Download Literature and Its Times Julius Caesar

Literature and Its Times
Julius Caesar
Born in England in 1564, William Shakespeare wrote Julius Caesar in 1599. The play follows events that actually
took place in ancient Rome in the first century B.C., but also reflects to some degree the realities of English life in
the late sixteenth century, during what is known as the Elizabethan era.
Events in History at the Time the Play Takes Place
The Roman Senate
All the central characters of Jufius Caesar--Caesar, Mark Antony, the conspirators--are members of the senate,
Rome's main governing body. The senate controlled both domestic and foreign policy, publishing decrees,
arresting and convicting citizens, levying fines, and convening public assemblies. Senate members generally
worked hard; their meetings started very early in the day and often continued until dark. Though its size varied
over the years, the Roman Senate had about 600 members during the time covered in Julius Caesar. Any adult
male citizen automatically became a senator after serving as a junior government official. In practice, the body was
dominated by Rome's aristocrats, who were called patricians. This dominance of the senate by rich citizens was
due in part to the low salaries pulled in at even high-level government posts; one had to be wealthy to be able to
afford to take such a position.
The principal officials of the senate, and of Rome, were two consuls. Selected from among the senators by the
general population, they each served during alternate months for about one year. A consulship was the supreme
honor available to a Roman citizen. Consuls summoned and presided over the senate, conducted the main
elections, and commanded armies during wartime. Though they wielded great influence, their power was checked
by the presence of the second consul with whom they served and the short duration of their term in office.
The rise of Julius Caesar
In 60 B.C., about fifteen years before the events depicted in Julius Caesar took place, Caesar, Gneius Pompeius
(Pompey), and Marcus Licinius Crassus were three of the most powerful senators in Rome. They decided to form a
pact to support each other politically. This pact, which became known as the First Triumvirate, allowed each to
support the others in accomplishing their respective political goals. Armed with such power, the three allied
senators were able to get laws passed more easily than they had been able to do individually. The alliance served
each of the senators well for a number of years. In 53 B.C., however, Crassus was killed in a war and the alliance
between Caesar and Pompey gradually began to disintegrate. Caesar tried to salvage the relationship. He offered to
divorce his wife, Calpurnia, and marry Pompey's daughter, Pompeia. At the same time, Pompey would marry
Caesar's great-niece Octavia. Such intermarriage between families was a common way of solidifying political
bonds. Pompey refused the proposal, however, and married the daughter of one of Caesar's enemies, a certain sign
of hostility. Before long, violence and civil war broke out between supporters of Caesar and supporters of Pompey.
In 49 B.C., Caesar's army forced Pompey and his followers out of Italy. Battles continued between the two for a
number of years in such places as Greece, Egypt, and Africa. Caesar finally emerged victorious in 45 B.C. at the
battle of Munda, Spain.
ROMAN NAMES
Men in patrician or aristocratic families had three names--praenomen, nomen, and cognomen. For example,
Caesar's full name was Gaius Julius Caesar. The nomen--Julius--indicated the person's clan. The cognomen--
Caesar--specified the family branch of the clan. This was the name that a person was normally called by
colleagues. Thepraenomen---Gaius--was only used by relatives or close friends. Women of the period legally had
no name. They were called by the feminine form of the nomen, their clan name. Thus, Caesar's daughter was
called Julia. If a family had more than one daughter, affectionate personal names could be used within the family
to avoid confusion.
Caesar's popularity grew tremendously during the civil war. In 46 B.C. the senate appointed him to be "dictator"
for ten years. This new status as Rome's supreme leader made him much more powerful than a consul. Upon his
triumphant return to Rome in 45 B.C., the senate voted him a great number of honors. He was awarded the title
paterpatriae (father of the country). His statue was placed in all the temples of Rome and the towns of Italy. He
was also allowed to use several significant emblems of power on all occasions. These symbols included a
wardrobe of a purple triumphal toga and a laurel wreath and use of a gilded chair. Other honors followed as well.
A religious temple--where festivals in his honor would be celebrated annually--was to be built in memory of the
peace Caesar had restored. An ivory statue of his likeness was to be carried with those of the gods in processions.
His birthday was made a public holiday and the month Quinctilis renamed as July in his honor. On February 15, 44
B.C., he assumed the title dictatorperpetuus: "dictator for life." Previously, dictators had only been appointed to
serve temporarily to deal with state emergencies. As dictatorperpetuus, however, Julius Caesar was assured that
he would be the most powerful man in Rome for the rest of his life.
What Caesar was really like
Though not described as a particularly likable man, Caesar had such skill in politics, generalship, public speaking,
and writing that he has been called a genius. So generous was he to the enemies he had defeated (if they were
Roman) that he forgave some without doling out punishment. Sometimes he even gave them posts in his own
government. Two such former foes were Cassius and Brutus. Both would later turn against Caesar. Caesar's pained
cry, "Et tu, Brute?" (And you, Brutus?) became famous; it is often used today by those who wish to convey
feelings of betrayal.
How well did Caesar rule?
As dictator, Julius Caesar proved generous in granting Roman citizenship to foreigners. He also had the cities of
Corinth and Carthage rebuilt for his discharged soldiers and for the workers of Rome. He further increased the size
of the senate and made it better represent all of Rome. But Caesar also had an air of haughtiness that apparently
contributed to his downfall. He, for example, disregarded public opinion when, in 46 B.C., he welcomed the
Egyptian ruler Cleopatra to Rome. Along with other ill-considered acts, such disdain for public sentiment was one
factor that prompted old friends to turn against him.
While Caesar had the support of the senate, some members were not happy about his rise to dictatorship. They
chafed under a political arrangement that greatly diminished their influence. In addition, Rome's republican
tradition seemed to be in tremendous jeopardy. Prior to Caesar's ascendancy, even the most influential Romans
had checks on their powers in the form of popular elections and term limits for consuls. No single person had ever
before wielded so much power. So, as reenacted in Shakespeare's play, a conspiracy that included about sixty
senators formed. Led by Gaius Cassius Longinus
Roman religious holidays
The Romans believed in a pantheon of gods, each linked to a particular human activity. For example, there were
gods of war (Mars), home life (Vesta), and agriculture (Ceres). Every activity was performed under the authority
of a particular god. Before beginning any significant action, people customarily performed a ritual or made a
sacrifice in honor of the appropriate god. The Roman calendar also consisted of a large mixture of regular daily,
monthly, and yearly religious rituals celebrating the cult of a particular god or gods. Some of these holidays, such
as the Ides of March and the Feast of Lupercal, are mentioned in Julius Caesar.
The Feast of Lupercal was a major public event that took place yearly on February 15. The Luperci were a group
of priests associated with Mars, the god of war. Every February 15 they met at Lupercal, a sacred cave at the
southwest foot of the Palatine hill in Rome. According to legend, this was the place where a wolf had suckled
Romulus and Remus, the twin sons of Mars and the mythic founders of Rome. The ritual began with a sacrifice of
goats and a dog, and an offering of sacred cakes. The priests smeared blood on the foreheads of two young men
from noble families. Afterwards the blood was wiped offwith wool dipped in milk and the young men laughed in
accordance with the rules of the ritual. A feast followed. Next the priests cut up the sacrificial goat skins into strips.
Naked except for the skins, the priests ran from Lupercal, traveling several times around the Palatine hill. Along
the way they struck bystanders--especially women who wanted to be cured of barrenness--with thongs. Mark
Antony is portrayed in Julius Caesar as one of the Lupercal runners. Caesar alludes to this when he tells him:
Forget not in your speed...
To touch Calpurnia, for our elders say
The barren, touched in this holy chase,
Shake off their sterile curse.
(Shakespeare, Julius Caesar, 1.2.6-8)
Jupiter, the god of the sky, was also the supreme god of the Roman pantheon. In fact, the city of Rome was a
domain dedicated to him, and his temple on the capitol was the center of national religious life. The Ides, or
midpoint, of every month was devoted to him; honorary rituals called for a number of sheep to be led along a road
called the Via Sacra and then sacrificed to Jupiter. In addition to this ritual of recognition of the Ides of March,
another festival dedicated to Anna Perenna was celebrated. In ancient Rome March was the first month of the year,
and Anna Perenna was honored as the goddess of the new year. Her festival took place in a grove near Rome's
Tiber River. After a formal sacrifice and public prayers to secure a healthy year, people spent the day socializing,
drinking, singing popular songs, and dancing. It was in 44 B.C., on the same day these festivities would have been
taking place, that Caesar was killed in the senate.
BRUTUS AND THE ORIGINS OF THE REPUBLIC
According to Roman legend, the city of Rome was founded in the eighth century B.C. Before then, it was one of
many small, independent cities in Italy ruled by a line of kings. Its oppressive seventh king, Lucius Tarquinius
Superbus, was overthrown toward the end of the sixth century B.C, Lucius Junius Brutus, who led the revolt, was
known as the traditional founder of the Roman Republic and served as one of its first consuls. Marcus Brutus was
the descendant of this esteemed leader, a fact that is referred to in Julius Caesar. As Cassius says to him:
O, you and I have heard our fathers say
There was a Brutus once that would have brooked
Th'eternal devil to keep his state in Rome
As easily as a king.
(Julius Caesar, 1.2.158-61)
Brutus later remarks that "my ancestors did from the streets of Rome / The Tarquin drive when he was called a
king" Julius Caesar, 2.1.53-4). Brutus ultimately follows the precedent set for him by his famous ancestor and
joins the conspiracy to destroy Caesar, seen by the plotters as the contemporary threat to the republic.
The Play in Focus- The plot
The play opens on the Roman religious feast of Lupercal. In addition to the feast, Julius Caesar's triumph over
Pompey and his followers and his recent return to Rome are also being celebrated. Caesar is cautioned by a
soothsayer to beware the Ides of March, but he decides to ignore the warning. A number of senators express
concern about Caesar's rapidly increasing power and popularity, especially after he is publicly offered a crown by
Mark Antony. Though he refuses it, Rome's long tradition as a republic--and the senators' positions in it--seem
to be in great jeopardy. Cassius forms a conspiracy to kill Caesar that includes a large number of senators.
