Julius Caesar Act 2, Scene 1 Summary, Explanation, Word meanings| ICSE Class 9 English Drama

 

ICSE Class 9 English Drama Julius Caesar Act 2, Scene 1 Summary, Theme, Explanation along with difficult word meanings

 

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ICSE Class 9 Julius Caesar Act 2, Scene 1 

By William Shakespeare

In Act 2, Scene 1 of Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, Brutus struggles with the idea that Caesar might become a tyrant. He thinks assassinating Caesar might be necessary to save Rome from this danger. Brutus receives a fake letter from his servant, which he sees as a signal to take action. He decides to join the conspiracy against Caesar. When the other conspirators arrive, Brutus supports their plan but refuses to take an oath or agree to kill Mark Antony. He believes it is unnecessary and morally wrong. The scene ends with the conspirators making plans for the next day, including Decius Brutus’s role in making sure Caesar goes to the Capitol.

 

• Julius Caesar Act 2, Scene 1 Summary
• Julius Caesar Act 2, Scene 1 Summary in Hindi
• Julius Caesar Act 2, Scene 1 Theme
• Julius Caesar Act 2, Scene 1 Explanation

 

Related: 

• Julius Caesar Act 2, Scene 1 Question Answers
• Julius Caesar Act 2, Scene 1 Character Sketch
• ICSE Class 9 English Lesson Notes

 

 

Julius Caesar Act 2 Scene 1 Summary 

In Act 2, Scene 1 of Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, the audience sees Brutus at a crossroads as he grapples with the decision to join the conspiracy against Caesar. The scene opens just after midnight in Brutus’s garden. He’s unable to sleep, consumed by inner turmoil, and sends his servant Lucius away to fetch a candle. Left alone, Brutus delivers a powerful soliloquy where he reasons that while he has no personal grudge against Caesar, he must kill him for the good of Rome. He’s concerned that once Caesar is crowned, power will corrupt him, likening the process to an egg hatching into a mischievous serpent. He concludes that to prevent this, they must kill him now, ‘in the shell’.

Lucius returns with a letter he found in the window, which is one of the anonymous notes Cassius has dropped for Brutus. The letter urges Brutus to ‘Awake’ and ‘Strike, redress!’ Brutus interprets this as a call to action to save Rome from a monarch, a duty his ancestors once carried out by expelling the Tarquins. The conspirators arrive, their faces hidden by their cloaks. Brutus welcomes them, and they propose swearing an oath. Brutus objects, arguing that their noble cause and shared Roman honor should be all the bond they need. He believes an oath is only necessary for those with a weak or wicked purpose.

The conspirators then debate who else should be included and whether Mark Antony should be killed along with Caesar. They suggest recruiting Cicero for his age and wisdom, but Brutus dismisses the idea, stating that Cicero is too independent and will not follow a plan he didn’t initiate. Cassius argues that Antony should die because he’s a potential threat, but Brutus counters that their purpose is to be ‘sacrificers, but not butchers’. He insists that Antony is just ‘Caesar’s arm’, and once the head is gone, the arm is powerless. He also adds that Antony is a party-goer and of no consequence. They agree to spare Antony. Decius then promises he’ll ensure Caesar comes to the Capitol by flattering him, despite Caesar’s recent superstitious behavior.

After the conspirators leave, Brutus is confronted by his wife, Portia. She notices his distress and unnatural behavior, questioning why he’s out in the cold night and why he won’t share his worries with her. Portia asserts her strength and loyalty as a wife and as the daughter of the revered Cato. To prove her fortitude, she reveals she’s given herself a voluntary wound in her thigh. Moved by her unwavering devotion, Brutus promises to tell her everything. Just then, they are interrupted by a knock at the door. It’s Caius Ligarius, a sick man who has been won over by Metellus. Ligarius, upon hearing that Brutus has a ‘piece of work that will make sick men whole’, immediately discards his kerchief and declares he’s ready to follow Brutus, no matter the task. The two exit together, leaving the audience with the sense that Brutus has fully committed to the conspiracy.

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Summary of Julius Caesar Act 2, Scene 1 in Hindi

शेक्सपियर के जूलियस सीज़र के अधिनियम 2, दृश्य 1 में, दर्शक ब्रूटस को एक चौराहे पर देखते हैं क्योंकि वह सीज़र के खिलाफ साजिश में शामिल होने के फैसले से जूझ रहा होता है।  यह दृश्य ब्रूटस के बगीचे में आधी रात के ठीक बाद खुलता है।  वह सोने में असमर्थ है, आंतरिक उथल-पुथल से ग्रस्त है, और अपने नौकर लुसियस को एक मोमबत्ती लाने के लिए दूर भेजता है।  अकेला छोड़ दिया गया, ब्रूटस एक शक्तिशाली स्वगत भाषण देता है जहाँ वह तर्क देता है कि जबकि उसे सीज़र के खिलाफ कोई व्यक्तिगत द्वेष नहीं है, उसे रोम की भलाई के लिए उसे मारना चाहिए।  वह चिंतित है कि एक बार सीज़र को ताज पहनाया जाने के बाद, सत्ता उसे भ्रष्ट कर देगी, इस प्रक्रिया की तुलना एक अंडे के अंडे से एक शरारती सांप में होने से करती है।  वह निष्कर्ष निकालता है कि इसे रोकने के लिए, उन्हें अब उसे ‘खोल में’ मारना होगा।

लुसियस खिड़की में मिले एक पत्र के साथ लौटता है, जो ब्रूटस के लिए कैसियस द्वारा छोड़े गए अनाम नोटों में से एक है।  पत्र में ब्रूटस से ‘अवेक’ और ‘स्ट्राइक, रिड्रेस’ का आग्रह किया गया है।  ब्रूटस इसकी व्याख्या रोम को एक सम्राट से बचाने के लिए कार्रवाई के आह्वान के रूप में करते हैं, एक ऐसा कर्तव्य जो उनके पूर्वजों ने एक बार टारक्विन को निष्कासित करके किया था।  षड्यंत्रकारी आते हैं, उनके चेहरे उनके कपड़ों से छिपे होते हैं।  ब्रूटस उनका स्वागत करता है, और वे शपथ लेने का प्रस्ताव रखते हैं।  ब्रूटस ने यह तर्क देते हुए आपत्ति जताई कि उनके महान उद्देश्य और साझा रोमन सम्मान के लिए उन्हें आवश्यक सभी बंधन होने चाहिए।  उनका मानना है कि शपथ केवल कमजोर या दुष्ट उद्देश्य वाले लोगों के लिए आवश्यक है।

