Julius Caesar :   Act 1, Scene 2


      Enter CAESAR; ANTONY, for the course;   for the course stripped down for the ceremonial
      CALPURNIA, PORTIA, DECIUS, CICERO,   run of Lupercal >>>
      BRUTUS, CASSIUS, and CASCA, [a great   
      crowd following, among them a] Soothsayer;   
      after them, Marullus and Flavius.   after them i.e., not with them (Marullus and
    Flavius have arrived too late to prevent a great
      CAESAR   crowd from gathering around Caesar.)
      Calpurnia!   
    
      CASCA   
                     Peace, ho! Caesar speaks.   
    
      CAESAR   
                                                             Calpurnia!   
    
      CALPURNIA   
      Here, my lord.   
    
      CAESAR   
      Stand you directly in Antonius' way,   
      When he doth run his course. Antonius!   
    
      ANTONY   
1.2.5      Caesar, my lord?   
    
      CAESAR   
      Forget not, in your speed, Antonius,   
      To touch Calpurnia; for our elders say,   touch The Lupercal runners carried thongs of
      The barren, touched in this holy chase,   goatskin with which they struck those along the
      Shake off their sterile curse.   course; this was supposed to make men strong
    and women fertile.
      ANTONY   
      I shall remember:   
1.2.10      When Caesar says "Do this," it is perform'd.   
    
      CAESAR   
      Set on; and leave no ceremony out.   Set on proceed
    
      [Flourish]   Flourish trumpet fanfare to announce the start
    of the Lupercal ceremonies
      Soothsayer   
      Caesar!   
    
      CAESAR   
      Ha! who calls?   
    
      CASCA   
      Bid every noise be still: peace yet again!   
    
      CAESAR   
1.2.15      Who is it in the press that calls on me?   press thick crowd
      I hear a tongue, shriller than all the music,   
      Cry "Caesar!" Speak; Caesar is turn'd to hear.   
    
      Soothsayer   
      Beware the ides of March.   ides the middle of any month; in this case,
    March 15
      CAESAR   
                                    What man is that?   
    
      BRUTUS   
      A soothsayer bids you beware the ides of March.   
    
      CAESAR   
1.2.20      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.   pass let's go
    
      Sennet. Exeunt. Manent BRUTUS and CASSIUS.   Sennet trumpet call to announce the arrival or
    departure of a v.i.p. | Manent remain
      CASSIUS   
1.2.25      Will you go see the order of the course?   order of the course ritual of the Lupercal run
    
      BRUTUS   
      Not I.   
    
      CASSIUS   
      I pray you, do.   
    
      BRUTUS   
      I am not gamesome: I do lack some part   gamesome The running and striking with thongs
      Of that quick spirit that is in Antony.   was supposed to be great fun. | quick lively
1.2.30      Let me not hinder, Cassius, your desires;   hinder . . . your desires keep you from doing
      I'll leave you.   what you want
    
      CASSIUS   
      Brutus, I do observe you now of late:   
      I have not from your eyes that gentleness   
      And show of love as I was wont to have:   show of love signs of friendship
1.2.35      You bear too stubborn and too strange a hand   wont accustomed
      Over your friend that loves you.   You bear . . . your friend i.e., Your treatment
    of me is high-handed >>>
      BRUTUS   
                                                Cassius,   
      Be not deceived: if I have veil'd my look,   veil'd my look turned away, been less friendly
      I turn the trouble of my countenance   trouble of my countenance troubled looks
      Merely upon myself. Vexed I am   Merely only, entirely
1.2.40      Of late with passions of some difference,   passions of some difference conflicting emotions
      Conceptions only proper to myself,   only proper to only concerning, only relating to
      Which give some soil perhaps to my behaviors;   soil stain, blemish
      But let not therefore my good friends be grieved—   
      Among which number, Cassius, be you one—   
1.2.45      Nor construe any further my neglect,   construe any further make any more of
      Than that poor Brutus, with himself at war,   
      Forgets the shows of love to other men.   
    
      CASSIUS   
      Then, Brutus, I have much mistook your passion;   
      By means whereof this breast of mine hath buried   By means whereof i.e., because of my misunder-
1.2.50      Thoughts of great value, worthy cogitations.   standing about what was bothering you
      Tell me, good Brutus, can you see your face?   
    
      BRUTUS   
      No, Cassius; for the eye sees not itself,   
      But by reflection, by some other things.   
    
