Julius Caesar, Act 2, Scene 2

Nor heaven nor earth have been at peace tonight: Thrice hath Calphurnia in her sleep cried out, “Help, ho! They murder Caesar!” Who’s within?

Neither heaven nor earth has been at peace tonight. Three times Calphurnia has cried out in her sleep, "Help, there! They're murdering Caesar!" Who's in there?

My lord?

My lord?

Go bid the priests do present sacrifice, And bring me their opinions of success.

Go tell the priests to make a sacrifice right now, and bring me their judgement of how things will turn out.

I will, my lord.

I will, my lord.

What mean you, Caesar? Think you to walk forth? You shall not stir out of your house today.

What do you mean to do, Caesar? Are you planning to go out? You're not going to leave your house today.

Caesar shall forth. The things that threaten’d me Ne’er look’d but on my back; when they shall see The face of Caesar, they are vanished.

Caesar will go out. The things that have threatened me have only ever looked at my back; when they see Caesar's face, they'll disappear.

Caesar, I never stood on ceremonies, Yet now they fright me. There is one within, Besides the things that we have heard and seen, Recounts most horrid sights seen by the watch. A lioness hath whelped in the streets, And graves have yawn’d, and yielded up their dead; Fierce fiery warriors fight upon the clouds In ranks and squadrons and right form of war, Which drizzled blood upon the Capitol; The noise of battle hurtled in the air, Horses did neigh, and dying men did groan, And ghosts did shriek and squeal about the streets. O Caesar, these things are beyond all use, And I do fear them!

Caesar, I never used to pay attention to omens, but now they frighten me. There's a man inside who, besides the things we've heard of and seen ourselves, describes the most horrible sights that the night watch saw. A lioness gave birth in the streets, and graves opened wide and gave up their dead. Fierce fiery warriors fought on the clouds, in ranks and squadrons and proper battle formation, and blood drizzled down from them onto the Capitol. The noise of battle crashed in the air, horses neighed, and dying men groaned, and ghosts shrieked and squealed up and down the streets. Oh Caesar, these things are beyond anything normal, and I'm afraid of them!

What can be avoided Whose end is purpos’d by the mighty gods? Yet Caesar shall go forth; for these predictions Are to the world in general as to Caesar.

What can be avoided when its outcome has been decided by the mighty gods? Still, Caesar will go out; these predictions apply to the world in general as much as to Caesar.

When beggars die, there are no comets seen; The heavens themselves blaze forth the death of princes.

When beggars die, no comets are seen; the heavens themselves blaze out the death of princes.

Cowards die many times before their deaths; The valiant never taste of death but once. Of all the wonders that I yet have heard, It seems to me most strange that men should fear, Seeing that death, a necessary end, Will come when it will come.

Cowards die many times before their actual deaths; the brave taste death only once. Of all the marvels I've heard of so far, the strangest to me is that men should be afraid, since death, a necessary ending, will come when it comes.

What say the augurers?

What do the augurers say?

They would not have you to stir forth today. Plucking the entrails of an offering forth, They could not find a heart within the beast.

They'd rather you didn't go out today. When they pulled the insides out of a sacrificed animal, they couldn't find a heart inside the beast.

The gods do this in shame of cowardice: Caesar should be a beast without a heart If he should stay at home today for fear. No, Caesar shall not. Danger knows full well That Caesar is more dangerous than he. We are two lions litter’d in one day, And I the elder and more terrible, And Caesar shall go forth.

The gods do this to shame cowardice: Caesar would be a beast without a heart if he stayed at home today out of fear. No, Caesar won't. Danger knows perfectly well that Caesar is more dangerous than he is. We are two lions born on the same day, and I'm the elder and the more terrible one, and Caesar will go out.

Alas, my lord, Your wisdom is consum’d in confidence. Do not go forth today: call it my fear That keeps you in the house, and not your own. We’ll send Mark Antony to the Senate-house, And he shall say you are not well today. Let me upon my knee prevail in this.

Oh, my lord, your wisdom is being eaten up by overconfidence. Don't go out today. Say it's my fear that's keeping you in the house, not your own. We'll send Mark Antony to the Senate house, and he can say you aren't well today. Let me win this from you on my knees.

Mark Antony shall say I am not well, And for thy humour, I will stay at home.

Mark Antony will say I'm not well, and to indulge your mood I'll stay at home.

Here’s Decius Brutus, he shall tell them so.

Here's Decius Brutus; he'll tell them that.