Brutus, a well-respected senator, is approached by Cassius and informed of the plot. He deliberates over whether to
become involved in the conspiracy. During a night full of ominous thunder, lightning, storms, and strange
happenings, he finally decides that his duty is to help save the Roman republic; Caesar must be killed. The
conspirators meet Brutus at his house, and they agree to carry out their plan that day.
The foreboding storms of the night, along with her own nightmares, have disturbed Caesar's wife Calpumia.
Interpreting them as warnings that something terrible is about to happen to Caesar, she begs him to stay home that
day. The conspirators convince him otherwise, however, and escort him to the senate. Soon after his arrival, he is
stabbed to death by the conspirators.
Despite Caesar's popularity, the conspirators believe that they will be able to convince the Roman people of the
Tightness of their action. At Caesar's funeral, Brutus's speech does win them over, but only temporarily. After
Brutus leaves, Mark Antony convinces them instead that Caesar's death was unjust, and he manages to work the
crowd into a fury against the murderers.
Brutus and Cassius flee Rome and gather an army. At Philippi, in Macedonia, they fight a battle against the armies
of Mark Antony and Octavius, who is Caesar's great-nephew. Cassius, believing the war to be lost, commits
suicide. Soon after, Brutus decides to run upon his own sword, held by his faithful servant Strato, rather than die at
the hands of enemies. Rome is thus left in the control of Mark Antony and Octavius.
The character of Brutus
Brutus seems to be guided in the play at least partly by the philosophy of stoicism, a school of thought that was
popular among the ancient Romans. Stoics believed that there was a rational force pervading reality and guiding all
things to their perfection. Every person had a share of this force. It was one's duty to try to identify oneself with
the force while training oneself to feel indifference to everything else. According to the Stoics, the rational soul
should dominate one's actions. Personal emotions, which are motivated by service to oneself rather than by
rational consideration of what is universally beneficial, are seen as powerful and disabling distractions. The Stoics
believed that only by putting aside passion, unjust thoughts, and self-indulgence, and by performing one's duty
with the right attitude, could a person live consistently with nature.
Brutus can be seen striving against his emotions throughout the play. In the first act he is at "war with himself' and
tells Cassius,
Vexed I am
Of late with passions of some difference ...
Which give some soil, perhaps, to my behaviors.
(Julius Caesar, 1.2.39-46)
The stoic philosophy strove to be detached and aspired to a feeling of passionless indifference, an approach that
appears to be favored by Brutus during his deliberation over what to do about Caesar. He separates his personal
feelings for Caesar from his rational assessment of what must be done. For example, in his speech to the Roman
people after Caesar's assassination, he states, "I slew my best lover [friend] for the good of Rome" (Julius Caesar,
3.2.38). In other words, he killed Caesar because he rationally came to the decision that his existence threatened
the general good; therefore it was his duty to do so. "Not that I loved Caesar less," Brutus says, "but that I loved
Rome more" (Julius Caesar, 3.2.19-20).
In the last scene of the play Brutus decides that he himself must die. He appears to come to this decision, and face
the act itself, with the passionless indifference of a stoic. He and his army are fighting a losing battle against the
enemy forces of Antony and Octavius. He states that it makes the most sense for him to kill himself before his
enemies can do it; it is the most honorable course of action to take. Furthermore, he has seen the ghost of Caesar
twice since the assassination, and he calmly takes this to mean that his "hour is come" (Julius Caesar, 5.5.19).
After meditating, he requests that one of his trusted servants hold his sword while he runs upon it. He kills himself,
saying "Caesar, now be still; / I killed not thee with half so good a will" (Julius Caesar, 5.5.50-1). His manner of
death indicates a mastery over his feelings even in the last moments of his life.
Sources
Julius Caesar is based on characters that actually existed and events that actually took place in ancient Rome. For
his interpretation of the facts, Shakespeare seems to have drawn on Sir Thomas North's 1579 Lives of the Noble
Grecians andRomanes. North's book was a translation of Plutarch's Parallel Lives, a work originally written in
Greek toward the end of the first century A.D. In particular, Shakespeare drew on Plutarch's articles about the lives
of Caesar and Brutus. In fact, some of the passages in Julius Caesar incorporate phrases that are very similar to
those employed by Plutarch.
Plutarch
"I dare assure thee, that no enemy hath taken nor shall take Marcus Brutus alive.., for wheresoever he be found,
alive or dead, he will be found like himself."
(Dorsch in Shakespeare, p. xiv)
Shakespeare
"I dare assure thee that no enemy shall ever take alive the noble Brutus/... When you do find him, or alive or
dead, / He will be found like Brutus, like himself."
(JuBus Caesar, 5.4.21-5)
Other similar examples can be found throughout the play. Still, while Plutarch evidently provided a basis for some
of the elements of Shakespeare's Julius Caesar, there were marked differences between the versions. For example,
Shakespeare condenses the actions described by Plutarch a great deal. The play moves very quickly from scene to
scene. What really took place over the course of two years seems in Shakespeare's play to unfold in less than a
month. Moreover, the scene in which Cassius and Brutus first speak about Caesar is presented in much more detail
by Shakespeare. Finally, the playwright added the speeches Brutus and Antony give to the Roman people after
Caesar's death. Though Plutarch's narrative seems to have been an important influence, the play that Shakespeare
wrote is ultimately his own interpretation of the story.
Events in History at the Time the Play Was Written
Shakespeare and Elÿabethan politics
Although the political events that take place in Julius Caesar do not correspond directly to events of the
Elizabethan era, there were similarities between the two. Like the rule of Julius Caesar, Queen Elizabeth's
monarchy was not immune to plots and conspiracies against it. The career of Robert Devereux, Lord of Essex,
which reached its high point around the time Shakespeare wrote this play, illustrates this fact.
In the 1590s the charismatic Essex became a favorite of the queen and one of the most popular men in England.
His career began to decline toward the end of the decade, however. He was appointed to crush a rebellion in
Ireland and left on March 27, 1599. After six months there, he concluded a truce that was extremely favorable to
the Irish and returned to England against orders. Bursting into Queen Elizabeth's chamber early on September 28,
1599, he threw himself on her mercy. The next day he was taken prisoner. He underwent trial and was eventually
freed from custody on June 5, 1600. Disgraced by the experience, Essex was also financially ruined when the
queen deprived him of a monopoly on sweet wines from which he drew his income.
Essex's anger against the queen grew; he raved to one colleague about "the old woman, as crooked in her mind as
in her carcase" (Essex in Halliday, p. 226). In those times, it was a very serious .matter to criticize the monarch in
this way. Essex went further, however. He began to form a conspiracy against the government. On February 3,
1601, he and five other conspirators laid plans for seizing the court and gathering the support of the people. The
next day some of Essex's followers staged Shakespeare's RichardI1 (a play that chronicles the successful
overthrow of a monarch), most likely as a means of gathering support for their cause. On the morning of February
8 about 300 followers met at Essex's house. Essex and his followers marched into London, brandishing swords and
appealing to their fellow citizens to rise up and join them. None did. When a royal herald publicly proclaimed
Essex to be a traitor, his own followers deserted him. The plot quickly deteriorated. Essex turned back toward
home and was soon arrested. Within two weeks he was convicted of treason. He was executed on February 25,
1601.
Shakespeare finished Julius Caesar during 1599, the same year of Essex's disgraced return from Ireland. By the
time of the failed conspiracy of 1601, the play was widely known. The English people took note of the similarities
between the play and the actual events that unfolded and marveled anew at Shakespeare's work.
The Elizabethan conception of the world
Though Julius Caesar takes place in ancient Rome, Shakespeare's Elizabethan conception of the world influenced
the content of the play. One element reflected in his work is the common belief in a direct connection between the
phenomena of the natural world and the course of human events. A belief in the influence of the stars upon
weather, plant and animal life, people, and events was probably held by a majority of Shakespeare's audience.
While many were skeptical of claims of specific knowledge about individuals based on astrological information,
general predictions about future events were quite respected. A number of distinguished astronomers, including
Tycho Brahe (1546-1601) and Johannes Kepler (1571-1630), were also practicing astrologers. Furthermore, it was
common for people of the Elizabethan period to interpret comets, eclipses of the sun or moon, earthquakes, and
unusual sights as portents or warnings. When something of major importance was about to happen, or people were
in any particular danger of suffering from divine anger for misdeeds, they believed that God provided warning in
the form of portents.
Such ominous signs are plentiful in Jufius Caesar--thunder, lightning, storms, and many strange happenings occur
the night before Caesar's murder. The characters experiencing these phenomena interpret them as omens for the
future. As Casca says,
... never till tonight, never till now,
Did I go through a tempest dropping fire.
Either there is a civil strife in heaven,
Or else the world, too saucy with the gods,
Incenses them to send destruction.
(Julius Caesar, 1.3.9-13)
He goes on to describe other strange images he has seen that night--a man's hand on fire yet not burned, a lion
near the capitol, and a hundred ghastly women who swore they saw men on fire walking the streets. Caesar's wife
Calpurnia is concerned as well, disturbed by accounts of strange sights seen by the night watchmen--graves
opening up, blood drizzling upon the capitol, and ghosts. She also has nightmares of Caesar being murdered. She
takes these portents very seriously and begs her husband not to leave the house the next day. He does so anyway
and is subsequently killed.
A Timeline of Key Historical Events Affecting the Action of the Play
60 BCE:
"The First Triumvirate" or ÿ'The Three-Headed Monster:" Pompey, Crassus, Caesar
59 BCE:
Caesar gives his only daughter, Julia, in marriage to Pompey. Caesar, as Consul, angers the
powerful Optimate political part); which threatens to prosecute him at the end of his term
(see above).
58 BCE:
Caesar leaves Rome for Gaul (Germany and France) and expands Roman Empire into Europe.
