SERVILIA: Welcome to the show, everyone. It is so nice to have you all here. 

CAESAR: Thank you for having us. 

CALPURNIA: Thank you. 

ANTONY: Thank you. 

SERVILIA: Ladies first, you are Calpurnia, wife of Caesar. 

CALPURNIA: That's right. 

ANTONY: And you, sir, Mark Antony—a great friend of Caesar, which brings us to you. Last, but certainly not least—the illustrious Caesar himself. It is an honor to have you in the studio, sir. 

CAESAR: Guilty as charged. I am the great Caesar. Have we met? 

SERVILIA: Oh, no. I'm sorry. My name Servilia. 

CALPURNIA: A wonderful name. We know many Servilias. You know, Brutus' mother is name Servilia. 

CAESAR: I'm well-aware. 

ANTONY: Who is also Cassius' mother-in-law, of course. 

CALPURNIA: And Cato's half-sister. 

SERVILIA: Oh, my. I'll be interviewing Brutus and Cassius today as well. Small world. 

CAESAR: The Roman Empire is vast, as I'm sure you must know, Servilia. But it's ruled by just a small group of like-minded men. 

SERVILIA: Like-minded? 

CAESAR: For the most part. We all want what's good for Rome even if we don't always agree on what that is. And your second name if I may ask? 

SERVILIA: Oh, Plutarch. Servilia Plutarch. 

CAESAR: I don't think we know the Plutarchs. Do we, dear? 

CALPURNIA: No, I don't think so. 

SERVILIA: Well, the Plutarchs are very interested in you, sir. 

CAESAR: Isn't everybody? 

SERVILIA: Well, thank you for taking the time. I know it's an incredibly busy day. You, sir, have just finished your triumphal procession through Rome. Congratulations. As I understand it, this is how you Romans celebrate a major victory? 

CAESAR: That's right, Servilia. The defeat of Pompey's remaining rebel forces was a major victory indeed. Rome is safe. And Rome is united. I'm told that this interview will be watched by millions somehow. Is that right? 

SERVILIA: That's right, millions of fans. 

CAESAR: Would you mind? 

SERVILIA: Be my guest. 

CAESAR: Thanks to Caesar, Rome is safe. And Rome is united. Thank you. 

SERVILIA: Not at all. Now, these triumphs, as you call them, I was told that they tend to be reserved for the defeat of foreign armies and are meant to display the wealth and slaves that you're bringing home to Rome. But this was more of a civil war, wasn't it? 

CAESAR: I'm not sure I understand the distinction, Servilia. Pompey's armies were an enemy of Rome as much as any foreign power. And now he's been defeated by Caesar. 

SERVILIA: All right, just asking. People certainly seem excited. You can't deny that. And as we catch you now, you and your entourage are on your way to the celebration of the Feast of the Lupercal. And I know you have something to say to Calpurnia, so don't let me get in your way. 

CAESAR: In fact, I do. Calpurnia, my dear. 

CALPURNIA: Yes, my lord? 

SERVILIA: My lord? Sounds a little formal. He is your husband, right? 

CALPURNIA: Yes, he is. And as my husband, as well as the great Caesar himself, he is deserving of great respect. Yes, my lord. 

CAESAR: When Antonius runs the race, I want to make sure you stand directly in his way. 

SERVILIA: Sorry, quick question. He just called you Antonius. Did I say your name wrong? 

ANTONY: No, no. Marcus Antonius, Mark Antony, Antony—it's all good. 

SERVILIA: And it sounds like you're prepared to run a race, which explains the stuff you're wearing. 

ANTONY: That's right, just for the festivities. 

SERVILIA: And you want your wife to stand in his way? 

CAESAR: I know you'll be running fast. But don't forget to touch Calpurnia when you run by. The elders say that a barren woman who is touched by a runner in this holy race will have her barrenness cured. 

SERVILIA: Oh, trying to have children, are you? And what makes you think it's her fault? 

CAESAR: Sorry? 

SERVILIA: It sounds like the great Caesar's a little superstitious, huh? 

CAESAR: Superstitious. 

SERVILIA: Yeah. I mean, touched by some guy running a race and all of a sudden you can get pregnant, that sounds a little unlikely. 

ANTONY: Superstitious or not, when Caesar says to do something, it's done. 