      CASSIUS   
      'Tis just:   just true
1.2.55      And it is very much lamented, Brutus,   
      That you have no such mirrors as will turn   
      Your hidden worthiness into your eye,   
      That you might see your shadow. I have heard,   shadow reflection, image
      Where many of the best respect in Rome,   best respect highest reputation
1.2.60      Except immortal Caesar, speaking of Brutus   immortal Caesar >>>
      And groaning underneath this age's yoke,   
      Have wish'd that noble Brutus had his eyes.   
    
      BRUTUS   
      Into what dangers would you lead me, Cassius,   
      That you would have me seek into myself   
1.2.65      For that which is not in me?   
    
      CASSIUS   
      Therefore, good Brutus, be prepared to hear:   
      And since you know you cannot see yourself   
      So well as by reflection, I, your glass,   glass mirror
      Will modestly discover to yourself   modestly without exaggeration
1.2.70      That of yourself which you yet know not of.   
      And be not jealous on me, gentle Brutus:   jealous on me suspicious of me
      Were I a common laughter, or did use   common laughter laughing-stock, frivolous
      To stale with ordinary oaths my love   person | did use . . . protester habitually
      To every new protester; if you know   cheapened my friendship by making clichéd
1.2.75      That I do fawn on men and hug them hard   vows of camaraderie to every new buddy
      And after scandal them, or if you know   scandal slander
      That I profess myself in banqueting   profess myself make declarations of friendship
      To all the rout, then hold me dangerous.   rout mob
    
      Flourish, and shout.   
    
      BRUTUS   
      What means this shouting? I do fear, the people   
1.2.80      Choose Caesar for their king.   
    
      CASSIUS   
                                 Ay, do you fear it?   
      Then must I think you would not have it so.   
    
      BRUTUS   
      I would not, Cassius; yet I love him well.   
      But wherefore do you hold me here so long?   
      What is it that you would impart to me?   
1.2.85      If it be aught toward the general good,   
      Set honour in one eye and death i' the other,   
      And I will look on both indifferently,   indifferently impartially
      For let the gods so speed me as I love   speed me enable me to prosper (We would say,
      The name of honour more than I fear death.    "as God is my witness.")
    
      CASSIUS   
1.2.90      I know that virtue to be in you, Brutus,   
      As well as I do know your outward favour.   favour face, appearance
      Well, honour is the subject of my story.   
      I cannot tell what you and other men   
      Think of this life; but, for my single self,   
1.2.95      I had as lief not be as live to be   I had as lief not be I would rather not live
      In awe of such a thing as I myself.   such a thing as I myself i.e., someone no better
      I was born free as Caesar; so were you:   than myself
      We both have fed as well, and we can both   
      Endure the winter's cold as well as he:   
1.2.100      For once, upon a raw and gusty day,   
      The troubled Tiber chafing with her shores,   
      Caesar said to me "Darest thou, Cassius, now   
      Leap in with me into this angry flood,   
      And swim to yonder point?" Upon the word,   Upon the word i.e., the minute he said that
1.2.105      Accoutred as I was, I plunged in   Accoutred equipped, dressed (probably in armor)
      And bade him follow; so indeed he did.   bade invited, urged | him follow him to follow
      The torrent roar'd, and we did buffet it   buffet it attack it
      With lusty sinews, throwing it aside   
      And stemming it with hearts of controversy;   stemming . . . controversy beating it back with
1.2.110      But ere we could arrive the point proposed,   our hearts fired up by the challenge
      Caesar cried "Help me, Cassius, or I sink!"   arrive the point proposed reach the promontory
      I, as Aeneas, our great ancestor,   Caesar had proposed as their goal | Aeneas >>>
      Did from the flames of Troy upon his shoulder   
      The old Anchises bear, so from the waves of Tiber   Anchises father of Aeneas (As Cassius says,
1.2.115      Did I the tired Caesar. And this man   Aeneas carried his father out of burning Troy.)
      Is now become a god, and Cassius is   Did I i.e., I carried Caesar on my back
      A wretched creature and must bend his body,   
      If Caesar carelessly but nod on him.   
      He had a fever when he was in Spain,   
1.2.120      And when the fit was on him, I did mark   
      How he did shake— 'tis true, this god did shake;   
      His coward lips did from their colour fly,   lips did from their colour fly Literally, his lips
      And that same eye whose bend doth awe the world   lost their color. Metaphorically, his lips deserted
      Did lose his lustre: I did hear him groan:   their flag. | bend glance | his its
1.2.125      Ay, and that tongue of his that bade the Romans   
      Mark him and write his speeches in their books,   Mark listen to, pay attention to
      Alas, it cried "Give me some drink, Titinius,"   Titinius an aide-de-camp.
      As a sick girl. Ye gods, it doth amaze me   
      A man of such a feeble temper should   temper constitution
1.2.130      So get the start of the majestic world   get the start of get a jump on, get an advantage
      And bear the palm alone.   over | palm victor's prize
    
      Shout. Flourish.   
    