इसके बाद षड्यंत्रकारी बहस करते हैं कि किसे और शामिल किया जाना चाहिए और क्या मार्क एंटनी को सीज़र के साथ मार दिया जाना चाहिए।  वे सिसरो को उसकी उम्र और ज्ञान के लिए भर्ती करने का सुझाव देते हैं, लेकिन ब्रूटस इस विचार को यह कहते हुए खारिज कर देता है कि सिसरो बहुत स्वतंत्र है और वह उस योजना का पालन नहीं करेगा जिसे उसने शुरू नहीं किया था।  कैसियस का तर्क है कि एंटनी को मर जाना चाहिए क्योंकि वह एक संभावित खतरा है, लेकिन ब्रूटस का कहना है कि उनका उद्देश्य ‘बलिदान करने वाले होना है, लेकिन कसाई नहीं’।  वह जोर देकर कहता है कि एंटनी सिर्फ ‘सीज़र का हाथ’ है, और एक बार सिर चले जाने के बाद, हाथ शक्तिहीन हो जाता है।  वह यह भी कहते हैं कि एंटनी पार्टी में जाने वाले हैं और उनका कोई मतलब नहीं है।  वे एंटनी को छोड़ने के लिए सहमत हो जाते हैं।  डेशियस तब वादा करता है कि सीज़र के हाल के अंधविश्वासी व्यवहार के बावजूद, वह यह सुनिश्चित करेगा कि सीज़र उसकी चापलूसी करके कैपिटल में आए।

षड्यंत्रकारियों के जाने के बाद, ब्रूटस का सामना उसकी पत्नी पोर्टिया से होता है।  वह उसके संकट और अप्राकृतिक व्यवहार को नोटिस करती है, सवाल करती है कि वह ठंडी रात में बाहर क्यों है और वह अपनी चिंताओं को उसके साथ साझा क्यों नहीं करेगा।  पोर्टिया एक पत्नी के रूप में और सम्मानित काटो की बेटी के रूप में अपनी ताकत और वफादारी का दावा करती है।  अपने धैर्य को साबित करने के लिए, वह बताती है कि उसने अपनी जांघ में एक स्वैच्छिक घाव दिया है।  उसकी अटूट भक्ति से प्रेरित होकर, ब्रूटस उसे सब कुछ बताने का वादा करता है।  तभी उन्हें दरवाजे पर दस्तक देने से रोका जाता है।  यह कैउस लिगेरियस है, एक बीमार आदमी जिसे मेटेलस ने जीत लिया है।  लिगेरियस, यह सुनकर कि ब्रूटस के पास ‘काम का एक टुकड़ा है जो बीमार लोगों को पूरा कर देगा’, तुरंत अपना रूमाल छोड़ देता है और घोषणा करता है कि वह ब्रूटस का पीछा करने के लिए तैयार है, चाहे कोई भी काम हो।  दोनों एक साथ बाहर निकलते हैं, जिससे दर्शकों को यह एहसास होता है कि ब्रूटस साजिश के लिए पूरी तरह से प्रतिबद्ध है।

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Theme of Julius Caesar Act 2, Scene 1

Inner Conflict and Morality
Brutus’s soliloquy at the beginning of the scene is the central exploration of this theme. He is torn between his love for Caesar and his duty to Rome. His struggle is not personal but moral. He justifies killing Caesar not for what he is, but for what he might become if crowned a tyrant. This internal battle highlights the difference between Brutus’s noble intentions and the murderous act he is about to commit. He seeks to commit a necessary evil, believing it will prevent a greater one. This conflict is the core of his tragic character.

Public Duty vs. Personal Loyalty
This theme is a direct result of Brutus’s inner conflict. He believes his duty to the Roman Republic and its citizens must take precedence over his personal friendship with Caesar. He sees the assassination as a selfless act for the public good, a ‘sacrifice’ to protect Rome’s freedom from a potential king. This is a stark contrast to the conspirators, like Cassius, who are motivated by envy and personal grudges. Brutus’s commitment to public duty is what makes him the moral center of the conspiracy, even as he is about to perform an immoral act.

The Nature of Ambition and Power
Brutus’s famous ‘serpent’s egg’ metaphor directly addresses this theme. He argues that even if Caesar is not yet corrupt, the immense power of being crowned emperor will inevitably change his nature. The metaphor suggests that ambition, when unchecked by morality, is inherently dangerous and must be ‘killed in the shell’. The play explores the idea that power can corrupt even the most virtuous people, and Brutus’s preemptive strike is his way of dealing with this potential for corruption.

Deception and Appearance vs. Reality
The conspirators’ actions and Brutus’s advice to them highlight the theme of deception. They hide their faces with their cloaks and plan to ‘Hide it in smiles and affability’. Brutus instructs them to put on a false, ‘fresh and merrily’ demeanor to conceal their true intentions. This shows that the conspiracy must operate in secrecy and deceit, as their true ‘dangerous brow’ would make their purpose clear and lead to their downfall. The scene suggests that evil and dangerous acts are often masked by a pleasant facade.

The Role of Women and Domestic Relationships
The scene introduces Portia, Brutus’s wife, who challenges the traditional role of a Roman wife. She is not content to be a mere domestic companion and demands to share in her husband’s secrets and sorrows. She proves her strength and constancy by giving herself a voluntary wound, demonstrating she is ‘no stronger than my sex’. This scene is a powerful exploration of loyalty and partnership in marriage, showing that Portia’s love and strength are equal to Brutus’s honor. Her emotional pleas contrast with the political plot, adding a human and intimate dimension to the play.

Setting of the Scene
The scene begins just after midnight and progresses into the early morning hours, leading up to the Ides of March. The atmosphere is dark and eerie, described by Brutus himself. He notes that the stars give him no clue as to how close to dawn it is, suggesting a profound darkness. The arrival of the conspirators in the shadows, with their faces and hats obscured, further emphasizes the secrecy and sinister nature of their plot. This is a deliberate choice by Shakespeare to show that the conspiracy, and Brutus’s decision to join it, is an action that takes place outside the light of day, both literally and figuratively.The setting of a garden, or orchard, is significant for Brutus. In ancient Rome, a garden was a place of philosophical contemplation and retreat. For Brutus, it is a private space where he can be alone to wrestle with his moral dilemma. It’s where he can have a sincere dialogue with himself, free from the public eye. However, this private space is soon invaded by the ‘dangerous’ conspirators, foreshadowing how Brutus’s private life will become entangled with the public’s political turmoil. The scene transitions from a quiet, internal struggle to a tense meeting of conspirators, reflecting Brutus’s journey from a man of thought to a man of action. The setting, therefore, represents the shift from contemplation to conspiracy.

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Julius Caesar Act 2 Scene 1: Scene Explanation

 

Play:
BRUTUS enters in his orchard.
BRUTUS
What, Lucius, ho!—
I cannot by the progress of the stars
Give guess how near to day . —Lucius, I say!—
I would it were my fault to sleep so soundly.—
When, Lucius, when? Awake, I say! What, Lucius!
LUCIUS enters.
LUCIUS
Called you, my lord?
BRUTUS
Get me a taper in my study, Lucius.
When it is lighted, come and call me here.
LUCIUS
I will, my lord.
LUCIUS exits. 

Word Meanings
taper: a slender candle.
progress of the stars: the movement of constellations across the night sky, which was used to tell time.
give guess: to make an estimate or a judgment.

Explanation of the above dialogues—Upon entering his orchard, Brutus calls out for his servant, Lucius. He says that by looking at the stars, he cannot guess how close to dawn it is. He calls for Lucius again, wishing that his sleeplessness were a result of his own fault for sleeping so soundly. He urges Lucius to wake up. Lucius enters and asks if Brutus had called for him. Brutus tells Lucius to get a taper i.e. candle from his study and, once it is lit, to come and call for him there. Lucius agrees and exits.

