### Julius Caesar: Extract Discussion
#### Extract from Act 1, Scene 1
*Flavius: Hence! home, you idle creatures, get you home. Is this a holiday? What, know you not, Being mechanical, you ought not walk Upon a labouring day without the sign Of your profession? Speak, what trade art thou?*
*First Citizen: Why, sir, a carpenter.*
*Marullus: Where is thy leather apron and thy rule? What dost thou with thy best apparel on? You, sir, what trade are you?*
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#### Questions & Answers
**1) Who are Flavius and Marullus? Where are they and what are they doing there? Why?**
- Flavius and Marullus are Roman officials. They're on the streets, asking why commoners aren't working. They're upset that people are celebrating Caesar's return instead of working.
**2) Who are the "idle creatures"? Why are they called so? What makes the speaker ask if it is a holiday?**
- The "idle creatures" are the commoners not working. They're called "idle" because they aren't doing their jobs. The speaker wonders if it's a holiday since people are usually off work on special days.
**3) Give the meaning of the following:**
- **a) Being mechanical**: Being a laborer or worker
- **b) A labouring day**: A regular workday
- **c) Sign of your profession**: Something that shows what your job is, like a tool or uniform
**Example from Extract:** Leather apron is a sign of a carpenter's profession.
**4) Whom does Marullus address in the last line of the extract? What reply does he get? How does he react to the reply?**
- Marullus talks to a citizen and learns he's a carpenter. He reacts by questioning why the man isn't in his work clothes.
**5) Giving an example each, show how Flavius and Marullus are men in authority. Who among them do you think exercises greater authority? Why?**
- Both Flavius and Marullus show authority by questioning and scolding the commoners. It's hard to say who has more authority, but both are clearly in positions of power.