Caesar, all hail! Good morrow, worthy Caesar. I come to fetch you to the Senate-house.

All hail, Caesar! Good morning, worthy Caesar. I've come to take you to the Senate house.

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.

And you've come at just the right moment to carry my greetings to the Senators and tell them I won't come today. That I can't come is untrue, and that I daren't is even more untrue: I will not come today. Tell them so, Decius.

Say he is sick.

Say he's sick.

Shall Caesar send a lie? Have I in conquest stretch’d mine arm so far, To be afeard to tell grey-beards the truth? Decius, go tell them Caesar will not come.

Is Caesar to send a lie? Have I reached out my arm so far in conquest only to be afraid to tell greybeards the truth? Decius, go and tell them Caesar will not come.

Most mighty Caesar, let me know some cause, Lest I be laugh’d at when I tell them so.

Most mighty Caesar, give me some reason, or I'll be laughed at when I tell them that.

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: Calphurnia 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.

The reason is that I don't want to; I will not come. That's enough to satisfy the Senate. But for your own private satisfaction, because I care for you, I'll tell you: Calphurnia here, my wife, is keeping me at home. Last night she dreamed she saw my statue, which ran with pure blood like a fountain with a hundred spouts; and many vigorous Romans came up smiling and bathed their hands in it. She takes these as warnings and omens of evils about to come, and on her knees she has begged me to stay at home today.

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 bath’d, Signifies that from you great Rome shall suck Reviving blood, and that great men shall press For tinctures, stains, relics, and cognizance. This by Calphurnia’s dream is signified.

This dream has been completely misinterpreted. It was a fine and fortunate vision. Your statue spouting blood from many pipes, with so many smiling Romans bathing in it, means that great Rome will suck reviving blood from you, and that great men will crowd in for colourings, stains, relics and badges. That's what Calphurnia's dream means.

And this way have you well expounded it.

And you've explained it well that way.

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 someone 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 your proceeding bids me tell you this, And reason to my love is liable.

I have, once you've heard what else I can say. So hear it now. The Senate have decided to give mighty Caesar a crown today. If you send them word you won't come, they may change their minds. Besides, it would make a good joke for someone to say, "Dismiss the Senate till another time, when Caesar's wife has better dreams." If Caesar hides himself away, won't they whisper, "Look, Caesar is afraid"? Forgive me, Caesar; it's my very deep love for your advancement that makes me tell you this, and my reason gives way to my love.

How foolish do your fears seem now, Calphurnia! I am ashamed I did yield to them. Give me my robe, for I will go.

How foolish your fears look now, Calphurnia! I'm ashamed that I gave in to them. Give me my robe, because I'm going.

And look where Publius is come to fetch me.

And look, here's Publius come to fetch me.

Good morrow, Caesar.

Good morning, Caesar.

Welcome, Publius. What, Brutus, are you stirr’d so early too? Good morrow, Casca. Caius Ligarius, Caesar was ne’er so much your enemy As that same ague which hath made you lean. What is’t o’clock?

Welcome, Publius. What, Brutus, are you up so early too? Good morning, Casca. Caius Ligarius, Caesar was never as much your enemy as that fever which has made you thin. What time is it?

Caesar, ’tis strucken eight.

Caesar, it has struck eight.

I thank you for your pains and courtesy.

Thank you for your trouble and your courtesy.

See! Antony, that revels long a-nights, Is notwithstanding up. Good morrow, Antony.

Look! Antony, who stays up feasting late into the night, is up all the same. Good morning, Antony.

So to most noble Caesar.

And good morning to most noble Caesar.

Bid them prepare within. I am to blame to be thus waited for. Now, Cinna; now, Metellus; what, Trebonius! I have an hour’s talk in store for you: Remember that you call on me today; Be near me, that I may remember you.

Tell them inside to get ready. I'm at fault for keeping everyone waiting like this. Now, Cinna; now, Metellus; and you, Trebonius! I have an hour's conversation saved up for you. Remember to visit me today; stay near me, so I don't forget you.

Caesar, I will. [Aside.] and so near will I be, That your best friends shall wish I had been further.

Caesar, I will. [Aside.] And I'll be so near that your best friends will wish I'd been further away.

Good friends, go in, and taste some wine with me; And we, like friends, will straightway go together.

Good friends, come inside and have some wine with me; and then we'll go along together, like friends.

[Aside.] That every like is not the same, O Caesar, The heart of Brutus yearns to think upon.

[Aside.] That everything which seems alike is not the same, oh Caesar — the heart of Brutus aches to think about it.