Scene II

[Caesar's house.]

Thunder and lightning. Enter Caesar, in his night-gown.

CAESAR:

Nor heaven nor earth have been at peace tonight.
Thrice hath Calpurnia in her sleep cried out,
“Help, ho! They murder Caesar!” Who's within?

CAESAR:

Neither heaven nor earth have been at peace tonight.
Three times Calpurnia has cried out in her sleep,
"Help, oh! They murder Caesar!"—Who's there?

Enter a Servant.

SERVANT:

My lord?

SERVANT:

My lord?

CAESAR:

Go bid the priests do present sacrifice,(5)
And bring me their opinions of success.

CAESAR:

Go tell the priests to do the sacrifice now,
And bring me their opinions of success.

SERVANT:

I will, my lord.

SERVANT:

I will, my lord.

Exit.

Enter Calpurnia.

CALPURNIA:

What mean you, Caesar? Think you to walk forth?
You shall not stir out of your house today.

CALPURNIA:

What do you mean, Caesar? Do you intend to walk outside?
You shall not go out of your house today.

CAESAR:

Caesar shall forth: the things that threaten'd me(10)
Ne'er look'd but on my back; when they shall see
The face of Caesar, they are vanished.

CAESAR:

Caesar shall go out. The things that threaten me
Never look on anything but my back; when they see
The face of Caesar, they disappear.

CALPURNIA:

Caesar, I never stood on ceremonies,
Yet now they fright me. There is one within,
Besides the things that we have heard and seen,(15)
Recounts most horrid sights seen by the watch.
A lioness hath whelped in the streets;
And graves have yawn'd, and yielded up their dead;
Fierce fiery warriors fight upon the clouds,
In ranks and squadrons and right form of war,(20)
Which drizzled blood upon the Capitol;
The noise of battle hurtled in the air,
Horses did neigh and dying men did groan,
And ghosts did shriek and squeal about the streets.
O Caesar! These things are beyond all use,(25)
And I do fear them.

CALPURNIA:

Caesar, I never believed in omens,
Yet now they frighten me. Besides the things that
We have heard and seen, there is a man inside
Recounting the most horrid sights seen by the guards.
A lioness has given birth in the streets;
And graves have opened up and given up their dead;
Fierce fiery warriors fight on the clouds,
In ranks and squadrons and right forms of war,
Which drizzled blood on the Capitol;
The noise of battle screaming into the air,
Horses neighed, and dying men groaned;And ghosts shrieked and squealed around the streets.
O Caesar, these things are past all customs,
And I’m afraid them!

CAESAR:

What can be avoided
Whose end is purposed by the mighty gods?
Yet Caesar shall go forth, for these predictions
Are to the world in general as to Caesar.(30)

CAESAR:

What we avoid
When the mighty gods dictate how things go?
Still, Caesar shall go out, because these predictions
Are not only for Caesar but also for the world in general.

CALPURNIA:

When beggars die, there are no comets seen;
The heavens themselves blaze forth the death of princes.

CALPURNIA:

When beggars die, there are no comets seen in the sky.
The heavens themselves mark the death of princes with fire.

CAESAR:

Cowards die many times before their deaths;
The valiant never taste of death but once.
Of all the wonders that I yet have heard,(35)
It seems to me most strange that men should fear
Seeing that death, a necessary end,
Will come when it will come.

[Re-]enter Servant.]

What say the augurers?

CAESAR:

Cowards die many times before their deaths;
The valiant only taste of death once.
Of all the wonders that I yet have heard,
It seems most strange to me that men should fear death,
Seeing that death, a necessary end,
Will come when it will come.—

What say the fortune-tellers?

SERVANT:

They would not have you to stir forth today.(40)
Plucking the entrails of an offering forth,
They could not find a heart within the beast.

SERVANT:

They say not to go out today.
Looking at the guts of an offering,
They couldn’t find a heart inside the beast.

