ACCESS TO SHAKESPEARE The Tragedy of Julius Caesar A Facing-pages Translation into Contemporary English Edited by Jonnie Patricia Mobley, Ph.D. Drama Department Cuesta College San Luis Obispo, California Lorenz Educational Publishers P.O. Box 802, Dayton, Ohio 45401-0802 www.lorenzeducationalpress.com
The Tragedy of Julius Caesar Contents Introduction v Characters x Act One 2 Act Two 46 Act Three 90 Act Four 138 Act Five 174 Glossary 206 iv
The Tragedy of Julius Caesar Characters JULIUS CAESAR CALPURNIA, wife of Caesar MARK ANTONY LEPIDUS OCTAVIUS CAESAR ruling triumvirs after Julius Caesar s death x
MARCUS BRUTUS CAIUS CASSIUS CASCA DECIUS BRUTUS CINNA TREBONIUS METELLUS CIMBER CAIUS LIGARIUS FLAVIUS MARULLUS ARTEMIDORUS FORTUNE-TELLER CICERO PUBLIUS CIMBER POPILIUS LENA conspirators against Julius Caesar tribunes critical of Julius Caesar a teacher and a soothsayer who try to warn Julius Caesar senators CINNA, a poet PORTIA, wife of Brutus LUCIUS, boy attendant of Brutus PINDARUS, servant of Cassius LUCILIUS, TITINIUS, MESSALA, YOUNG CATO, VOLUMNIUS, friends of Brutus and Cassius VARRO, CLITUS, CLAUDIUS, STRATO, DARDANIUS, servants or officers of Brutus SENATORS, CITIZENS, GUARDS, ATTENDANTS, SOLDIERS, POET, SERVANT, and GHOST
Act One Scene 1 [A street in Rome.] Enter FLAVIUS, MARULLUS, and CERTAIN CITIZENS FLAVIUS Hence! Home, you idle creatures, get you home. Is this a holiday? What, know you not, Being mechanical, you ought not walk Upon a laboring day without the sign Of your profession? Speak, what trade art thou? 5 FIRST CITIZEN Why, sir, a carpenter. MARULLUS Where is thy leather apron and thy rule? What dost thou with thy best apparel on? You, sir, what trade are you? SECOND CITIZEN Truly, sir, in respect of a fine workman, I am but, 10 as you would say, a cobbler. MARULLUS But what trade are thou? Answer me directly. SECOND CITIZEN A trade, sir, that I hope I may use with a safe conscience; which is indeed, sir, a mender of bad soles. MARULLUS What trade, thou knave? Thou naughty nave, 15 what trade? SECOND CITIZEN Nay, sir, I beseech you, be not out with me; yet if you be out, sir, I can mend you. MARULLUS What meanest thou by that? Mend me, thou saucy fellow? SECOND CITIZEN Why, sir, cobble you. 20 FLAVIUS Thou are a cobbler, art thou? SECOND CITIZEN Truly, sir, all that I live by is with the awl. I meddle with no tradesman's matters, nor women's matters; but withal I am indeed, sir, a surgeon to old shoes; when they are in great danger, I recover them. As proper men as ever trod upon neat's leather have 25 2
Act One Scene 1 [ A street in Rome.] Enter FLAVIUS, MARULLUS, and CERTAIN CITIZENS FLAVIUS Now, go home, you idle creatures, go home. What is this, a holiday? Don't you know That workers should wear working clothes In the street on a weekday? You there, Tell me, what is your trade? 5 FIRST CITIZEN Me, sir? Why I'm a carpenter. MARULLUS Then where is your leather apron and your ruler? What are you doing with your best clothes on? You, sir, what is your trade? SECOND CITIZEN Actually, sir, compared to a real tradesman, I just, 10 as you would say, fix things. MARULLUS But what is your trade? Answer me plainly. SECOND CITIZEN A trade, sir, that I can practice with a clear conscience. I am, indeed, sir, a mender of bad soles. MARULLUS What trade, you worthless clod? Fool, what is 15 your trade? SECOND CITIZEN Please, I ask you, sir, don't be out of sorts. But if you are, sir, I can fix that too. MARULLUS What do you mean by that? Fix what, you uppity fellow? SECOND CITIZEN Why, sir, I can cobble you. 20 FLAVIUS You are a cobbler, are you? SECOND CITIZEN Truly, sir, all my living is based on the awl. I don't meddle in tradesmen's affairs, nor in affairs with women, but, after all, I am a surgeon of shoes. When their lives are in danger, I save them. As good a man who ever walked on shoe leather 25 3