Hello everyone, welcome to Nilanjana's exclusive English lessons. Today we are going to discuss Act 1, Scene 3 of Julius Caesar. In Scene 3, Casca encounters Cicero, who is a senator, writer and orator. And he informs him about the unusual omens that he has seen and he also interprets them as an indication of an impending civil war.
So here in this part, we are going to discuss the conversation between Cicero and Casca. The scene takes place again in a street in Rome amidst a lot of thunder and lightning. Cicero, good evening Casca, brought you Caesar home, why are you breathless and why stare you so? So Cicero greets Casca and tells that why are you so breathless and why are you staring in such a you know strange manner? Casca, are not you moved when all the sway of earth shakes like a thing, unformed?
Oh Cicero! I have seen tempest when the scolding winds have rived the naughty oaks and I have seen the ambitious oceans swell and rage and form to be exalted with the threatening clouds but never till tonight never till now did I go through a tempest dropping fire either there's civil strife in heaven or else the world too saucy with the gods incenses them to send destruction so what does Casca say over here he tells that Are you not moved? Are you not affected? Why? Because the entire earth is shaking as if it is really unsteady.
The earth is shaking like a thing unfirm. Oh Cicero, I have seen tempest when the scolding winds have rived the naughty oaks. So he tells Cicero that he has seen violent storms in the past. Tempest refers to violent storm. When the scolding winds have basically torn apart the sturdy oak trees.
Colding winds refers to very powerful winds, the gusty wind. And I have seen that the wind tearing apart the oak tree. Now the oak tree is believed to be very strong and sturdy.
I have seen even such situations. And I have also seen the ambitious ocean swell and rage and foam. So I have seen situations when the ocean swelled and it was very angry and it has formed to such an extent that it was actually meeting the threatening clouds.
So imagine a situation when the ocean is rising to such an extent that it seems to meet the clouds. So he tells that he has seen, he has experienced all these situations. However, the experience that he has that night has surpassed everything. But never till tonight, never till now did I go through a tempest dropping fire.
So I have never seen a situation where I have seen the violent storm dropping fire. Either there is a civil strife in heaven or else the world too saucy with the gods. So what does he interpret this strange happenings to be?
So according to him, probably there is a civil war in heaven. There's a war in heaven where gods are not at peace or else the world too saucy with the gods. Now too saucy with the gods refers to?
They are too disrespectful with the gods. Okay. So this is the reason that it is basically telling the heaven to send destruction.
These are the things that Casca tells Cicero. Cicero, why? Saw you anything more wonderful?
I mean, did you see something really stranger than this? Yes. So now he tells which are the things that he has seen over here.
A common slave. You know him well by sight. So probably a...
somebody who he knows held up his left hand which did flame and burn like 20 torches joint so as he has seen a man who was actually holding the left hand and the hand was he has seen a man who was holding up his left hand and the hand was burning it was covered in flames like 20 torches joint that means the flame was so intense it was as if like you when you join 20 torches together that That kind of an intensity of flame still did not affect his hand. His hand was left unburned, unscorched. And yet his hand not sensible of fire. Somehow still the hand was not sensible to the fire. Means the hand did not feel the fire.
It remained unscorched. So it remained unhurt. Besides this, he has also seen something else. Besides, I have not since put up my sword against the capital. I met a lion.
So he tells that even not only that. But even I have seen in the capital, I've seen a lion suddenly. Now, in the middle of the street, if you see a lion, it's very unusual, right? Lion is a wild animal and it's supposed to be obviously in the jungle.
And suddenly when you see a lion walking up and down the street, and not only that, the lion glazed upon me, means it just looked upon me and went slowly by without annoying me. So the lion has not even attacked me, just walked without harming me. And since then, I have not even put up my sword, means I have not even sheathed my sword. And there were drawn upon a heap, a hundred ghastly women transformed with their fear.
Not only that, I also saw... almost 100 women, okay, 100 women refers to a group of women together and somehow they were clustered together and they were very scared, transformed with their fear. And why they were scared?
Who swore they saw men all in fire walk up and down the street. So they saw men who were walking up and down the street and they were completely engulfed in fire. And not only that, one more incident which he narrates is, and yesterday the bird of night now who is the bird of night i'm sure you all know it's the owl okay it's a nocturnal bird which is active mainly in the night so yesterday i have also seen an owl who was sitting at noonday upon the marketplace i mean how is that possible usually owls are never seen in the daytime but i have seen an owl who was sitting right upon the marketplace and hooting and shrieking so that you know it is noticeable When these prodigies do so conjointly meet. So what he tells is when all these strange things, when all these strange things happen at the same time, let not men say these are their reasons and they are natural. So when all these things happen together at the same time, you know, there is something wrong.
So the, and when people say that, you know, these are all natural things because they cannot be natural. For I believe they are potentious things unto the climate that they point upon. So he tells that these are the reasons why these happenings were visible. Basically, they are all omens.