54 BCE:
Julia dies in childbirth
52BCE:
Pompey marries Cornelia Metella, the daughter of one of Caesar's greatest enemies.
49 BCE:
Caesar's term as Proconsul in Gau! expires. Pompey and the Senate order him to disband
his army and return to Rome, where he will face the prosecution from which he has been
immune (see above).
Disobeying the order to disband, Caesar and his troops cross the Rubicom River, entering the
jurisdiction in which he can be seized and imprisoned, essentially declaring civil war against
his former ally.
48 BCE:
Caesar's troops defeat Pompey's.
Pompey flees to Egypt.
-ÿ
Caesar follows and is presented with Pompey's head. The Egyptians had betrayed Pompey
and ldlled him as a "gift" for Caesar.
46 BCE:
Caesar returns triumphantly to Rome.
(This marks the beginning of Shakespeare's play.)
Caesar is appointed Dictator (see above), and many question his autocratic rule and see his
governing as a threat to the Republic.
45 BCE:
Caesar plans a public celebration for his triumph over Pompey. This angers many, since only
trimnphs over foreign "enemies" are to be celebrated. Pompey was a fellow Roman. Caesar
acts more and more like a monarch, appointing people to government posts with no input or
consent of the Senate, issuing coins with his likeness, etc.
He allows his statues to be decorated in much the same way that statues of the gods would be.
(Note how in I ii Marutlus and Flavius are punished for removing the adornments from
Caesar's statues.)
44 BCE:
At the feast of Lupercalia (February 15), Caesar is named dictator perpetuus, perpetual
dictator.
I'F
- •
Caesar is assassÿnateÿt on the portico of the theater built by Pompey the Great. The Curia,
in the Forum, where the Senate usualiy sat, had been severely damaged by fire and was being
rebuilt.
(Shakespeare alludes to both the feast of the Lupercalia and the Ides of March, even
though he seems to condense the appointment and the assassination into a single event.)
Octavius meets with Antony to collect his inheritance. C a
esars will named Octavius as his
adopted son and left the nineteen-year-old everything., but Antony had seized Caesar's papers
and fortune. They eventually come to blows.
Remember in III, i that Antony was hesitant for Octavius to come to Rome, and that
Octavius arrived earlier than Antony wanted--with an army.
43 BCE:
The Second Triumvirate is formed: Octavius, Antony, and Lepidus (IV, i)
42 BCE:
Julius Caesar is proclaimed a god; Octavian becomes "son of a god".
Triumvirate defeats Brutus and Cassius at Battle of Philippi.
This is the final battle in the play, V, ii--v.
ÿ
"
"
.
e
Caesar
rime Has Come"
Why dbes Julius Caesar have torte Rome? What rote dbes Pompey have in hlk
escape?
2. Descnbe Sulla.
How does he die.ÿ How does his death change Rome?
3. When wefirst meet Brutus, what is he doing? How does he know Caesar?
4. When Cornelia dies, Caesar makes a speech at herfunera£ How ÿ this different
from most funeralspeeches?
5.
"
"
"
Why is Pompey given an army? Why is the Senate worried?
6. What dealdoes Julius Caesar make With Pompey? Why?
7. Who is Calpurnia?
8. Is Caesar successfulas a mihtary ÿader? Do his victorkÿs please the Senate)
Why?
9. Caesar uses a very smart military tactic whenfighting the G aulr (ÿhough it was
not very mora0. What was this tactic? Do you agree wqthhis dÿciÿn?
10. What happens to Caesar's daughterandgrandchildwhiÿ he is at war? How
does this affect Pompey?
11. What does Pompey pÿn on doing to Caesar andhis army? Is he succesÿCul?
Why?
12. What two important,things does Caesarf!?ÿin Egypt? Whyare these
important?
13. Why do some ofthe senatorsjÿrm a conspiracy against Caesar?
involved?
............
14. What does Calpurnia's dream about? Why is this an omen?
15. Whoÿlÿ Caesar? Where? Why?
16. What happens to Caesar's son?
Who is
r
Ey_@ÿW_. iÿ n. e _s_s__Lo_His.Lq [y_..c__o_m_
.c_k I ÿrint
3uiius Caesar Crosses the Rubicon, 49 BC
The crossing of a small stream in northern Italy became one of ancient
history's most pivotal events. From it sprang the Roman Empire and the
genesis of modern European culture.
Born with unbridled political ambition and unsurpassed oratory skills, Julius
Caesar manipulated his way to the position of consul of Rome in 59 BC.
After his year of service he was named governor of Gaul where he amassed
a personal fortune and exhibited his outstanding military skill in subduing
the native Celtic and Germanic tribes. Caesar's popularity With the people
soared, presenting a threat to the power of the Senate and to Pompey, who
held power in Rome. Accordingly, the Senate called upon Caesar to resign
his command and disband his army or risk being declared an "Enemy of the
State". Pompey was entrusted with enforcing this edict - the foundation for
civil war was laid.
It was January 49 BC, Caesar was staying in the northern Italian city of
Ravenna and he had a decision to make. Either he acquiesced to the
Senate's command or hemoved southward to Confront Pompey and plunge
the Roman Republic into a bloody civil war. An ancient Roman law forbade
any general from crossing the Rubicon River and entering Italy proper with
a standing army. To do so was treason. This tiny stream would reveal
Caesar's intentions and mark the point of no return.
The Die is Cast
Suetonius was a Roman historian and biographer. He served briefly as
secretary to Emperor Hadrian (some say he lost his position because he
became too close to the emperor's wife.) His position gave him access to
privileged imperial documents, correspondence and diaries upoÿn which he
based his accountÿ. For this reason, his description3 are considered
credible. We join Suetonius's narrative as Caesar receives the news that his
allies in the Senate have been forced to leave Rome:
"When the news came [to Ravenna, where Caesar was staying] that the
interposition of the tribunes in his favor had been utterly rejected, and that
they themselves had fled Rome, he immediately sent forward some cohorts,
yet secretly, to prevent any suspicion of his plan; and to keep up
appearances, he attended the public games and examined the model of a
fencing school which he proposed building, then - as usual - sat down to
table with a large company of friends.
Caesar defeated
Pompey's forces and
installed himself as
dictator of Rome. Orÿ
March 15, 44 BC (the
Ides of March) he was
assassinated on the
floor of the Senate.
However, after sunset some mules from a near-by mill were put in his
carriage, and he set forward on his journey as privately as
possible, and with an exceedingly scanty retinue. The lights went out. He
lost his way and wandered about a long time - till at last, by help of a
uÿ ÿ.ucÿr tÿrosses me KUOlCOn, qÿ BU
guide, whom he discovered towards daybreak, he proceeded on foot
through some narrow paths, and again reached the road. Coming up with
his troops on the banks of the Rubicon, which was the frontier of his
province, he hÿlted for a while, and revolving in his mind the importance of
the step he meditated, he turned to those about him, saying: 'Still we can
retreat! But once let us pass this little bridge, - and nothing is left but to
fight it out with arms!'
Even as he hesitated this incident occurred. A man of strikingly noble mien
and graceful aspect appeared close at hand, and played upon a pipe. To
hear him not merely some shepherds, but soldiers too came flocking from
their posts, and amongst them some trumpeters. He snatched a trumpet
from one of them and ran to the river with it; then sounding the
"Advance!" with a piercing blast he crossed to the other side. At this Caesar
cried out, 'Let us go where the omens of the Gods and the crimes of our
enemies summon us! THE DIE IS NOW CAST!'
Accordingly he marched his army over the river; [then] he showed them
the tribunes of the Plebs, who on being driven from Rome had come to
meet him, and in the presence of that assembly, called on the troops to
pledge him their fidelity; tears springing to his eyes [as he sp0ke]"and his
garments rent from his bosom."
References:
Duruy, Victor, History of Rome vol. V (1883); Suetonius "Life of Julius
Caesar" in Davis, William Stearns, Readings in Ancient History (1912).
How To Cite This Article:
"Julius Caesar Crosses the Rubicon, 49 BC," EyeWitness to History, www-eyewitnesstohistory.com
(2002).
Page 2 of 2 ,':,:
Memoÿation Quiz
Why memorize? Because it's GOOD for YOU! Think of it as EXERCISE.for the BRAIN!
Thisis worth 100 points. You may ask for 2 hints without losing points. I will deduct 5 points for long
pauses. You will have a maximum of 4 minutes to complete your recitation.
If you complete you recitation perfectly with no point deductions, you will receive a 90. For up to 10
points you may PERFORM your recitation. The additional 10 points are WOW points. WOW me!
You may use costumes and/or props. I am looking for a well DELIVERED speech which demonstrates
that you have a good understanding 0fAntony's skills as an orator.
...-
o - Option #1
-:-
Ffiendÿ Romans, countÿanen, lend me your ears;
I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him;
The eÿYil thatmen do lives after them,
The good is oft interred with their bones,
So let it be ÿth Caesar-_ The noble Brutus
Hath[t01d y0uCaesar was ambitious:
If it wereso, it was a grievous fault,
And grievously hath Caesar answered it _.
Here, under leave of Brutus and the rest,
(For Brutus is an honourable man;
So are they all; all honourable men)
.Come] to Speak in Caesar's funeral ...
He was my friend, faithful and just to me:
But Brutus says he was ambitious;
And Brutus is an honourable man ....
He hath brought many captives home to Rome,
Whose ransoms did thegeneral coffers fill:
Did this in Caesar seem ambitious?
When that the.poor have cried, Caesar hath wepÿ
Ambition should be made of sterner stuff:
Yet Bi:utus says he was ambitious;
And Brutus is an hononrable man. -
You all did see that on the Lupercal
I three presented him a kingly crown,
Which he did thrice refuse: was this ambition?
Yet Brutus says he was ambitious;
And, sureÿ he is an honourable man.
I speak not to disprove what Brutus spoke,
But here I am to speak what I do know.
