Julius Caesar
Act I translations
Act I Scene 1
Setting: ancient Rome. Caesar has defeated Pompey, the former ruler of
Rome. In fact, Caesar is responsible for Pompey’s death. The commoners are
rejoicing Caesar’s return to Rome in the streets, skipping work. Flavius and
Marullus, government officials, see the people in the street and question
why they are not at work. When the people tell them it is to celebrate
Caesar’s return, Marullus yells at them, calling them stupid for not being
loyal to Pompey. He tells them that they would run to the streets, and go on
their rooftops with their babies on their hips when Pompey would come to
town. And now that he’s dead, Marullus points out that they are celebrating
the man that had Pompey killed. Obviously, they are wishy-washy in their
loyalties. They tell the commoners to go to work. Flavius says they will take
down the decorations that are on Caesar’s statue. When questioned if they
can do so by Marullus, Flavius says that if “these growing feathers from
Caesar’s wing will make him fly an ordinary pitch.” Basically, Flavius thinks
if they remove decorations and turn away Caesar’s supporters, it will
prevent Caesar from becoming too powerful.
Act I Scene 2
Setting: A public place in Rome. The Feast of Lupercal is going on at this
time. (This was a celebration honoring one of the Roman gods. Runners
would race through town, carrying a goatskin. The belief was that if a
person was hit with this goatskin, the curse of being sterile would be
shaken off). Caesar is attending this race with his wife, Calpurnia. He tells
her to make sure she stands near Marc Antony, a runner in the race, so she
will be hit with the goatskin. This lets us know that Calpurnia cannot have
children. This would be a problem if Caesar died, because there would be no
heir to the throne.
A soothsayer, a fortune teller, comes out of the crowd and tells Caesar,
“Beware the ides of March.” (Beware March 15th). Caesar says that this man
is crazy, and continues on his way.
We then meet Brutus and Cassius, both government officials. Cassius
approaches Brutus after everyone has left. Brutus says he will not watch the
race because that is not his kind of thing. Cassius asks Brutus if anything is
wrong, because lately he has not been himself. Brutus assures him that he is
fine, he just has many things on his mind; he is having ‘war within himself.’
Cassius tells Brutus he thought he was mad at him, but Brutus again assures
him that he is just thinking about many things. Cassius says that he’s heard
many people, important people, around Rome talking about Brutus. They
wish he could see him like they see him. Basically, these people think
Brutus is awesome, and they wish Brutus thought of himself that way.
Cassius tells Brutus if Brutus thinks Cassius is the kind of friend that hugs
people, and then talks bad about them behind their back, to consider him
dangerous.
The men hear shouting, and Brutus says he fears the people are choosing
Caesar as their king. Cassius, seeing his chance, asks Brutus if he was afraid
of Caesar becoming king. Brutus says he does not want Caesar to become
king, but he loves him well. He wonders what Cassius is up to, and tells
him that whatever it is, Brutus will always choose to do the honorable thing
than the wrong thing. He would not fear death if it mean doing the
honorable thing. Cassius then tells Brutus a story of when Cassius and
Caesar were young. Cassius saved Caesar from drowning in a river, and later
in life during a war, hear Caesar cry out like a little girl for water. Cassius is
upset that Caesar now has all this power, yet he is a regular man just like
the rest of them. He doesn’t understand why Caesar’s name is always
shouted and not Brutus. “Why should that name be shouted more than
yours? Write them together, yours is as fair a name.” Cassius refers to an
ancestor of Brutus’ that drove out the last king of Rome, and asks Brutus to
remember this. Brutus now has an idea of what Cassius is talking about,
and tells him he needs to think upon it. Brutus reveals he would rather be a
lowly commoner, than have Caesar as their ruler.
The games are over, and Brutus and Cassius get Casca’s attention. Casca, a
dramatic senator of Rome, tells them that the people were shouting because
Caesar was offered a crown 3 times, and he refused it all 3 times. The people
kept shouting, and their stinky breath caused Caesar to pass out. When he
came to, he thought the people were cheering and happy because he was
refusing the crown and didn’t want him to be king, when in reality they
were happy because they felt he was being modest in refusing the crown. He
says some things about not wanting to be kind anymore, and so, Caesar
passes out again and foams at the mouth. It is said that Caesar had the
‘falling sickness,’ which we interpret to be epilepsy. Cassius says that they
have the falling sickness, because they fall under Caesar’s power. Caesar
told the people that if he said anything about not wanting to be king, that
he didn’t mean it, it was because he didn’t feel well. He is trying to be
modest, but he really is not.
