Part 56 (2/2)

Yet something leads me forth.

_1. Plebeian._ What is your name?

_2. Plebeian._ Whither are you going?

_3. Plebeian._ Where do you dwell?

_4. Plebeian._ Are you a married man or a bachelor?

_2. Plebeian._ Answer every man directly.

_1. Plebeian._ Ay, and briefly.

_4. Plebeian._ Ay, and wisely.

_3. Plebeian._ Ay, and truly, you were best.

_Cinna._ What is my name? Whither am I going? Where do I dwell? Am I a married man or a bachelor? Then, to answer every man directly and briefly, wisely and truly: wisely I say, I am a bachelor.

_2. 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.

_Cinna._ Directly, I am going to Caesar's funeral.

_1. Plebeian._ As a friend or an enemy?

_Cinna._ As a friend.

_2. Plebeian._ That matter is answered directly.

_4. Plebeian._ For your dwelling,--briefly.

_Cinna._ Briefly, I dwell by the Capitol.

_3. Plebeian._ Your name, sir, truly.

_Cinna._ Truly, my name is Cinna.

_1. Plebeian._ Tear him to pieces; he's a conspirator.

_Cinna._ I am Cinna the poet, I am Cinna the poet.

_4. Plebeian._ Tear him for his bad verses, tear him for his bad verses.

_Cinna._ I am not Cinna the conspirator.

_4. Plebeian._ It is no matter, his name's Cinna. Pluck but his name out of his heart and turn him going.

_3. Plebeian._ Tear him, tear him! Come, brands, ho! fire-brands! To Brutus', to Ca.s.sius'; burn all! Some to Decius' house, and some to Casca's; some to Lingarius'. Away, go! (_Exeunt._)[10]

It may almost be stated as a general principle that a.s.signing a speech is the first step in focusing the attention of an audience on that speech. The value of such focusing has been discussed earlier under ”Characterization.” In exceptional cases, as the citation from _The Treasure_ shows, there may be some justification for una.s.signed speeches, but in ninety-nine cases out of a hundred, when any lines of the play seem not to need a.s.signing to any particular person, they lack the characterization which belongs to them.

<script>