Julius Caesar

Share
First folio
Modern text

Definitions

Key line

Enter Flauius, Murellus, and certaine Commoners ouer Enter Flavius, Marullus, and certain commoners over JC I.i.1.1
the Stage.the stage JC I.i.1.2
Flauius.FLAVIUS  
HEnce: home you idle Creatures, get you home:Hence! home, you idle creatures, get you home: JC I.i.1
Is this a Holiday? What, know you notIs this a holiday? What, know you not, JC I.i.2
(Being Mechanicall) you ought not walkeBeing mechanical, you ought not walkmechanical (n.)

old form: Mechanicall
manual worker, craftsman, menial
JC I.i.3
Vpon a labouring day, without the signeUpon a labouring day without the sign JC I.i.4
Of your Profession? Speake, what Trade art thou?Of your profession? Speak, what trade art thou? JC I.i.5
Car. CARPENTER  
Why Sir, a Carpenter.Why, sir, a carpenter. JC I.i.6
Mur. MARULLUS  
Where is thy Leather Apron, and thy Rule?Where is thy leather apron, and thy rule? JC I.i.7
What dost thou with thy best Apparrell on?What dost thou with thy best apparel on?apparel (n.)

old form: Apparrell
clothes, clothing, dress
JC I.i.8
You sir, what Trade are you?You, sir, what trade are you? JC I.i.9
Cobl. COBBLER 
Truely Sir, in respect of a fine Workman, I Truly, sir, in respect of a fine workman, Irespect of, in (prep.)
in comparison with
JC I.i.10
am but as you would say, a Cobler.am but, as you would say, a cobbler.cobbler (n.)

old form: Cobler
bungler, botcher, clumsy workman
JC I.i.11
Mur. MARULLUS 
But what Trade art thou? Answer me directly.But what trade art thou? Answer me directly.directly (adv.)
straightforwardly, rightly, without evasion
JC I.i.12
Cob. COBBLER 
A Trade Sir, that I hope I may vse, with a safeA trade, sir, that, I hope I may use with a safe JC I.i.13
Conscience, which is indeed Sir, a Mender of bad soules.conscience; which is, indeed, sir, a mender of bad soles. JC I.i.14
Fla. FLAVIUS  
What Trade thou knaue? Thou naughty knaue, what Trade?What trade, thou knave? Thou naughty knave, what trade?naughty (adj.)
wicked, evil, vile
JC I.i.15
knave (n.)

old form: knaue
scoundrel, rascal, rogue
Cobl. COBBLER 
Nay I beseech you Sir, be not out with me: Nay, I beseech you, sir, be not out with me:out (adv.)
angry, out of sorts
JC I.i.16
yet if you be out Sir, I can mend you.yet if you be out, sir, I can mend you.out (adv.)
out at heels, with worn shoes
JC I.i.17
Mur. MARULLUS  
What meanst thou by that? Mend mee, thou sawcy Fellow?What meanest thou by that? Mend me, thou saucy fellow?saucy (adj.)

old form: sawcy
insolent, impudent, presumptuous, defiant
JC I.i.18
Cob. COBBLER 
Why sir, Cobble you.Why, sir, cobble you. JC I.i.19
Fla. FLAVIUS 
Thou art a Cobler, art thou?Thou art a cobbler, art thou? JC I.i.20
Cob. COBBLER 
Truly sir, all that I liue by, is with the Aule: ITruly, sir, all that I live by is with the awl: I JC I.i.21
meddle with no Tradesmans matters, nor womens matters; meddle with no tradesman's matters, nor women's matters; JC I.i.22
but withal I am indeed Sir, a Surgeon to old shooes:but withal I am, indeed, sir, a surgeon to old shoes: JC I.i.23
when they are in great danger, I recouer them. As proper when they are in great danger, I recover them. As properproper (adj.)
good-looking, handsome, comely
JC I.i.24
recover (v.)

old form: recouer
revive, restore to health
men as euer trod vpon Neats Leather, haue gone vpon men as ever trod upon neat's leather have gone uponneat (n.)
ox, cow, cattle
JC I.i.25
my handy-worke.my handiwork. JC I.i.26
Fla. FLAVIUS  
But wherefore art not in thy Shop to day?But wherefore art not in thy shop today?shop (n.)
workshop, workroom
JC I.i.27
Why do'st thou leade these men about the streets?Why dost thou lead these men about the streets? JC I.i.28
Cob. COBBLER 
Truly sir, to weare out their shooes, to get my selfe Truly, sir, to wear out their shoes to get myself JC I.i.29
into more worke. But indeede sir, we make Holy-day to see into more work. But indeed, sir, we make holiday to see JC I.i.30
Casar, and to reioyce in his Triumph.Caesar, and to rejoice in his triumph.triumph (n.)
triumphal procession into Rome
JC I.i.31
Mur. MARULLUS  
Wherefore reioyce? / What Conquest brings he home?Wherefore rejoice? What conquest brings he home? JC I.i.32
What Tributaries follow him to Rome,What tributaries follow him to Rome,tributary (n.)
ruler who pays tribute
JC I.i.33
To grace in Captiue bonds his Chariot Wheeles?To grace in captive bonds his chariot wheels?grace (v.)
favour, add merit to, do honour to
JC I.i.34
You Blockes, you stones, you worse then senslesse things:You blocks, you stones, you worse than senseless things!senseless (adj.)