      BRUTUS   
      Another general shout!   
      I do believe that these applauses are   
      For some new honours that are heap'd on Caesar.   
    
      CASSIUS   
1.2.135      Why, man, he doth bestride the narrow world   bestride straddle
      Like a Colossus, and we petty men   Colossus >>>
      Walk under his huge legs and peep about   
      To find ourselves dishonourable graves.   
      Men at some time are masters of their fates:   
1.2.140      The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars,   
      But in ourselves, that we are underlings.   
      Brutus and Caesar: what should be in that "Caesar"?   
      Why should that name be sounded more than yours?   
      Write them together, yours is as fair a name;   
1.2.145      Sound them, it doth become the mouth as well;   
      Weigh them, it is as heavy; conjure with 'em,   
      Brutus will start a spirit as soon as Caesar.   start raise
      Now, in the names of all the gods at once,   
      Upon what meat doth this our Caesar feed,   
1.2.150      That he is grown so great? Age, thou art shamed!   
      Rome, thou hast lost the breed of noble bloods!   thou hast lost the breed of noble bloods you have
      When went there by an age, since the great flood,   lost the ability to breed noble families
      But it was famed with more than with one man?   the great flood In classical mythology, a flood
      When could they say till now, that talk'd of Rome,   which drowned everyone except one man and his
1.2.155      That her wide walls encompass'd but one man?   wife.
      Now is it Rome indeed and room enough,   Rome indeed and room enough >>>
      When there is in it but one only man.   
      O, you and I have heard our fathers say,   
      There was a Brutus once that would have brook'd   There was a Brutus Lucius Junius Brutus >>>
1.2.160      The eternal devil to keep his state in Rome   brook'd tolerated | keep his state set up his
      As easily as a king.   throne
    
      BRUTUS   
      That you do love me, I am nothing jealous;   I am nothing jealous I do not doubt
      What you would work me to, I have some aim:   work me to lead me to | aim idea, inkling
      How I have thought of this and of these times,   
1.2.165      I shall recount hereafter; for this present,   
      I would not, so with love I might entreat you,   so with love i.e., in the name of our friendship
      Be any further moved. What you have said   moved persuaded
      I will consider; what you have to say   
      I will with patience hear, and find a time   
1.2.170      Both meet to hear and answer such high things.   Both meet to hear and answer such high things
      Till then, my noble friend, chew upon this:   fitting to both consider and make a decision
      Brutus had rather be a villager   about such weighty matters
      Than to repute himself a son of Rome   to repute himself be known as
      Under these hard conditions as this time   
1.2.175      Is like to lay upon us.   like likely
    
      CASSIUS   
      I am glad that my weak words   
      Have struck but thus much show of fire from Brutus.   
    
      Enter CAESAR and his TRAIN.   TRAIN retinue, posse
    
      BRUTUS   
      The games are done and Caesar is returning.   
    
      CASSIUS   
      As they pass by, pluck Casca by the sleeve;   
1.2.180      And he will, after his sour fashion, tell you   
      What hath proceeded worthy note to-day.   worthy note worthy of note, newsworthy
    
      BRUTUS   
      I will do so. But, look you, Cassius,   
      The angry spot doth glow on Caesar's brow,   
      And all the rest look like a chidden train:   chidden scolded | train retinue
1.2.185      Calpurnia's cheek is pale; and Cicero   
      Looks with such ferret and such fiery eyes   ferret ferret-like (red and darting)
      As we have seen him in the Capitol,   
      Being cross'd in conference by some senators.   cross'd in conference contradicted in debate
    
      CASSIUS   
      Casca will tell us what the matter is.   
    
      CAESAR   
1.2.190      Antonius!   
    
      ANTONY   
      Caesar?   
    
      CAESAR   
      Let me have men about me that are fat;   
      Sleek-headed men and such as sleep o' nights:   
      Yond Cassius has a lean and hungry look;   
1.2.195      He thinks too much: such men are dangerous.   
    
