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.