Now, what are omens? It's an evil sign. Okay, this is some kind of an evil indication, an unlucky situation that may come forth.
So this is an indication of the omen and it is giving us an idea or a hint what is going to happen. in the future. So, unto the climate that they point upon refers to the situation that may occur in the future.
So, these are the things that Kaskar tells Cicero. Yes, my dear students, please, if you think that this channel is helping you and those who are coming to my channel for the first time, my name is Nilanjana Sarkar and I create content for ICSC, ISC as well as CBSC and on my channel you will find a number of videos related to to the new syllabus of ICSC. And if you think that you are getting benefited with the explanation, do subscribe to the channel and hit the bell notification. And yes, thank you for the subscriptions.
I have, I'm really glad and I'm filled with gratitude because I have seen that many of you have already subscribed. And for those, those who have not yet, please go and hit the bell icon so that you don't miss out the uploads. All right. Yes, this was, I just wanted to mention to you.
let's get back cicero indeed it is a strange disposed time so he tells that yes indeed it is really a strange disposed time that means it's really a strange time that we are all witnessing but men may constitute things after their fashion clean from the purpose of the things themselves again very meaningful lines so he tells that men often interpret things constitute things means that men often interpret things for their own purpose. You know, we may take out a meaning as what is going on in our mind. So men interpret things for their own purpose and actually they misunderstand the actual meaning.
Sometimes they are not able to understand the actual meaning and they tend to interpret things as per their own thought process. Next it asks, comes Caesar to the capital tomorrow? So is Caesar coming to the capital tomorrow? casca he does for he did bid antonius send word to you he would be there tomorrow so here we come to know that next day he would be coming to the capital as caesar had informed antonius cesaro good night then casca this disturbed sky is not to walk in so he tells that yes let me uh take leave today because the weather is not at all suitable the weather is very disturbed and it's not safe to walk in um roam about In this kind of a strange weather.
Farewell Cicero. And after this he exits. Next we have Cassius who enters the. scene enter Cassius who's there a Roman Casca by a voice so he understand that it was Casca your ear is good Cassius what night is this Cassius very uh you know strangely he just said oh it's a very pleasing night to honest men now you know he he doesn't speak in a very straightforward manner over here so Casca tells whoever knew the heavens menance so so he tells that uh I mean I was not even aware and I think Many of us like me, we are not even aware that the heavens can be so threatening. It can be so dangerous, Cassius.
Those that have known the earth so full of faults, for my part, I have walked about the streets, submitting me unto the perilous night. So he tells that yes, there are people, those who have actually understood that why the heavens are so threatening. Those that have known the earth so full of false, so that means those who have known that how bad things are there on earth, for them it is not at all unusual. For my part, I have walked about the streets submitting me unto the perilous night.
For me, I feel that the night is not at all dangerous because I have walked around the streets quite comfortably without being scared. And not only that, I have exposed myself to this dangerous night. So that means I have walked with my...
myself unbraced. Unbraced refers to basically I have exposed myself and I have unbuttoned my jacket, baring my chest, bared my bosom to the thunderstorm. And when the cross blue lightning seemed to open the breast of heaven, I did present myself even in the aim and very flash of it. So he tells that for me, it is not at all dangerous because I have exposed myself to this dangerous night.
How? I have unbuttoned my jacket. I have bared my bosom means I have unbuttoned my jacket. And this is how I have exposed myself to the thunderstorm.
Thunderstorm refers to the thunderstorm. And when the cross blew lightning, when the sky was filled with lightning, it seemed to open. It's basically seemed to open the rip off the sky. I did present myself even in the aim and very flash of it. So I even went and exposed myself.
posed myself because it did not make me scared at all but wherefore did you so much tempt the heavens it is the part of men to fear and tremble when the most mighty gods by tokens send such dreadful heralds to astonish us so cast cutters but why why have you tempted the heavens you know because exposing yourself to this weather when the sky is filled with lightning and it's so dangerous to move around in the street that also with your uh jacket unbuttoned what caused you to do such an act why have you tempted the heavens to come and attack you because it's natural of men it's the part of men means it's very natural for men to fear and tremble when the gods are angry now see these kind of so these kind of happenings are indicative of the fact that gods are angry and when the mighty gods the powerful gods are angry they send such dreadful dreadful heralds Means these are signs and they are so dreadful to astonish us, to scare us. Because this is a sign that the gods are angry with the people on the earth. Cassius, you are dull, Casca. And those sparks of light that should be in a Roman, you do want or else you use not. So he tells that, you know what, you're very dull.
You don't have the kind of intelligence to understand that what is the true meaning behind these happenings. Those... sparks of life.
Now those sparks of life refers to the liveliness. Somehow as a Roman, you need to be very lively, but somehow either you lack it or even if you have, you don't use it. You look pale and gaze and put on fear.
You are scared. You look so pale and you just keep on staring at whatever is happening around you. Cast yourself in wonder.
