Julius Caesar: Act 2 Scene 2, Lines 58~107
Duet Acting: CheHoon Jeong (me), Seung Jin Ma (partner)
Context: At Caesar's house, the next daty when Cassius convinced Brutus to join their side to assassinate Caesar, Caesar decides not to go out to the Capitol because his wife, Calpurnia fears something bad might happen to Caesar, but Decius (conspirator) arrives to Caesar's house to fetch him to the Senate, and persuades Caesar to go out.
Significance of Passage: Their are many reasons that our group chose this passage for the duet acting performance. First of all, we chose this part as it played a crucial part in Caesar's death; if Decius (conspirator) hadn't have convinced Caesar to go out to the capitol, then Caesar would not have been killed. Second, there are very interesting literary techniques written inside this passage such as imagery and foreshadowing. For imagery, in the part where Caesar explains Calpurnia's dream, he says that his wife dreamt of his (Ceasar's) statue like a fountain sprayed hundred spouts of blood, and many Romans had come and bathed in it. This foreshadows Caesar's resolution, "Which like a fountain with an hundered spouts did run pure blood" foreshadows Caesar's death by being stabbed by the conspirators. As a result, we thought that this passage is very interesting and important in the story of "Julius Caesar" so we decided to choose this conversation between Decius (Me, Che Hoon Jeong) and Caesar (Seung Jin ma) as our duet acting performance.
DECIUS BRUTUS Caesar, all hail! Good morrow, worthy Caesar.
I come to fetch you to the Senate House.
CAESAR And you are come in very happy time,
To bear my greeting to the senators
And tell them that I will not come today:
Cannot is false; and that I dare not, falser:
I will not come today. tell them so, Decius.
CAESAR Shall Caesar send a lie?
Have I in conquest stretch'd mine arm so far,
To be afraid to tell graybeards the truth?
Decius, go tell them Caesar will not come.
DECIUS BRUTUS Most mighty Caesar, let me know some cause,
Lest I be laugh'd at when I tell them so.
CAESAR The cause is in my will: I will not come;
That is enough to satisfy the Senate.
But for your private satisfaction,
Because I love you, I will let you know:
Calpurnia here, my wife, stays me at home:
She dreamt tonight she saw my statue,
Which like a fountain with an hundred spouts,
Did run pure blood; and many lusty Romans
Came smiling, and did bathe their hands in it:
And these does she apply for warnings and portents,
And evils imminent; and on her knee
Hath begg'd that I will stay at home today.
DECIUS BRUTUS This dream is all amiss interpreted;
It was a vision fair and fortunate:
Your statue spouting blood in many pipes,
In which so many smiling Romans bathed,
Signifies that from you great Rome shall suck
Reviving blood, and that great men shall press
For tinctures, stains, relics and cognizance.
This by Calpurnia's dream is signified.
CAESAR And this way have you well expounded it.
DECIUS BRUTUS I have, when you have heard what I can say:
And know it now. The Senate have concluded
To give this day a crown to mighty Caesar.
If you shall send them word you will not come,
Their minds may change. Besides, it were a mock
Apt to be render'd, for some one to say,
'Break up the senate till another time,
When Caesar's wife shall meet with better dreams.'
If Caesar hide himself, shall they not whisper
'Lo, Caesar is afraid'?
Pardon me, Caesar; for my dear dear love
To our proceeding bids me tell you this;
And reason to my love is liable.
CAESAR How foolish do your fears seem now, Calpurnia!
I am ashamed I did yield to them.
Give me my robe, for I will go.
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