You all did love him once, not without cause:
What cause withholds you then to mourn for him?
0 judgement! thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason .... Bear with me;
My heart is in the coffin there with Caesar,
I
And I must pause till it come back to me.
.°
Option #2
Oÿ pardon me, thou bleeding piece of earth,
•
That I am meek and gentle with these butchers!
Thou art the ruins of the noblest man
That ever rived in the tide of times.
Woe
to the
that shed
thiscostly
bloodZ
" Over
thyhand
wounds
now doI
prophesy,
Which, like dumb mouths, do ope their ruby llps,
To beg the voice and utterance of my tongue
"
.
A Curse shall fight upon the limbs, of men; "
Domestic fury and fierce civil stiaÿfe . •
-• Shall cumber all the-parts of Italy;: ....
Blood and destruction shall be so in use
And dreadfulobjects so familiar
That mothers shallbutsmile when they behold
Their infants quarter'd with the hands of war;
All pity choked with custom of fell deeds:
WithA:te byhÿ side co.e h0t:fro. hell,
Shall in ]hese cglhfines• Wiÿamonarch's voice
Cry ÿHavoc,' and le[ slip the dogs ofwaÿ
Thatthls f0ui deed shallsmeli.ab0ve theearth
Wÿth carrÿonmenÿ groaning forbuÿaL
• :iÿ ; .- -.
i
Julius Caesar Notes
t I, scene i
1. Shakespeare starts the play in media res. What does that mean and why is it
significant?
2. Why does Marullus rebuke the commoners?
Note: Tribunes= iambic pentameter
Commoners= prose
3. identify and explain the cobbler's puns.
123-
Note: Shakespeare uses the cleverness of the puns- and the fact that Marullus is baffled by
them- to show that the commoners are not brainless beings, but actually quite clever.
4. Why are Marullus and Flavius upset about Caesar's triumphant return?
Hint: Discuss their fears concerning Rome as well as Pompey (who was, historically,
Caesar's son-in-law until the death of Caesar's daughter, Julia).
.
What literary term is illustrated in the following quotation:
"'And do you now put on your best attire?
And do you now cull out a holiday?
And do you now strew flowers in his way...'?
Act I, scene ii
1. Why does Caesar mention his desire that Calpurnia stand "directly in Antonio's
way"?. Why is it significant in terms of a Caesarian dynasty?
Note: Caesar's concerns would have been especially understandable to Shakespeare's
Elizabethan audience. Like Caesar, Elizabeth had no apparent heir to the throne.
Elizabeth's death would mark the end of the Tudor Dynasty, and, without a clear heir, the
same type of civil disturbance could arise again. The potential horrors of an unclear
succession were still very flesh in the minds of Elizabethans who remembered the longlasting and bloody Wars of the Roses that resulted from two rival branches of the royal
family vying for the throne.
Shakespeare was not able to comment directly on his country's political situation, but
rough the theater he provided a sharp commentary that politically aware theatergoers
would appreciate.
2. Another Interesting Fact: Caesar's triumphal entry, Antony's ceremonial race, and the
presentation of the crown to Caesar happened on the Lupercal, which is in February. The
assassination occurred on
However, the progress of the action makes it
seem as if the assassination happened on the day immediately following his triumphal entry./:
3. What fear does Brutus note?
4. According to Cassius, what happened when Caesar and Cassius went swimming in
the Tiber? What is the point of this story?
5. What does Cassius say about fate, flee will, and being "underlings"?
Note: The contrast between fate and flee will'is a recurring theme in the play.
.
What is noticeably different about Casca's speech pattern compared to Caesar's or
Brutus's7 Why is this significant? (Hint: think about the content of Casca's
information and its significance.)
7. What two physical ailments of Caesar's are mentioned in this scene? Why are they
significant7
Note: Historically, under Octavins's reign (as Caesar Augustus), Julius Caesar was
declared a god and Augnstus declared the son of a god.
8. In response to the "falling sickness," what is the meaning of Cassius's sarcasm?
Act I, scene iii
1. Why do the conspirators plant papers.on Brutus's chair?
o
While some medieval notions were being reevaluated and discarded during the
English Renaissance, others remained. Elizabethans still maintained a firm belief in
the "Natural Order," the hierarchy that set God above humans, humans above
animals, animals above inanimate Iiving things like plants, and plants above non-
living things like rocks. This concept originated with Plato and expressed the idea
that there is a proper order within all things, and among all things, based on
complexity, from the tiniest grains of sand to heaven and God. When everything
was in its proper position, there was harmony.
This "great chain of being" was likewise reflected in the human social structure,
in which royalty, nobility, gentry, and peasantry were not mere social classes but
considered almost different species. If the chain was broken, EVERYTHING was
upset and EVERYONE suffered.
Any upset in this great chain was portended by signs and divinations innature---signs in the stars, the weather, unusual animal behavior, et cetera.
Shakespeare makes much of these signs in his plays.
Elizabethans, likewise, still maintained their belief in the Divine Rule of Kings,
the belief that the reigning monarch was God's agent, and to rebel against a reigning
monarch was to rebel against God. To rebel against a reigning monarch was to
upset the great chain, and disaslrous consequences followed.
There are four specific things Casca has seen. What are they?
1-
23-
4-
Note: Casca believes these events are omens, signs that the gods are displeased with
humans: "'Either there is a civil strife in heaven,/Or else the world too saucy with the gods/
Incenses them to send destruction."
assius, on the other hand, relishes the omens and interprets them as signs that Caesar's
ambition has upset the balance of nature, and the conspirators are justified in their plan to
kill him and restore balance.
3. Which quote signifies that Cassius blames Caesar's power on the weakness of the
Romans? Why is this significant?
Hint: If gods are to blame, then there is nothing mortals can do. But if it is the fault of
mortal weakness, then "stronger men" can take action.
4. Why is it important to the conspirators to have Brutus come in with them?
Act III, scene i
1. What are the "exhalations" by which Brutus reads the letter Lucius delivers?
Hint: it is another example of nature rebelling against the "unnatural" act of
regicide.
2. What strategical error do Brutus and Cassius make when they are discussing
Caesar's death? Why do they commit such a blunder?
3. Why does Portia stab herself2.
Act II, scene ii o
1. What are the details of Calpurnia's dream, as recounted by Caesar? How does it
foreshadow events to come?
Act II, scene iii
1. What is the purpose of this scene? How does it provide dramatic irony?
2. How does Artimidorus's letter advance the theme of fate versus free will?
©
Act II, sceneiv
1. Why do you think Shakespeare going to such lengths to try to warn Caesar?
Act III, scene i
1. What motivates Caesar to say he will not read Artimidorns's letter first?
2. How does Caesar's opening of the senatorial session show his self-glorifying,
pompous nature? Hint: "Caesar and HIS senate"
3. Why does Metellus bring a petition to Caesar?
3. Why does Caesar compare himself to the North Star?
4. Who is the first to stab Caesar?
.
Anÿlgnorisis is a moment in a play or other work when a character makes a critical
discovery. Anagnorisis originally meant recognition in its Greek context, not only of a person
but also of what that person stood for. It was the hero's sudden awareness of a real situation, the
realisation of things as they stood, and finally, the hero's insight into a relationship with an often
antagonistic character in Aristotelian tragedy.
How is anagnorisis exemplified by Caesar's famous lines, "Et tu, Brute? Then
fall,tÿaesar.
""
I"
6. What additional blunder do Cassius and Brutus commit?
Act III, scene fi
1. What. is the reason Brutus gives for Caesar's death?
2. Parallel structure means using the same pattern of words to show that two or more ideas
have the same level of importance. This can happen at the word, phrase, or clause level. The usual way to
join parallel structures is with the use of coordinating conjunctions such as "and" or "or."
Example 1: Not Parallel:
The coach told the players that they should get a lot of sleep, that they should not eat too
much, and to do some warm-up exercises before the game.
Parallel:
The coach told the players that they should get a lot of sleep, that they should not eat too
much, and that they should do some warm-up exercises before the game.
Parallel:
The coach told the players that they should get a lot of sleep, not eat too much, and do some
warm-up exercises before the game.
Example 2: Not Parallel:
The salesman expected that he would present his product at the meeting, that there would be
time for him to show his slide presentation, and that questions would be asked by
prospective buyers. (passive)
Parallel:
The salesman expected that he would present his product at the meeting, that there would be
time for him to show his slide presentation, and that prospective buyers would ask him
questions.
Find an example of parallelism in Brutus's speech:
3. Antithesis: A rhetorical term for the juxtaposition of contrasting ideas in balanced phrases or
clauses.
"Everybody doesn't like something, but nobody doesn't like Sara Lee."
(advertising slogan)
"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was
the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the
season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of
despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to
Heaven, we were all going direct the other way."
(Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities)
Find an example of antithesis in Brutus's speech:
3. Anaphora: a rhetorical device that consists of repeating a sequence of words at the beginnings
of neighboring clauses, thereby lending them emphasis:
It was the bestÿof fimes, it was the worst of times, it was the age of
wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the
epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of
Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had
everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to
Heaven, we were all going direct the other way...
-:- Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities
Never shall I forget that night, the first night in camp, which has
turned my life into one long night, seven times cursed and seven times sealed.
shall
I forget
thatI saw
smoke.
Never
forget
the little
facesaof
the
•Never
children,
whose
bodies
turned
into shallI
wreaths
of smoke
beneath
silent
blue sky. Never shall I forget those flames which consumed my faith
forever. Never shall I forget that nocturnal silence which deprived" me, for
all eternity, of the desire to live. Never shall I forget those moments which
murdered my God and my soul and turned my dreams todust. Never shall I
forget these things, even ifI am condemned to live as long as God Himsel£
Never.
-- Elie Wiesei, Night
Find an example of anaphora in Brutus's speech:
4. What is being foreshadowed by Brutus's ending his speech by saying: "With this I
depart, - that as I slew my best lover for the good of Rome, I have the same dagger
for myself, when it shall please my country to need my death"?