      ANTONY   
      Fear him not, Caesar; he's not dangerous;   
      He is a noble Roman and well given.   given disposed
    
      CAESAR   
      Would he were fatter! But I fear him not:   
      Yet if my name were liable to fear,   my name one of my name, i.e., I, myself
1.2.200      I do not know the man I should avoid   
      So soon as that spare Cassius. He reads much;   spare lean, skinny
      He is a great observer and he looks   he looks / Quite through the deeds of men he
      Quite through the deeds of men: he loves no plays,   sees the hidden motives of men's deeds
      As thou dost, Antony; he hears no music;   he hears no music he will not listen to music
1.2.205      Seldom he smiles, and smiles in such a sort   (Thought to indicate untrustworthiness.)
      As if he mock'd himself and scorn'd his spirit   
      That could be moved to smile at any thing.   
      Such men as he be never at heart's ease   
      Whiles they behold a greater than themselves,   
1.2.210      And therefore are they very dangerous.   
      I rather tell thee what is to be fear'd   
      Than what I fear; for always I am Caesar.   
      Come on my right hand, for this ear is deaf,   
      And tell me truly what thou think'st of him.   
    
      Sennet. Exeunt CAESAR and all his Train.   Sennet A trumpet call announcing the arrival or
      [CASCA stays.]  departure of a v.i.p.
    
      CASCA   
1.2.215      You pull'd me by the cloak; would you speak   
      with me?   
    
      BRUTUS   
      Ay, Casca; tell us what hath chanced to-day,   chanced happened
      That Caesar looks so sad.   sad serious, depressed
    
      CASCA   
      Why, you were with him, were you not?   
    
      BRUTUS   
1.2.220      I should not then ask Casca what had chanced.   
    
      CASCA   
      Why, there was a crown offered him: and being   
      offered him, he put it by with the back of his hand,   put it by refused it
      thus; and then the people fell a-shouting.   thus Casca mimics Caesar's gesture.
    
      BRUTUS   
      What was the second noise for?   
    
      CASCA   
1.2.225      Why, for that too.   
    
      CASSIUS   
      They shouted thrice: what was the last cry for?   
    
      CASCA   
      Why, for that too.   
    
      BRUTUS   
      Was the crown offered him thrice?   
    
      CASCA   
      Ay, marry, was't, and he put it by thrice, every   marry indeed
1.2.230      time gentler than other, and at every putting-by   
      mine honest neighbours shouted.   honest neighbours Casca's contemptuous term
    for the commoners who love Caesar.
      CASSIUS   
      Who offered him the crown?   
    
      CASCA   
      Why, Antony.   
    
      BRUTUS   
      Tell us the manner of it, gentle Casca.   the manner of it exactly how it went down
    gentle noble
      CASCA   
1.2.235      I can as well be hanged as tell the manner of it: it was   
      mere foolery; I did not mark it. I saw Mark Antony   mark pay attention to (But Casca did pay
      offer him a crown—yet 'twas not a crown neither,   attention, even though he thought it "foolery.")
      'twas one of these coronets —and, as I told you, he   coronet small crown, or a garland >>>
      put it by once: but, for all that, to my thinking, he   
1.2.240      would fain have had it. Then he offered it to him again;   would fain desired to
      then he put it by again; but, to my thinking, he was   
      very loath to lay his fingers off it. And then he offered   
      it the third time; he put it the third time by; and still as   
      he refused it, the rabblement howted, and clapped their   howted cheered
1.2.245      chopp'd hands and threw up their sweaty night-caps   chopp'd chapped | night-caps Casca's sarcastic
      and uttered such a deal of stinking breath because   term for the felt caps that commoners wore on
      Caesar refused the crown that it had almost choked   holidays.
      Caesar; for he swounded and fell down at it: and   swounded swooned, fainted
      for mine own part, I durst not laugh, for fear of   durst dared
1.2.250      opening my lips and receiving the bad air.   bad air In Casaca's opinion the air was bad
    because of the commoners' "stinking breath."
      CASSIUS   
      But, soft, I pray you: what, did Caesar swound?   
    
      CASCA   
      He fell down in the market-place, and foamed at   
      mouth, and was speechless.   
    
      BRUTUS   
      'Tis very like: he hath the falling sickness.   like likely | falling sickness epilepsy
    
      CASSIUS   
1.2.255      No, Caesar hath it not; but you and I,   
      And honest Casca, we have the falling sickness.   the falling sickness Cassius means that they are
    falling to Caesar's power.
      CASCA   
      I know not what you mean by that; but, I am sure,   
      Caesar fell down. If the tag-rag people did not   
      clap him and hiss him, according as he pleased and   
1.2.260      displeased them, as they use to do the players in   use to do are used to doing to
      the theatre, I am no true man.   
    
