Quote 1
CINNA THE POET
Truly, my name is Cinna.
FIRST PLEBEIAN
Tear him to pieces! He's a conspirator.
CINNA THE POET
I am Cinna the poet, I am Cinna the poet!
FOURTH PLEBEIAN
Tear him for his bad verses, tear him for his bad verses!
CINNA THE POET
I am not Cinna the conspirator.
FOURTH PLEBEIAN
It is no matter. His name's Cinna.
Pluck but his name out of his heart, and turn him
going. (3.3.28-36)
Poets don't get any love in Julius Caesar, do they? After Caesar is assassinated, chaos ensues on the streets of Rome and nobody is safe. Here, Cinna the poet is mistaken for Cinna the conspirator, but even after he declares his true identity to the angry mob, he's ripped to shreds for his "bad verses." Gee, is poet and playwright Will Shakespeare trying to tell us something? Check out the quote below for more on this.
Quote 2
Poet
For shame, you generals, what do you mean?
Love and be friends as two such men should be,
For I have seen more years, I'm sure, than ye.
CASSIUS
Ha, ha, how vilely doth this cynic rhyme!
BRUTUS
Get you hence, sirrah! Saucy fellow, hence!
CASSIUS
Bear with him, Brutus. 'Tis his fashion.
BRUTUS
I'll know his humor, when he knows his time.
What should the wars do with these jigging fools?—
Companion, hence!
CASSIUS
Away, away, be gone! (4.3.149-158)
Now this is weird. What the heck is a poet doing roaming around on a battlefield? After Brutus and Cassius get into a heated argument, the poet shows up and urges the guys to "love, and be friends." Unfortunately, Brutus and Cassius assume that "jigging fools" don't have anything valuable to say about politics, warfare, or even friendship. But it seems pretty clear that Shakespeare (whose work was important enough that he gained royal patronage from King James I) disagrees. If you want to know more, go to "Symbolism, Imagery, Allegory" and check out our discussion of "Poets and Teachers."