When the scene begins, Flavius encounters a cobbler named Marullus, who is wearing his holiday finery and preparing to join the festivities. Flavius criticizes Marullus for disregarding the Senate's decree and orders him to remove his праздничный наряд. Marullus responds defiantly, questioning the authority of the tribunes and suggesting that they are overstepping their bounds by interfering with the citizens' enjoyment of the festival.
Flavius and Marullus engage in a verbal exchange, expressing their frustration with the common people's disregard for the Senate's orders. They complain that the citizens have forgotten the purpose and history of the Lupercal festival and have turned it into an excuse for licentious behavior and drunken revelry.
They also express concern about the growing popularity of Julius Caesar, who is due to return to Rome after a successful military campaign. They fear that Caesar's popularity may lead to a breakdown in the traditional Roman republican values and institutions.
As the scene progresses, Flavius and Marullus encounter a group of citizens who are participating in the Lupercal celebrations, including a Soothsayer who warns Caesar to "beware the ides of March." Despite their efforts, Flavius and Marullus are unable to persuade the citizens to disperse, and the scene ends with the tribunes expressing their frustration and concern about the state of Rome.