Act III - Scene III

[A street.]

Enter Cinna the poet, and after him the Plebeians.

CINNA:
I dreamt tonight that I did feast with Caesar,
And things unluckily charge my fantasy.
I have no will to wander forth of doors,
Yet something leads me forth.
FIRST CITIZEN:
What is your name?(5)
SECOND CITIZEN:
Whither are you going?
THIRD CITIZEN:
Where do you dwell?
FOURTH CITIZEN:
Are you a married man or a bachelor?
SECOND CITIZEN:
Answer every man directly.
FIRST CITIZEN:
Ay, and briefly.(10)
FOURTH CITIZEN:
Ay, and wisely.
THIRD CITIZEN:
Ay, and truly, you were best.
CINNA:
What is my name? Whither am I going? Where do I dwell? Am I a married man or a bachelor? Then, to answer
every man directly and briefly, wisely and truly: wisely I say, I am a bachelor.(15)
SECOND CITIZEN:
That's as much as to say, they are fools that marry. You'll bear me a bang for that, I fear. Proceed directly.
CINNA:
Directly, I am going to Caesar's funeral.
FIRST CITIZEN:
As a friend or an enemy?(20)
CINNA:
As a friend.
SECOND CITIZEN:
That matter is answered directly.
FOURTH CITIZEN:
For your dwelling, briefly.
CINNA:
Briefly, I dwell by the Capitol.
THIRD CITIZEN:
Your name, sir, truly.(25)
CINNA:
Truly, my name is Cinna.
FIRST CITIZEN:
Tear him to pieces, he's a conspirator.
CINNA:
I am Cinna the poet, I am Cinna the poet.
FOURTH CITIZEN:
Tear him for his bad verses, tear him for his
bad verses.(30)
CINNA:
I am not Cinna the conspirator.
FOURTH CITIZEN:
It is no matter, his name's Cinna. Pluck but
his name out of his heart, and turn him going.
THIRD CITIZEN:
Tear him, tear him! Come, brands, ho, fire-.
brands To Brutus', to Cassius'; burn all. Some to Decius'(35)
house, and some to Casca's, some to Ligarius'. Away, go!

Exeunt all the Plebeians.

Act IV - Scene I
Act III - Scene II

Footnotes

  1. In this short scene, derived directly from Plutarch, Shakespeare is showing what happens when a mass of people go on a rampage. Such atrocities were a common occurrence during the French Revolution which evolved into the Reign of Terror and included the deportation or execution of clergy, the closing of churches, and the rise of cults. 

    Benjamin Franklin made a very profound statement when he said: 

    Talking against religion is unchaining a tiger; the beast let loose may worry his deliverer.**
                                                                        **

    — William Delaney

  2. Some readers have questioned the purpose and value of this brief scene, which Shakespeare borrowed from Plutarch. It would appear that Shakespeare was mainly interested in getting some more work out of the large number of extras he had to employ for producing Julius Caesar. The principal need for these extras was to serve as the mob who listen to Brutus and Antony-- especially to Antony, whose funeral speech is one of the best things Shakespeare ever conceived, if not the very best. Shakespeare wrote an opening scene for the play in which he could use his mob, and also the scene in which poor Cinna is torn to pieces by the so-called Plebeians, mainly because he had them and wanted to get more use out of them. Note that only four Plebeians have speaking parts, and they speak mainly in one-liners, such as, "What is your name?" This suggests that they are not professionals and not members of Shakespeare's company, but only extras practically picked up off the streets and dressed in crude costumes. The scene does suggest that the passions inspired by Mark Antony have spread all over Rome to men who were not present at Antony's funeral oration.

    — William Delaney