ague: fever, illness.
“Caesar was ne’er so much your enemy as that same ague which hath made you lean.” Caesar 2.2.113
I was never as much of an enemy to you as that sickness that made you so thin.
augurers: fortune tellers.
“The persuasion of his auguerers may hold him from the capitol today.” Cassius 2.1.208
The persuasion of his fortune tellers will keep him away from the capitol today.
awl: a shoemaker’s knife.
“Truly, sir, all that I live by is with the awl.” Cobbler 1.1.22
I use the awl to make my living.
beholding: indebted, obligated.
“For Brutus’ sake, I am beholding to you.**” Antony 3.2.63
For Brutus sake, I am indebted to you.
brook’d: tolerated, stood for.
“There was a Brutus once that would have brooked th’ eternal devil to keep his state in Rome*.” Cassius 1.2.160*
Your ancestor, Brutus, would have tolerated the devil governing Rome to keep it free of kings.
chidden: scolded, corrected.
“All the rest look like a chidden train:” Brutus 1.2.184
Everyone else looks like they’ve been scolded.
choler: anger.
“Must I give way and room to your rash choler?” Brutus 4.3.41
Am I supposed to just give in to your anger?
coffer: treasury.
*“*He hath brought many captives home to Rome whose ransoms did the general coffers fill.” 3.2.87
He brought many captives back to Rome, and their ransoms filled our treasuries.
coronets: a small crown, for nobles.
“Yet, t’was not a crown neither, t’was one of these coronets.” Casca 1.2.235
It was not a real crown, it was just a small circlet.
drachmas: Greek coinage.
“By heaven, I had rather coin my heart and drop my blood for drachmas.” Brutus 4.3.76
I’d rather turn my heart into money and my drops of blood into coins.
exhalations: meteors.
“These exhalations, whizzing in the air, give so much light that I may read by them.” Brutus 2.1.45
Those meteors in the sky were so bright I could read by them.
exigent: urgent or pressing.
“Why do you cross me in this exigent?” Antony 5.1.19
Why are you going against me in this most urgent matter?
ides: the middle day of the month.
“Beware the ides of March.” Soothsayer 1.2.20
Beware March 15th.
offal: rotting, inedible meat.
“What trash is Rome, what rubbish, and what offal…” Cassius 1.3.110
Rome has become trash, garbage, and rot.
mace: a club or staff-like weapon.
“Lays’t thou thy leaden mace upon my boy?” Brutus 4.3.274
Did you club my boy?
metal: the stuff one is made of.
“Thy honorable mettle may be wrought from that it is disposed. ” Cassius 1.2. 305
Your honorable nature can be bent from its usual shape.
mettle: valor, courage, temperament
“He was quick mettle when he went to school.” Brutus 1.2.292
He was a good man when he went to school.
neats-leather: cattle hide.
“As proper men as ever trod on neats-leather have gone upon my handiwork.” Cobbler 1.1.25
Most noble men with leather shoes have walked upon my handiwork.
palter: trifle or haggle.
“What other bond than secret Romans that have spoke the word and will not palter?**” Brutus 2.1.130
What other bond do we need than that of Romans who have secretly spoken with each other and will not trifle with anything else?
puissant: powerful, potent.
“Most high, most mighty, and most puissant Caesar…” Metellus 3.1.38
Most high, mighty, and powerful Caesar…
rout: rabble, mob.
“I profess myself in banqueting to all the rout…” Cassius 1.2.79
I express friendship in banqueting with all the rabble…
smatch: taste, smack.
“Thy life hath had some smatch of honor in it:” Brutus 5.5.50
Your life had the taste of honor in it.
spaniel: dog-like begging.
“I mean, sweet words, low-crooked curtsies, and base spaniel fawning.**” Caesar 3.1.58
I mean sweet words, low bows, and puppy like fawning.
tarquin: a cruel king of Roman legend.
“My ancestors did from the streets of Rome the Tarquin drive when he was called a king*.” Brutus 2.1.56*
My ancestors drove out Tarquin from Rome when he was crowned king.
thews: muscles, sinews, or strength.
“Romans now have thews and limbs like to their ancestors.” Casssius 1.3.88
Romans still have the same powerful bodies as their ancestors.
tinctures: medicines that discolor.
“Great men shall press for tincture, stains, relics, and cognizance.**” Decius 2.2.89
Great men will strive to get some token of you, be it medicine, relics or recognition from you.
tributaries: captives.
“What tributaries follow him to Rome?” Marullus 1.1.34
What captives is he bringing home with him?
