Lucio Cornelio Cina

Fué hijo del célebre adversario de Sula, y cuñado de César. No tomó parte en la conspiración, pero en un discurso pronunciado el día después en el Foro, calificó a César de tirano, lo que dió lugar a que el pueblo airado matase por error a Cayo Elvio Cina, poeta, el día que se celebraron los funerales de César.

Flavio y Marulo

Fueron los dos Tribunos que sufrieron grandes disgustos con motivo de la popularidad de César y redujeron a prisión a los primeros que habían aclamado rey a César.

Marco Valerio Mesala Corvino

Mesala perteneció a una antigua familia de la nobleza. Sirvió a las órdenes de Bruto en Macedonia; tomó parte en la batalla de Filipos y presenció la muerte de Bruto. Más tarde se asoció a Antonio y luego a Octavio, quien le hizo Cónsul en el 31. En el año 27, Augusto le designó Prefecto de Roma, pero renunció poco después. Fué amigo íntimo de Horacio, el poeta, y dedicó sus últimos años a la literatura.

Calpurnia

La cuarta esposa de César, con quien casó en el año 59. Fué hija de Lucio Calpurnio Piso, Cónsul en el año 48.

Porcia

Esposa de Bruto, hija de Catón.

Los otros personajes son de menor importancia y no merecen notas biográficas.

JULIUS CAESAR

Senators, Citizens, Guards, Attendants, etc.

SCENE - ROME; the neighborhood of SARDIS; the
neighborhood of PHILIPPI.

JULIUS CESAR

ACT I

SCENE I-Rome. A street

Enter FLAVIUS, MARULLUS, and certain Commoners

Flav. Hence! home, you idle creatures, get you home:

Is this a holiday? what! know you not,
Being mechanical, you ought not walk
Upon a labouring day without the sign

Of your profession? Speak, what trade art thou?
First Com. Why, sir, a carpenter.

Mar. Where is thy leather apron and thy rule?
What dost thou with thy best apparel on?

You, sir, what trade are you?

Sec. Com. Truly, sir, in respect of a fine work- 10 man, I am but, as you would say, a cobbler.

Mar. But what trade art thou? answer me directly.

Sec. Com. A trade, sir, that, I hope, I may use with a safe conscience; which is, indeed, sir, a mender of bad soles.

Mar. What trade, thou knave? thou naughty knave, what trade?

Sec. Com. Nay, I beseech you, sir, be not out with me: yet, if you be out, sir, I can mend you.

1

20

Mar. What meanest thou by that? mend me, thou saucy fellow!

Sec. Com. Why, sir, cobble you.

Flav. Thou art a cobbler, art thou?

Sec. Com. Truly, sir, all that I live by is with the awl: I meddle with no tradesman's matters, nor women's matters, but with awl. 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 gone upon my handiwork. 30 Flav. But wherefore art not in thy shop to-day? Why dost thou lead these men about the streets?

Sec. Com. Truly, sir, to wear out their shoes, to get myself into more work. But, indeed, sir, we make holiday, to see Cæsar and to rejoice in his triumph.

Mar. Wherefore rejoice? What conquest brings he home?

What tributaries follow him to Rome,

To grace in captive bonds his chariot-wheels?
You blocks, you stones, you worse than senseless
things!

O you hard hearts, you cruel men of Rome,
Knew you not Pompey? Many a time and oft
Have you climb'd up to walls and battlements,
To towers and windows, yea, to chimney-tops,
Your infants in your arms, and there have sat
The live-long day, with patient expectation,
To see great Pompey pass the streets of Rome:
. And when you saw his chariot but appear,
Have you not made an universal shout,
That Tiber trembled underneath her banks,

40

50