4. Write and compare the opening lines of each speech. How are they similar? How
are they different? Why is Antony's usage of synecdoche more effect?
Synecdoche is a' figure of speech in which a term is used in one of the following ways:
Part of something is used to refer to the whore thing, or
A thing (a "whole") is used to refer to part of it, or
A specific class of thing is used to refer to a larger, more general class, or
o A general class of thing is used to refer to a smaller, more specific class, or
o A material is used to refer to an object composed of that material, or
A container is used to refer to its contents.
5. In which lines does Brutus appeal to the mob's reason? (logos)
6. In which lines does Antony appeal to the mob's emotion? (pathos)
7. How does Antony also employ anaphora in his speech?
8. At the end of his speech, Antony claims to lack what talent?
9. What do the reactions of the mob indicate?
Act III, scene iii
1. What does this scene indicate about the decline of the Roman republic?
Act IV, scene i
1. What are Antony, Octavius, and Lepidus doing at the opening of this scene?
is suggested about their collective and individual characters?
What
2. How does Antony show himself to be ruthless in this scene? Discuss the Simile
regarding Lepidus.
Act IV, scene ii
1. What is suggested about the true nature of the Cassius/Brutus friendship?
2. Why does Brutus request that the conference be held inside?
Act IV, scene iii
1. Why is Brutus so outraged at official corruption? What does this indicate about
his character?
2. What does Cassius mean when he calls the bribery a "race offense .
3. About what do Brutus and Cassius argue? What is the tone of their argument?
What is the significance of their argument in comparison to Octavius and Antony?
4. Why and how did Portia kill herself?.
5. What prophecy of Calpumia's do Brutus's and Messala's letters confirm?
÷_
6. What is the significance of the appearance of Caesar's ghost?
Note: A guilty conscience will cause the appearance of another ghost in Macbeth. Due to
the significance of ghosts in Shakespeare's plays, the audience now knows that the conflict
of this play is not external: not Brutus versus Cassius or the conspirators versus the
triumvirate; but internal: Brutus versus himsel£
Act V, scene i
1. What is the significance of the omen Cassius reports he saw?
2. What is being foreshadowed when Brutus tells Cassius, "Think not, thou noble
Roman,/That ever Brutus will go bound to Rome"?
Act V, scene ii
1. Why does Shakespeare include this scene? What does it reveal regarding Brutus?
Act V, scene iii
1. According to Titinius, why is Cassius's side losing to Antony's forces?
2. How does Cassius die? Why?
3. It turns out that Cassius killed himself prematurely. Why?
4. Explain the metaphor Titinius uses to lament Cassius's death.
Act V, scene iv
1. Why does Lucilius impersonate Brutus?
2. How does Antony respond to the impersonation?
ct V, scene v
1. Why does Brnlus commit suicide? Give at least three reasons.
2. How do Octavius and Antony treat Brutus's body? Why?
.
Typically in Shakespeare's plays, especially in tragedies and histories, the final
speaker is the character who will restore the order that has been disrupted during
the course of the play. What is significant about the fact that Octavius has the
cIosing lines of the play.?
..
.
,
• i
4. What event would you identify as the climax of the play? Why? (Two possible
answers)
The Tragic Hero
The tragic hero, according to Aristotle, was a man (god, demi-god, hero, high-ranking
official) who rises to a high position and then falls from that high position--usually to utter
desolation and/or death. Two forces seem equally powerful in classical tragedy: the tragic
hero's tragic flaw (or hamarfia) and fate.
Some tragic heroes clearly bring about their own downfall, as in the case of Creon in
Antigone, whose downfall is due to his hubris (excessive pride)--he believes his Law holds
precedence over the gods's sense of Right.
Other tragic heroes seem to be more a pawn of Fate, like Oedipus who has done
everything in his power (as had his parents before him) to prevent the fatal prophesy from
coming to pass that Oedipus would murder his father and marry his mother. It is in the very
act of trying to avoid destiny that he prophesy is fulfilled.
By the Renaissance, however, people generally felt themselves to be less pawns of
fate and more in control of their own destinies. The Elizabethan tragic hero, therefore, is
much more often responsible for his own downfall. This "waste of human potential" seems
to be much more tragic to the Elizabethans than the vagaries of fate.
Discussion Topics/Questions
i
1, Why would Elizabethans have considered the slaying of Caesar (and King Duncan
in our next play!) an unnatural act? Point out how this idea is reinforced by
comments and incidents from the play.
3. Discuss the different reasons for the conspirators's desires to see Caesar dead. Be
sure to determine motives for each character.
°
The wives of Caesar and Brutus appear only briefly in the play. How does
Shakespeare use them?
5. Is Brutus a good example of an Aristoteliaal tragic hero? (Refer to your Antigone
notes.)
Name
Period
Julius Caesar
Act I
An Introduction to Julius Caesar
Julius Caesar is a
play, and political issues are the root of the tragic
conflict in the play. It is a p!ay about a general who would be king, but who, because of
his own
and
__, (sound like another king you know?) meets an
untimely deathi Shakespeare deals with why
was murdered and subsequently
what happens to his murderers. Shakespeare seems to be saying that good government
must be based upon morality. In this respect, Julius Caesar has relevance to the politics
of the modern world.
Although the play is named Julius Caesar, Caesar dominates only the
-------_ of the play. The play actually focuses more on
Caesar's
influence, however, is felt throughout the play.
The history behind Julius Caesar
-"
Julius Caesar gained the support of the people by spending money for public
entertainment and establishing laws that freed the people from heavy taxes. In 60 B.C.,
a triumvirate (three man rule) of Caesar;ÿPompey, and Crassus was formed to govern
Rome.
At the age of 44, Caesar began his military career and conquered all of Gaul.
After Crassus was killed during battle in Parthia, trouble began to develop between
Pompey and Caesar. Pompey was jealous of Caesar's popularity and made the Senate
order Caesar to disband his army (get rid of it)and return home. Caesar refused,
invaded Rome, and declared himselfrnler of Rome. Pompey fled from Rome and was
later murdered in Egypt. When the play begins, Caesar has defeated Pompey's troops
and is the complete and undisputed leader of Rome.
Julius Caesar
Where's Where in Julius Caesar
Tliis map lists the Roman kingdom during Caesar's tÿnv as ruler. Refer to it aS nvcÿary,
especially during your readhlg of acts 4 and 5. :
÷
Julius Caesar
Date
ThV ÿ ÿumvizate
Wne. ÿD nd Tÿnmcÿrate
Jullua Caesar -
Octavius Caeÿ
dÿgU8 "
- Mark Antony
M. Lepfdus
Julfus Caesar dictator of Romÿ his wife
Marcus Brutus Roman praetorÿPortÿ his wife
Servants to.Eÿm
radeÿ hÿ nÿrÿs
With Brutus
Claudius
Young Cato
CIltus
Dardaÿlus
iclus
• Max'cua Brutus
Messala
DeeÿUÿ Brdÿ
Tltÿus
Casca
VoIumniua
Strato
Cassius
Lucÿua
Metelluÿ Cÿmbcr
VaF/D
Lÿgarÿua
Trebonÿus
Plndarlus. aeÿt of Cassius
-Artenfldorus. teacher of rhetoric and a soothsayer
•
Cÿcero
..
Pop.us Lena
ÿ..,.ÿ_
" ÿ -
F]av]uÿ
Maruÿus
Publius
Other senators, cÿtÿzerÿ, guards, attendants, and another poet
-
Julius Caesar
,ct I
!)
Where does the play take place?
2)
Why is Marullus angry with the carpenter and cobbler?.
3)
Why doeS Flaviuswant to remove Caesar's trophies?
4)
Who is Calpurnia?
5) What is wrong with her?
6) What is a soothsayer?
•.
7) What doe.s the soothsayer tell Caesar?
8) Why does Brutus look upset;?
9) How does •Cassius feel about Brutus?
10) How doCassius and Brutus feet about Caesaÿ
11)•Why does Cassius• think• Caesar should not rule?
12) How did Cassius save Caesar's life?
13)Whydoes Cassius excessively compliment and flatter Brutus onpage 720?
14)Explain the !ine, "Cassius has a lean and hungry look; He thinks too•much; •
Such men are dangerous."
15) Is Caesar right about Cassius?
16)What is wrong with Caesar physically?
17)Why were Marullus and Flavius punished?
18)What is Cassius going to throw at Brutus' window?
19)VVhat occurs between Casca and Cassius?
20)Why is Cassius asking Cinna to leave papers everywhere for Brutus?
21)Why do the men want Brutus on their side?
22) How is Brutus different from Cassius?
Julius Caesar
Act II, Scene 1
Brutus: Master, Husband, Citizen-Conspirator
Characterization- the personality and physical traits a character displays
Direct Characterization- What the author says about a character (since this is a play, you do
not receive direct information from the author)
lndirect Characterization- *What the character says
*What the character does
*What other characters say about that character
Reread Act II, scene 1, and then on a scale of 1 (lowest) to 10 (highest), rate Brutus in three
areas: as a master of his household, as the husband of Portia, and as a citizen leading the
conspiracy against Caesar. Support your ratings with examples' from the play. Don't forget
to give the page number and line number.
Brutus as Master
Brutus as a Husband
Rating.
Rating
Justification:
Justification:
Brutus as Citizen°
Conspirator
?
L
r
Justification:
F
Julius Caesar
Name
Date
Husbands and Wives: Then and Now
There is an old saying, borne out by history, that behind every great man there Is a good woman.
In Ju/tus Caesar, Calpurnla and Portia have very little stage time, yet they do have a role to play
in their husbands' lives..Thus far In: the play, what is their dramatic function in the development
of the action? How would you compare their husband-vÿfe relationship? As you dlscuss ÿthese
ideas with your group, complete the chart below.
Dramatic Function
Portia and Brutus
a
P
P
P
I.
