Julius Caesar: Act 1, Scene 3
Thunder and lightning. Enter [from
opposite sides] CASCA [with his
sword drawn] and CICERO.
CICERO
1
Good even, Casca: brought you Caesar home?
1. brought: attended, escorted.
2
Why are you breathless? and why stare you so?
CASCA
3
Are not you moved, when all the sway of earth
3. sway: realm.
4
Shakes like a thing unfirm? O Cicero, 5
I have seen tempests, when the scolding winds 6
Have rived the knotty oaks, and I have seen
6. rived: split, shredded.
7
The ambitious ocean swell and rage and foam, 8
To be exalted with the threatening clouds:
8. exalted with: raised to the height of. >>>
9
But never till tonight, never till now, 10
Did I go through a tempest dropping fire.
10. a tempest dropping fire: >>>
11
Either there is a civil strife in heaven,
11. a civil strife in heaven: i.e., a war among the gods.
12
Or else the world, too saucy with the gods,
12. saucy: insolent, disrespectful.
13
Incenses them to send destruction.
13. Incenses: incites, provokes.
CICERO
14
Why, saw you any thing more wonderful?
14. any thing more wonderful: anything else that was amazing.
CASCA
15
A common slaveyou know him well by sight 16
Held up his left hand, which did flame and burn 17
Like twenty torches join'd, and yet his hand, 18
Not sensible of fire, remain'd unscorch'd.
18. Not sensible of fire: not feeling the fire.
19
BesidesI ha' not since put up my sword
19. I . . . sword: i.e., since then I have not sheathed my sword.
20
Against the Capitol I met a lion,
20. Against: very near.
21
Who glaz'd upon me, and went surly by,
21. glaz'd upon me: stared at me.
22
Without annoying me: and there were drawn
22. annoying: harming, threatening.
23
Upon a heap a hundred ghastly women,
22-23. drawn / Upon a heap: huddled together. ghastly: pale as ghosts.
24
Transformed with their fear; who swore they saw 25
Men all in fire walk up and down the streets. 26
And yesterday the bird of night did sit
26. bird of night: the screech owl (a bird of evil omen).
27
Even at noon-day upon the market-place, 28
Hooting and shrieking. When these prodigies
28. prodigies: abnormalities, wonders.
29
Do so conjointly meet, let not men say
29. Do so conjointly meet: happen all at the same time.
30
'These are their reasons; they are natural';
30. These: i.e., this and that, thus and so.
31
For, I believe, they are portentous things 32
Unto the climate that they point upon.
32. the climate that they point upon: i.e., the region where they occur.
CICERO
33
Indeed, it is a strange-disposed time: 34
But men may construe things after their fashion, 35
Clean from the purpose of the things themselves.
34-35. men . . . themselves: men may interpret things their own way, quite contrary to their real significance.
36
Comes Caesar to the Capitol tomorrow?
CASCA
37
He doth; for he did bid Antonio 38
Send word to you he would be there tomorrow.
CICERO
39
Good night then, Casca: this disturbed sky 40
Is not to walk in.
CASCA
40
Farewell, Cicero.
Exit CICERO.
Enter CASSIUS.
CASSIUS
41
Who's there?
CASCA
A Roman.
CASSIUS
Casca, by your voice.
CASCA
42
Your ear is good. Cassius, what night is this!
42. what night is this!: what a night this is!
Rob Johansen as Cassius
Indiana Repertory Theatre, 2011
Rob Johansen as Cassius
Indiana Repertory Theatre, 2011
CASSIUS
43
A very pleasing night to honest men.
CASCA
44
Who ever knew the heavens menace so?
CASSIUS
45
Those that have known the earth so full of faults. 46
For my part, I have walk'd about the streets, 47
Submitting me unto the perilous night, 48
And, thus unbraced, Casca, as you see,
48. unbraced: i.e., with his jacket open.
49
Have bared my bosom to the thunder-stone;
49. thunder-stone: thunder bolt.
50
And when the cross blue lightning seem'd to open
50. cross: forked, jagged.
51
The breast of heaven, I did present myself 52
Even in the aim and very flash of it.
51-52. I did present . . . flash of it: i.e., I presented myself as a target to the lightning, standing where I could be in the exact path of its strike.
CASCA
53
But wherefore did you so much tempt the heavens? 54
It is the part of men to fear and tremble,
54. part: appropriate role.