 

Play:
BRUTUS
It must be by his death, and for my part
I know no personal cause to spurn at him
But for the general. He would be crowned.
How that might change his nature, there’s the question. 
It is the bright day that brings forth the adder
And that craves wary walking. Crown him that,
And then I grant we put a sting in him
That at his will he may do danger with.
Th’ abuse of greatness is when it disjoins
Remorse from power. And, to speak truth of Caesar,
I have not known when his affections swayed
More than his reason. But ’tis a common proof
That lowliness is young ambition’s ladder,
Whereto the climber upward turns his face.
But when he once attains the upmost round,
He then unto the ladder turns his back,
Looks in the clouds, scorning the base degrees
By which he did ascend. So Caesar may.
Then, lest he may, prevent. And since the quarrel
Will bear no color for the thing he is,
Fashion it thus: that what he is, augmented,
Would run to these and these extremities.
And therefore think him as a serpent’s egg—
Which, hatched, would as his kind grow mischievous—
And kill him in the shell. 

Word Meanings
spurn at: to reject with contempt or disdain.
the general: refers to the general welfare or good of the public.
adder: a type of venomous snake.
craves: demands or requires.
wary: cautious or watchful.
disjoins: separates or detaches.
remorse: a deep and painful sense of regret.
affections: refers to emotions or passions.
lowliness: humility or humbleness.
upmost round: the highest step of a ladder.
base degrees: humble steps or origins.
lest: for fear that; to prevent the possibility that.
quarrel: an argument or dispute.
bear no colour: to lack a plausible or justifiable excuse.
augmented: increased or made greater.
extremities: extreme or dangerous conditions.
mischievous: causing harm or trouble.

Explanation of the above dialogues—Brutus says that Caesar must die. He explains that he has no personal reason to act against him, but he must do it for the good of the people. He believes that the real issue is how being crowned might change Caesar’s nature. Brutus compares this to how a bright, sunny day brings out the adder, which requires careful walking. He states that if Caesar is crowned, it will be like giving him a sting that he could use to cause harm at will. Brutus then says that the misuse of greatness happens when a person’s compassion is separated from their power. He admits that, to be truthful about Caesar, he has never known Caesar’s emotions to overpower his reason. He then presents a common observation: that humility is the ladder of young ambition. An ambitious person, while climbing upward, faces the ladder. But once he reaches the top, he turns his back on the ladder, looking toward the heavens and scorning the humble steps by which he ascended. Brutus says that Caesar may do the same. So, to prevent this from happening, he must act now. He adds that since their argument against Caesar has no basis in his current actions, they must frame it in a different way: that his current character, if given more power, would lead to these dangerous and extreme actions. Therefore, Brutus concludes that he must be viewed as a serpent’s egg, which, if allowed to hatch, would become dangerous and malicious. He says they must kill him while he is still in the shell.

 

Play:
LUCIUS enters.
LUCIUS
The taper burneth in your closet, sir.
Searching the window for a flint, I found
This paper, thus sealed up, and I am sure
It did not lie there when I went to bed.
[gives him a letter]
BRUTUS
Get you to bed again. It is not day.
Is not tomorrow, boy, the ides of March?
LUCIUS
I know not, sir.
BRUTUS
Look in the calendar and bring me word.
LUCIUS
I will, sir.
LUCIUS exits. 

Word Meanings
Taper: A slender candle.
Closet: In this context, it means a small, private room or study.
Flint: A piece of hard stone used to create sparks to light a fire or candle.
Sealed up: Closed and fastened with a seal, like wax, to keep it private.
Ides of March: The 15th day of March, a date famously associated with the assassination of Julius Caesar.

Explanation of the above dialogues—Upon his entry, Lucius informs Brutus that the taper i.e. candle is lit in his closet. He adds that while searching the window for a flint i.e. a piece of stone used to create a spark, he found a sealed paper that he is sure was not there when he went to bed. Lucius then gives the letter to Brutus. Brutus tells Lucius to go back to bed because it is not yet daytime. He then asks Lucius if the following day is the Ides of March i.e. the fifteenth day of March. Lucius replies that he does not know. Brutus instructs Lucius to check the calendar and report back to him. Lucius responds that he will and then exits.

 

Play:
BRUTUS
The exhalations whizzing in the air
Give so much light that I may read by them.
[opens the letter and reads]
“Brutus, thou sleep’st. Awake, and see thyself.
Shall Rome, etc. Speak, strike, redress!”
“Brutus, thou sleep’st. Awake.”
Such instigations have been often dropped
Where I have took them up.
—“Shall Rome, etc.” Thus must I piece it out:
“Shall Rome stand under one man’s awe?” What, Rome?
My ancestors did from the streets of Rome
The Tarquin drive when he was called a king.
—“Speak, strike, redress!” Am I entreated
To speak and strike? O Rome, I make thee promise,
If the redress will follow, thou receivest
Thy full petition at the hand of Brutus! 

Word Meanings:
Exhalations: meteors or shooting stars, which were believed to be a form of vapor or ‘exhalation’ from the Earth.
Whizzing: A sound of something moving very fast through the air.
Thou sleep’st: Archaic form of ‘you are sleeping.’
Thou… thyself: Archaic forms of ‘you’ and ‘yourself.’
Instigations: This means urges, prompts, or encouragements to do something, especially something bad.
Piece it out: To figure out or complete something that is missing or fragmented.
Awe: fear or reverential dread, suggesting that Rome would be subjected to a dictator.
Tarquin: A reference to the last king of Rome, Tarquin the Proud, who was overthrown by Brutus’s ancestors, establishing the Roman Republic.
Redress: This means to correct a wrong or an injustice.
Entreated: To be asked or requested earnestly.
Petition: A formal request, often to a government or a ruler.

Explanation of the above dialogues—Brutus said that the meteors i.e. the ‘exhalations’ streaking through the sky were giving off enough light for him to read by. He then opened the letter he had found. The letter commanded Brutus to wake up and see himself, asking whether Rome should fall under one man’s control. It then instructed him to ‘speak, strike, and redress’ the situation. Brutus said to himself that this was not the first time he had received such instigations or encouragement and that he had always picked them up. He then tried to make sense of the letter’s fragmented message, interpreting ‘Shall Rome, etc.’ to mean ‘Shall Rome stand under one man’s awe?’ He was shocked by the very idea of it, saying, ‘What, Rome?’ He then recalled that his ancestors had once driven out a king named Tarquin from the streets of Rome. He then reflected on the letter’s final commands, questioning whether he was being asked to speak out and strike. He addressed Rome directly, promising that if the action would lead to justice, then Rome would receive its full petition from his hand.

 

Play:
LUCIUS enters.
LUCIUS
Sir, March is wasted fifteen days.
A knock sounds offstage. 
BRUTUS
‘Tis good. Go to the gate. Somebody knocks.
LUCIUS exits.
BRUTUS
Since Cassius first did whet me against Caesar,
I have not slept.
Between the acting of a dreadful thing
And the first motion, all the interim is
Like a phantasma or a hideous dream.
The genius and the mortal instruments
Are then in council, and the state of man,
Like to a little kingdom, suffers then
The nature of an insurrection. 

