The facsimile opposite represents page two in Mr. William A. White's copy of the fifth quarto edition. Three copies of this edition are known to survive.

SCENE, for the Three firft Acts, and Beginning of the Fourth, in Rome; for the Remainder of the Fourth, near Sardis; for the Fifth, in the Fields of Philippi.

PINDARUS, Servant to Cassius

CALPURNIA, Wife to Cæsar
PORTIA, Wife to Brutus

Commoners, or Plebeians, of Rome; Senators, Guards,
Attendants, etc.

SCENE: Act I-Act IV, Scene i, at Rome; Act IV, Scenes ii and iii, near Sardis, in Asia Minor; Act V, the plains near Philippi, in Macedonia.]

The Tragedy of Julius Caesar

ACT FIRST

Scene One

[Rome. A Street]

Enter Flavius, Marullus, and certain Commoners over the Stage.

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?
Car. 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?

Cob. Truly, sir, in respect of a fine workman, I am but, as you would say, a cobbler.

8

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

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

12

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

Scene One S. d. Marullus; cf. n.

3 mechanical: of the laboring class

walk: go about the streets

4, 5 sign. profession: artisan's garb and implements

10 in respect of: in comparison with 12 directly: plainly, without evasion

16

11 cobbler: bungler 16 naughty: wicked, worthless

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

Mar. What mean'st thou by that? Mend me, thou saucy fellow?

Cob. Why, sir, cobble you.

Flav. Thou art a cobbler, art thou?

20

Cob. 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, in- 25 deed, 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.

Flav. But wherefore art not in thy shop to-day? Why dost thou lead these men about the streets?

Cob. 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.

29

Mar. Wherefore rejoice? What conquest brings he home?

What tributaries follow him to Rome

To grace in captive bonds his chariot wheels?

36

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 livelong day, with patient expectation,
To see great Pompey pass the streets of Rome:

17 out: out of temper

25 with awl; cf. n.

28 neat's leather: cowhide

40

44

18 be out: have hole in shoe 27 proper: goodly, worthy 35 triumph; cf. n.