Shakespeare's European Tragedies
Shake Shakespeare's hand and make a friend for life
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Caesar: Are we all ready? Now what is wrong that I and my senate must put right? Metellus Cimber: Most high, most mighty and most powerful Caesar I throw a humble heart before you— Caesar: I must stop you, Cimber. This bowing and scraping might impress ordinary men and turn established precedent and judgement into the law of children. Don’t be so foolish as to think that I will turn against my true nature and be thawed by that which melts fools—I mean flattery, bowing and spaniel-like fawning. Your brother was banished by law. If you bow, pray and fawn for him, I’ll kick you out of my way like a dog. You know I did no wrong and I won’t be convinced without reason. Metellus Cimber: Is there no other voice worthier than mine that can be more persuasive to make you repeal my brother’s banishment? Brutus: Caesar, I kiss your hand, not to flatter you but to urge you to repeal Publius Cimber’s banishment and give him the freedom to return immediately. Caesar: What, Brutus? Cassius: Pardon, Caesar. Caesar, pardon. I will fall as low as your feet to beg for freedom for Publius Cimber. Caesar: I could change my mind if I were like you. If I could pray to change my mind prayers would influence me but I am as constant as the North Star whose fixed stillness has no equal in the sky. The sky is painted with innumerable stars. They are all fire and every one of them shines but there is only one of them which is fixed in its position. It’s the same in the world. It’s supplied with many men and men are flesh and blood and vigilant but among them I know only one that unassailably holds fast to his rank unshaken by motion and that’s me. Let me demonstrate it like this. I was determined that Cimber should be banished and I am determined that he will remain so. Cinna: Oh, Caesar. Caesar: Go away. Do you want to lift Mt Olympus? Decius: Great Caesar. Caesar: Are you kneeling for no reason Brutus? Caska: Hands, speak for me. They stab Caesar. Caesar: You too, Brutus? Then I must fall. Caesar dies. Cinna: Liberty! Freedom! Tyranny is dead! Run out and shout it in the streets. Cassius: Some of you go to the public pulpits and shout liberty, freedom and independence. Brutus: People and senators, don’t be frightened. Don’t fly. Stand still. Ambition’s debt is paid. Caska: Go to the pulpit, Brutus. Decius: And Cassius too. Brutus: Where’s Publius? Cinna: Here; quite shocked by this coup. Metellus Cimber: Stand together in case some friend of Caesar’s should happen— Brutus: Don’t talk about standing. Publius, cheer up. No-one wants to hurt you or any other Roman so tell them Publius. Cassius: And leave us Publius in case people rushing at us do an old man like you an injury. Brutus: Do so and let no man suffer for this deed except us, the doers of it. Trebonius enters. Cassius: Where’s Anthony? Trebonius: Fled to his house in shock. Men, women and children stare, cry out and run as if it were the end of the world. Brutus: Fates, tell us what you want. We know we will die. Men can only rely on the time and the number of days it will take. Caska: The man who shortens his life by twenty years cuts off that many years of fearing death. Brutus: Accept that and death’s a benefit. So we are Caesar’s friends for shortening the time he had to fear death. Stoop Romans. Stoop and let’s bathe our hands in Caesar’s blood up to the elbows and smear our swords. Then let’s walk out to the market place and waving our red weapons over our heads let’s all cry ‘Peace, freedom and liberty.’ Cassius: Stoop then and wash. In how many future times shall this lofty scene be re-enacted in countries not yet formed and in languages not yet known? Brutus: How many times shall Caesar who now lies at the base of Pompey’s statue no worthier than the dust, bleed in drama? Cassius: As often as that happens the group of us will be called the men that gave their country liberty. Decius: Shall we go out? Cassius: Yes. Every man, go. Brutus will lead and we will grace his heels with the boldest and best Roman hearts.
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About the Book
Shakespeare’s European Tragedies is a translation of those tragedies Shakespeare set in European countries other than Great Britain. The translations stand on their own without the original text so that they may be read quickly and easily, eliminating the need to search for the meaning of every second word. They are also supplemented by notes specifi c to each play about the world in which Shakespeare lived. Jeanne Arthur’s translations bring a lively, vivid, new approach to Shakespeare’s dialogue for twenty fi rst century people. The tragedies Shakespeare set in Europe reveal his audience’s interest in the ancient Greek and Roman world. They include The Tragedy of Troylus and Cressida, which is based in part on Homer’s The Iliad, The Tragedy of Julius Caesar and The Tragedy of Anthony and Cleopatra. They also include what would have been more contemporary plays for his audience such as The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor from Venice set in the war between the Turks and Venetians over Cyprus in the fi fteenth century and The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet set in Verona, a city in Italy that was full of warring families. Old plays set in the past written in sixteenth century English come alive in this new translation written for twenty fi rst century people.
About the Author
Retirement from twenty fi ve years of teaching Drama and English gave Jeanne Arthur time to refl ect on Shakespeare’s plays and poetry and to write translations whose purpose is to create immediately accessible modern texts supported by detailed informative notes. Jeanne hopes to inspire readers of Shakespeare’s European Tragedies with her own love of the globe’s fi rst playwright and poet.