Word Meanings
Whet: To sharpen or incite. In this context, it means to provoke or stir up Brutus’s feelings against Caesar.
A dreadful thing: The planned act of assassinating Julius Caesar.
The first motion: The initial idea or thought of the action.
Interim: The time in between; the period separating two events.
Phantasma: A hallucination or a figment of the imagination; a nightmarish vision.
The genius: a person’s inner spirit, soul, or rational mind.
Mortal instruments: Refers to the physical body and its parts, which are used to carry out actions.
In council: Engaged in a serious meeting or discussion.
Insurrection: A violent uprising or rebellion against an authority or government. Brutus uses this to describe the violent conflict within himself.

Explanation of the above dialogues—Lucius enters and informs Brutus that fifteen days of March have passed. A knock is heard from offstage. Brutus responds that this news is good and tells Lucius to go to the gate to see who is knocking. Lucius then exits. Left alone, Brutus says that he has not been able to sleep since Cassius first incited him against Caesar. He describes the period between the initial thought of a terrible deed and the actual performance of it as a terrifying, nightmarish hallucination. He explains that during this time, a person’s soul or conscience i.e. ‘the genius’ and their physical body or passions i.e. the ‘mortal instruments’ are in a tense consultation. He compares this inner turmoil to a small kingdom suffering a civil war or an insurrection. 

 

Play:
LUCIUS enters.
LUCIUS
Sir, ’tis your brother Cassius at the door,
Who doth desire to see you.
BRUTUS
Is he alone?
LUCIUS
No, sir, there are more with him.
BRUTUS
Do you know them?
LUCIUS
No, sir. Their hats are plucked about their ears,
And half their faces buried in their cloaks,
That by no means I may discover them
By any mark of favor.
BRUTUS
Let ’em enter.
LUCIUS exits.
BRUTUS
They are the faction. O conspiracy,
Shamest thou to show thy dangerous brow by night
When evils are most free? O, then by day
Where wilt thou find a cavern dark enough 
To mask thy monstrous visage? Seek none, conspiracy.
Hide it in smiles and affability.
For if thou path, thy native semblance on,
Not Erebus itself were dim enough
To hide thee from prevention. 

Word Meanings
Faction: A small, organized, dissenting group within a larger one, especially in politics. In this context, it refers to the conspirators.
Plucked about their ears: Pulled down low over their ears, meaning the hats are used to conceal their faces.
By any mark of favor: By any distinguishing feature or physical characteristic that would allow for recognition.
Dangerous brow: Refers to the sinister and threatening appearance of the conspiracy.
Monstrous visage: The ugly, grotesque, and terrifying face of the conspiracy.
Affability: The quality of being good-natured, friendly, and easy to talk to.
Path, thy native semblance on: A more archaic way of saying, ‘if you walk with your true appearance.’
Erebus: In Greek mythology, a primordial deity representing the personification of darkness. It is often referred to as a dark area of the underworld through which the dead must pass.
Prevention: The act of stopping something from happening or arising. 

Explanation of the above dialogues—When Lucius enters, he tells Brutus that his brother-in-law, Cassius, is at the door and wishes to see him. Brutus asks Lucius if Cassius is alone. Lucius replies that he is not, and that there are more men with him. Brutus then asks if Lucius knows who they are. Lucius responds that he does not, as their hats are pulled down over their ears and their faces are half-buried in their cloaks, so he cannot identify them by any distinct feature. Brutus instructs Lucius to let them enter. Lucius then exits. Left alone, Brutus says to himself that they are the conspirators, or the ‘faction’. He addresses the conspiracy directly, asking if it is ashamed to show its dangerous face at night, a time when evil is most free. He wonders where it will find a place dark enough to hide its monstrous appearance during the day. He then advises the conspiracy not to seek a hiding place, but instead to conceal itself with smiles and friendliness. He warns that if the conspiracy were to go forth in its true form, not even Erebus, the deepest, darkest part of the underworld, would be dim enough to hide it from being stopped or ‘prevented’.

 

Play:
The conspirators enter: CASSIUS, CASCA, DECIUS, CINNA, METELLUS, and TREBONIUS.
CASSIUS
I think we are too bold upon your rest.
Good morrow, Brutus. Do we trouble you?
BRUTUS
I have been up this hour, awake all night.
Know I these men that come along with you?
CASSIUS
Yes, every man of them, and no man here
But honors you, and every one doth wish
You had but that opinion of yourself
Which every noble Roman bears of you.
This is Trebonius.
BRUTUS
He is welcome hither.
CASSIUS
This, Decius Brutus.
BRUTUS
He is welcome too.
CASSIUS
This, Casca. This, Cinna. And this, Metellus Cimber.
BRUTUS
They are all welcome.
What watchful cares do interpose themselves
Betwixt your eyes and night?

 

Word Meanings
Bold upon your rest: presumptuous or intrusive; coming uninvited at an inappropriate time and disturbing Brutus’s rest.
Good morrow: An old-fashioned greeting, meaning good morning.
Hither: An archaic adverb meaning to this place.
Watchful cares: This refers to the anxious thoughts and worries that keep a person awake.
Interpose: To place or come between.
Betwixt: An archaic word for between.

Explanation of the above dialogues—The conspirators, Cassius, Casca, Decius, Cinna, Metellus, and Trebonius, enter Brutus’s home. Cassius says that he thought they were being too bold by disturbing Brutus’s rest and asked if they were troubling him. Brutus replied that he had been awake all night for the past hour and wanted to know if he knew the men who had come with Cassius. Cassius replied that he did know every man there and added that all of them honored Brutus. He wished Brutus had the same high opinion of himself that every noble Roman had of him. He then introduced Trebonius. Brutus said that he was welcome there. Cassius then introduced Decius Brutus. Brutus said that he was welcome as well. Cassius went on to introduce Casca, Cinna, and Metellus Cimber. Brutus stated that they were all welcome. He then asked what kind of watchful worries had kept them awake between their eyes and the night. 

 

Play:
CASSIUS
Shall I entreat a word?
BRUTUS and CASSIUS step aside and whisper together.
DECIUS
Here lies the east. Doth not the day break here?
CASCA
No.
CINNA
O, pardon, sir, it doth, and yon gray lines
That fret the clouds are messengers of day.
CASCA
You shall confess that you are both deceived.
[points his sword]
Here, as I point my sword, the sun arises,
Which is a great way growing on the south,
Weighing the youthful season of the year.
Some two months hence up higher toward the north
He first presents his fire, and the high east
Stands, as the Capitol, directly here.
BRUTUS
[comes forward with CASSIUS]
Give me your hands all over, one by one.
[shakes their hands]
CASSIUS
And let us swear our resolution. 

Word Meanings
Entreat: To ask someone earnestly or anxiously to do something; to beg.
Fret: To be patterned or decorated with a design. In this context, it means the clouds are patterned with gray lines.
Weighing: To consider or take into account.
Youthful: The early part of a period of development or existence. Here, it refers to the early part of the year, as spring begins.
Resolution: A firm decision to do or not to do something.
Capitol: The temple of Jupiter on the Capitoline Hill in Rome, where the Senate met.
Pardon: An excuse or forgiveness for a fault.