You are shocked. You are amazed to see the strange impatience of the heavens, to see the strange uproar of the heavens, whatever the world. Heaven is indicating this kind of a thunderstorm, you know, this kind of a lightning. So you are absolutely gazing at it and you are not able to understand the true meaning. But if you would consider the true cause, why all these fires?
Why all this gliding ghost? So why all these fires? Why there is fire in the sky?
Why the storm is dropping fire? And why, you know, the... You can see the ghost floating.
Gliding ghost refers to the floating ghost. So why you can see all these things? If you just try to use your brain, why birds and beasts from quality and kind.
So birds, animals, everybody is acting differently. Birds refers to the owl because suddenly in the noontime, the bird was seen sitting in the marketplace. That's quite unnatural.
When it comes to beast, we have the lion who was walking in the middle of the street and that also did not even attack, which is quite unusual. So that means everyone, every creature is acting differently. Why old men, fools and children can't... Old men, fool and children, why are they making prophecies? Calculate refers to future predictions.
Now, old men, they are not supposed to predict, neither fools. They don't have the intelligence to do and that also children. So these three categories of people are not well equipped to predict anything, make any kind of prophecy, but still they are doing. Why all these things change from their ordinance, their natures and pre-formed faculties? So?
Why all these things have transformed from their natural qualities? Preformed faculties refers to natural qualities. It means the natural way they are supposed to behave, they are not doing it.
And they have been showing to exhibit monstrous qualities. So all these things, everything that we can see around the city, which is happening, they have... changed their natural course of action and now they are all exhibiting some kind of a monstrous quality why you shall find that heaven hath infused them with these spirits basically heaven has given them a terrifying warning to make them instruments of fear and warning unto some monstrous state so the reason why they are behaving like this is because actually god is all the gods in heaven they have given a terrifying warning that something unnatural is about to happen very soon unnatural refers to the unnatural government is going to happen very soon now could i cast a name to the man now you have to listen to here very carefully because he tells over here what is there in his mind and why he was creating such a big story before this because what he now tells is his main intention okay This is what is his main intention. So he tells Kaska, Now could I, Kaska, name to thee a man, most like this dreadful night, that thunders, lightens, opens graves, and roars, as doth the lion in the capital, a man no mightier than myself, than thyself or me, in personal action, yet prodigious grown, and fearful, as these strange eruptions are. So he tells over here is that Now that you are aware of these strange happenings, there is also a man, and I could name a man, who is just like this dreadful knight.
He thunders, he shoots lightning, he opens up graves, and he also rose like the lion in the capital. So this refers to Caesar's dictatorship, the tyrannical nature that he has. And at the same time, this man is no mightier in his abilities than you or me.
That means... When it comes to physical power, physical abilities, he is nobody great. He's just like you and me.
Yet he has grown very powerful, prodigious grown and fearful as the strange eruptions are. Yet he has grown tremendously powerful as well as frightening, just like tonight's shocking incidents that we have all witnessed. So we have completed this long speech of Kashiya's and let's stop here today. Now, just like scene two, I had divided it into two, three parts. I'm going to do the same thing so that I wanted to cover chunks of portion.
And I don't want to overload you with a lot of things in one video. So that once I'm done with the explanation, it's your duty to go and read line by line and match the explanation that you have heard from my video so that it just sings in and you are very clear with it. All right, because after my lecture, if you don't read it by yourself.
let me tell you that you will forget all right so don't uh just neglect it please go home and read it once again so that it's just crystal clear for all of you okay so with that yes let me you know finish this video and yes i also wanted to tell you that uh julia caesar is not at all difficult you know i can see there's a lot of uh scare that that i can uh understand which is in the minds of students it's not at all difficult but you just need the proper guidance all right and that's the reason i had taken this initiative to you know create these videos on julius caesar because i understand that you need that little bit of motivation and guidance to go ahead and this is my honest objective so that all of you get proper guidance because in today's time I'll be very honest with you. You will get very few people who will give you proper guidance. Yes, most of you are going to good schools. You know, you're going for classes and so on and so forth. But there are students still when they go to schools, they sit in for their English class.
But there are doubts in the mind which they get scared to ask to the teacher. Why? Because they sometimes, yes, the teacher also snubs you. Sometimes you feel ashamed and shy to ask in front of the class. And even if she explains it to you, She doesn't explain it to you at times in a very simple manner.
You know, she may, he or she may explain it to you from their level. So that's the reason this videos, I'm trying to make it as lucid, as simple as possible so that you understand it. And once you can understand it, solving question answers will not be a problem for you all.
Okay. So yes, thank you so much for listening to me. And if you feel, I repeat that you're getting benefited, please do subscribe to the channel, share it with. friends and your well-wishers those who need the guidance and yes those who are looking for online classes where you get personalized attention for both icsc and isc you can drop a mail and please share your detail your school your location before you do the inquiry thank you so much and have a beautiful day bye