Scene 2.1
Scene 2.1 – Outside Brutus’ house
Brutus
has been up all night agonizing over what to do about Caesar. He concludes that
Caesar must die to prevent the possibility that he will become tyrant. Brutus
does not know for sure if Caesar will abuse his power, but no one should have as
much power as Caesar wants. Lucius enters with a letter for Brutus (written by
Cassius). The letter tells Brutus to wake up and do something about the crisis
that Rome is in. Brutus thinks about his great ancestor – how he drove the
Tarquin king from Rome to found the Roman Republic – and Brutus promises to
kill Caesar if it will save the Roman Republic from another king.
Lucius tells
him he has visitors – Cassius and several men who hide their faces. Brutus
knows that they are the members of the conspiracy, and he laments that they must
be really evil if they can’t even show their faces at night. The members of
the conspiracy – Trebonius, Decius Brutus, Casca, Cinna, and Metellus Cimber
– introduce themselves. Brutus knows and welcomes them all. While Brutus and
Cassius take a moment to talk apart, the others debate whether the sun rises
from the east. Casca is confident that the sun rises from the south at this time
of year, while everyone obviously disagrees.
Brutus and
Cassius return, and Brutus asks that they all join hands. Cassius says that they
should swear to kill Caesar. Brutus intervenes by saying that they should not
swear because there are enough reasons to kill Caesar – the suffering of Rome,
Caesar’s ambition, and their just cause – without needing the crutch of an
oath in order to do it. Cassius wants to recruit Cicero but Brutus doesn’t,
and so the matter is dropped. Cassius says that they should kill Antony when
they kill Caesar because he is just as much of a threat. Brutus disagrees and
says that while killing Caesar is a necessity, killing Antony would make their
deed seem less like justice and more like carnage.
Cassius
expresses his concern that Caesar may heed the signs and warnings and refuse to
come to the Capitol. Decius is certain that he can make Caesar come out even if
he determined to stay in today. Brutus asks Metellus to fetch Caius Ligarius, an
enemy of Caesar but a friend to Brutus. As they all leave, Brutus tells them to
be like actors and pretend to be cheerful.
Portia,
Brutus’ wife, comes out. She complains that Brutus has been acting strangely
lately and she wants him to tell her what is wrong. Brutus says that he is
simply sick. She says that he would not be outside in the cold if he were sick.
Portia begs him to tell her what is bothering him and what those men were doing
here tonight. She says that if he doesn’t tell her that which she feels she
has a right to know – as his partner, wife, and lover – she will feel like
his whore instead. He assures her that she is his wife. Portia claims that she
is worthy of knowing the truth because she is the daughter of an important Roman
who committed suicide rather than bow to Caesar and because she once gave
herself a deep wound to prove her loyalty. Brutus is about to tell her, but they
are interrupted by a knock on the door. Brutus says that he will explain later,
and she departs.
Caius Ligarius
enters and he is clearly sick, but he says that he will make himself healthy for
a worthy endeavor. Brutus says he will tell him about the plan on their way to
meet the others.
