Act 2, Scene 1
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.”
Translation:
It must be by his death, and as for me,
I don’t have any personal reason to hate him,
But for the good of the general public. He would be crowned,
But how that would change his nature is the real question.
Word Meanings:
- Spurn at: Reject or disdain.
- General: The common good or welfare of the public.
Brutus:
“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.”
Translation:
It’s the bright day that brings forth the snake,
And that requires careful steps. If we crown him,
I admit, we give him the power
To harm others at his will.
Word Meanings:
- Adder: A venomous snake (symbolizing danger).
- Craves: Requires.
- Wary: Cautious, careful.
- Sting: The harmful effect or power of something.
Brutus:
“The abuse of greatness is when it disjoins
Remorse from power; and, to speak truth of Caesar,
I have not known when his affection swayed
More than his reason. But it is 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.”
Translation:
The misuse of greatness is when it separates
Remorse from power; and, to speak honestly about Caesar,
I’ve never seen him let his feelings control his decisions more than reason.
But it’s well known that humility is the ladder for young ambition,
To which the climber looks up; but once he reaches the top,
He turns his back on the ladder,
Looking down on the lower levels
That helped him climb.
Word Meanings:
- Abuse of greatness: Misuse of power.
- Disjoins: Separates.
- Remorse: Guilt or regret.
- Lowliness: Humility or modesty.
- Base degrees: Lower levels or positions.
Brutus:
“So Caesar may. Then, lest he may,
Prevent the purpose of his own ambition
He may take such an opportunity,
That by his death he may serve the cause.”
Translation:
Caesar could become like this. So, to prevent him
From fulfilling his own ambition,
He may need to be taken out of the picture,
And his death could serve the greater good.
Word Meanings:
- Lest: For fear that, in case.
- Purpose: Aim or goal.
- Serve the cause: Help the greater good.
Narrator/Stage Direction:
Narrator:
Enter Lucius, a servant.
Brutus:
“What, Lucius, ho!
I cannot by the progress of the stars
Give guess how near to day.
Lucius, I say!”
Translation:
What, Lucius, hello!
I can’t tell how close we are to daybreak
By the movement of the stars.
Lucius, I say!
Word Meanings:
- Progress of the stars: Movement or positions of the stars, used to tell time.
Lucius (entering):
“I would it were my fault to be not so.
But it is my fault that I am not,
For I shall see it go no longer!”
Translation:
I wish it were my fault for not being here.
But it is my fault that I’m not;
For I will not let it go on any longer!
Brutus:
“Good morrow, Brutus.
I trust that you are in good health and feeling well.”
Translation:
Good morning, Brutus.
I hope that you are well and healthy.
Lucius:
“I am good, I am ready.
For it is not over but only a new beginning.”
Translation:
I am ready, I am prepared.
For it is not over, it’s just a new beginning.
Brutus (speaking to himself):
“It is the time of night, so now be sure to lock the doors.”
Translation:
It’s night now, so be sure to lock up.
Narrator/Stage Direction:
Narrator:
Enter the conspirators, Casca, Decius, Cinna, Metellus, and Trebonius.
Cassius (entering):
“Brutus, my friend, good morrow.
There’s no way but the way that is to go,
With sharpness and strength!”
Translation:
Good morning, Brutus, my friend.
There’s no other way but to go down this path,
With determination and strength!
Word Meanings:
- Morrow: Morning or the next day.
- Sharpness: Determination or decisiveness.
- Strength: Power or force.
Brutus:
“It is a rough path, I know,
But we must follow it, even though the days are long.”
Translation:
It’s a difficult path, I know,
But we must continue down it, even if it takes a long time.
Word Meanings:
- Rough path: A difficult or challenging course of action.
- Follow: To go along with or comply.
Cassius:
“I trust the gods have made us ready,
For we have waited too long to now turn back.”
Translation:
I trust that the gods have prepared us,
For we’ve waited too long to turn back now.
Word Meanings:
- Trust: To rely on or have confidence in.
- Prepared: Made ready for action.
- Turn back: Retreat or withdraw.
Brutus:
“Cassius, I have a heavy heart,
But the cause is just, and so we must act now.”
Translation:
Cassius, my heart is burdened,
But the cause is right, so we must take action now.
Word Meanings:
- Heavy heart: Feeling of sorrow or sadness.
- Cause: The reason or justification for an action.
