cui maravigliose, E soprumane prove Stancheran tutte le più dotte penne, E con stupor saranno Cantate, udite e lette Da quei, che dopo noi Verran mill’ anni, e mille.”—Ces., pp. 128–29.
“Oimè quel, ch’ai nemici hà perdonato, Quel, ch’il maggior nemico hà pianto morto, È stat’ ei da coloro, a cui donata Avea la vita, indegnamente ucciso.”—Ces., p. 135.
Here Caesar’s kindness to his enemies, his conquests, the sense of Rome’s irreparable loss are emphasized.
“Here was a Caesar! when comes such another?”
To Shakespeare, Pescetti’s work could hardly have been more than a recital of events connected with a notable occurrence in history, and while he needed no “Cesare” to point him towards the aim of Antony’s address, it is noteworthy that Calpurnia openly urges what Antony secretly wished, and towards which he shaped every sentence of his great oration. Shakespeare’s treatment is so vastly superior that attempts at comparison seem well nigh ridiculous; yet, when we consider how the great poet was able to transform the meanest hints into the mighty scenes we find in his greatest dramas,[16] we may well hesitate to overlook similarities, however far removed they may seem from the matter under consideration. Thus Calpurnia exhorts the soldiers to vengeance:
“O robusti, o magnanimi soldati, Che sotto la felice scorta, sotto Le fortunate, e gloriose insegne Del mio Cesare invitto Mille vittorie riportate avete, Date di mano all’ arme, Prendete il ferro, e’l fuoco, E l’empia, indegna morte, e’l fiero strazio Vendicate del vostro Signore, e Capitano:”—Pp. 133–34.
Later on the Chorus of Soldiers exclaims:
“Patirem noi, compagni, Ch’ invendicato resti Lui, per cui fatto abbiamo Di ricchezze e d’onor tanti guadagni?”—P. 143.