Julius Caesar, the missing scene
Those about to die salute thee
The Arena. Large crowd shouting for blood before “miscreants” are being thrown to the lions. Six victims stand to attention at some distance from Caesar’s booth.
Alarum. Herald comes forward.
Herald
Peace ho, Caesar doth come.
Immediate silence. Caesar and train take their seats. The six victims are marched towards Caesar. Herald nods at them, and five of them rigidly march towards Caesar, right hand raised. The sixth one slouches and drags his feet.
Alarum.
Herald
Peace ho.
Five Victims
Ave mighty Caesar, those about to die salute thee.
The sixth man pulls a face and picks his nose.
Guard
What meanest thou by this, thou saucy fellow
wherefore thine fellows salute mighty Caesar
but thou obdurate churl refuse to follow?
Sixth Victim
I salute thee not master Julius say I.
Herald seizes Sixth Victim by the collar and drags him towards Caesar.
Guard
Mighty Caesar_
Caesar
Come to this side for this ear is deaf.
Herald changes direction.
Guard
Mighty Caesar_
Caesar
Spare thine breath fellow, Caesar was neither blind
nor was he deaf, he did witness the scene.
Wherefore dids’t thou not, like thine fellows
deem fit to salute Caesar before you die?
Wast thou not expecting consequences.
Sixth Victim
That I verily did master Julius,
but I am more of the Lion in fear
than of the man who order’d my quietus
a man infirm ’tis said, who’s deaf in one ear
Caesar
Infirm man? Thou brazen-faced varlet
thou knave, thou rascal, drinker of pus
how dare thee call me master Julius
when the whole world knows I am thine king
Sixth Victim
I choose to call thee what I think fit
as know my life is baseless forfeit
what pain can Caesar inflict on my physic
that would be more harsher than the lion’s claws
than being torn to shreds by his mighty jaws?
I’d as lief fight thee in the arena
Though am but a man, and not a hyena.
Caesar
Thou proud beggarly knave, thou base slave
thou clearly for a proper thrashing crave
Turns to Mark Antony
Caesar
Cans’t thou not gamesome Mark Antony,
steep’d in jollity fun and amusement
think for this knave a fitter chastisement.
Anthony
Mighty Caesar, not at the moment.
Caesar
Lean Caius, cans’t thou?
Cassius
Dread Caesar, not I neither.
Brutus
Nor I my lord.
Trebonius
Dread my lord neither can I.
Caesar
Rejoice not too soon, but list to our orders
thou shalt not on pain of death leave our borders
Until we find for thee a more painful death
and we will for sure, don’t hold your breath
Sixth Victim
So master Julius I tell thee go to hell
and until you solve the conundrum
fare thee well.
Caesar
Your reprieve old codger will be but short-lived
but before you leave here tell us thine name_
Sixth Victim
Artemidorus.
