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“true and honourable wife” and that he will explain “the secrets of [his] heart” in a little while. As she leaves, Lucius shows in Ligarius, who assures Brutus that he will “discard” his sickness to follow him.
ACT 2 SCENE 2
    Lines 1–59: Like Brutus, Caesar has had a troubled night. Calpurnia has dreamed three times of Caesar’s murder, calling out in her sleep. As Caesar sends a servant to the priests, instructing them to make a sacrifice to determine his success that day, Calpurnia enters. Their conversation highlights tensions between public and domestic/personal concerns, as Calpurnia begs Caesar to remain at home. She tells him of the various omens that have been seen, but Caesar argues that what is “purposed by the mighty gods” cannot be avoided, and that the “predictions” do not necessarily relate to him. Like Portia, Calpurnia kneels before her husband, asking him to send Antony to the senate to say he is unwell. He agrees.
    Lines 60–136: Decius arrives to fetch Caesar, but Caesar asks him to tell the senate he “will not come.” When Decius asks for a reason, Caesar declares that it should be enough for the senate that it is his “will” not to. He explains to Decius, however, about Calpurnia’s dream: she saw a statue of Caesar “Which, like a fountain with an hundred spouts, / Did run pure blood” that Roman citizens bathed their hands in. Decius suggests that they have misinterpreted the dream: it means that “great Rome shall suck / Reviving blood” from Caesar. Caesar is impressed by his reasoning, and Decius tells him that the senate has decided to give “a crown to mighty Caesar” today, arguing that they may change their minds if he does not go and that he will look foolish. Caesar is ashamed of yielding to Calpurnia, and decides to go. Brutus and others join the scene, coming also to fetch Caesar, who ironically refers to them as his “friends.”
ACT 2 SCENE 3
    Artemidorus reads the petition he plans to hand to Caesar, warning him against the conspirators.
ACT 2 SCENE 4
    Portia struggles between her fears for Brutus and her promise to “keep counsel.” The Soothsayer enters on his way to deliver a suit toCaesar advising him “to befriend himself” and Portia betrays her nerves as she questions him.
ACT 3 SCENE 1
    Lines 1–84: As Caesar approaches the Capitol, he observes that the “Ides of March are come” but the Soothsayer points out that they are not yet over. Artemidorus attempts to present his petition to Caesar, but he refuses to listen. The senators hustle Artemidorus away. The tension is marked as the senators worry that they have been found out. However, Trebonius draws Antony “out of the way,” and Caesar settles to hear the business of the senate. Metellus kneels and begins to flatter Caesar, asking that his brother’s banishment be repealed, but Caesar interrupts, saying that he will not hear “base spaniel-fawning,” and refuses to reconsider. One by one the senators kneel before Caesar in an ironic reversal of the true power dynamics at play, and add their word to that of Metellus. Caesar, however, says that he is as “constant as the northern star” and refuses to change his mind. When Cinna also kneels, Caesar asks if they will “lift up Olympus,” emphasizing his sense of self-importance. Casca stabs Caesar while the other conspirators rush in, following in a frenzied attack (Octavius later speaks of “Caesar’s three and thirty wounds”: 5.1.55). Brutus is the last to strike, and Caesar’s final words,
“Et tu, Bruté?,”
reveal his shock at his friend’s betrayal.
    Lines 85–159: Cinna cries out “Tyranny is dead!” and calls for it to be proclaimed in the streets. Everyone except the conspirators and Publius leaves during the chaos, including Antony, who Trebonius reports has “Fled to his house amazed.” Publius is urged to go as Brutus argues that none but those who have committed the deed shall be punished for it. He