Reading Caesar VIII

Cutting deals and making friends

What happens in the immediate aftermath of the assassination:

CINNA

Liberty! Freedom! Tyranny is dead! Run hence, proclaim, cry it about the streets.

CASSIUS

Some to the common pulpits, and cry out 'Liberty, freedom, and enfranchisement!'

BRUTUS

People and senators, be not affrighted; Fly not; stand stiff: ambition's debt is paid.

CASCA

Go to the pulpit, Brutus.

DECIUS BRUTUS.

And Cassius too.

BRUTUS

Where's Publius?

CINNA

Here, quite confounded with this mutiny.

METELLUS CIMBER

Stand fast together, lest some friend of Caesar's Should chance—

BRUTUS

Talk not of standing. Publius, good cheer; There is no harm intended to your person, Nor to no Roman else: so tell them, Publius.

CASSIUS

And leave us, Publius; lest that the people, Rushing on us, should do your age some mischief.

BRUTUS

Do so: and let no man abide this deed, But we the doers.

Re-enter TREBONIUS

CASSIUS

Where is Antony?

TREBONIUS

Fled to his house amazed: Men, wives and children stare, cry out and run As it were doomsday.

We see that Antony has fled immediately; he left to go home probably fearing that he would be next – because that’s what he would do. So while Antony makes preparations we get the following scene.