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All Site ContentJulius CaesarAct 2Scene 1
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"Stir up their servants"
Context and Language Videos
Act 2,
Scene 1
Lines 163-184a

An explanation of the phrase "stir up their servants" in Act 2, Scene 1 of myShakespeare's Julius Caesar. 

myShakespeare | Julius Caesar 2.1 Metaphor

Brutus

Our course will seem too bloody, Caius Cassius,
To cut the head off and then hack the limbs,
Like wrath in death and envy afterwards;
For Antony is but a limb of Caesar.
Let us be sacrificers, but not butchers, Caius.
We all stand up against the spirit of Caesar,
And in the spirit of men there is no blood.
O, that we then could come by Caesar's spirit,
And not dismember Caesar! But, alas,
Caesar must bleed for it.  And, gentle friends,
Let's kill him boldly, but not wrathfully;
Let's carve him as a dish fit for the gods,
Not hew him as a carcass fit for hounds.
And let our hearts, as subtle masters do,
Stir up their servants to an act of rage,
And after seem to chide 'em. This shall make
Our purpose necessary, and not envious;
Which so appearing to the common eyes,
We shall be called purgers, not murderers.
And for Mark Antony, think not of him,
For he can do no more than Caesar's arm
When Caesar's head is off.
Video Transcript: 

SERVILIA:  Here, Brutus refers to a practice that was part of the violent politics of ancient Rome. Sometimes, when a prominent figure tried to address the plebeians in the forum, he was physically attacked by the servants of a political opponent.

 

RALPH:  Of course, the opponent would publicly disavow any responsibility, and would energetically reprimand his servants for such a blatantly illegal act.

 

SERVILIA:  Brutus uses this metaphor to suggest that the conspirators should express similar hypocritical sentiments. Although they have killed Caesar, they will speak their heartfelt regret that such a bloody act has occurred.

 

RALPH:  It’s worth thinking about how this affects our opinion of Brutus.  Can he be on the side of the people and at the same time try to manipulate their opinion of him?