Explanation of the above dialogues—Cassius asked Brutus if he could speak with him for a word. Brutus and Cassius stepped aside and whispered together. Decius Brutus asked Casca if the sun rises in the east where they were standing, pointing toward the direction. Casca replied that it did not. Cinna told Casca that he should pardon him, but the gray lines that were streaking the clouds were indeed the first signs of daybreak. The word fret means to streak or mark, creating a pattern. Casca insisted that they were both mistaken. He then pointed his sword to show the spot where the sun would rise and told them that it was a great way to the south because of the youthful season of the year. He explained that in about two months, the sun would rise farther to the north, and the ‘high east’ would be where the Capitol building stood. Brutus came forward with Cassius and asked all the men to give him their hands, one by one. He then shook each of their hands. Cassius then suggested that they should all swear an oath to their resolution. The word resolution here means their firm decision to act.

 

Play:
BRUTUS
No, not an oath. If not the face of men,
The sufferance of our souls, the time’s abuse—
If these be motives weak, break off betimes,
And every man hence to his idle bed.
So let high-sighted tyranny range on
Till each man drop by lottery. But if these—
As I am sure they do—bear fire enough
To kindle cowards and to steel with valor
The melting spirits of women, then, countrymen,
What need we any spur but our own cause
To prick us to redress? What other bond
Than secret Romans that have spoke the word
And will not palter? And what other oath
Than honesty to honesty engaged,
That this shall be, or we will fall for it?
Swear priests and cowards and men cautelous,
Old feeble carrions and such suffering souls
That welcome wrongs. Unto bad causes swear
Such creatures as men doubt. But do not stain
The even virtue of our enterprise,
Nor th’ insuppressive mettle of our spirits,
To think that or our cause or our performance
Did need an oath, when every drop of blood
That every Roman bears—and nobly bears—
Is guilty of a several bastardy
If he do break the smallest particle
Of any promise that hath passed from him. 

Word Meanings
Sufferance: The state of enduring pain or hardship.
Betimes: Immediately or quickly.
High-sighted: Arrogant or haughty.
Lottery: By chance.
Kindle: To light or set on fire; to stir up.
Prick: To incite or spur to action.
Redress: To set right a wrong; to remedy a situation.
Palter: To go back on one’s word; to speak or act insincerely.
Cautelous: Cautious or wary.
Carrions: The decaying flesh of dead animals; used here to describe weak, worn-out bodies.
Insuppressive: Incapable of being suppressed or held back.
Mettle: A person’s character, courage, or spirit.
Bastardy: Illegitimacy; here, a term used to signify a betrayal of one’s noble Roman heritage.

Explanation of the above dialogues—Brutus told the conspirators not to swear an oath. He said that if the shame on men’s faces, the suffering of their souls, and the abuse of their time were not strong enough motives, they should break off their plan immediately and go back to their lazy beds. He then said to let arrogant tyranny roam freely until each man dies by chance. But, he continued, if those motives, which he was sure they did, had enough fire to encourage cowards and fill the spirits of women with courage, then they, as fellow Romans, had no need for any external motivation besides their own cause to spur them to action. He asked what other promise they needed besides being secret Romans who had spoken the word and would not go back on it, and what other oath was needed besides honesty pledged to honesty, promising that their plan would succeed or they would die trying.He urged them to let priests, cowards, cautious men, old feeble bodies, and those suffering souls who welcomed wrongs be the ones to swear oaths for bad causes. He told them not to stain the consistent virtue of their mission or the unstoppable spirit of their souls by thinking that their cause or their actions needed an oath. He concluded by saying that every drop of blood that a Roman nobly carries would be considered illegitimate if he broke even the smallest promise he had made.

 

Play:
CASSIUS
But what of Cicero? Shall we sound him?
I think he will stand very strong with us.
CASCA
Let us not leave him out.
CINNA
No, by no means. 
METELLUS
O, let us have him, for his silver hairs
Will purchase us a good opinion
And buy men’s voices to commend our deeds.
It shall be said his judgment ruled our hands.
Our youths and wildness shall no whit appear,
But all be buried in his gravity.
BRUTUS
O, name him not. Let us not break with him,
For he will never follow anything
That other men begin.
CASSIUS
Then leave him out.
CASCA
Indeed he is not fit.
DECIUS
Shall no man else be touched but only Caesar? 

Word Meanings
Sound him: To discreetly test someone’s feelings or opinions, to see if they are sympathetic to a cause.
Silver hairs: A symbol of old age, wisdom, and respectability.
Purchase us a good opinion: To acquire a good reputation for them.
Commend our deeds: To praise their actions.
No whit appear: Will not appear at all.
His gravity: His seriousness, wisdom, and dignified demeanor.
Break with him: To break their secret to him, or to reveal their plans to him.
Touched: it means to be harmed or killed.

Explanation of the above dialogues—Cassius asked what they should do about Cicero, wondering if they should approach him to see if he would support their cause, adding that he thought Cicero would be a strong ally. Casca insisted that they should not exclude him. Cinna agreed, saying that they absolutely must not leave him out. Metellus argued that they must include Cicero because his old age, symbolized by his ‘silver hairs’, would earn them a good public reputation and convince people to praise their actions. He said that people would believe that Cicero’s judgment guided their actions, and their youth and impulsiveness would be hidden by his seriousness and wisdom. Brutus, however, told them not to mention Cicero’s name and to not share their secret with him, explaining that Cicero would never agree to follow a plan that he did not start himself. Cassius agreed, saying they should leave him out. Casca confirmed that Cicero was indeed not suitable for their group. Decius then asked if anyone else, besides Caesar, should be harmed.

 

Play:

CASSIUS
Decius, well urged. I think it is not meet
Mark Antony, so well beloved of Caesar,
Should outlive Caesar. We shall find of him
A shrewd contriver. And, you know, his means,
If he improve them, may well stretch so far
As to annoy us all; which to prevent,
Let Antony and Caesar fall together. 

Word Meanings
Meet: suitable or proper
Outlive: to live longer than someone else
Shrewd: having or showing sharp powers of judgment
Contriver: a person who creates or schemes
Annoy: to bother or trouble
Fall together: to be killed at the same time

Explanation of the above dialogues—Cassius said that Decius had made a good point and that he thought it was not suitable for Mark Antony, who was so well-loved by Caesar, to outlive Caesar. Cassius said that they would find Antony to be a shrewd contriver. Cassius then added that Antony’s resources, if he made good use of them, might very well extend so far as to annoy them all. To prevent this, Cassius suggested that Antony and Caesar should die together.

 

Play:
BRUTUS
Our course will seem too bloody, Caius Cassius,
To cut the head off and then hack the limbs,
Like wrath in death and envy afterwards,
For Antony is but a limb of Caesar.
We all stand up against the spirit of Caesar,
And in the spirit of men there is no blood.
Oh, that we then could come by Caesar’s spirit
And not dismember Caesar! But, alas,
Caesar must bleed for it. And, gentle friends,
Let’s kill him boldly but not wrathfully.
Let’s carve him as a dish fit for the gods,
Not hew him as a carcass fit for hounds.
And let our hearts, as subtle masters do,
Stir up their servants to an act of rage
And after seem to chide ’em. This shall make
Our purpose necessary and not envious,
Which so appearing to the common eyes,
We shall be called purgers, not murderers.
And for Mark Antony, think not of him,
For he can do no more than Caesar’s arm
When Caesar’s head is off. 

