A side-by-side translation of Act 3, Scene 1 of Julius Caesar from the original Shakespeare into modern English.
Original Text |
Translated Text |
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| Source: Folger Shakespeare Library | |
Flourish. Enter Caesar, Antony, Lepidus; Brutus, Cassius, CAESAR The ides of March are come. SOOTHSAYER Ay, Caesar, but not gone. ARTEMIDORUS Hail, Caesar. Read this schedule. DECIUS | The crowd of traitorous senators and a bunch of hangers-on surround Julius Caesar just outside the Capitol. Decius, a traitor, offers a request from Trebonius to Caesar while Artemidorius tries to get his attention. |
ARTEMIDORUS CAESAR ARTEMIDORUS CAESAR | After a vague but ominous interaction between Caesar and the soothsayer, Artemidorius pleads with Caesar to read his letter first, because it's personal. Caesar, the picture of humility, says that, because he puts the affairs of Rome before his own, he'll read Artemidorius' suit last. Artemidorius presses him, and Caesar wonders if he's crazy. |
PUBLIUS Sirrah, give place. CASSIUS Caesar goes forward, the rest following. | Before Caesar has time to reconsider, he is hustled to the Capitol by Cassius. Cassius says Caesar shouldn't just give audience to every Tom, Dick, and Roman in the street—he needs to hurry to the Capitol. |
POPILIUS, to Cassius CASSIUS What enterprise, Popilius? 15 POPILIUS Fare you well. He walks away. BRUTUS What said Popilius Lena? CASSIUS BRUTUS CASSIUS BRUTUS Cassius, be constant. 25 | As Caesar enters the Capitol, Senator Popilius wishes Cassius good luck in "today's enterprise." Naturally, the conspirators flip out a little bit—Popilius, who is now chatting up Caesar, seems to know about the plot. Brutus, calm and collected, assures everyone that they're just scaring themselves. Popilius smiles with Caesar, who looks unconcerned, so he clearly hasn't just heard about the murder plot. |
CASSIUS Trebonius and Antony exit. DECIUS BRUTUS CINNA | Meanwhile, Trebonius is busy luring Antony away, and the plan is falling into place. Metellus will come up close to Caesar, pretending to have some request, and everyone will gather around him to fall into killing position. Cinna says Casca will strike first. |
CAESAR METELLUS, kneeling CAESAR I must prevent thee, Cimber. | Team Conspiracy breaks and hustles as Caesar calls the Senate to order. Metellus is the first to come before Caesar, and he begins to kneel, but Caesar cuts him off. Pretentiously referring to himself in the third person, Caesar says such stooping might appeal to lesser men, but it won't sway him. Caesar declares that Metellus's brother (whom Metellus is making a request on behalf of) will remain banished. Further, no amount of begging and pleading will shake the great Caesar, it only makes him scorn the beggar. (Caesar, in his arrogance, definitely makes it harder to be sympathetic towards him here.) |
METELLUS BRUTUS, kneeling CAESAR | As Metellus is making his plea for his brother Publius, Brutus joins in and kisses Caesar's hand, which totally surprises Caesar. |
CASSIUS, kneeling CAESAR | Next, Cassius falls at Caesar's feet, but still Caesar says he won't change the law to accommodate Publius. He declares himself to be "as constant as the northern star." While every man might be a fiery star, all the stars move except the northern one. Caesar identifies with that star, so he's not about to change his mind. |
CINNA, kneeling CAESAR Hence. Wilt thou lift up Olympus? DECIUS, kneeling CAESAR Doth not Brutus bootless kneel? | The conspirators press on, and Caesar demands that they go away, saying that their pleading is as useless as trying to lift up Olympus, mountain of the gods. After all, he hasn't even been swayed by his best buddy, Brutus, kneeling before him. Come on, guys! Give it up. |
CASCA Speak, hands, for me! As Casca strikes, the others rise up and stab Caesar. CAESAR Et tu, Brutè?—Then fall, Caesar. 85 He dies. | Suddenly Casca rises to stab Caesar. Brutus stabs him too. This is where Caesar utters the famous "Et tu, Brute? [You too, Brutus?]. It seems Caesar is willing to fall seeing as how one of his most noble friends, Brutus, has betrayed him. This is moving, even after the whole, "I'm the most special star in the whole galaxy" speech. |
CINNA CASSIUS | Immediately after Caesar falls, Cinna starts his version of "Ding, Dong, the Witch is Dead," and tells everybody to run and spread the message in the streets. |
BRUTUS | Brutus realizes that all the other folks standing around in the Capitol watching Caesar bleed might be a bit shocked. He tells them everything is going to be okay now that Caesar is dead. Caesar's ambition was, after all, the root of their problems. |
CASCA DECIUS And Cassius too. BRUTUS Where’s Publius? CINNA METELLUS | Casca directs Brutus and Cassius to the pulpit, probably to address the crowd, when Brutus notices he can't find Publius. Cinna points out that Publius is looking shocked by the great mutiny, and Metellus urges the conspirators to stand together in case Caesar's friends in the Capitol want to start a fight. |
BRUTUS CASSIUS BRUTUS All but the Conspirators exit. | Brutus tells everyone to chill. No one wants to hurt anybody, and he hopes no one wants to hurt them. Sensing that the plan to become heroes for killing Caesar has not come to pass, he adds that only the men who've done this deed will bear its consequences. |
Enter Trebonius. CASSIUS Where is Antony? 105 TREBONIUS Fled to his house amazed. | Trebonius enters to confirm the worst: Antony has run to his house, shocked by the act, and people are shrieking in the street like it's the end of the world as we know it (and no one feels fine). |
