Julius Caesar

Casca and Cicero meet at night during a storm and remark upon the strange, almost supernatural occurrences Cicero has seen. Cicero leaves, and Casca walks around in the storm with an open shirt. He then meets Cassius. Cassius appears to have very little concern for his safety, and explains that he feels threatened only by Caesar’s rise, not by the gods. Casca tells Cassius that a group of senators plan to make Caesar king the next day, and Cassius vows to commit suicide before becoming a subject of Caesar’s.

It's a festival day in Rome. Caesar, in front of Brutus and Cassius, instructs his wife, Calpurnia, to stand in the way of Mark Antony as he runs a traditional footrace, so that he may touch her and restore her fertility, according to a Roman superstition. A soothsayer appears and warns Caesar that he must beware the 15th of March. Caesar dismisses him and leaves Brutus and Cassius alone.

Two representatives of the Roman government, Marullus and Flavius, confront a crowd of commoners and demand to know why they are celebrating. A witty cobbler and a carpenter explain that they are celebrating the recent military victory of Julius Caesar over a rival in the Roman government, Pompey. Flavius chastises the commoners for their fickle loyalty, and he and Marullus decide to tear down decorations that were put up to celebrate Caesar’s victory.