# Scene I explained — Julius Caesar

> Chapter companion for Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare.

## What happens

Flavius and Marullus, two tribunes, confront commoners celebrating Caesar's triumph. They rebuke the crowd for their fickle loyalty, reminding them of their former devotion to Pompey. The tribunes then plan to remove decorations from Caesar's statues to curb his rising power.

## Themes in this chapter

### The Mob and Populism

The commoners are portrayed as fickle and easily swayed, shifting their allegiance from Pompey to Caesar.

### Ambition and Power

Flavius and Marullus fear Caesar's growing ambition and attempt to curb his influence by removing his decorations.

## Character check-ins

### Flavius

A tribune who scolds the commoners for celebrating Caesar and orders the removal of Caesar's trophies.

### Marullus

A tribune who rebukes the commoners for their ingratitude toward Pompey and their fickle support of Caesar.

## Key lines

> Wherefore rejoice? What conquest brings he home? What tributaries follow him to Rome, To grace in captive bonds his chariot-wheels?

Why are you celebrating? What victory has Caesar achieved? What prisoners of war are being led in chains behind his chariot?

_Marullus questions the reason for the celebration, implying Caesar's triumph is over fellow Romans, not foreign enemies._

> These growing feathers pluck'd from Caesar's wing Will make him fly an ordinary pitch, Who else would soar above the view of men And keep us all in servile fearfulness.

If we remove these signs of support from Caesar, he will not be able to rise too high and dominate us all in fear.

_Flavius uses a metaphor of a bird to express the tribunes' fear of Caesar's potential tyranny._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/julius_caesar_se/chapters/act-i-scene-i
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/julius_caesar_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/julius_caesar_se/chapters