Julius Caesar: Act 3, Scene 3 Translation

A side-by-side translation of Act 3, Scene 3 of Julius Caesar from the original Shakespeare into modern English.

Original Text	Translated Text
Source: Folger Shakespeare Library
Enter Cinna the poet and after him the Plebeians. CINNA I dreamt tonight that I did feast with Caesar, And things unluckily charge my fantasy. I have no will to wander forth of doors, Yet something leads me forth. FIRST PLEBEIAN What is your name? 5 SECOND PLEBEIAN Whither are you going? THIRD PLEBEIAN Where do you dwell? FOURTH PLEBEIAN Are you a married man or a bachelor? SECOND PLEBEIAN Answer every man directly. 10 FIRST PLEBEIAN Ay, and briefly. FOURTH PLEBEIAN Ay, and wisely. THIRD PLEBEIAN Ay, and truly, you were best.	The poet Cinna, who is traveling the streets, gets caught up by the mob. The mobbers ask him a bunch of questions and demand quick and direct answers.
CINNA What is my name? Whither am I going? Where do I dwell? Am I a married man or a bachelor? 15 Then to answer every man directly and briefly, wisely and truly: wisely I say, I am a bachelor. SECOND PLEBEIAN That’s as much as to say they are fools that marry. You’ll bear me a bang for that, I fear. Proceed directly. 20 CINNA Directly, I am going to Caesar’s funeral. FIRST PLEBEIAN As a friend or an enemy? CINNA As a friend. SECOND PLEBEIAN That matter is answered directly. FOURTH PLEBEIAN For your dwelling—briefly. 25 CINNA Briefly, I dwell by the Capitol.	Cinna answers their first question, whether he's married or single, by saying he's wisely single. The Second Plebian, who must be married, takes offense and says he's going to smack Cinna for that answer, but he wants to hear the rest of his answers first. Cinna continues, explaining that he's on his way to Caesar's funeral and that he lives by the Capitol.
THIRD PLEBEIAN Your name, sir, truly. CINNA Truly, my name is Cinna. FIRST PLEBEIAN Tear him to pieces! He’s a conspirator. CINNA I am Cinna the poet, I am Cinna the poet! 30 FOURTH PLEBEIAN Tear him for his bad verses, tear him for his bad verses! CINNA I am not Cinna the conspirator. FOURTH PLEBEIAN It is no matter. His name’s Cinna. Pluck but his name out of his heart, and turn him 35 going. THIRD PLEBEIAN Tear him, tear him! Come, brands, ho, firebrands! To Brutus’, to Cassius’, burn all! Some to Decius’ house, and some to Casca’s, some to Ligarius’. Away, go! 40 All the Plebeians exit, carrying off Cinna.	It's when Cinna gives them his name that the real trouble starts. The mob confuses him with Cinna the conspirator. He tries to explain that they've got the wrong guy, but the mob has no mercy. They decide to tear him to pieces anyway for his bad poetry. As they drag him offstage, they list the names of the conspirators whose houses they're off to pillage and burn.