55
When the most mighty gods by tokens send
55. tokens: signs, omens.
56
Such dreadful heralds to astonish us.
56. dreadful heralds: i.e., the thunder and lightning.
astonish: stun, dismay.
astonish: stun, dismay.
CASSIUS
57
You are dull, Casca, and those sparks of life
57. dull: apathetic, lifeless.
58
That should be in a Roman you do want,
58. want: lack.
59
Or else you use not. You look pale and gaze
59. you use not: i.e., you make no use of your sparks of life.
60
And put on fear and cast yourself in wonder,
60. put . . . wonder: i.e., you throw yourself into a fit of fear and amazement.
61
To see the strange impatience of the heavens:
61. strange impatience: ominous irritability.
62
But if you would consider the true cause 63
Why all these fires, why all these gliding ghosts, 64
Why birds and beasts from quality and kind,
64. from . . . kind: acting contrary to their true natures.
65
Why old men, fools, and children calculate,
65. calculate: prophesy.
66
Why all these things change from their ordinance,
66. change from their ordinance: change away from what they are ordained to be.
67
Their natures, and preformed faculties,
67. preformed faculties: innate functions.
68
To monstrous quality,why, you shall find
68. monstrous quality: unnatural state.
69
That heaven hath infused them with these spirits,
69. spirits: notions, impulses.
70
To make them instruments of fear and warning 71
Unto some monstrous state.
70-71. instruments . . . monstrous state: means to make people fear the advent of an unnatural goverment.
72
Now could I, Casca, name to thee a man
72. a man: i.e., Julius Caesar. Cassius proceeds to mock him.
73
Most like this dreadful night, 74
That thunders, lightens, opens graves, and roars 75
As doth the lion in the Capitol, 76
A man no mightier than thyself or me 77
In personal action, yet prodigious grown
77. prodigious: ominous, portentous.
78
And fearful, as these strange eruptions are.
78. fearful: terrifying. eruptions: astounding sights, wild ideas.
CASCA
79
'Tis Caesar that you mean; is it not, Cassius?
CASSIUS
80
Let it be who it is: for Romans now 81
Have thews and limbs like to their ancestors;
81. thews: sinews, muscles. like to their ancestors: as their ancestors did.
82
But, woe the while! our fathers' minds are dead,
82. woe the while!: alas for these times!
83
And we are govern'd with our mothers' spirits; 84
Our yoke and sufferance show us womanish.
84. Our yoke and sufferance: our burden and our willingness to endure the burden.
CASCA
85
Indeed, they say the senators tomorrow 86
Mean to establish Caesar as a king; 87
And he shall wear his crown by sea and land, 88
In every place, save here in Italy.
CASSIUS
89
I know where I will wear this dagger then;
89. I know where I will wear this dagger then: i.e., if that happens, I will kill myself with my dagger.
90
Cassius from bondage will deliver Cassius: 91
Therein, ye gods, you make the weak most strong; 92
Therein, ye gods, you tyrants do defeat: 93
Nor stony tower, nor walls of beaten brass, 94
Nor airless dungeon, nor strong links of iron, 95
Can be retentive to the strength of spirit;
95. Can be retentive to: can imprison.
96
But life, being weary of these worldly bars,
96. bars: prison bars, burdens.
97
Never lacks power to dismiss itself. 98
If I know this, know all the world besides,
98. know all the world besides: let everyone else in the world know.
99
That part of tyranny that I do bear100
I can shake off at pleasure.
Thunder still.
CASCA
So can I;101
So every bondman in his own hand bears
101. bondman: slave.
102
The power to cancel his captivity.
CASSIUS
103
And why should Caesar be a tyrant then?104
Poor man! I know he would not be a wolf,105
But that he sees the Romans are but sheep:
105. But that: except for the fact that. But sheep: merely sheep.
106
He were no lion, were not Romans hinds.
106. hinds: 1) female deer; 2) peasants.
107
Those that with haste will make a mighty fire108
Begin it with weak straws: what trash is Rome,
108. trash: broken or torn pieces of wood, such as twigs and splinters, suitable only as tinder with which to start a fire.
109
What rubbish and what offal, when it serves110
For the base matter to illuminate111
So vile a thing as Caesar! But, O grief,112
Where hast thou led me? I perhaps speak this113
Before a willing bondman; then I know
113. willing bondman: a slave who is happy to be a slave.