Calpurnla and Caesar
I.
o
Peÿonÿ Relationship
1,
The conspirators decidenot to discuss their
4. Decius's words in lines2ÿ2-Zÿrve to---
plan with Cicero because---
A he is too old to be of any real help
A reveal Caesar's internal conflicts of
pride and .fear
B he likes to do things his own way
B emphasize Caesar's love of hunting
C he is held in high regard by others
C contrast Caesar's opinion of his own
character with Deeius's view of
Caesar's character
D he may actually support Caesar
D compare D ecius's persuasive skills with
o
those of Caesar
Brutus's reference to Marc Antony as
Caesar's arm is meant to persuade his
fellow conspirators that-Q
What is the main point of Decius's final
speech?
A "Antony will remain loyal to Caesar no
matter what happens
A Caesar may be superstitious, but Deeius
knows what to say to get him to do what
they want.
B Antony will pose no threat to them once
Caesar is dead
B Caesar professes to hate flatterers but
loves to be flattered himsel£
C Antony will approve of their actions
once he understands their reasons
C Caesar only pretends to be superstitious
D Antony is likely to seek revenge for /
in order to confuse potential enemies.
Caesar's death
D Caesar will laugh once Decius points
out how silly it is to believe in
superstitions.
3ÿ How is the conflict between Cassius and
Brutus resolved?
A The conspirators agree to kill Antony at
6ÿ
a later time.
B The conspirators agree to convince
Antony to commit suicide.
From the characters' words in this passage, a
reader can conclude all of the following
EXCEPT-A Cicero is an older man
C The conspirators agree to explain their
reasons to Antony.
B Cassius has a personal grudge against
Antony
D The conspirators agree not to kill
Antony.
C Decius is a persuasive speaker
D Brutus is concerned about public
opinion
Annliÿd Prÿe.tie.o Itd Austin_ TX. All ric]hts reserved.
13
.- dct 11focuses on Bnztÿ" internal conflict as he struggles with himself over issues of duty, honor, and
y. This is a sharp contrast to Caesar, who completely misses the warnings'that he is in danger.
bularÿ
AugmentedEntreatedConspiracy-
ExploitImminentResolution-
.)What does Brutus' servant, Lucius, find on the window?
3)What is the date?
|)What date did the soothsayer warn Caesar about?
i) How is Cassius related to Brutus?
)Why hasn't Brutus been sleeping well?
i
')Why doesn't Brutus want to swear an oath?
)Who do they decide to leave out of their conspiracy?
))Who do they wantto kill with Caesar?.
))Why?
I)Why doesn't Brutus want to kill Mark Antony?
/
!)Who is Portia?
)What does Portia want?
P
l)Should Brutus tell Portia what is happening? Why or why not?
;) How does Caius feel about the plot?
;)What does Calpurnia want Caesar to do?
')What excuse does she want Caesar to give?
=)Does he agree?
l)Why does Decius interpret the dream in a positive way?
))How does Decius convince Caesar to go with him?
)What does Trebonius mean by lines 124-125?
'.)What does Artemidorus tell Caesar in his note?
;)Why does Portia send Lucius to the capitol?
fX/}
--Period
Act 3 Reading Guide
oÿat is the date?
o.
) What is Artemidorus trying to give Caesar?
What are the conspirators begging for?
} What is the real reason they are all beggingCaesar?
) What is C tÿesar"s tone Whet1 he refuses to pardon Publius Cimber?
7L.
Why doe Caesar "agreeÿ to fall when he realizes Brutus is stabbing him als0?
Where does Antony go after the murder?.':
What does Antony's servant ask Brutus?
Wh,ÿ: does Antony expect them to do once he arrives?
)) VVhat does it imply When Antony first shakes hands with the conspirators?
herÿ does Antony first reveal his true feelings about the conspirators?
!) What does Antony want them to tell him?
i; VVh,ÿ doesn't Cassius want the others to hear what he tells Brutus?
t) What does he tell Brutus?
i) What does Brutus decide?
i) What does Brutus tell Antony not to do in his speech?
') What does Antony reveal during his soliloquy?
,) What 2 mistakes has Brutus made so far in the play concerning Antony?
) Why does Brutus tell the Romans he killed Caesar?
) How do the people respond to Brutus' speech?
"-'hat do the Romans want Antony to read?
) What 2 people are at Caesar's house?
) What happened to Cinna the poet? What does this say about the people?
Act HI VocabularySoliloquy:
MonologueSuitConfounded-
MutinyMalice-
OrationVile.-.5
Additional Information on Brutus and Cassius
This will help you to better understand their motivations for killing Caesar
and their personalities.
Brutus
® Of Noble tterhage Bmms is a Roman nobleman, as was his father (Act 1, Sc.
2, lines 169-171).
® Sincere: Brutus truly believes that his role in the assassination is for the good
of Rome (Act 2, Se. 1, lines 10-34); (Act 3, SC. 1, lines 178-186).
o Honest: He refuses to take bribes (Act 4, Sc. 3, lines 72-89).
® Naive: He believes in the essential goodness of those around him (Act 3, Se. 1,
lines 178-190); (Act 5, Se. 5, lines 3.8-42).
® Philosophical: His philosophies guide his actions and decisions. Finally, his
decisions--refusing to agree to the death of Marc Antony (Act 2, scene 1, lines
161-197), allowing Marc Antony to speak at Caesar's funeral and to speak last
(Act 3, Se. 1, lines 254-261), and deciding to risk all in one battle at Philippi (Act
4, Se. 3, lines 228-237)--prove disastrous to the conspirators' cause.
Cassius
o Envious: Cassius has contempt for Caesar and envies Caesar's position (Act 1,
So. 2).
® Fearful: Cassius is afraid that caesar has ambitions to be king. He fears what
might become of Rome in such an instance.(Act 1, Sc. 2).
® Politically Astute: He advises Brutus to assassinate Antony along with Caesar
(Act 2, scene 1, lines 161-168). Understanding what can happen, he advises
Brutus not to allow Antony to speak at Caesar's funeral (Act 3, Sc. 1, lines 250-
253).
® Corrupt: Prior to the battle at Philippi, he is accused by Brutus of taking bribes
(Act g, So. 3, lines 9-12).
® Military Strategist: His battle plan for Philippi is well thought out and based
on sound military principles (Act 4, Sc. 3, lines 219-227
/"3
!
Reading Practice 4
f
Use the following passage from Act III, scene i 6f Julius Caesar
to answer tuesfions 1-10..
Cassius. Where is Antony?
"
Now, whilst your purpled hands do reek and
Treboniu& Fled to his house amazed.
smoke,
Men, wives, and children stare, cry out, and run
As it were doomsday.
Brutus. Fates, wewill know your pleasures.
That we shall die, we know; 'tis but the time,
And drawing days out, that men stand upon.
Casca. Why, he that cuts offtwenty years
of life
"-
0 Cuts offso many years of fearing death.
Bru. Grant that, and then is death a benefit.
So are we Caesar's friends, that have abridged
Fulfill your pleasure. Live a th0ÿsand years,
I shall not find myself so apt to die;
5O No placewill please me so, no means 0f.death,
As here by Caesar, and by you cut off,
The Choice and master spirits of this age.
Bru. O Amony! Beg not your death of us.
Though now we must appear bloody and cruel,
55 As by our hands and this our present act
:you see we do, yet see you but ourÿhhnds
this theyou
bleeding
business
theypitiful;
have done.
" And
Our hearts
see not.
They are
His time of fearing death. Stoop, Romans, stoop,
And let us bathe our hands in Caesar's blood
0
Up to the elbows and besmear our swords.
Then walk we forth even-to the marketplace,
'nd, Waving ourred weapons o'er our heads,
.'t's all cry."Peace, freedom, and lÿerty!"
Cass. Stoop, then, and wash. [They bathe
their hands and weapons.] How many
:
ages hence
Shall this our lofty scene be acted over
In states unborn and accents yet unknown!
Brm How many times shall Caesar bleed in
sport,
That now on Pompey's basis lies along
No worthier than the dust!
Cass. So oft as that shall be,
So often shall the knot of us be called
The men that gave their country liberty.
.°ÿ
........
..,..
...............
o
Bru. But here comes Antony--Welcome,
• Mark Antony.
Antony. 0 mighty Caesar! Dost thou lie
so low?
Are all thy conquests, glories, triumphs, spoils,
Shrunk to this little measure? Fare thee well-I know not, gentlemen, what you intend,
Who else must be let blood, who else is rank;
]fl myself, there is no hour so fit
As Caesar's death's hour, nor no instrument
Ofhalfthat worth as those your swords, made
rich
th the most noble blood of all this worldÿ
, do beseech ye, if you bear me hard,
:And pi.ty to the general wrong of Rome60 As fire drives out fire, so pity pity-Hath done this deed on Caesar. For your part,
• To you our swords have leaden points, Mark
Antony.
Our arms in strength of malice, and our hearts
65 Of
brothers'
do receive
you
in reverence.
• With
all kindtemper,
love, good
thoughts,
and
Cass. Your voice shall be as strong as any
man's
In the disposing of new dignities.
70 ÿ Brm Only be patient till we have appeased
The multitude, beside themselves with fear,
And then we will deliver you the cause
Why I, that did love Caesar when I struck him,
Have thus proceeded.
75
Brm Prepare the body then, and follow us.
Exeunt all except Amony.
Antony. O, pardon me, thou bleeding piece of
earth,
80 That I am meek and gentle With these butchers!
Thouart the ruins of the noblest man
That ever lived in the tide of times.
Woe to the hand that shed this costly blood!
Over thy wounds now do 1 prophesyÿ
85 Which, like dumb mouths, do ope their ruby lips
To beg the voice and utterance of my tongueA curse shall light upon the limbs of men;
Domestic fury and fierce civil strife
Shall cumber all the parts of Italy;
90 Blood and destl?action shall be so in use
And dreadful olÿjects so familiar
!
©2002 by Applied Practice, Ltd., Austin; TX. All .rights reserved.