CAESAR:

The gods do this in shame of cowardice.
Caesar should be a beast without a heart
If he should stay at home today for fear.(45)
No, Caesar shall not. Danger knows full well
That Caesar is more dangerous than he.
We are two lions litter'd in one day,
And I the elder and more terrible.
And Caesar shall go forth.(50)

CAESAR:

The gods do this in shame of cowardice.
Caesar should be a beast without a heart,
If he stays at home today because he’s afraid.
No, Caesar shall not. Danger knows full well
That Caesar is more dangerous than he.
We are two lions born on the same day,
And I am older and more terrible;
And Caesar shall go out.

CALPURNIA:

Alas, my lord,
Your wisdom is consumed in confidence.
Do not go forth today. Call it my fear
That keeps you in the house and not your own.
We'll send Mark Antony to the Senate-house,(55)
And he shall say you are not well today.
Let me, upon my knee, prevail in this.

CALPURNIA:

Alas, my lord,
Your wisdom is consumed in confidence!
Don’t go out today. Call it my fear
That keeps you in the house, and not your own.We'll send Mark Antony to the Senate-house,
And he shall say you’re not well today.
Let me, on my knee, win this argument.

CAESAR:

Mark Antony shall say I am not well,
And, for thy humor, I will stay at home.

Enter Decius.

Here's Decius Brutus, he shall tell them so.(60)

CAESAR:

Mark Antony shall say I’m not well,
And, to make you happy, I’ll stay home.

Here's Decius Brutus, he shall tell them so.

DECIUS:

Caesar, all hail! Good morrow, worthy Caesar!
I come to fetch you to the Senate-house.

DECIUS:

Caesar, all hail! Good morning, worthy Caesar.
I come to go get you to the Senate-house.

CAESAR:

And you are come in very happy time,
To bear my greeting to the senators
And tell them that I will not come today.(65)
Cannot, is false, and that I dare not, falser:
I will not come today. Tell them so, Decius.

CAESAR:

And you’ve come at a very happy time
To bear my greeting to the Senators,
And tell them that I can’t come today.
“Can’t” is false, and I don’t dare make a falser excuse.
I’ll not come today. Tell them so, Decius.

CALPURNIA:

Say he is sick.

CALPURNIA:

Say he’s sick.

CAESAR:

Shall Caesar send a lie?
Have I in conquest stretch'd mine arm so far(70)
To be afeard to tell greybeards the truth?
Decius, go tell them Caesar will not come.

CAESAR:

Shall Caesar send a lie?
Have I fought so hard in battle,
To be afraid to tell grey-beards the truth?—
Decius, go tell them Caesar will not come.

DECIUS:

Most mighty Caesar, let me know some cause,
Lest I be laugh'd at when I tell them so.

DECIUS:

Most mighty Caesar, let me know some reason,
In case I’m laughed at when I tell them so.

CAESAR:

The cause is in my will: I will not come,(75)
That is enough to satisfy the Senate.
But, for your private satisfaction,
Because I love you, I will let you know.
Calpurnia here, my wife, stays me at home;
She dreamt tonight she saw my statue,(80)
Which like a fountain with an hundred spouts,
Did run pure blood, and many lusty Romans
Came smiling and did bathe their hands in it.
And these does she apply for warnings and portents
And evils imminent, and on her knee(85)
Hath begg'd that I will stay at home today.

CAESAR:

The cause is my will; I’ll not come.
That is enough to satisfy the Senate.
But, for your private satisfaction,
Because I love you, I’ll let you know.
Calpurnia here, my wife, wants me to stay home.
She dreamed tonight that she saw my statue,
Which, like a fountain with an hundred spouts,
Ran with pure blood, and many lusty Romans
Came smiling and bathed their hands in it.
And these she interprets for warnings and portents
And imminent evil, and on her knee,
Has begged me to stay home today.

DECIUS:

This dream is all amiss interpreted;
It was a vision fair and fortunate.
Your statue spouting blood in many pipes,
90 In which so many smiling Romans bathed,(90)
Signifies that from you great Rome shall suck
Reviving blood, and that great men shall press
For tinctures, stains, relics, and cognizance.
This by Calpurnia's dream is signified.

