The context of my passage is of Marullus and Flavius, two tribunes of the Roman Senate, talking about how Caesar has been carefully planning his every move so he can become an idol to the people of Rome. In their eyes, Caesar is gaining to much power and too easily influencing the people of Rome, like a wolf to a flock of sheep. For example Flavius said to Marullas "It is no matter; let no images Be hung with Caesar’s trophies. I’ll about And drive away the vulgar from the streets; So do you too, where you perceive them thick. These growing feathers pluck’d from Caesar’s wing Will make him fly an ordinary pitch, Who else would soar above the view of men And keep us all in servile fearfulness." This shows that Caesar has too much power and he is compared to a dangerous vulture gliding over head the Roman People, making them prey to their fear.
The reason my partner and I picked this is because of it's significance to the story... This passage is foreshadowing what Caesar may do if he continues to grow in power and what greatness Rome will be without his authority or command. It also shows that there is internal conflict in the Republic with Caesar as it's cause.
Page 22-24, Scene 1, Lines 33-75
Marullus: Where fore rejoice? What conquest brings he home? what tributaries follow him to Rome, To grace in captive bonds his chariot wheels? You blocks, you stones, you worse than senseless things! O you hard hearts, you cruel men of Rome, Knew you not Pompey? Many a time and oft Have you clim'b up to walls and battlements, To towers and windows, yea,to chimney-tops, Your infants in your arms, and there have sat The livelong day, with patient expectation, To see great Pompey pass the streets of Rome: Have you not made an universal shout, That Tiber trembled underneath her banks To hear the replication of your sounds Made in her concave shores? And do you now put on your best attire? And do you now cull out a holiday? And do you now strew flowers in his way, That comes in triumph over Pompey’s blood? Be gone! Run to your houses, fall upon your knees, Pray to the gods to intermit the plague That needs must light on this ingratitude.
Flavius: Go, go, good countrymen, and for this fault Assemble all the poor men of your sort; Draw them to the Tiber banks, and weep your tears Into the channel, till the lowest stream Do kiss the most exalted shores of all.
(Exeunt all the Commoners)
See where their basest mettle be not mov’d; They vanish tongue-ties in their guiltiness. Go you down that way towards the Capitol; This way will I Disrobe the images, If you do find them deck’d with ceremonies.
Marullus: May we do so? You know it is the feast of Lupercal.
Flavius: It is no matter; let no images Be hung with Caesar’s trophies. I’ll about And drive away the vulgar from the streets; So do you too, where you perceive them thick. These growing feathers pluck’d from Caesar’s wing Will make him fly an ordinary pitch, Who else would soar above the view of men And keep us all in fearfulness.
My partner in this duet is Ryan Scott