BRUTUS Fates, we will know your CASCA BRUTUS | Brutus says that everyone knows they're going to die eventually, and life is just the process of waiting for the days to pass before it happens. (Maybe Brutus should get a hobby, or a support group.) Cassius and Brutus go on to suggest that, as Caesar's friends, they've done him a favor by shortening the period of time he would've spent worrying about death. Interesting logic. |
CASSIUS BRUTUS CASSIUS So oft as that shall be, 130 DECIUS CASSIUS Ay, every man away. | Weirdly, Cassius then calls everyone to bathe their hands up to their elbows in Caesar's blood and to cover their swords with it, so they can walk out into the streets and the marketplace declaring peace, freedom, and liberty in the land. (This is notably reminiscent of Calphurnia's dream.) Cassius is sure this bloodbath will go down in history as a noble act, and everyone agrees that Brutus should lead the procession into the street, as he has the boldest and best heart in Rome. |
Enter a Servant. BRUTUS SERVANT, kneeling | Antony's servant enters, causing the marching band of merry, bloody men to take pause. The servant explains that Antony wants everyone to know he believes Brutus is noble, wise, valiant, and honest. Also, that while Antony loves Brutus and honors him, Antony also feared, loved, and honored Caesar. Antony thus pledges (through his servant) to love Brutus if he can get some assurance that it's safe to come around for a visit sometime and hear the story of why Brutus thought it was okay to kill their leader. Regardless, he'll be faithful to Brutus from now on. |
BRUTUS SERVANT I’ll fetch him presently. Servant exits. BRUTUS | Brutus tells Antony's servant that his master will be safe if he comes to the Capitol. Brutus is sure glad they can all be friends again. |
CASSIUS | Cassius, however, is still suspicious of Antony, and as the resident expert in treachery, he's usually right about spotting it in others. |
Enter Antony. BRUTUS ANTONY | Antony shows up and makes a great show over Caesar's body, weeping and wailing. He worries aloud about who else will be killed over some secret grudge the conspirators might hold. He then pleas with the conspirators to kill him right now if they want him dead, as to die by swords still fresh with Caesar's blood would be the greatest death ever, hands down. |
BRUTUS CASSIUS BRUTUS | Brutus then pleads with Antony that, though the conspirators' hands are bloody (literally), their hearts are pitiful. After all, someone needed to do this terrible deed for Rome, to drive out fire with fire. Brutus promises Antony he will only met with love, and he promises to soon explain the reason they've killed Caesar. Right now, though, they've got to go out and quiet the public, which is a bit frightened of the men who stopped for a quick dip in Caesar's blood. |
ANTONY I doubt not of your wisdom. 200 | Antony says he has no doubt that Brutus probably had some very good reason to kill Caesar, and he shakes bloody hands with the conspirators all around. He then looks on Caesar's corpse and begins a long-winded speech in praise of Caesar, whom he has betrayed by becoming loyal to his murderers. |
CASSIUS ANTONY Pardon me, Caius Cassius. CASSIUS | Cassius interrupts this dramatic posturing and flat-out asks whether Antony is with them or against them. |
ANTONY | Antony says he was committed to the conspirators, but then he noticed Caesar's corpse again (still lying on the ground at their feet), and the plan to be down with the murderers suddenly looked a little less savory. Still, Antony will remain their friend if they can provide some reason to believe Caesar was dangerous. |
BRUTUS | Brutus promises they can and they will. |
ANTONY That’s all I seek; | Antony's only other little request is that he be allowed to take the body to the marketplace and to speak at Caesar's funeral. |
BRUTUS CASSIUS Brutus, a word with you. | Brutus, ever trusting, readily gives in to Antony's request, but Cassius senses foul play and pulls Brutus aside. He says Brutus should bar Antony from speaking at Caesar's funeral as he's likely to say things that will incite the people against the conspirators. |
BRUTUS, aside to Cassius By your pardon, 260 CASSIUS, aside to Brutus | Brutus will solve this problem by going to the pulpit first and explaining in a calm and rational manner his reasons for killing Caesar. (Rationality always goes over well with angry mobs, right?) He'll explain that the conspirators have given Antony permission to speak (meaning he's not an adversary), and that Caesar will have all the lawful burial ceremonies. Brutus is certain this will win them good PR all around. |
BRUTUS | Just to make sure, Brutus makes Antony promise not to say anything inflammatory at Caesar's funeral. Instead of blaming the killers, he should speak of Caesar's virtue by focusing more on Caesar's life than his death. |
ANTONY Be it so. BRUTUS All but Antony exit. ANTONY Enter Octavius’ Servant. You serve Octavius Caesar, do you not? | Antony promises and is left alone to give a little soliloquy, in which he reveals that he fully intends to incite the crowd to bloody murder against the conspirators. In fact, there'll be so much blood and destruction that Caesar might show up from hell with the goddess of discord at his side, and mothers will smile to see their infants torn limb from limb. (Ew.) Well, the man has a plan. |
SERVANT I do, Mark Antony. ANTONY SERVANT ANTONY SERVANT | A servant arrives with the news that Octavius, Julius Caesar's adopted son and heir, is on his way. Caesar had recently sent him a letter asking him to come to Rome, and he is now just seven leagues away. |
ANTONY They exit with Caesar’s body. | Antony tells the servant to hold Octavius where he is, as it's not safe for him in the city yet. He says Octavius should come after Antony has had a chance to give his speech and kick-start the mob rioting. The servant then lends Antony a hand to carry Caesar's body out of the Capitol. |