Scenes 3.2 and 3.3
Scene 3.2 – The Forum
The
plebeians demand an explanation for the death of Caesar. Brutus tells Cassius to
take half of the crowd and that he will explain to the other half that remains.
Brutus claims that no one was a better friend to Caesar than he was, but he
placed his love of Rome over that of his friend. Brutus explains that if he
allowed the ambitious Caesar to live, Caesar would have made them all slaves:
the only person who would object to Caesar’s death, then, is someone who would
willingly become a slave. The plebeians raise no objections. Antony brings in
the coffin of Caesar. Brutus offers to kill himself if the people so desire. The
plebeians, easily swayed by Brutus’ speech, say instead that Brutus should
live as their king. Brutus departs and instructs them to listen to Antony
because Brutus believes that Antony will speak on his behalf.
Antony begins
his speech in apparent agreement with Brutus. Antony says that Brutus and the
others were all honorable men, and if Brutus says Caesar was ambitious, it must
be true. But Antony points to the some flaws in Brutus’ reasoning: the lands
he conquered made all of Rome (not Caesar) richer, someone ambitious shouldn’t
cry over the misery of the poor, and Caesar refused the crown that Antony
offered three times. Antony asks simply that they mourn for him, and he begins
to cry. The plebeians take this moment to discuss among themselves the merit of
Antony’s argument, and they side with Caesar and Antony. Antony recovers and
resumes his speech, condemning Brutus and Cassius for their claims of honorable
intent. Antony mentions that he found Caesar’s will, which Antony says will
make them all idolize Caesar forever. The plebeians are curious and ask him to
read it. Antony refuses on account of it being so generous that it will make
them all angry with Brutus and the rest. The plebeians say that they are already
angry with the conspirators and demand that Antony read the will.
Antony steps
down to the coffin. He points to all the holes in Caesar’s toga, and
dramatizes how each hole was formed – the hole that Brutus made being the most
painful of all. Then he uncovers Caesar’s body to the shock and rage of all
the plebeians. They are ready to start a riot, but Antony pleads for them to
wait because he fears that Brutus will be able to suppress them with an
impressive speech. In order to arm them with a monetary incentive, Antony at
last reads the will. Antony reveals that Caesar has bequeathed unto each citizen
seventy-five drachmas (about two month’s wages for an average working man) and
that he has opened up his properties for the public to use. Now the plebeians
rush off to start a riot and Antony does not stop them.
The servant of
Octavius enters to let Antony know that Octavius and Lepidus await Antony at
Caesar’s house and that Brutus and Cassius have fled Rome.
Scene 3.3 – A street in Rome
The
enraged mob of plebeians encounter a man who felt a strange compulsion to walk
about the street. When they ask him his name, he says that he is Cinna. They
mistaken him for Cinna the conspirator, even though he is a different person –
Cinna the poet. They refuse to listen to his protests that he is not Cinna the
conspirator, and they tear him apart. Then they march onward to the
conspirators’ houses.
