Publius Cimber

[John74]

Hi,

What was the reason for Publius Cimber's banishment? Can you tell me which scene and act it is in?

If he is banished, why is he still there, just after Caesar sees how foolish Calpurnia's dreams were (Act 2 Scene 2):

Publius: Good morrow, Caesar
Caesar: Welcome, Publius.
What, Brutus are you stirred so early too?

Publius also appears in the Capitol (Act 3 Scene 1):

Caesar: What, is the fellow mad?
Publius: Sirrah, give place.
Cassius: What, urge you your petitions in the street?
Come to the Capitol

If Publius Cimber was banished, why is he still here in the scenes?

And why does Brutus and his team beg for his return to Caesar just before Caesar's assassination?

Thanks.

[peterquince2]

You have touched on what appears to be a bit of confusion in the play. In the cast of characters, Publius is listed as a senator; Metellus Cimber is a different person. This is indeed confusing. We are not sure who is who and who's on first <g>. The Shakespeare Lexicon, the authority on such matters, says that the name "Publius" is misused in this sequence.

[John74]

So, are you saying that there is a misprint or mistake? So, is thePublius meant to be Metellus? I know they are Brothers though.

Am I the one who is confused, or is it the play?

Thanks ^^

[peterquince2]

>>So, are you saying that there is a misprint or mistake? <<

According to the Shakespeare Lexicon, it is. This does not mean Shakespeare made the mistake. There are a number of errors that resulted because of the system of printing that existed at that time. A typesetter or printer, known as a "compositor," worked from a hand-written manuscript that was often difficult to decipher, and some mistakes were undoubtedly made as the type of the First Folio was laboriously set by hand -- sometimes by several compositors, including at least one beginning apprentice, working on the same scene. Shakespeare did not oversee the printing of the plays.

We will never know just how many mistakes were made in the plays during the printing process; it is quite possible that some of the most familiar Shakespeare lines were never written by him quite the way we know them but are the result of a compositor misreading (or misprinting) what was originally put down by the playwright.

[jgomezada]

In ancient Rome, Publius may have been a common name, just as John is in our society. Publius Cimber was the banished man who was mentioned in the play, but he is not a character. His brother, Metellus Cimber, however, is a character in the play. Another Publius, an elderly senator and witness to Caesar’s death, is the person you speak of. There are two different Publiuses.