which

Then burst his mighty heart;

And in his mantle muffling up his face,

Even at the base of Pompey’s statue

(which all the while ran blood) great Caesar fell.(By Shakespeare)

1.What does it mean by the parenthesis?
2.What does "which" refer to?Asking for your help.Thanks!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by notletrest

Then burst his mighty heart;
And in his mantle muffling up his face,
Even at the base of Pompey’s statue

(which all the while ran blood) great Caesar fell.(By Shakespeare)

1.What does it mean by the parenthesis?
2.What does "which" refer to?Asking for your help.Thanks!

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Probably the first set of parentheses were not original. The second set have obviously been added later.

Parentheses often mean that the information enclosed is useful but not essential. They are often misused.

The antecedent of "which" is "statue".

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Frank Antonson

Probably the first set of parentheses were not original. The second set have obviously been added later.

Parentheses often mean that the information enclosed is useful but not essential. They are often misused.

The antecedent of "which" is "statue".

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In fact the first set of parentheses are original. The second set were added by me.You mean which referred to "staue".As we know a statue is something ,how can it" ran blood"?Thanks!

Blood ran down the statue from Caesar's being stabbed there. (At least, that's how I have always understood it.)

It was Caesar's blood.