JULIUS CAESAR
SCENE 1: Streets of Rome
Crowd enters the streets of Rome
Roman 1 Old Man:
Hence! Home you idle creatures, get you home. Is this a holiday? What!
Roman 2:
We make a holiday to see Caesar, and to rejoice in his triumph!
Narrator 1:
It was a day of celebration and the streets of ancient Roam swarmed with citizens
cheering Julius Caesar’s victory over his rival, Pompey. At that time, Rome was a
Republic- ruled by the people through their senators. Now some politicians feared
that Caesar would want to rule Rome himself.
Caesar:
Set on; and leave no ceremony out. Calpurnia, come celebrate with my victory!
Calpurina:
I my Lord, I am here by your side.
Mark Anthony:
As am I. Let us celebrate with the entertainment.
Narrator 2:
As Caesar paraded to the games, a soothsayer warned him about the 15th of March.
Caesar merely scoffed.
Soothsayer:
Caesar!
Octavius:
Be still and with peace sir!
Caesar:
Ha! Who calls?
Soothsayer:
Beware the ides of March.
Caesar:
What man is that?
Brutus:
A soothsayer bids you beware the ides of March.
Caesar:
Set him before me; let me see his face.
Cassius:
Fellow, come from the throng; look upon Caesar.
Caesar:
What say'st thou to me now? speak once again.
Soothsayer:
Beware the ides of March.
Caesar:
He is a dreamer; let us leave him: pass.
Narrator 3:
Meanwhile, the two senators, Brutus and Cassius, watched Caesar’s triumphant
expression. They supported the Republic and feared Caesar’s ambition.
Narrator 1:
On his return from the celebratory games, Caesar did not look so pleased. Casca, a
friend of the two senators, explained what had happened: Caesar’s supporter, Mark
Anthony had offered him the crown. To Caesar’s dismay, when he hesitantly refused
it, the crowd roared in approval. Embarrassed, Caesar exited.
SCENE 2: The Storm
Curtain closes, Narrators step out (sound storm)
Narrator 2:
A violent storm began to boom. Caesar did wish to be king. Cassius, who had envied
Caesar, could not contain his hatred. The rough winds, full of strange omens,
prompted Cassius to conspire to murder Caesar.
Narrator 1:
But Brutus, who only wanted what was best for Rome and the Republic, hesitated to
join the plot. But as all of Rome knew Brutus to be an honorable man, Cassius told
Brutus that his name would lend respect to the deed. Finally, Brutus relented and
was persuaded that the cause was just and joined Cassius and his allies. The
assassination was planned for the next day, the Ides of March, at the Senate House.
Narrator 3:
Later that night, Caesar’s wife, Calpurnia, dreamed of his death. She begged him to
stay home. But tempted by the rumor that he would be offered the crown to be king,
Caesar overcame his fears.
SCENE 3: City of Rome
Caesar:
Caesar shall go forth!
Calpurnia:
Alas, my lord, your wisdom is consumed in confidence.
Cassius:
The Senate have concluded to give this day a crown to mighty Caesar.
Caesar:
How foolish do your fears seem now Calpurnia!
Narrator 1:
When the soothsayer met him on the steps of the Senate, he still could not be
dissuaded.
Caesar:
The Ides of March are come!
Soothsayer:
Ay, Caesar, but are not gone.
Narrator 2:
Inside the Senate house, while Caesar listened to a petition, the conspirators slowly
gathered around him. Drawing their daggers, each one stabbed Caesar in turn, the
last being Brutus. As Caesar fell dead upon the floor, the other senators fled in fear
and confusion.
Roman 2:
Ambition’s debt is paid!
Roman 3:
Liberty! Freedom! Tyranny is dead!
Crowd runs amok
Narrator 3:
Only Mark Anthony, his friend and admirer, returned to grieved for Caesar. Mark
Anthony then begged the conspirators to kill him too, if they bore him any grudge.
But Brutus wanted no other bloodshed and promised to explain his actions in full.
Mark Anthony asked to speak at the funeral and against Cassius’s advice, Brutus
agreed.
Narrator 2:
Left alone with Caesar’s lifeless body, Mark Anthony swore that he would avenge his
death.
Narrator 3:
At the funeral, Brutus explained to the shocked citizens of Rome that Caesar had
threatened their freedom.
Brutus:
As Caesar loved me, I weep for him… as he was valiant, I honor him; but, as he was
ambitious, I slew him
Narrator 1:
But when Mark Anthony spoke with great passion of Caesar’s love for them, the
people were moved.
Anthony:
Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears; I come to bury Caesar, not to
praise him. The evil that men do lives after them; The good is oft interred with their
bones.
Narrator 2:
Riled, they turned against the conspirators and rioted through the streets, seeking
revenge. Now Anthony could be satisfied that with the citizens behind him, he could
drive out his enemies.
Everyone flees
Narrator 3:
Pursued by the angry mob, the conspirators fled the city. Brutus and Cassius both
raised armies, intending to retake Rome. In raising money for their armies, Brutus
and Cassius quarreled violently; their friendship and the battle for Rome seemed
doomed.
The men enter fighting
Brutus:
Go to; you are not, Cassius!
Cassius:
I am!
Brutus:
I did send to you for gold!
Cassius:
I denied you not!
Brutus:
You did!
Cassius:
I did not!
Brutus:
You love me not.
Cassius:
I do not like your faults.
Fight slows to an end
Brutus:
There is my dagger
Cassius:
Sheathe your dagger
Brutus:
Give me you hand
Cassius:
And my heart too.
Narrator 3:
Suddenly, as Cassius and Brutus tried to make up and find peace with one another,
Anthony and Octavius, his compatriot, having executed many Republican senators
as possible, were marching toward Phillipi. The remaining conspirators unwisely
agreed to set out to meet them there and confront their enemies.
Narrator 2:
Drums rolled as dawn broke and the battle for Rome began. All day it raged. But
weakened greatly, Brutus and Cassius’s armies were no match for the enemy. By
evening the conspirators had been defeated. Those who had not dies in battle fell
upon their own swords, rather than witness the fall of the Roman Republic.
Octavius was impatient to celebrate their victory, but Mark Anthony paused to pay
his respects to Brutus, whom he knew had been motivated by neither greed nor
envy, only by his love for Rome and its people.
Mark Anthony:
This was the noblest Roman of them all: all the conspirators save only he, did that
they did in great envy of Caesar.
The End