Word Meanings
Wrathfully: Filled with great anger.
Hew: To chop or cut with an axe or other cutting tool. Here, it means to butcher brutally.
Carcass: The dead body of an animal.
Purger: Someone who cleanses or purifies something. Brutus uses this word to imply that their act is a purification of Rome, not a murder.
Envious: Feeling or showing envy; wanting what someone else has. Brutus wants their motive to appear as a political necessity, not out of jealousy or personal grudge.

Explanation of the above dialogues—Brutus told Caius Cassius that their plan would appear too bloody. He said that to cut off the head and then hack off the limbs would seem like an act of anger and jealousy, because Antony was nothing more than a limb of Caesar. He continued by saying that they should be sacrificers, not butchers. Brutus said they were all standing up against the spirit of Caesar, and that the spirit of men contains no blood. He wished that they could get at Caesar’s spirit without having to dismember him, but alas, he said, Caesar must bleed for it. Brutus advised his friends to kill Caesar boldly but not out of anger. He said they should carve him like a dish fit for the gods, not chop him up like a carcass for dogs. He suggested their hearts should, like cunning masters, incite their servants to a rageful act and then pretend to scold them afterwards. He explained that this would make their purpose seem necessary and not driven by envy, and that by appearing that way to the public, they would be called cleansers, not murderers. Regarding Mark Antony, Brutus said they should not think of him because he could do no more than Caesar’s arm once Caesar’s head was removed.

 

Play:
CASSIUS
Yet I fear him.
For in the engrafted love he bears to Caesar—
BRUTUS
Alas, good Cassius, do not think of him.
If he love Caesar, all that he can do
Is to himself: take thought and die for Caesar.
And that were much he should, for he is given
To sports, to wildness and much company.
TREBONIUS
There is no fear in him. Let him not die,
For he will live and laugh at this hereafter.
A clock strikes.
BRUTUS
Peace! Count the clock.
CASSIUS
The clock hath stricken three.
TREBONIUS
‘Tis time to part.

Word Meanings
Engrafted: Deeply rooted; firmly established.
Take thought and die: A phrase meaning to become melancholy and kill oneself.
Wildness: Wild or uninhibited behavior.
Hath stricken: Has struck.
‘Tis time to part: It’s time to leave.

Explanation of the above dialogues—Cassius said that he still feared Antony because of the deep love he had for Caesar. Brutus told Cassius not to worry about Antony. He argued that if Antony truly loved Caesar, the most he could do was to be sad and die for him. Brutus added that even that was unlikely because Antony was more interested in sports, wild parties, and socializing. Trebonius then said that there was no need to fear him and that they should not kill him, because he would live and would later laugh at their actions. A clock struck, and Brutus commanded everyone to be quiet and count the clock. Cassius replied that the clock had struck three. Trebonius added that it was time for them to leave.

 

Play:
CASSIUS
But it is doubtful yet
Whether Caesar will come forth today or no.
For he is superstitious grown of late,
Quite from the main opinion he held once
Of fantasy, of dreams and ceremonies.
It may be, these apparent prodigies,
The unaccustomed terror of this night,
And the persuasion of his augurers
May hold him from the Capitol today.
DECIUS
Never fear that. If he be so resolved,
I can o’ersway him. For he loves to hear
That unicorns may be betrayed with trees,
And bears with glasses, elephants with holes,
Lions with toils, and men with flatterers.
But when I tell him he hates flatterers,
He says he does, being then most flatterèd.
Let me work.
For I can give his humor the true bent,
And I will bring him to the Capitol. 

Word Meanings
Superstitious: having or showing a belief in superstitions.
Main opinion: firm or strong belief.
Fantasy: the faculty or activity of imagining impossible or improbable things.
Ceremonies: formal religious or public occasions, typically involving a set of traditional actions.
Apparent: clearly visible or understood.
Prodigies: an omen or sign of a future event.
Unaccustomed: not common or usual.
Augurers: a Roman religious official who observed natural signs, especially the behavior of birds, to interpret omens and guide public policy.
O’ersway: to bring to a different opinion; persuade.
Betrayed with trees: The myth that a unicorn, when pursued, would lower its horn and stick it into a tree to defend itself, allowing it to be captured.
Bears with glasses: The belief that hunters could capture bears by placing mirrors ‘glasses’ in front of them, mesmerizing them long enough to be ensnared.
Elephants with holes: A method of capturing elephants by digging pits and covering them, causing the animal to fall in.
Lions with toils: A toil is a net or trap. The meaning is that lions can be captured using nets.
Humor: mood or temperament.
True bent: a strong natural tendency or inclination.

Explanation of the above dialogues—Cassius expressed his doubt about whether Caesar would come out that day. He said that Caesar had recently become very superstitious, which was a complete departure from his previous views on superstitions, dreams, and rituals. He added that it was possible that the visible ominous signs, the unusual terror of the night, and the advice of his soothsayers might keep him from the Capitol that day. Decius told Cassius not to worry about that. He said that even if Caesar was so resolved, he could persuade him. Decius explained that Caesar loved to hear how different animals could be deceived: how unicorns could be betrayed with trees, how bears could be trapped with mirrors, how elephants could be caught in pits, how lions could be captured with snares, and how men could be won over with flattery. He added that when he told Caesar that he hated flatterers, Caesar would agree with him, even though he was at that moment being most flattered. Decius asked them to let him handle the situation, saying that he could give Caesar’s mood the right direction and would ensure he came to the Capitol.

 

Play:
CASSIUS
Nay, we will all of us be there to fetch him.
BRUTUS
By the eighth hour. Is that the uttermost?
CINNA
Be that the uttermost, and fail not then.
METELLUS
Caius Ligarius doth bear Caesar hard ,
Who rated him for speaking well of Pompey.
I wonder none of you have thought of him.
BRUTUS
Now, good Metellus, go along by him.
He loves me well, and I have given him reasons.
Send him but hither and I’ll fashion him.
CASSIUS
The morning comes upon ’s. We’ll leave you, Brutus.
—And, friends, disperse yourselves. But all remember
What you have said, and show yourselves true Romans.
BRUTUS
Good gentlemen, look fresh and merrily.
Let not our looks put on our purposes,
But bear it as our Roman actors do,
With untired spirits and formal constancy.
And so good morrow to you every one.
Everyone exits except BRUTUS. 

Word Meanings
bear Caesar hard: to have a grudge or resentment against Caesar.
rated him: to scold or reprimand him.
go along by him: to go to him or to go with him.
fashion him: to shape or influence him to their purpose.
put on our purposes: to show or reveal our intentions.
bear it: to carry or hold themselves.
untired spirits: with fresh and unwearied energy.
formal constancy: a steady and constant composure or resolve.

Explanation of the above dialogues—Cassius said that they would all be there to get Caesar. Brutus asked if the eighth hour was the latest time they should be there. Cinna replied that it should be the absolute latest time and they should not fail to be there then. Metellus pointed out that Caius Ligarius held a grudge against Caesar because Caesar had scolded him for speaking highly of Pompey. Metellus wondered why none of them had thought of including him in the plot. Brutus told Metellus to go with Ligarius and said that Ligarius loved him and he had given him reasons for that love. Brutus added that if Metellus sent Ligarius to him, he would shape him to their will. Cassius said that morning was approaching and they would now leave Brutus. He told his friends to disperse but to remember what they had agreed upon and to show themselves as true Romans.Brutus then told the gentlemen to look fresh and cheerful. He advised them not to let their faces reveal their true intentions, but to act as Roman performers do, with tireless energy and a steady resolve. He then bid them good morning. The conspirators left, leaving Brutus alone.