      BRUTUS   
      What said he when he came unto himself?   
    
      CASCA   
      Marry, before he fell down, when he perceived the   
      common herd was glad he refused the crown, he   
1.2.265      plucked me ope his doublet and offered them his   plucked me ope his doublet pulled open his
      throat to cut. An I had been a man of any   jacket >>> | An if
      occupation, if I would not have taken him at a word,   a man of any occupation i.e., a man of action,
      I would I might go to hell among the rogues. And so   instead of an apathetic slacker
      he fell. When he came to himself again, he said,   taken him at a word taken him at his word (and
1.2.270      If he had done or said any thing amiss, he desired   cut his throat)
      their worships to think it was his infirmity. Three   
      or four wenches, where I stood, cried "Alas, good   
      soul!" and forgave him with all their hearts: but   
      there's no heed to be taken of them; if Caesar had   
1.2.275      stabbed their mothers, they would have done no less.   
    
      BRUTUS   
      And after that, he came, thus sad, away?   sad serious, depressed
    
      CASCA   
      Ay.   
    
      CASSIUS   
      Did Cicero say any thing?   
    
      CASCA   
      Ay, he spoke Greek.   
    
      CASSIUS   
1.2.280      To what effect?   
    
      CASCA   
      Nay, an I tell you that, I'll ne'er look you i' the face   an if | I'll ne'er look you i' the face I'll
      again: but those that understood him smiled at one   never look you in the face (because I would be
      another and shook their heads; but, for mine own part,   lying if I said I understood Greek)
      it was Greek to me. I could tell you more news too:   Greek i.e., pompous gibberish
1.2.285      Marullus and Flavius, for pulling scarfs off Caesar's   scarfs decorations
      images, are put to silence. Fare you well. There   put to silence dismissed from office (They were
      was more foolery yet, if I could remember it.   Tribunes whose job was to speak for the people.)
    
      CASSIUS   
      Will you sup with me to-night, Casca?   sup have dinner
    
      CASCA   
      No, I am promised forth.   am promised forth have a previous engagement
    
      CASSIUS   
1.2.290      Will you dine with me to-morrow?   dine have lunch
    
      CASCA   
      Ay, if I be alive and your mind hold and your dinner   if . . . your mind hold i.e., if you don't change
      worth the eating.   your mind
    
      CASSIUS   
      Good: I will expect you.   
    
      CASCA   
      Do so. Farewell, both.   
    
      Exit [CASCA].   
    
      BRUTUS   
1.2.295      What a blunt fellow is this grown to be!   blunt careless, slack
      He was quick mettle when he went to school.   was quick mettle had a lively spirit
    
      CASSIUS   
      So is he now in execution   execution performance, accomplishment
      Of any bold or noble enterprise,   
      However he puts on this tardy form.   However he puts on this tardy form however
1.2.300      This rudeness is a sauce to his good wit,   much he pretends to be sluggish and careless
      Which gives men stomach to digest his words   wit intelligence | stomach inclination, relish
      With better appetite.   
    
      BRUTUS   
      And so it is. For this time I will leave you:   
      To-morrow, if you please to speak with me,   
1.2.305      I will come home to you; or, if you will,   
      Come home to me, and I will wait for you.   
    
      CASSIUS   
      I will do so: till then, think of the world.   the world i.e., the state of affairs (and what we
    ought to do)
      Exit BRUTUS   
    
      Well, Brutus, thou art noble; yet, I see,   
      Thy honourable mettle may be wrought   mettle disposition
1.2.310      From that it is disposed: therefore it is meet   wrought / From that it is disposed turned away
      That noble minds keep ever with their likes;   from its natural disposition | meet fitting
      For who so firm that cannot be seduced?   keep ever with their likes always keep company
      Caesar doth bear me hard; but he loves Brutus.   with those who are like them
      If I were Brutus now and he were Cassius,   doth bear me hard holds a grudge against me
1.2.315      He should not humour me. I will this night,   humour influence, persuade >>>
      In several hands, in at his windows throw,   several hands various handwritings
      As if they came from several citizens,   several various, different
      Writings all tending to the great opinion   tending to alluding to | great high
      That Rome holds of his name; wherein obscurely   name reputation
1.2.320      Caesar's ambition shall be glanced at:   glanced at hinted at >>>
      And after this let Caesar seat him sure;   let Caesar seat him sure let Caesar (try to) seat
      For we will shake him, or worse days endure.   himself securely (in power)
    or worse days endure i.e., if we don't shake
      Exit   Caesar from power, we'll have a hard time of it