- Just: Morally right or fair.
Narrator/Stage Direction:
The conspirators gather around Brutus, discussing their plans.
Cinna:
“We have waited for the stars to fall,
But now is the time to act. This night will not last forever!”
Translation:
We’ve waited for the right moment,
But now is the time to act. This night won’t last forever!
Word Meanings:
- Stars to fall: A metaphor for waiting for the right opportunity.
- Act: Take action or move forward.
- Last: Continue for a certain period of time.
Metellus:
“I will go to the house of Caesar.
I will speak with him and persuade him!”
Translation:
I will go to Caesar’s house.
I will speak to him and try to convince him!
Word Meanings:
- Persuade: To convince or influence someone to agree with you.
Brutus:
“It is too dangerous.
We must wait for the right moment.”
Translation:
It’s too risky right now.
We must wait for the right opportunity.
Word Meanings:
- Dangerous: Risky or harmful.
- Wait: To delay or pause before taking action.
- Moment: A brief period of time.
Narrator/Stage Direction:
The conspirators agree and begin making preparations.
Cassius:
“I will do so. But Brutus, now, I must go to work.
Now is the time for it. Caesar must be stopped.”
Translation:
I will do that. But Brutus, now, I must get to work.
Now is the moment to act. Caesar must be stopped.
Word Meanings:
- Must: Expressing necessity or obligation.
- Stopped: Prevented from continuing or doing something.
Brutus:
“Yes, indeed. The time is now, and we will not be afraid to act.”
Translation:
Yes, indeed. Now is the time, and we must act without fear.
Word Meanings:
- Indeed: In fact, truly.
- Afraid: Feeling fear or dread.
Cassius:
“Come, then. We must move forward and complete this task.”
Translation:
Come on, then. We must move ahead and finish this task.
Word Meanings:
- Move forward: Proceed or continue in a particular direction.
- Complete: To finish or accomplish something.
Narrator/Stage Direction:
The conspirators prepare to leave and execute their plan.
Cinna:
“The skies are heavy with the weight of our decision,
But we must proceed, no turning back.”
Translation:
The skies seem burdened by the weight of our choice,
But we must continue, with no chance of retreat.
Word Meanings:
- Heavy: Burdensome or serious.
- Proceed: To continue or go forward.
- Turning back: Retreating or reversing course.
Brutus:
“It is done, then. The die is cast, and we cannot go back.”
Translation:
It’s settled now. The decision is made, and we can’t undo it.
Word Meanings:
- Die is cast: An irreversible decision has been made, based on the famous saying attributed to Julius Caesar when crossing the Rubicon river.
- Undo: To reverse or change something that has already been done.
Narrator/Stage Direction:
The conspirators prepare to go their separate ways.
Brutus:
“Now let us all take courage,
And let us make our purpose known to the people.”
Translation:
Now, let us all be brave,
And let us reveal our plan to the people.
Word Meanings:
- Courage: The ability to face fear or danger with confidence.
- Purpose: The intention or goal of the action.
- Reveal: To make something known or visible.
Cassius:
“Yes, let us go. The die is cast, and there is no turning back.”
Translation:
Yes, let’s go. The decision is made, and we can’t change it now.
Word Meanings:
- No turning back: No opportunity to reverse the decision made.
- Die is cast: A point of no return has been reached, referring to a decisive and irreversible action.
Brutus:
“The path is clear, and we must follow it.”
Translation:
The way forward is clear, and we must walk it.
Word Meanings:
- Clear: Easy to understand or see; unambiguous.
- Follow: To pursue or proceed along a course of action.
Narrator/Stage Direction:
The conspirators prepare to leave, setting their plan into motion.
Cinna:
“We will do what we must,
And fate shall take its course.”
Translation:
We will do what we are meant to do,
And whatever happens will happen as it should.
Word Meanings:
- Fate: The force or power that determines events, often considered as unavoidable.
- Course: The direction or sequence of events.
Brutus:
“Let us make this a world that will remember us for what we have done.”
Translation:
Let us make this world remember us for our actions.
Word Meanings:
- World: The society or people we live among.
- Remember: To be recalled or remembered for something significant.
Narrator/Stage Direction:
The conspirators exit, each going their separate way to begin their tasks.
Narrator/Stage Direction:
Enter Caesar’s servant, Decius Brutus.
