The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) (894 page)

A crowd of people: Artemidorus and the Soothsayer. Flourish. Enter Caesar, Brutus, Cassius, Casca, Decius Brutus, Metellus Cimber, Trebonius, Cinna, Mark Antony, Lepidus, Popilius, Publius, and others.

Caesar

To the Soothsayer.

The Ides of March are come.

The ides of March have come.

Soothsayer

Ay, Caesar; but not gone.

Yes, but they are not gone.

Artemidorus

Hail, Caesar! read this schedule.

Hail, Caesar! Read this schedule.

Decius Brutus

Trebonius doth desire you to o'er-read,


At your best leisure, this his humble suit.

Trebonius needs you to read over this petition, when you get a moment.

Artemidorus

O Caesar, read mine first; for mine's a suit


That touches Caesar nearer: read it, great Caesar.

Oh Caesar, read mine first. My petition is more personal. Read it, great Caesar.

Caesar

What touches us ourself shall be last served.

If it has something to do with me, I’ll read it last.

Artemidorus

Delay not, Caesar; read it instantly.

Don’t delay, Caesar. Read it, now.

Caesar

What, is the fellow mad?

Have you gone crazy?

Publius

Sirrah, give place.

Stand back, sir.

Cassius

What, urge you your petitions in the street?


Come to the Capitol.

Are you petitioning in the streets? Come to the Capitol.

Caesar goes up to the Senate-House and the rest follows.

Popilius

I wish your enterprise to-day may thrive.

I hope your work goes well today.

Cassius

What enterprise, Popilius?

What work, Popilius?

Popilius

Fare you well.


Advances to Caesar.

Goodbye then.

Advances towards Caesar.

Brutus

What said Popilius Lena?

What did Popilius Lena say?

Cassius

He wish'd to-day our enterprise might thrive.


I fear our purpose is discovered.

He hoped our work would go well today. I’m afraid he knows what we’re planning.

Brutus

Look, how he makes to Caesar: mark him.

Look how he is getting closer to Caesar. Watch him.

Cassius

Casca, be sudden, for we fear prevention.--


Brutus, what shall be done? If this be known,


Cassius or Caesar never shall turn back,


For I will slay myself.

Casca, act quickly. We don’t want to be prevented. Brutus, what should we do? If we are discovered, I will kill myself.

Brutus

Cassius, be constant:


Popilius Lena speaks not of our purposes;


For, look, he smiles, and Caesar doth not change.

Be calm, Cassius. Popilius Lena is not talking about our plan. Look at him smiling, and Caesar’s expression has not changed.

Cassius

Trebonius knows his time, for, look you, Brutus,


He draws Mark Antony out of the way.

Trebonius knows what to do. He is drawing Mark Antony away.

Exit Antony and Trebonius.

Decius Brutus

Where is Metellus Cimber? Let him go,


And presently prefer his suit to Caesar.

Where is Metellus Cimber? Let him go and present his case to Caesar.

Brutus

He is address'd; press near and second him.

He is presenting. Go closer and help him.

Cinna

Casca, you are the first that rears your hand.

Casca, you are the first to strike.

Caesar

What is now amiss


That Caesar and his Senate must redress?

Are we all ready? What do the senate and I need to address?

Metellus Cimber

Most high, most mighty, and most puissant Caesar,


Metellus Cimber throws before thy seat


An humble heart.

Most high and mighty Caesar, I throw myself at your feet with a humble heart…

Kneeling.

Caesar

I must prevent thee, Cimber.


These couchings and these lowly courtesies


Might fire the blood of ordinary men,


And turn pre-ordinance and first decree


Into the law of children. Be not fond,


To think that Caesar bears such rebel blood


That will be thaw'd from the true quality


With that which melteth fools; I mean, sweet words,


Low-crooked curtsies, and base spaniel-fawning.


Thy brother by decree is banished:


If thou dost bend, and pray, and fawn for him,


I spurn thee like a cur out of my way.