CAESAR: That's what I like to hear, Antony. Let's get going then, shall we? 

SERVILIA: Just one more thing. Just as you're heading out, you hear a shrill voice calling out in the crowd. It definitely gets your attention. 

CAESAR: Who is it? 

SERVILIA: Apparently, it's a soothsayer, which I guess means a guy who can see into the future. 

CAESAR: We know what a soothsayer is. What does he say? 

SERVILIA: Well, as Brutus himself puts it, a soothsayer bids you beware the Ides of March. 

CAESAR: Beware the Ides of March? 

SERVILIA: Yes. And what is the Ides of March exactly? 

ANTONY: It just means the 15th of March. And today is, what, the 14th I think? I think today is the 14th. 

CAESAR: Where is this soothsayer? I want him to say this to my face. 

SERVILIA: Well, that's what happens, actually. Cassius summons the guy to come right in front of you. 

CAESAR: And what does he have to say to me now, face to face with Caesar? 

SERVILIA: He says the same thing, beware the Ides of March. 

CAESAR: He does to my face? 

SERVILIA: Yup. 

CAESAR: He's a dreamer. Let's go. 

SERVILIA: That's it? I thought you were a superstitious guy. 

CAESAR: No matter. We have a celebration to get to. 

SERVILIA: All right, all right, let's just skip ahead a bit. I just have a few more questions. It's after the race. You come passing through this area again when you notice Cassius from a distance. 

CAESAR: Right, Cassius. Antony? 

ANTONY: Yes, Caesar. 

CAESAR: I want to make sure that people who are close to me are fat, not like that Cassius guy. He has a lien and hungry look. And he thinks too much. Guys like that are dangerous. 

SERVILIA: Slender people are dangerous? 

CAESAR: Well, if someone's fat, it's a sign that they're satisfied with life. They're probably getting the things that they want. Lean people are hungry people. And you can never be sure what they're hungry for. 

ANTONY: You don't have to worry about him, Caesar. He's not dangerous. He's a noble Roman. 

CAESAR: Yeah. But if he were just a little fatter—and I'm not afraid. Though, if Caesar were afraid of somebody, it would be that guy. 

SERVILIA: Why is that? 

CAESAR: Well, for one thing, he reads too much. 

SERVILIA: That's a problem? 

CAESAR: It's not good. Head stuck in a book, always thinking about things, can't be any good. And he's always trying to look deeply into people, get at their real motives. Scary, right? 

SERVILIA: I suppose. 

CAESAR: And he never goes to the theater, not like this guy. This guy loves the theater. 

SERVILIA: OK. Now, that I understand. I, too, love the theater. 

CAESAR: See? I knew I could trust you, unlike that Cassius. Doesn't listen to music either. 

SERVILIA: OK. Now, I'm starting to get the picture. Who doesn't like to listen to music? 

CAESAR: Right? And he hardly ever smiles. And when he does smile, he's almost smiling as if he's mocking himself for almost having smiled. It's guys like this who can never be comfortable around someone greater than themselves. 

SERVILIA: You mean around you? 

CAESAR: For example. Anyway, that's why guys like this are dangerous. Now, I'm only telling you what should be feared, not that I'm feeling afraid. For I am Cesar. 

SERVILIA: I'm starting to understand how this works. 

CAESAR: Antony, come sit on my right, for this ear is deaf, and tell me what you really think of Cassius. 

SERVILIA: You're deaf in one ear? 

CAESAR: Yes, what of it? 

SERVILIA: I don't know. Great Caesar and all that, it seems like you're just a regular guy in a lot of ways. 

CAESAR: Regular guy? 

ANTONY: You should really watch what you say, miss. 

SERVILIA: Look, I've only known you for a few minutes. But it seems like there's two different Caesars. There's the public Caesar, the one that won the battle and who everyone is crazy about and who refers to himself as Caesar. And then there's you, the human being, the one whose wife and he maybe can't have a baby and who's deaf in one ear and who's maybe just a little bit afraid of Cassius. 

CAESAR: Are you done yet? I think Caesar has heard enough. I don't have to be here, you know. 

SERVILIA: No, no. Of course, not. We can stop there. I love your necklace. 

CALPURNIA: Oh, thank you. It's from Spain, actually.