Decius Brutus:
“Brutus, what’s the news? Why are we awake at such an hour?”
Translation:
Brutus, what’s going on? Why are we up at such a late hour?
Word Meanings:
- News: Information or updates.
- Awake: To be conscious or not asleep.
Brutus:
“I have been restless, and I have thought about our plan.
We must move forward with it now.”
Translation:
I have been unable to sleep, and I’ve been thinking about our plan.
We must proceed with it now.
Word Meanings:
- Restless: Unable to stay calm or still due to anxiety or worry.
- Proceed: To move forward with something.
Decius Brutus:
“I agree. The hour is near, and the people are ready.”
Translation:
I agree. The time is almost here, and the people are prepared.
Word Meanings:
- Hour: A specific moment in time, often used to refer to a crucial point.
- Ready: Prepared or set for action.
Brutus:
“We must not hesitate any longer. Let’s not waste any more time.”
Translation:
We cannot wait any longer. Let’s act quickly.
Word Meanings:
- Hesitate: To delay or pause, often due to uncertainty.
- Waste: To use something inefficiently or without purpose.
Decius Brutus:
“Indeed. The time has come. Let us not delay it further.”
Translation:
Yes, the moment has arrived. Let’s not wait any longer.
Word Meanings:
- Indeed: Used to emphasize a point.
- Delay: To postpone or make something happen later.
Narrator/Stage Direction:
Enter the other conspirators.
Cassius:
“Brutus, I trust all is in order?”
Translation:
Brutus, I hope everything is ready?
Word Meanings:
- Trust: To believe that something is correct or prepared.
- Order: Organization or arrangement of things.
Brutus:
“Yes, all is prepared. Let us move now before the day comes.”
Translation:
Yes, everything is set. Let’s go before the day arrives.
Word Meanings:
- Prepared: Ready or made ready for action.
- Move: To take action or begin an activity.
Cassius:
“Then let’s go. The task awaits us.”
Translation:
Let’s go then. Our job is waiting.
Word Meanings:
- Task: A piece of work or responsibility.
- Awaits: To be waiting for something to happen.
Narrator/Stage Direction:
The conspirators exit.
Narrator/Stage Direction:
Enter Caesar’s servant, Decius Brutus.
Decius Brutus:
“Brutus, what’s the news? Why are we awake at such an hour?”
Translation:
Brutus, what’s going on? Why are we up at such a late hour?
Word Meanings:
- News: Information or updates.
- Awake: To be conscious or not asleep.
Brutus:
“I have been restless, and I have thought about our plan.
We must move forward with it now.”
Translation:
I have been unable to sleep, and I’ve been thinking about our plan.
We must proceed with it now.
Word Meanings:
- Restless: Unable to stay calm or still due to anxiety or worry.
- Proceed: To move forward with something.
Decius Brutus:
“I agree. The hour is near, and the people are ready.”
Translation:
I agree. The time is almost here, and the people are prepared.
Word Meanings:
- Hour: A specific moment in time, often used to refer to a crucial point.
- Ready: Prepared or set for action.
Brutus:
“We must not hesitate any longer. Let’s not waste any more time.”
Translation:
We cannot wait any longer. Let’s act quickly.
Word Meanings:
- Hesitate: To delay or pause, often due to uncertainty.
- Waste: To use something inefficiently or without purpose.
Decius Brutus:
“Indeed. The time has come. Let us not delay it further.”
Translation:
Yes, the moment has arrived. Let’s not wait any longer.
Word Meanings:
- Indeed: Used to emphasize a point.
- Delay: To postpone or make something happen later.
Narrator/Stage Direction:
Enter the other conspirators.
Cassius:
“Brutus, I trust all is in order?”
Translation:
Brutus, I hope everything is ready?
Word Meanings:
- Trust: To believe that something is correct or prepared.
- Order: Organization or arrangement of things.
Brutus:
“Yes, all is prepared. Let us move now before the day comes.”
Translation:
Yes, everything is set. Let’s go before the day arrives.
Word Meanings:
- Prepared: Ready or made ready for action.
- Move: To take action or begin an activity.
Cassius:
“Then let’s go. The task awaits us.”
Translation:
Let’s go then. Our job is waiting.
Word Meanings:
- Task: A piece of work or responsibility.
- Awaits: To be waiting for something to happen.
Narrator/Stage Direction:
The conspirators exit.