]
That mothers shall but smiie when they behold
Their infants quartered with the hands of war,
All pity choked.with custom of fell deeds;
And Caesar's spirit, ranging for revenge,
Shall in these confines with a monarch's voice
Cry "Havoc!" and let slip the dogs of war,
That this foul deed shall smell above the earth
100. With ran'ion men, groaning for burial.
With Ate by his side come hot from hell,
2o
Inlines 11-13, Brntus's logic is based on the
o
false assumption that--
Brutus's words our swords have leaden
points me, an that--
A Caesar feared death despite having
fought in many wars
A the conspirators will find some other
B Caesar had thought Brutus was a good
B the consp'.n-at0rs have no intention of
way to kill Antony laterÿ
harming Antony
.. friend
C the conspirators hold Antony paÿ-tly to
-C ,Casca believes that death is better than
qife
blame for Caesar's death
D all the conspirators were really Caesar's
friends
D the conspirators regard Antony as a
. worthy successor to Caesar
The conspirators believe later generations
.Cassius attempts to persuade Antony to
will--
.supp0rt.their actions by---
A quickly forget Julius Caesar
A tl]reatening to kill him if he does not
support them "
B praise them for their actions
B telling him that the general public will
C follow their example
praise their actions
D consider them traitors
C " assuring him that he Will be a part of the
new government
J
Which best expresses the main idea of
Antony's speech in lines 34-527
D appealing to his sense of duly toward
his country
A All of Caesar's accomplishments meanÿ
nothing now that he is dead.
o
The mood of Antony's final speech is one
of----
B The conspfi'ators will not escape
p _unishrnent for what they have done.
C Antony recognizes that it was time for
Caesar to die.
A SOITOW
B submission
C outrage
D If the conspirators plan to kill Antony,
they should do so immediately.
D enthusiasm
©2002 by Applied Practice, Ltd., Austin, TX. All rights reserved.
°-
Reading Practice 5
Use the following passage-from Act H-I;scene i of Julius Caesar
to answer questions 1-9.
Brutus. Be patient till the last.
SecondPlebiarL Give him a statue with his
Romans, countrymen, and lovers, hear me for
my cause, and be silent that you may hear.
Believe me for mine honor, and have respect to
ancestors.
5O
mine honor, that you may believe. Censure me
ThirdPlebian. Let him be Caesar.
Fourth PlebiarL Caesar's better parts
Shall be crowned in Brutus.
First Plebian. We'll bring him tO his house
with shouts and clamors.
in your wisdom, and awake your senses, that you
may the better judge., lfthere be any in this
assembly, any dear friend of Caesar'S, to him I
Bru= My countrymen--say that Brutus' love to Caesar was no less than . 55
SecondPlebian. Peace, silence! Brutus
his. If then that friend demand why Brutus rose.speaks.
against Caesar, this is my answer: not that I
SecondPlebian. Peace, ho!
loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more.
Bru. Good countrymen, let me depart alone,
Had you rather Caesar were living and die all
And, for my sake, stay here with Antony.
slÿvesÿ thaÿ that Caesar were dead, to live all free 60 • Do grace to Caesar's corpse, and grace his
,ÿeÿ'? As: ÿSÿ',esar loved me, I weep for him; as he
as ÿ5.ÿ"ÿu-oate, i rejoice at it; as he was valiant, I
iÿo.ÿor hi,a; but, as he was ambitious, I slew him.
)7ÿ,ÿre is teats for his love; joy for his fortune;
q>ÿ h_ÿ valor; and death for his ambition.
i,ÿ. .... is hÿ.re scÿ base that would be a bondman?
speech
Tending to Caesar's glories, which Marc
65
Antony,
By our permission, is allowed to make.
I do entreat you, not a man depart,
Save I alone, till Antony have spoke.
Exit.
f ÿy. ÿpeak, for himhave I offended.. Who is
• Antony. Friends, Romans, countrymen" lend
kere so rude that would not be a Roman? If any,
peak, for him have I offended. Who is here so
me your ears.
iÿe tha,: wit] rÿot love his country? Ifany,speak, 70
I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him:
3r him hÿve I offended, t Pause for a reply.
The evil that men do lives after them;
All. None, Brutus, none!
The good is oft interred with their bones.
Bru. Then none I have offended. I have
So let it be with Caesar. The noble Brutus
oiÿe ÿ:ÿo ÿ.ÿore to Caesar than you shall do to
Hath told you Caesar was ambitious.
.rÿs. The question ofhis death is enrolled in 75
If it were so, it was a grievous fault,
te Capitol, his glory not extenuated.wherein he
'as worthy, not his offenses enforced for which
And grievously hath Caesar answered it.
Here; under leave of Brutus and the restÿ
; suffered death.
For Brutus is an honorable man,
Enter Marc Antony. [and others] with
So are they all, all honorable menÿ
Caesar's body.
80
Come 1 to speak in Caesar's funeral.
ere comes his body, mourned by Marc Antony,
He. was my friend, faithful and just to me;
he, though he had no hand in his death, shall
But Brutus Says he was ambitious,
ceive the benefit of his dying, a place in the
And Brutus is an honorable man,
,mmonwealth, as which of you shall not? With
He hath brought many captives home to Rome,
is I depart, that, as I slew my best lover for the 85
Whose ransoms did the general coffers fill.
od of Rome, I have the same dagger for
Did this in Caesar seem ambitious?
€self when it shall please my country to need
When that the poor have Cried; Caesar hath wept;
¢ death.
Ambition should be made of sterner stuff.
A//. Live, Brutus, live, live!
Yet Brutus says he was ambitious,
[Brutus comes down.] 90 And Brutus is an honorable man.
"st PlebiarL Bring him with triumph
You all did see that on the Lupercal
mo his house.
I thrice presented him a "kingly crown,
Which he did thrice refuse. Was this ambition?
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r
b
=.
ret Brutus says he was ambitious,
md sure he is an honorable man.
speak not to disprove what Brutus spoÿe,
ut here I am to speak what I do know.
'ou all did love him once, not without cause.
V-hat cause withholds youthen to mourn for
him?
And I must pause till it come back to me.
105 First Plebiarÿ Methinks there is much
reason in his sayings.
SeeondPlebian. If thou consider rightly of
the matter, Caesar hasÿad a great wrong.
..... o . ÿ o o .... ÿ o ,. o'ÿ o ÿo, . D o o o'...
110
)judgment! Thou art fled to brutish beasts,
,nd men have lost their reason. Bear with me;
ly heart is in the coffin there with Caesar,
Brutus's words seem to indicate that he is--
Third plebian. There's not a nobler man in
Rome than Antony.
Fourth Plebiarÿ Now mark him. He begins
to speak again.
4ÿ Which of the following details most
supports Antony's position?
A confident
A Caesar brouoÿt many captives to Rome.
B fearful
B Caesar refused the crown three times.
C repentant
C Caesar'was Antony's friend.
D vengeful
D Everyone in the crowd once loved
Caesar.
The fact that Mare Antony speaks to the
crowd after Brutus gives his speech is
significant because--
5ÿ Based on information presented in this
passage, which of the following is true?
A
this lets him address a group of people
who are already angry
B this gives Brutus an opportunity to
A The crowd's response to Brutus is
positive, but the crowd's response to
Antony is hostile.
escape the crowd
B Antony loved Caesar, but Brutus had no
C this demonstrates that Antony had
nothing to do with Caesar's death
personal affection for Caesar.
C Brutus places the good of Rome above
D this allows him to refute what Brutus
has said
Which best expresses the main idea of
Antony's speech?
all else, but Antony places loyalty to
friends above all else.
D Brutus uses only logic to persuade the
crowd, but Antony uses emotion as well
to persuade the crowd.
A Caesar cared deeply for the common
people of Rome.
B
Brutus's words and actions show him to
be an honorable man.
C Caesar was not as ambitious as Brutus
believed him to be.
D People will remember Caesar more for
his evil deeds than for the good he di&
i
i
©2002 by Applied Practice, Ltd., Austin, TX. All rights reserved.
0
oÿ
Julius Caesar
Name
Date
Handout
Outline of Brutus' ÿeral OraUon
I. Introduction
I rose against Caesar not that I
It.
less, but that I
more.
Body
A. Part I: Cause and Effect
I. Because Caesar loved me, I
for him, and there are
for his love.
1
Because Caesar was fortunate, I
for hlm, and there Is
for hls fortune.
3ÿ Because Caesar was valiant, I
him, and there is
for. his valor.
4. Because Caesar was ambitious, I
him, and there is
for his ambition.
Bo Part 2: Rhetorical Questions
1. Who is here so
that would be a
2. Who is here so
that would be a
3. Who is here so
that would not love
..
Ill. Conclusion
Aÿ
Whom then have 1 offended?
B. The reasons for Caesar's death are recorded
1. His glory wherein he was
Is not
2. His offences for which he
are not
© COPYRIGHT, The Center for Learning. Used with permission. Not for resale,
rÿq
?
dlus Caesar
Name
Date,ÿ.
ÿ:
Turning the Tide: ÿtony
mple.te the following outline of Antony's funeral oration.
tntroductl0n
Antony: "Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears.-I come to bury Caesar, not to
praise him.ÿ
-.÷t
Body
A. Part l: Refuting Caesar's Ambition
1. Proof 1:
d
2. Proof 2:
3. Proof 3:
. B. First Pause
Antony: "Bear with me, / My heart is In the coffin there with Caesar, / And I must pause
till it comes back .tome.
C. Part 2: First Mention of Caesar's Will
1. The effects If the crowd were to read the will: j-
D. Second Pause
Antony descends from pulplt, and crowd forms a rlng around body of Caesar.
E. Part 3: Description of Caesar's Corpse
1. Description of mantle:
2. Names of conspirators involved:
3. Effects of Brutus' stabbing:
4. Citizen's reactions to Antony's words:
5. Antony's self-deprecatlon:
Fo
Part 4: Contents of Caesar's Will
I. Each Roman Citizen:
2. Citizen's private estate:
[I. Conclusion
Antony: "Here was a Caesarl When comes such another?"