114
My answer must be made. But I am arm'd,
113-114. then . . . made: i.e., if you are a willing slave to Caesar, I'll just have to face the consequences when you report me. I am arm'd: i.e., I am prepared for the worst, as I can always kill myself.
115
And dangers are to me indifferent.
CASCA
116
You speak to Casca, and to such a man117
That is no fleering tell-tale. Hold, my hand:
117. fleering tell-tale: tattling suck-up. Hold, my hand: i.e., Enough saidhere's my hand as a pledge that I am with you.
118
Be factious for redress of all these griefs,
119
And I will set this foot of mine as far120
As who goes farthest.
118-120. Be factious . . . farthest: If you form a faction (a political movement) to fix these terrible problems, I will do as much as anyone else.
CASSIUS
There's a bargain made.
120. There's: by this handshake.
121
Now know you, Casca, I have moved already
121. moved: persuaded, incited.
122
Some certain of the noblest-minded Romans123
To undergo with me an enterprise124
Of honourable-dangerous consequence;
124. consequence: importance.
125
And I do know, by this, they stay for me
125. by this . . . me: by now they are waiting for me.
126
In Pompey's porch: for now, this fearful night,
126. Pompey's porch: portico of Pompey's theater. >>>
127
There is no stir or walking in the streets;128
And the complexion of the element
128. complexion of the element: nature of the sky.
129
In favour's like the work we have in hand,
129. In favour's: in appearance is.
130
Most bloody, fiery, and most terrible.
CASCA
131
Stand close awhile, for here comes one in haste.
131. Stand close awhile: remain out of sight for now.
CASSIUS
132
'Tis Cinna; I do know him by his gait;133
He is a friend.
Enter CINNA.
Cinna, where haste you so?
CINNA
134
To find out you. Who's that? Metellus Cimber?
CASSIUS
135
No, it is Casca; one incorporate136
To our attempts. Am I not stay'd for, Cinna?
135-136. one incorporate / To our attempts: i.e., one of us in our attempt to oppose Caesar. stay'd for: waited for.
CINNA
137
I am glad on 't. What a fearful night is this!
137. I am glad on 't: i.e., I am glad to see that Casca has joined us in opposition to Caesar.
138
There's two or three of us have seen strange sights.
CASSIUS
139
Am I not stay'd for? tell me.
CINNA
Yes, you are.140
O Cassius, if you could141
But win the noble Brutus to our party
CASSIUS
142
Be you content: good Cinna, take this paper,
142. Be you content: i.e., don't worry. paper: note, letter.
143
And look you lay it in the praetor's chair,
143. praetor's chair: official seat of a high-ranking magistrate.
144
Where Brutus may but find it; and throw this
144. Where . . . find it: where Brutus can't help finding it.
145
In at his window; set this up with wax
144-145. this . . . this: Cassius gives Cinna two more letters. set . . . wax: We would use a Post-it.
146
Upon old Brutus' statue: all this done,146. old Brutus: Lucius Junius Brutus. >>>
147
Repair to Pompey's porch, where you shall find us.
147. Repair to: proceed to.
148
Is Decius Brutus and Trebonius there?
CINNA.
149
All but Metellus Cimber; and he's gone150
To seek you at your house. Well, I will hie,
150. hie: hurry.
151
And so bestow these papers as you bade me.
151. so bestow these papers as you bade me: put these letters exactly where you told me to.
CASSIUS
152
That done, repair to Pompey's theatre.
152. repair to: proceed to.
Exit CINNA.
153
Come, Casca, you and I will yet ere day154
See Brutus at his house: three parts of him
154. three parts of him: three quarters of him.
155
Is ours already, and the man entire156
Upon the next encounter yields him ours.
155-156. the man . . . ours: i.e., the next time we talk to him, Brutus will give himself up entirely to our conspiracy
CASCA
157
O, he sits high in all the people's hearts:158
And that which would appear offence in us,
158. appear offence in us: look like a crime if we did it.
159
His countenance, like richest alchemy,
159. countenance: approval, support. alchemy: the miraculous art which enables an alchemist to turn any other metal into gold.
160
Will change to virtue and to worthiness.
CASSIUS
161
Him and his worth and our great need of him162
You have right well conceited. Let us go,
162. conceited: understood.
163
For it is after midnight; and ere day163. ere day: before dawn.
164
We will awake him and be sure of him.
164. be sure of him: make sure we have him on our side.
Exeunt.