 

Play:
BRUTUS
Boy! Lucius!—Fast asleep? It is no matter.
Enjoy the honey-heavy dew of slumber.
Thou hast no figures nor no fantasies,
Which busy care draws in the brains of men.
Therefore thou sleep’st so sound.
PORTIA enters.
PORTIA
Brutus, my lord.
BRUTUS
Portia, what mean you? Wherefore rise you now?
It is not for your health thus to commit
Your weak condition to the raw, cold morning.
PORTIA
Nor for yours neither. Y’ have ungently, Brutus,
Stole from my bed. And yesternight, at supper,
You suddenly arose and walked about,
Musing and sighing, with your arms across,
And when I asked you what the matter was,
You stared upon me with ungentle looks.
I urged you further, then you scratched your head
And too impatiently stamped with your foot.
Yet I insisted; yet you answered not,
But with an angry wafture of your hand
Gave sign for me to leave you. So I did,
Fearing to strengthen that impatience
Which seemed too much enkindled, and withal
Hoping it was but an effect of humor,
Which sometime hath his hour with every man.
It will not let you eat nor talk nor sleep,
And could it work so much upon your shape
As it hath much prevailed on your condition,
I should not know you, Brutus. Dear my lord,
Make me acquainted with your cause of grief. 

Word Meanings
Honey-heavy dew of slumber: A poetic phrase meaning a deep and peaceful sleep.
Thou hast no figures nor no fantasies: You have no troublesome thoughts or imaginings.
Ungently: Unkindly or rudely.
Musing and sighing: Thinking deeply and sighing with sadness.
Ungentle looks: Unkind or unfriendly expressions.
Wafture: A waving motion or gesture with the hand.
Enkindled: Ignited or set on fire; in this case, intensified.
Humor: In Elizabethan and Renaissance thought, a temporary mood or state of mind caused by an imbalance of bodily fluids.
Condition: his state of mind or disposition.

Explanation of the above dialogues—Brutus sees his servant Lucius asleep and decides not to wake him, telling himself that it does not matter. He thinks that Lucius is enjoying a sweet, deep sleep because he is not burdened by the thoughts and anxieties that trouble men with many responsibilities. As Brutus is thinking this, his wife Portia enters. She calls out to him, ‘Brutus, my lord’. Brutus is surprised and asks Portia what she is doing up so early. He expresses concern for her health, saying it is not wise for her to expose her delicate state to the cold morning air. Portia replies that the cold morning is not good for his health either. She then gently accuses him of having ‘ungently’ stolen away from their bed. She recounts his unusual behavior from the previous night’s supper: he suddenly got up and walked around, deep in thought, with his arms crossed. When she asked him what was wrong, he stared at her with harsh looks. She pressed him further, to which he responded by scratching his head and impatiently stomping his foot. When she still insisted, he did not answer but instead waved his hand in an angry gesture, signaling for her to leave him alone. She complied, fearing that she would only worsen his impatience. She hoped his behavior was just a temporary ‘humor’ that affects everyone from time to time. Portia then describes how this mood is now preventing him from eating, talking, or sleeping, and suggests that if it affected his physical appearance as much as it has affected his state of mind, she would not recognize him. She ends her plea by lovingly asking him to share the cause of his sorrow with her.

 

Play:
BRUTUS
I am not well in health, and that is all.
PORTIA
Brutus is wise, and were he not in health,
He would embrace the means to come by it.
BRUTUS
Why, so I do. Good Portia, go to bed.
PORTIA
Is Brutus sick? And is it physical
To walk unbracèd and suck up the humors
Of the dank morning? What, is Brutus sick,
And will he steal out of his wholesome bed,
To dare the vile contagion of the night
And tempt the rheumy and unpurgèd air
To add unto his sickness? No, my Brutus.
You have some sick offense within your mind,
Which by the right and virtue of my place
I ought to know of.
[kneels] And upon my knees
I charm you, by my once-commended beauty,
By all your vows of love and that great vow
Which did incorporate and make us one
That you unfold to me, your self, your half,
Why you are heavy, and what men tonight
Have had to resort to you. For here have been
Some six or seven who did hide their faces
Even from darkness. 

Word Meanings
unbracèd: it means with his clothes unfastened or unbraced, not properly secured.
humors: the damp, cold vapors or fluids in the air, believed in ancient medicine to affect one’s health.
dank: Unpleasantly damp and cold.
vile: it means wretched or sickly; having a foul or contagious nature.
contagion: A sickness or disease that is spread from one person to another.
rheumy: Watery or damp, in this case, referring to the air.
unpurgèd: Unpurified or not cleaned of impurities.
offense: a troubled state or malady, not a crime.
charm: To entreat or plead with, in a powerful way, as if casting a spell.
incorporate: To combine or unite, making two things into one body.
heavy: Sad, troubled, or melancholy.
resort to: To go to for help or company.

Explanation of the above dialogues—Brutus tells Portia that he is not feeling well, and that is the only reason for his strange behavior. Portia replies that Brutus is a wise man, and if he were truly sick, he would seek medical treatment to get better. Brutus agrees that he is doing so and tells Portia to go to bed. Portia continues, asking if Brutus is truly sick. She questions if it is a healthy thing to be walking around in the cold morning without a coat, taking in the damp air. She asks again if Brutus is sick and questions if a sick man would leave his warm bed to risk catching a disease from the unhealthy air of the night. She then concludes that it is not his body but his mind that is sick with some secret trouble. She says that because of her position as his wife, it is her right and duty to know about it. Kneeling, she begs him, by the beauty he once praised, and by all his promises of love and the marriage vow that made them one person, to reveal to her why he is sad and who has visited him tonight. She mentions that some six or seven men came and hid their faces even from the darkness.

 

Play:
BRUTUS
Kneel not, gentle Portia.
PORTIA
[rising] I should not need if you were gentle, Brutus.
Within the bond of marriage, tell me, Brutus,
Is it excepted I should know no secrets
That appertain to you? Am I yourself
But, as it were, in sort or limitation,
To keep with you at meals, comfort your bed,
And talk to you sometimes?
Dwell I but in the suburbs
Of your good pleasure? If it be no more,
Portia is Brutus’ harlot, not his wife.
BRUTUS
You are my true and honorable wife,
As dear to me as are the ruddy drops
That visit my sad heart. 

Word Meanings
gentle: kind, noble, or considerate.
excepted: Understood to be excluded or left out.
appertain to: Relate to or belong to.
in sort or limitation: In a limited capacity or only to a certain extent.
suburbs: it is used metaphorically to mean the outer edge or a secondary, less important part of something.
harlot: A mistress or prostitute.
ruddy: Having a reddish color, referring to blood.

Explanation of the above dialogues—Brutus told Portia not to kneel. Rising, Portia responded that she would not have had to if he were gentle with her. She then asked Brutus if it was a condition of their marriage that she should not know any of his secrets. She questioned if she was only a part of him, or limited in her role, to merely join him for meals, comfort him in bed, and talk with him occasionally. She asked if she lived only in the ‘suburbs’ of his pleasure. Portia concluded that if her role was nothing more than that, she was his harlot, not his wife. Brutus assured her that she was his true and honorable wife, as dear to him as the blood that keeps his sad heart beating.