No need, Cimber. Your actions may make men think that I’m persuaded by such flattery. Your brother has been banished, and I will not grant him a pardon without a good reason.

Metellus Cimber

Caesar, thou dost me wrong.

Isn’t my voice enough to petition for my brother’s pardon?

METELLUS

Caesar, thou dost me wrong.

CAESAR

Caesar did never wrong but with just cause,


Nor without cause will he be satisfied.

METELLUS

Is there no voice more worthy than my own,


To sound more sweetly in great Caesar's ear


For the repealing of my banish'd brother?

Brutus

I kiss thy hand, but not in flattery, Caesar;


Desiring thee that Publius Cimber may


Have an immediate freedom of repeal.

I kiss your hand, not out of flattery, but to show my desire that you grant Publius Cimber’s claim to freedom.

Caesar

What, Brutus?

What, Brutus!

Cassius

Pardon, Caesar; Caesar, pardon:


As low as to thy foot doth Cassius fall,


To beg enfranchisement for Publius Cimber.

Pardon me, Caesar. I bow at your feet to plea for Publius Cimber.

Caesar

I could be well moved, if I were as you;


If I could pray to move, prayers would move me:


But I am constant as the northern star,


Of whose true-fix'd and resting quality


There is no fellow in the firmament.


The skies are painted with unnumber'd sparks,


They are all fire, and every one doth shine;


But there's but one in all doth hold his place:


So in the world; 'tis furnish'd well with men,


And men are flesh and blood, and apprehensive;


Yet in the number I do know but one


That unassailable holds on his rank,


Unshaked of motion: and that I am he,


Let me a little show it, even in this,--


That I was constant Cimber should be banish'd,


And constant do remain to keep him so.

I could be convinced if, I were you. But I am as immovable as the North Star. They are all made of fire, but only one remains unmoving. It is the same with men. I am the only one who will not be moved. I remain firm in my decision.

Cinna

O Caesar,--

Oh, Caesar…

Caesar

Hence! wilt thou lift up Olympus?

What do you want me to do? Lift up Mount Olympus?

Decius Brutus

Great Caesar,--

Great Caesar…

Caesar

Doth not Brutus bootless kneel?

Didn’t Brutus beg for him?

Casca

Speak, hands, for me!

Hands, speak for me!

Casca first, then the other Conspirators and Brutus stab Caesar.

Caesar

Et tu, Brute?-- Then fall, Caesar!

And you, Brute! Then, die Caesar!  

Dies.

Cinna

Liberty! Freedom! Tyranny is dead!--


Run hence, proclaim, cry it about the streets.

Liberty! Freedom! Tyranny is dead! Run and proclaim it in the streets.

Cassius

Some to the common pulpits and cry out,


"Liberty, freedom, and enfranchisement!"

Go to the commons and cry out, “Liberty, freedom, and democracy!”

Brutus

People and Senators, be not affrighted;


Fly not; stand still; ambition's debt is paid.

Don’t be afraid, people and senators. Don’t run off. Stay because Caesar was killed by his ambition.

Casca

Go to the pulpit, Brutus.

Go to the pulpit, Brutus.

Decius Brutus

And Cassius too.

And Cassius, too.

Brutus

Where's Publius?

Where’s Publius?

Cinna

Here, quite confounded with this mutiny.

He’s here and quite confused with the mutiny.

Metellus Cimber

Stand fast together, lest some friend of Caesar's


Should chance--

Stand by each other, or else some friend of Caesar’s may…

Brutus

Talk not of standing.--Publius, good cheer!


There is no harm intended to your person,


Nor to no Roman else: so tell them, Publius.

Don’t talk like that. Publius, be happy. No harm is meant for you or any other Roman. Tell them Publius.

Cassius

And leave us, Publius; lest that the people


Rushing on us, should do your age some mischief.

Leave us, Publius, in case the people coming towards us should harm you.

Brutus

Do so;--and let no man abide this deed


But we the doers.

Go ahead. No one will claim this deed except those who did it.

Re-enter Trebonius.