Julius Caesar

by: William Shakespeare

Act 2 Scene 2

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Original Text	Modern Text
Thunder and lightning Enter Julius CAESAR in his nightgown	Thunder and lightning. CAESAR enters in his nightgown.
CAESAR Nor heaven nor earth have been at peace tonight. Thrice hath Calphurnia in her sleep cried out, “Help, ho! They murder Caesar!”—Who’s within?	CAESAR Neither the sky nor the earth have been quiet tonight. Calphurnia cried out three times in her sleep, “Help, someone! They’re murdering Caesar!” Who’s there?
Enter a SERVANT	A SERVANT enters.
SERVANT My lord.	SERVANT My lord?
CAESAR 5Go bid the priests do present sacrifice And bring me their opinions of success.	CAESAR Go tell the priests to perform a sacrifice immediately, and bring me their interpretation of the results.
SERVANT I will, my lord.	SERVANT I will, my lord.
Exit SERVANT	The SERVANT exits.
Enter CALPHURNIA	CALPHURNIA enters.
CALPHURNIA What mean you, Caesar? Think you to walk forth? You shall not stir out of your house today.	CALPHURNIA What are you doing, Caesar? Are you planning to go out? You’re not leaving the house today.
CAESAR 10Caesar shall forth. The things that threatened me Ne'er looked but on my back. When they shall see The face of Caesar, they are vanishèd.	CAESAR I will go out. The things that threaten me have only seen my back. When they see the face of Caesar, they will vanish.
CALPHURNIA Caesar, I never stood on ceremonies, Yet now they fright me. There is one within, 15Besides the things that we have heard and seen, Recounts most horrid sights seen by the watch. A lioness hath whelpèd in the streets, And graves have yawned and yielded up their dead.	CALPHURNIA Caesar, I never believed in omens, but now they frighten me. A servant told me the night-watchmen saw horrid sights too, but different ones from what we heard and saw. A lioness gave birth in the streets, and graves cracked open and thrust out their dead.

Read the Summary of Act II, scenes ii–iv

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