 

Play:
PORTIA
If this were true, then should I know this secret.
I grant I am a woman, but withal
A woman that Lord Brutus took to wife.
I grant I am a woman, but withal
A woman well-reputed, Cato’s daughter.
Think you I am no stronger than my sex,
Being so fathered and so husbanded?
Tell me your counsels. I will not disclose ’em.
I have made strong proof of my constancy,
Giving myself a voluntary wound
Here in the thigh. Can I bear that with patience,
And not my husband’s secrets?
BRUTUS
O ye gods,
Render me worthy of this noble wife!
A knock sounds offstage.
BRUTUS
Hark, hark! One knocks. Portia, go in awhile.
And by and by thy bosom shall partake
The secrets of my heart.
All my engagements I will construe to thee,
All the charactery of my sad brows.
Leave me with haste.
PORTIA exits. 

Word Meanings
Withal: In addition to, at the same time.
Reputed: Well-regarded, of good reputation.
Fathered: To have a specific person as one’s father.
Husbanded: To have a specific person as one’s husband.
Counsels: Secrets or private plans.
Constancy: The quality of being faithful and dependable.
Voluntary: Done by choice, not forced.
Render: To make or cause to be.
Hark: Listen.
By and by: Soon, in a little while.
Bosom shall partake: A person’s inner self or heart will share in something.
Engagements: his plans or his commitments.
Construe: To interpret or explain.
Charactery: The meaning or expression visible on a person’s face.
Haste: Great speed.

Explanation of the above dialogues—Portia said that if Brutus’s love for her were true, then she should know his secret. She admitted that she was a woman but, in addition to that, she was a woman that Lord Brutus had taken as his wife. She again acknowledged that she was a woman but, at the same time, she was a woman of good reputation, the daughter of Cato. She asked if he thought she was no stronger than other women, since she was the daughter of such a father and the wife of such a husband. She demanded that he tell her his plans, promising that she would not reveal them. She said that she had already given strong proof of her ability to keep her composure and remain constant by giving herself a voluntary wound in her thigh. She questioned if she could bear the pain of that with patience and not be able to bear her husband’s secrets. Brutus exclaimed to the gods to make him worthy of such a noble wife. Then, a knock was heard from offstage. Brutus then told Portia to listen, as someone was knocking. He told her to go inside for a while and said that soon she would be able to share the secrets of his heart. He promised that he would explain all his plans to her and the meaning behind the troubled look on his face. He urged her to leave quickly.

 

Play:
BRUTUS
Lucius, who’s that knocking?
LUCIUS and LIGARIUS enter. Ligarius wears a handkerchief wrapped around his head.
LUCIUS
He is a sick man that would speak with you.
BRUTUS
Caius Ligarius, that Metellus spake of. —
Boy, stand aside. —Caius Ligarius, how?
LIGARIUS
Vouchsafe good morrow from a feeble tongue.
BRUTUS
O, what a time have you chose out, brave Caius,
To wear a kerchief! Would you were not sick!
LIGARIUS
I am not sick if Brutus have in hand
Any exploit worthy the name of honor.
BRUTUS
Such an exploit have I in hand, Ligarius,
Had you a healthful ear to hear of it. 

Word Meanings
Vouchsafe: To grant or give something to someone in a condescending or gracious manner.
Feeble: Lacking physical strength, weak.
Kerchief: A piece of fabric worn on the head, often to signify sickness.
Exploit: A brave or notable deed or undertaking.
Healthful: healthy or able.

Explanation of the above dialogues—Brutus called out to his servant, Lucius, asking who was knocking at the door. Lucius entered along with Ligarius, who was wearing a handkerchief wrapped around his head. Lucius informed Brutus that the visitor was a sick man who wished to speak with him. Upon seeing the man, Brutus immediately recognized him as Caius Ligarius, the man whom Metellus had mentioned. Brutus told Lucius to stand to the side and then asked Ligarius how he was. Ligarius, in a feeble voice, greeted Brutus and offered him good morning. Brutus responded with concern, exclaiming to Ligarius what an ill-chosen time he had picked to be wearing a kerchief, which signified his sickness. Brutus then expressed his wish that Ligarius were not ill. Ligarius courageously replied that he was not sick if Brutus was involved in any undertaking worthy of honor. Brutus confirmed that he did have such a deed in mind, but added that Ligarius would need a healthy ear to hear about it.

 

Play:
LIGARIUS
[removes his kerchief]
By all the gods that Romans bow before,
I here discard my sickness! Soul of Rome,
Brave son derived from honorable loins,
Thou, like an exorcist, hast conjured up
My mortifièd spirit. Now bid me run,
And I will strive with things impossible,
Yea, get the better of them. What’s to do?
BRUTUS
A piece of work that will make sick men whole.
LIGARIUS
But are not some whole that we must make sick?
BRUTUS
That must we also. What it is, my Caius,
I shall unfold to thee as we are going
To whom it must be done.
LIGARIUS
Set on your foot,
And with a heart new-fired I follow you,
To do I know not what. But it sufficeth
That Brutus leads me on.
Thunder sounds.
BRUTUS
Follow me, then.
They exit. 

Word Meanings
Kerchief: A square piece of cloth used to cover the head.
Derived from honorable loins: A phrase meaning ‘from a noble lineage or family’.
Exorcist: A person who expels evil spirits.
Conjured up: Brought forth by magic; summoned.
Mortifièd spirit: A spirit that is dead or without life.
Set on your foot: A command to begin walking or to take the first step.
New-fired: Filled with new courage or passion; reignited.
Sufficeth: An archaic form of ‘suffices’, meaning ‘is enough’.

Explanation of the above dialogues—Ligarius removes his kerchief and declares that by all the gods Romans worship, he was discarding his sickness. He addressed Brutus as the soul of Rome and a brave son of an honorable lineage. He told Brutus that he, like an exorcist, had summoned his dead spirit back to life. Ligarius then asked Brutus to bid him run, and said that he would strive with and overcome impossible things. He then asked Brutus what was to be done. Brutus replied that they had a piece of work that would make sick men whole. Ligarius asked if they were also to make some whole men sick. Brutus replied that they must do that as well. He told Ligarius that he would tell him what it was and to whom it must be done as they were going. Ligarius told Brutus to move forward and said that he would follow him with a heart full of new passion, to do he knew not what. But he added that it was enough that Brutus was leading him on. Thunder sounded as Brutus told Ligarius to follow him then, and they both exited.

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Conclusion 

In Act 2, Scene 1 of Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, Brutus struggles with the idea that Caesar might become a tyrant. He thinks assassinating Caesar might be necessary to save Rome from this danger. Brutus receives a fake letter from his servant, which he sees as a signal to take action. He decides to join the conspiracy against Caesar. When the other conspirators arrive, Brutus supports their plan but refuses to take an oath or agree to kill Mark Antony. He believes it is unnecessary and morally wrong. The scene ends with the conspirators making plans for the next day, including Decius Brutus’s role in making sure Caesar goes to the Capitol. Students can take help from this post to understand Act 2, Scene 1 and also learn the difficult word meanings to get a better grasp of Julius Caesar. This post includes a summary of Julius Caesar, which will help students of ICSE class 9, to get a quick recap of the play.

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