Julius Caesar

by: William Shakespeare

Act 1 Scene 1

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Original Text	Modern Text
Enter FLAVIUS, MURELLUS, a CARPENTER, a COBBLER, and certain other COMMONERS over the stage	FLAVIUS and MURELLUS enter and speak to a CARPENTER, a COBBLER, and some other commoners.
FLAVIUS Hence! Home, you idle creatures get you home! Is this a holiday? What, know you not, Being mechanical, you ought not walk Upon a laboring day without the sign 5Of your profession?—Speak, what trade art thou?	FLAVIUS Get out of here! Go home, you lazy men. What, is today a holiday? Don’t you know that working men aren’t supposed to walk around on a workday without wearing their work clothes? You there, speak up. What’s your occupation?
CARPENTER Why, sir, a carpenter.	CARPENTER I’m a carpenter, sir.
MURELLUS Where is thy leather apron and thy rule? What dost thou with thy best apparel on? —You, sir, what trade are you?	MURELLUS Where are your leather apron and your ruler? What are you doing, wearing your best clothes? And you, sir, what’s your trade?
COBBLER 10Truly, sir, in respect of a fine workman, I am but, as you would say, a cobbler.	COBBLER Well, compared to a fine workman, you might call me a mere cobbler.
MURELLUS But what trade art thou? Answer me directly.	MURELLUS But what’s your trade? Answer me straightforwardly.
COBBLER A trade, sir, that I hope I may use with a safe conscience, which is, indeed, sir, a mender of bad soles.	COBBLER It is a trade, sir, that I practice with a clear conscience. I am a mender of worn soles.
MURELLUS 15What trade, thou knave? Thou naughty knave, what trade?	MURELLUS What trade, boy? You insolent rascal, what trade?
COBBLER Nay, I beseech you, sir, be not out with me. Yet, if you be out, sir, I can mend you.	COBBLER Sir, please, don’t be angry. But if your soles are worn out, I can mend you.
MURELLUS What mean’st thou by that? “Mend” me, thou saucy fellow?	MURELLUS What do you mean by that? “Mend” me, you impertinent fellow?!

Read the Summary of Act I, scene i

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