Brutus leaves Cassius to go home, and Cassius reveals his plan to
manipulate and persuade Brutus to join their ‘cause.’ He says he will write
letters in different handwriting (to make it seem they are from different
citizens of Rome) and throw them into Brutus’ window, put one in his
Senate seat, and on his statue. The letters will say that the people are scared
of Caesar, and want Brutus to do something about it. Cassius believes that
this will ‘ruffle Brutus’ feathers’ and get him to join them.
Act I Scene 3
Setting: night time on a street in Rome. Cicero, another senator in Rome, is
walking in the streets when he sees Casca. Casca is freaking out and says all
these strange things are happening in Rome. He says theirs either a war in
heaven between the gods, or the people of Earth have made the gods mad.
Casca says he saw a well-known slave, whose hand was on fire, yet not
burning. A group of women saw men walking around on fire. Casca also
says he saw a lion sitting in front of the capitol, and yesterday the bird of
night (an owl) was seen in the afternoon. (Remember, Romans would have
considered this a bad omen). Cicero leaves, and Cassius enters. Casca
comments on the strange things that have been happening all night.
Cassius says he opened his cloak, looked towards the sky, and told the gods
that if they were displeased with him to strike him down. Since they didn’t,
Cassius assumes they are not upset with him. Cassius offers a reason why
these bad things are happening: Caesar is to be crowned king soon. He
compares Caesar’s danger to that of the lion seen by the capitol. Cassius
says the Romans are weak for allowing Caesar to gain such power, and he
would rather kill himself than live under Caesar’s rule. He then compares
the Romans to sheep, and Caesar to a wolf, saying that Caesar has preyed on
the Romans because they are so weak. Casca says he will join Cassius’
quest, and they decide to meet at Pompey’s theater in the morning. Cinna
comes in the scene, and Cassius instructs him to place 3 letters to Brutus in
various places where Brutus will find them. Cassius is sure that by the next
morning, Brutus will be 100% with them. Casca notes that if Brutus is with
them, their cause will seem nobler to the people, since everyone loves
Brutus.
Act II Translations
Act II Scene 1
Setting: Brutus’ courtyard, the early morning hours.
Brutus is pacing the courtyard, talking to himself. He calls out to Lucius, his
servant boy, to fetch him a candle. When he is by himself, Brutus reveals
that Caesar must die, but Brutus has nothing personal against him. He uses
a ladder metaphor, saying that Caesar is climbing this ladder of ambition
and using the people of Rome to get where he wants. When he reaches the
top, he will turn his back on those that have loved and supported him, and
only praise himself and look forward. He also compares Caesar to a
serpent’s egg: they must kill him before he ‘hatches,’ meaning that if Caesar
is crowned king, he will ultimately become too powerful, so they must
prevent that from happening.
Lucius comes back with a letter he found in the window and hands it to
Brutus. Brutus opens it and reads the letter. In it, it says that Brutus is
‘asleep’ and needs to ‘awake and see thyself.’ Brutus decides that obviously
the Romans need him, and if Rome needs him, he will be there. We the
reader know that these letters are from Cassius, but Brutus does not
question where they came from. Brutus reveals that since Cassius
approached him with his plan, he has not been able to sleep. There is a
knock at the door, and Lucius says that he cannot identify who the men are,
except Cassius, because their cloaks and hats are covering their faces.
Brutus knows these are the conspirators, and questions why they are
covering their faces at night. The act they are about to commit is noble, and
right. At least that’s what Brutus believes. Remember, Brutus believes that
everyone has the same motive as him- they want what’s best for the good of
Rome. But again, we the reader know that Cassius’ motives are vastly
different.
