Reading Caesar IX

Or why brute is another way of saying stupid

Enter BRUTUS and CASSIUS, and a throng of Citizens

CITIZENS

We will be satisfied; let us be satisfied.

BRUTUS

Then follow me, and give me audience, friends. Cassius, go you into the other street, And part the numbers. Those that will hear me speak, let 'em stay here; Those that will follow Cassius, go with him; And public reasons shall be rendered Of Caesar's death.

FIRST CITIZEN

I will hear Brutus speak.

SECOND CITIZEN

I will hear Cassius; and compare their reasons, When severally we hear them rendered.

Exit CASSIUS, with some of the Citizens. BRUTUS goes into the pulpit

THIRD CITIZEN

The noble Brutus is ascended: silence!

We are now at the speeches scene.

• We see from the outset that the plebs, the citizens, want to be given reasons, they want a justification for what has happened.

• Here we again get to see Brutus’s prudence in action: he decides to split the plebians – half stay with him and half go with Cassius. We do not get to hear Cassius’s speech, we don’t know what he said to the people, nor do those who hear what Cassius has to say get to hear Antony. We do, however, see the effect of Cassius’s speech: there is a civil war in Rome for the next several weeks. Whatever Cassius said to the people was sufficient to convince them the conspirators were in the right.

Now we get to hear most noble Brutus justify their actions to the people: