JULIUS CAESAR : Act 1

JULIUS CAESAR : Act 1 

Scene 1 : [ Sets on A Street in Rome ]

Flavius and Murellus, both tribunes who find out that peoples (commoners) of Rome gathering on the Street, celebrating the triumph of Julius Caesar’s winning over Pompey’s son, while not so long ago, they cheering on Pompey’s side. The conversations at this scene, between Flavius, Murellus and commoners potray by a carpenter, a cobler and several unclear commoners. Most of the senate, against Julius Caesar act, they argue that all His victory not yet proven as Caesar greatness because He is not conquer some foreign land, he just elimanated his opponent and starting a civil war. After ordering all the commoners to go home, both tribunes undress all the decoration in Caesar’s statue. 

[  Murellus ]

Wherefore rejoice? What conquest brings he home?

What tributaries follow him to Rome

To grace in captive bonds his chariot wheels?

You blocks, you stones, you worse than senseless things,

O you hard hearts, you cruèl men of Rome,

Knew you not Pompey? Many a time and oft

Have you climbed up to walls and battlements,

To towers and windows, yea, to chimney tops,

Your infants in your arms, and there have sat

The livelong day with patient expectation

To see great Pompey pass the streets of Rome.

And when you saw his chariot but appear,

Have you not made an universal shout

That Tiber trembled underneath her banks

To hear the replication of your sounds

Made in her concave shores?

And do you now put on your best attire?

And do you now cull out a holiday?

And do you now strew flowers in his way

That comes in triumph over Pompey’s blood?

Be gone!

Run to your houses, fall upon your knees,

Pray to the gods to intermit the plague

That needs must light on this ingratitude.

Scene 2  : [ Sets on Public Place ]

[ source ]

Caesar finally enter with His parade, start with Antony (loyal to Caesar), Calphurnia (Caesar’s wife), Portia, Decius, Cicero. Brutus, Casius, and Casca. They all followed by a large crowd of citizens, among them there is Soothsayer, also followed by Flavius and Murellus. Antony (also called Antonius) act as Caesar’s representative in the holy race. Caesar also ordering Antony to touch Calphurnia when he left to the race, because the prophet says, this act will bless an infertile woman to fertile. While the sound of the crowd and the trumpets surrounding those place, Caesar still hear when one of the Sootsayer say His name. Then the sootsayer declare that Caesar should be beware on day of March 15th (known as the Ides of march), but Caesar choose to ignore the prophecy. Meanwhile when everybody looking forward and goes to watch the race, Butus remains to stay, accompany by Cassius. In this time, the seed of conspiracy starting, when Cassius persueade and approaching Brutus to act bravely and elimanated the enemy of Rome it self and stopping Caesar from being awarded the throne and becoming absolute king. At the other end, Caesar already suspicious with the act of several tribunes, and He order Antony secretly to prepare the secure guard around Him and stay closely to others like Cassius – someone who can making a plot against Caesar. In this episode also describe when Caesar ‘refuse’ the throne – act, that being offer by Antony in front of the crowd. While commoners believe His act, and applaude to His nobleness and falling for His Illness (describe as an epilepsy), most of the senate sees this as an ‘alert’ about how ambituois Caesar was.  

[  Cassius ]

Men at some time are masters of their fates.

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.

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.”

Now in the names of all the gods at once,

Upon what meat doth this our Caesar feed

That he is grown so great? Age, thou art shamed!

Rome, thou hast lost the breed of noble bloods!

When went there by an age, since the great flood,

But it was famed with more than with one man?

When could they say till now, that talked of Rome,

That her wide walks encompassed but one man?

Now is it Rome indeed, and room enough,

When there is in it but one only man.

Oh, you and I have heard our fathers say,

There was a Brutus once that would have brooked

Th' eternal devil to keep his state in Rome

As easily as a king.

[  Brutus ]

That you do love me, I am nothing jealous.

What you would work me to, I have some aim.

How I have thought of this and of these times

I shall recount hereafter. For this present,

I would not, so with love I might entreat you,

Be any further moved. What you have said

I will consider, what you have to say

I will with patience hear, and find a time

Both meet to hear and answer such high things.

Till then, my noble friend, chew upon this:

Brutus had rather be a villager

Than to repute himself a son of Rome

Under these hard conditions as this time

Is like to lay upon us.

[  Caesar ]

(aside to ANTONY) Would he were fatter! But I fear him not.

Yet if my name were liable to fear,

I do not know the man I should avoid

So soon as that spare Cassius. He reads much.

He is a great observer, and he looks

Quite through the deeds of men. He loves no plays,

As thou dost, Antony. He hears no music.

Seldom he smiles, and smiles in such a sort

As if he mocked himself and scorned his spirit

That could be moved to smile at anything.

Such men as he be never at heart’s ease

Whiles they behold a greater than themselves,

And therefore are they very dangerous.

I rather tell thee what is to be feared

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.

Scene 3 :
[ Sets on Street of Rome, surrounding with thunder and lightning ]

The plot & conspirators [ source ]

Casca still intrigued by the story behind Cicero’s comment on the early scene. He belive something Cicero said (it was in Greek, that many of them doesn’t understand clearly) while Caesar’s act in refuse the throne, indeed makes a point to declare, which side Cicero was. Yet Cicero reluctant to satisfy Casca and only respond due the questions by answering only ‘about-the-weather’ questions. Then the scene move into the secret meeting and quick disscusion and a little bit arguement between Cassius and Casca, followed by Cisna who seeking for Cassius, and remind him about their assignment for ‘the-big-day’ for Caesar. In this part, Cassius also mention that Brutus can be used to fight Caesar, then the plot must keep secret until its ready to be done.

[ Cassius ]

And why should Caesar be a tyrant then?

Poor man! I know he would not be a wolf

But that he sees the Romans are but sheep.

He were no lion were not Romans hinds.

Those that with haste will make a mighty fire

Begin it with weak straws. What trash is Rome,

What rubbish and what offal, when it serves

For the base matter to illuminate

So vile a thing as Caesar! But, O grief,

Where hast thou led me? I perhaps speak this

Before a willing bondman. Then I know

My answer must be made. But I am armed,

And dangers are to me indifferent. 

In this quote, we can see how clever and manipulated person Cassius is, he can twisted-words so everyone would agree and thinking they are in the same page, and fighting the same reason, but the truth lies beneath the jelaousy and un-secure feelings.  

Books : JULIUS CÆSAR

By William Shakespeare

Edited by Cedric Watts

© by Wordsworth Classics Editions Limited 1992 and 2004

Cover design by Robert Mathias

Cover Illustration Julius Cæsar (100-44 BC) 
Receiving the Germanic Ambassador, c.1450

By Jean Fouquet ( c. 1420-80 ) [ school of ] Musee Marmottan, Paris, France / Giraudon / Bridġeman Art Library, London

Best Regards,