IV. Julius Cæsar, 1599, 1601.
(A) From the manuscript diary of Thomas Platter, a Swiss visitor to London in 1599.[1]
On Sept. 21 after lunch, at about two o’clock, I went with my company across the water [River Thames, and there] saw in the straw-thatched house [the Globe] the tragedy of the first emperor, Julius Cesar, quite excellently acted by about fifteen persons. At the end of the comedy they danced according to their custom perfectly beautifully, two dressed in men’s and two in women’s clothes[2] . . . And so every day at two o’clock in the afternoon in the city of London two, sometimes even three, comedies are performed at different places . . . then those who perform best, they have the most auditors. The places are built in such a way that they play on a raised platform, and every one can well see all.
(B) From John Weever, The Mirror of Martyrs, 1601.
By Brutus’ speech that Cesar was ambitious.
- ↑ Translated from the original German as printed by G. Binz, Anglia, 1899, pp. 456 ff.: ‘Den 21 Septembris, nach dem Imbissessen, etwan vmb zwey vhren, bin ich mitt meiner geselschaft vber dz wasser gefahren, haben in dem streuwinen Dachhaus die Tragedy vom ersten Keyser Julio Caesare mitt ohngefahr 15 personen sehen gar artlich agieren; zu endt der Comedien dantzeten sie ihrem gebrauch nach gar vberausz zierlich, ye zwen in mannes vndt 2 in weiber kleideren angethan, wunderbahrlich mitt einanderen . . . vnndt werden also alle tag vmb 2 vhren nach mittag in der stadt London zwo, biszweilen auch drey Comedien an vnderschiedenen örteren gehalten, damitt einer den anderen lustig mache, dann welche sich am besten verhalten, die haben auch zum meisten Zuhörer. Die örter sindt dergestalt erbauwen, dasz sie auf einer erhöchten brüge spilen, vnndt yederman alles woll sehen kan.’
- ↑ This alludes to the jig which customarily concluded an Elizabethan play.