DECIUS:

This dream is interpreted all wrong.
It was a fair and fortunate vision.
Your statue spouting blood in many pipes,
In which so many smiling Romans bathed,
Signifies that, from you, great Rome shall suck
Reviving blood, and that great men shall ask
For tinctures, stains, relics, and recognition.
This is what Calpurnia’s dream means.

CAESAR:

And this way have you well expounded it.(95)

CAESAR:

And in this way, you have explained it very well.

DECIUS:

I have, when you have heard what I can say.
And know it now, the Senate have concluded
To give this day a crown to mighty Caesar.
If you shall send them word you will not come,
Their minds may change. Besides, it were a mock(100)
Apt to be render'd, for some one to say
“Break up the Senate till another time,
When Caesar's wife shall meet with better dreams.”
If Caesar hide himself, shall they not whisper
“Lo, Caesar is afraid”?(105)
Pardon me, Caesar, for my dear dear love
To your proceeding bids me tell you this,
And reason to my love is liable.

DECIUS:

I have, when you’ve heard what I can say
And you know it now. The Senate has concluded
To give a crown to mighty Caesar this day.
If you send them word you’ll not come,
They may change their minds. Besides, it’s might be
Interpreted as silly, because someone says
"Break up the Senate until another time,
When Caesar's wife shall have better dreams."
If Caesar hides himself, won’t they whisper
"Lo, Caesar is afraid"?
Pardon me, Caesar; because my dear, dear love
To your advancement bids me tell you this;
And reason is responsible to my love.

CAESAR:

How foolish do your fears seem now, Calpurnia!
I am ashamed I did yield to them.(110)
Give me my robe, for I will go.

Enter Brutus, Ligarius, Metellus [Cimber], Casca, Trebonius, Cinna, and Publius.

And look where Publius is come to fetch me.

CAESAR:

How foolish your fears seem now, Calpurnia!
I’m ashamed that I gave in to them.
Give me my robe, because I’ll go.

And look where Publius is coming to go get me.

PUBLIUS:

Good morrow, Caesar.

PUBLIUS:

Good morning, Caesar.

CAESAR:

Welcome, Publius.
What, Brutus, are you stirr'd so early too?(115)
Good morrow, Casca. Caius Ligarius,
Caesar was ne'er so much your enemy
As that same ague which hath made you lean.
What is't o'clock?

CAESAR:

Welcome, Publius.—
What, Brutus, are you up so early too?—
Good morning, Casca.—Caius Ligarius,
Caesar was never so much your enemy
As he is enemy to that same illness which has made you lean.—
What time is it?

BRUTUS:

Caesar, 'tis strucken eight.(120)

BRUTUS:

Caesar, it’s eight o'clock.

CAESAR:

I thank you for your pains and courtesy.

Enter Antony.

See, Antony, that revels long o' nights,
Is notwithstanding up. Good morrow, Antony.

CAESAR:

I thank you for your pains and courtesy.

See! Antony, that parties all through the night,
Is, nonetheless up.—Good morning, Antony.

ANTONY:

So to most noble Caesar.

ANTONY:

Good morning, most noble Caesar.

CAESAR:

Bid them prepare within.(125)
I am to blame to be thus waited for.
Now, Cinna; now, Metellus; what, Trebonius,
I have an hour's talk in store for you;
Remember that you call on me today;
Be near me, that I may remember you.(130)

CAESAR:

Ask them prepare inside.
I’m to blame to be waited for like this.—
Now, Cinna;—now, Metellus;—what, Trebonius!
I have an hour-long speech in store for you.
Remember that you call on me today;
Be near me so that I may remember you.

TREBONIUS:

Caesar, I will. And so near will I be
That your best friends shall wish I had been further.

TREBONIUS:

Caesar, I will.

and so near will I be,
That your best friends shall wish I had been further away.

CAESAR:

Good friends, go in and taste some wine with me,
And we like friends will straightway go together.

CAESAR:

Good friends, go in, and taste some wine with me;
And we, like friends, will go ahead together straightaway.

BRUTUS:

That every like is not the same, O Caesar,(135)
The heart of Brutus yearns to think upon!

BRUTUS:

That every “like” isn’t the same, O Caesar,
That the heart of Brutus yearns to think about!

Exeunt.