Read the excerpt from act 2, scene 2, of The Tragedy of Julius Caesar and the background information on the allusion it contains
. Excerpt:
[DECIUS.] It was a vision fair and fortunate.
Your statue spouting blood in many pipes,
In which so many smiling Romans bathed,
Signifies that from you great Rome shall suck
Reviving blood, and that great men shall press
For tinctures, stains, relics, and cognizance.
This by Calpurnia's dream is signified.
Background information:
In medieval times, it was customary to dip handkerchiefs into the blood of martyrs and other great people. Doing so turned the handkerchiefs into relics for worship or inspiration.
Why does Decius suggest that "smiling Romans” dipping in the spouts of blood is a good thing?
to flatter Caesar and make sure he will go to the Capitol
to imply that Calpurnia wishes to harm Caesar
to warn Caesar of the plot against him
to explain that Calpurnia is ill and going to die
A. to flatter Caesar and make sure he will go to the Capitol
(Photo for proof at the bottom.)
Explanation:
Decius is one of the conspirators who plans to kill Caesar. In order to do so, Caesar must be at the Capitol, where the rest of the conspirators will be. Caesar says he will not go to the Capitol, because of Calpurnia's dream that signifies a bad omen. Her dream was that she saw Caesar's statue run with blood like a fountain, while many smiling Romans bathed their hands in the blood. But Decius flatters Caesar to go to the Capitol anyway by making the dream seem positive. The background information says it was customary to dip handkerchiefs into the blood of great people. Decius uses this to flatter Caesar to go to the Capitol.