old form: senslesse
lacking human sensation, incapable of feeling
JC I.i.35
O you hard hearts, you cruell men of Rome,O you hard hearts, you cruel men of Rome, JC I.i.36
Knew you not Pompey many a time and oft?Knew you not Pompey? Many a time and oftoft, many a time and
very often, with great frequency
JC I.i.37
Pompey the Great (n.)
Roman politician and general, 1st-c BC
Haue you climb'd vp to Walles and Battlements,Have you climbed up to walls and battlements, JC I.i.38
To Towres and Windowes? Yea, to Chimney tops,To towers and windows, yea, to chimney-tops, JC I.i.39
Your Infants in your Armes, and there haue sateYour infants in your arms, and there have sat JC I.i.40
The liue-long day, with patient expectation,The livelong day, with patient expectation,expectation (n.)
anticipation, hopefulness
JC I.i.41
To see great Pompey passe the streets of Rome:To see great Pompey pass the streets of Rome:pass (v.)

old form: passe
pass through, traverse
JC I.i.42
And when you saw his Chariot but appeare,And when you saw his chariot but appear, JC I.i.43
Haue you not made an Vniuersall shout,Have you not made an universal shout, JC I.i.44
That Tyber trembled vnderneath her bankesThat Tiber trembled underneath her banksTiber (n.)
[pron: 'tiyber] river flowing through Rome
JC I.i.45
bank (n.)

old form: bankes
river bank
To heare the replication of your sounds,To hear the replication of your soundsreplication (n.)
reverberation, echo
JC I.i.46
Made in her Concaue Shores?Made in her concave shores?shore (n.)
bank, edge
JC I.i.47
concave (adj.)

old form: Concaue
hollowed out, overhanging
And do you now put on your best attyre?And do you now put on your best attire? JC I.i.48
And do you now cull out a Holyday?And do you now cull out a holiday?cull out (v.)
pick out, choose, decide on
JC I.i.49
And do you now strew Flowers in his way,And do you now strew flowers in his way, JC I.i.50
That comes in Triumph ouer Pompeyes blood?That comes in triumph over Pompey's blood? JC I.i.51
Be gone,Be gone! JC I.i.52
Runne to your houses, fall vpon your knees,Run to your houses, fall upon your knees, JC I.i.53
Pray to the Gods to intermit the plaguePray to the gods to intermit the plagueintermit (v.)
withhold, suspend, keep back
JC I.i.54
That needs must light on this Ingratitude.That needs must light on this ingratitude. JC I.i.55
Fla. FLAVIUS  
Go, go, good Countrymen, and for this faultGo, go, good countrymen, and for this fault JC I.i.56
Assemble all the poore men of your sort;Assemble all the poor men of your sort;sort (n.)
class, level, social rank
JC I.i.57
Draw them to Tyber bankes, and weepe your tearesDraw them to Tiber banks, and weep your tears JC I.i.58
Into the Channell, till the lowest streameInto the channel, till the lowest stream JC I.i.59
Do kisse the most exalted Shores of all.Do kiss the most exalted shores of all.shore (n.)
bank, edge
JC I.i.60
Exeunt all the Commoners. Exeunt all the Commoners JC I.i.61.1
See where their basest mettle be not mou'd,See where their basest mettle be not moved:base (adj.)
low-born, lowly, plebeian, of lower rank
JC I.i.61
mettle, mettell (n.)
spirit, temperament, disposition
They vanish tongue-tyed in their guiltinesse:They vanish tongue-tied in their guiltiness. JC I.i.62
Go you downe that way towards the Capitoll,Go you down that way towards the Capitol;Capitol (n.)
geographical and ceremonial centre of ancient Rome, the seat of government
JC I.i.63
This way will I: Disrobe the Images,This way will I. Disrobe the images,image (n.)
effigy, statue, sculpture
JC I.i.64
If you do finde them deckt with Ceremonies.If you do find them decked with ceremonies.ceremony (n.)
symbol of state, external sign of pomp
JC I.i.65
Mur. MARULLUS 
May we do so?May we do so? JC I.i.66
You know it is the Feast of Lupercall.You know it is the feast of Lupercal.Lupercal (n.)
in the Roman calendar, 15 February, the purification feast in honour of Lupercus, god of shepherds
JC I.i.67
Fla. FLAVIUS  
It is no matter, let no ImagesIt is no matter; let no imagesimage (n.)
effigy, statue, sculpture
JC I.i.68
Be hung with Casars Trophees: Ile about,Be hung with Caesar's trophies. I'll about,trophy (n.)

old form: Trophees
token of victory, evidence of valour
JC I.i.69
And driue away the Vulgar from the streets;And drive away the vulgar from the streets;vulgar (n.)
common people, ordinary folk
JC I.i.70
So do you too, where you perceiue them thicke.So do you too, where you perceive them thick. JC I.i.71
These growing Feathers, pluckt from Casars wing,These growing feathers plucked from Caesar's wing JC I.i.72
Will make him flye an ordinary pitch,Will make him fly an ordinary pitch,pitch (n.)
height [to which a bird of prey soars before swooping]
JC I.i.73
Who else would soare aboue the view of men,Who else would soar above the view of men,else (adv.)
otherwise
JC I.i.74
view (n.)
sight, range of vision
And keepe vs all in seruile fearefulnesse. And keep us all in servile fearfulness. JC I.i.75
ExeuntExeunt JC I.i.75
 Previous Act I, Scene I Next  
x

Jump directly to