The conspirators enter and after Brutus and Cassius speak (off to the side),
Cassius suggests that the men take an oath. Brutus quickly rejects the idea,
saying that oaths suggest that they do not trust each other. They are
Romans, and they should automatically trust each other to do the right
thing. Cassius then suggests asking Cicero to join the group. Metellus
thinks this is a good idea, because he is older and is also well liked. Brutus
rejects this idea too, saying that Cicero will not follow ideas that other men
come up with. The next question asked is who else the group should kill,
besides Caesar. Cassius thinks they should kill Mark Antony, because he is
close to Caesar and may seek revenge on them. Brutus, once again, rejects
the idea. He says that Antony is not dangerous or a threat to the
conspirators. He says that they should kill Caesar ‘respectfully,’ not like an
animal. Cassius is unsure of leaving Antony alone, but decides to go with
Brutus. Cassius is the ring leader of the group, but everyone listens to what
Brutus says. Cassius says he is afraid that Caesar will not go to the Capitol
today, because of the strange things that have happened lately. Decius is
confident that he can persuade Caesar to leave his house, because Caesar
likes to be flattered. All the men leave, agreeing to meet at 8 in the morning
to escort Caesar to the Capitol.
Porita, Brutus’ wife, enters. She is concerned because Brutus has not slept or
eaten lately. She says he’s talking to himself, blowing her off, and being
distant. Brutus says he just doesn’t feel good, but Portia calls him out and
says that he is smart, and if he were sick he’d do something to make himself
feel better. Portia says she saw the cloaked men, and she begs him to tell her
what’s going on. She says that if he doesn’t tell her his secrets, what more is
she to him than “Brutus’ harlot”? She says that Brutus chose her as his wife,
and he should trust her. Portia then says to prove that she is strong enough
to handle Brutus’ secrets she stabs herself in the thigh. Brutus promises to
tell her, but someone is at the door.
Caius Cassius comes into the courtyard. He is sick, but makes reference to
what Brutus is about to do. He says that he will follow Brutus in whatever
he’s doing.
Act II Scene 2
Setting: Caesar’s house, morning hours. It’s a stormy night
Caesar is walking around his house, and comments on how even heaven is
unable to rest. Calpurnia has cried out in her sleep 3 times “Help, they
murder Caesar!” His servant comes in and Caesar tells him to ask the priests
to do a sacrifice, and come back with what they say. (In ancient Rome times,
they would kill an animal, open it up, look at its insides and determine
future acts based on what the insides look like). Calpurnia comes in and
tells Caesar that he should not leave the house today. The night watchmen
saw some strange things, like a lioness giving birth in the street, dead people
walking the streets, blood raining on the Capitol from the skies. Obviously,
she is scared. Caesar says that things that threaten him will turn away
when they see his face (his arrogance is becoming more evident). He tells
Calpurnia that their time to die has already been set, so there is no need to
fear it. Calpurnia says that when a regular person dies, nothing happens.
But obviously, someone important is about to die because all these things
are happening, and comets from heaven are blazing forth. Caesar replies,
(with a very famous line): Cowards die many times before their deaths; the
valiant never taste of death but once. He means that if you always fear when
you will die, you will experience that fear all the time.
The servant comes back and says that when the priests killed and opened
up the beast, it had no heart. They think that Caesar should stay home
because of it. Caesar interprets that to mean he would be a heartless
coward to stay at home. Calpurnia begs Caesar to stay, and tell them that
he is sick and will not go. Caesar agrees. Decius enters his house to pick
Caesar up. Caesar says he will not go, and Calpurnia says to tell them
Caesar is sick (what she and Caesar just agreed on). Caesar tells Decius
that he will NOT send a lie, and Decius says he needs a reason; otherwise
he’ll be laughed at. Caesar reveals that Calpurnia had a dream that Caesar’s
statue was spouting blood, and Romans were bathing in it, smiling. Decius,
thinking quickly, tells him that no, that is not a bad thing. The reason they
were bathing in his blood is because Caesar will revive them, and give them
new life. Caesar accepts this interpretation. Decius then continues and says
that he heard the Senate will crown him king today, and if he doesn’t go,
they might change their mind. And, if he doesn’t go because his wife had a
bad dream, they might make fun of him. Caesar decides to go to the Capitol,
and the rest of the conspirators come to his house. Everyone is having a good
time, is in a good mood and they’re all friends. Shakespeare emphasizes how
friendly everyone is because of what will happen soon.