© COPYRIGHT, The Center for Learning. Used with permission. Not for resale.
-
'
Name
Date
Julius Caesar
Supplementary Materials
Indicate the order in which the following events occurred in the play.
i.
a. Caesar attends a race traditionally run on the
Feast of Lupercal.
2.
b. The conspirators plan to meet that night.
3.
4.
5.
c. Casca describes how Caesar three times refused
the crown.
d. The Roman mob turns out to celebrate the triumphant return of Caesar.
e. A soothsayer warns Caesar to beware the Ides of
March.
Match the character with his or her description. Not all answers will be used.
6. Flavius
7. Cassius
8. Caesar
a.
I offered the crown to Caesar.
b.
I sounded out Brutus on the subject of Caesar's
growing power.
Co
I was one who tore down the decorations welcoming
Caesar.
P
9. Casca
d. I asked Antony to touch Calpurnla.
10. Antony
e. I was frightened of the unnatural occurrences, the
"portentous things."
f. I was enticed to Join the conspiracy because my
patriotism was well-known.
Read each item carefully. If the italicized portion of the statement makes the statement true,
write T. If the italicized portion of the statement makes it false, correct the statement,
I I. Julius Caesar is pictured with physical infirmities, one of which is deafness.
12. To persuade Brutus to Join the conspiracy, Cassius appeals to his love of money.
13. Bruÿs is described as having a "lean and hungry look."
14. Puns are words that suggest two or more meanings at the same time.
0
15. The Roman crowd in scene 1 seems to be fickle, or easily swayed.
© COPYRIGHT, The Center for Learning. Used with permission. Not for resale.
67
$
Julius Caesar
Name
Date
Supplementary Materials
Test
Indicate the order In which the following events occurred in the play.
I.
a. Cassius tells Brutus of the unworthiness of Caesar to entice
hlm to Join the conspiracy.
2.
b, Caesar first becomes suspicious of Cassius.
3.
c. Cassius dies.
4.
d. The conspirators attack Caesar In the Senate chamber.
5.
e. Antony is allowed to speak at Caesar's funeral.
6.
f. Two tribunes tear down the trophies that the mob erected in
honor of Caesar.
7.
8.
g. Calpurnia pleads with Caesar not to go to the Senate.
9.
h. Portia complains to Brutus that he Is restless and unhappy and
asks the reason.
I0.
1. The triumvirate Is formed.
J. The soothsayer gives his second warning.
Match the character wlth his or her description. Not all answers will be used.
I I. Brutus
a.
I was the first to stab Caesar.
12. Casca
b.
I committed suicide by swallowing fire.
13. Calpurnia
c.
14. Soothsayer
15. Cassius
16. Cinna
17. Caesar
18. Decius
d.
I convinced Caesar to go to the Senate.
e.
I was torn to pieces by the mob for having the same name as
a conspirator.
f.
I called Brutus "the noblest Roman of them all."
g.
19. Antony
20. Portia
I dreamed of Romans bathing their hands In the blood of
Caesar.
I neglected to read the paper given to me on the way to the
Senate.
h. I was left out of the conspiracy because I would not Joln
anything I didn't start.
iQ
I planned and organized the conspiracy.
J.
I told Caesar to "beware the Ides of March."
k.
I was the only person to see Caesar's ghost.
© COPYRIGHT, The Center for Learning. Used with permission. Not for resale.
68
Julius Caesar
Supplementary Materials
b
Match the words with the character who speaks them. Keep in mind that words often reflect
the personality or feelings of a character.
b
21. Caesar
b
b
22. Brutus
b
b
a,
23. Antony
"As Caesar loved me, I weep for him;
as he was fortunate, I rejoice at it;
as he was valiant, I honour him;
but, as he was ambitious, I slew him."
24. Cassius
b. "Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears."
25. Portia
c. "Cowards die many times before their deaths;
The valiant never taste of death but once."
b
b
d.
"I have made strong proof of my constancy,
Giving myself a voluntary wound."
e,
"Why, man, he doth bestride the narrow world
Like a Colossus; and we petty men
Walk under his huge legs, and peep about
To find ourselves dishonorable graves."
26. Antony
a.
"Stoop, Romans, stoop,
And let us bathe our hands in Caesar's blood
27. Caesar
Up to the elbows .... "
28. Caesar's ghost
29. Cassius
b. "Thou shalt see me at Philippi."
c. "O pardon me, thou bleeding piece of earth,
That I am meek and gentle with these butchers|"
30. Brutus
d. "Caesar, thou art revenged
Even with the sword that killed thee."
e,
"And tell them that I will not come today:
Cannot, is false; and that I dare not, falser;
I will not come today."
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69
Julius Caesar
Supplementary Materials
Select the letter of the choice which best answers the question.
31. Brutus joins the conspiracy because
a. Portia asks him to do so
b. Cicero refuses to take part
c. he fears that Caesar will become a tyrant
d. he believes the plot will fail without him
32. At the funeral, Antony reads
a. a proclamation of forgiveness for the conspirators
b. a prayer service for the fallen leader
c. a document which supposedly Is Caesar's will
d. a declaration of war against the conspirators
33. Cassius dies because
a. the ghost of Caesar kills him
b. his forces run away
c. Octavius sends hlm a message that Brutus Is dead
e. he misunderstands what Plndarus sees
34. Brutus feels a conflict between his
a. love of Caesar and love of Rome
b. hatred of Caesar and love for his family
c. hatred of Caesar and love of Rome
d. desire to kill Caesar and his friendship with Cassius
35. In addressing the crowd, Brutus appeals primarily to the crowd's
a. logic and reason
b. emotions
c. greed
d. love of Caesar
© COPYRIGHT, The Center for Learning. Used with permission. Not for resale.
7O
Julius Caesar
Supplementary Materials
36. In his oration, Antony refers to the conspirators repeatedly as
a. friends of Caesar
b. honorable men
c. cruel and inhuman monsters
d. peace-lovlng Romans
For each of the quotations from the play, choose the best paraphrase (rephrasing) of the
statement.
37. "Men at some time are masters of their fates:
The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars,
But in ourselves, that we are underlings."
a. A person determines his or her own desUny.
b. People are fated to die at a certain time, and nothing In the stars can change that
fate.
c. The stars (astrology) rule a person's life.
38. "I could be well moved, If I were as you,
If I could pray to move, prayers would move me;
But I am constant as the northern star,
Of whose true-fixed and resting quality
There Is no fellow in the firmament."
a. I arn a person like all people, and I feel the same hurts and the same fears.
b. I am unlike other people; while they are fickle, I am flrm.
c. I am unable to pray since I do not believe In God.
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71
Julius Caesar
Supplementary Materials
Complete each statement by writing the correct word or words to fill In the blanks.
39. One sign of Caesar's superstitious belief Is his
40. The attitude of the crowd after Brutus' oration was that
; the attitude
of the crowd after Antony's oration was that
Answer essay questions in two or three well-developed paragraphs. Be sure to use correct
grammar, spelling, and punctuation.
41. Had Caesar been more astute and willlng to accept his own vulnerability, he might have
recognized several warnings foreshadowing his assassination. List at least three warnings
that Caesar ignored, and explain why he ignored them. Give a brief analysis of Caesar's
character.
42. Idealism can be both a strength and a weakness. Using the character of Brutus, explain this
two-sided quality. Give examples that Illustrate Brutus' strong points and his weaknesses.
72
Namÿ
-
Period
A brief summary of Act ill
&
information on Act iV
-A,.,.,-th,..-conspirators assassÿnate-Caesar,ÿboth Brutus an Mark Antonygive funerat .....
speeches. Brutus, using logic and reason, explains to the crowd that Caesar's death was
necessary to keep all Romans free. The crowd at first wholeheartedly accepts Brutus'
speech. Then, Mark Antony takes the stage and persuades the crowd that Caesar was a
great man and Brutus is a traitor. The crowd, having been worked into a frenzy, rushes
off to destroy the conspirators.
In the first two scenes of Act 4, the effects of the assassination are seen. The new
triumvirate, Octavius, Antony, and Lepidus, meet to decide who shall live and who shall
die. Lepidus consents to the death of his brother but only if Antony agrees to the death of
his nephew. This off=hand bargaining shows a callous attitude toward human life. Also,
rivalry has crept into the group.
Just as disagreements have arisen in the triumvirate, so, too, there is a division in
the ranks of the conspirators. In actual history, the conspirators scattered. Shakespeare
deals only with Brutus and Cassius in the last two acts and moves the setting outside
Rome where it will remain the rest of the play.
*iÿ'
"
Period
Julius Caesar Reading Guide
Act 4
Act 4
1) What isthe..r}ew triumvirate P_L__e aring_for9
2) What does Antony say about Lepidus?
3) What does Antony want to do with the will?
4) What does Antony want to do about Lepidus?
5) What does Octavius want to do about Lepidus?
6) To what does Antony compare Lepidus?
7) Is Cassius acting the same after the death of Caesar?
8) Why is Cassius angry with Brutus?
9) What does Brutus accuse Cassius of ?
10) How does Cassius respond?
11) Is Brutus frightened of Cassius?
12) Why does Cassius offer Brutus the dagger?
13)
Is he sincere?
14)
What happened to Portia?
15)
Where will the battle take place?
16)
Which conspirator was killed?
17)
Why doesn't Cassius want to march toward Phillippi?
18)
What does Brutus say about the people of Phillippi?
19)
Who appears to Brutus?,i
2O)
I
!
What does this imply will happen to Brutus?
REVISING AND EDITING
Van has written an essay about the life of Julius Caesar. He has asked you to look over
the essay before he hands it in. As you read, think of what improvements or corrections
Van might makeÿ-4o4mprove his essay. Then answer the mult{ple-choice questions that
follow., ,
A Paradoxical Leader
(1) If one had to choose a word to sum up the man Julius Caesar, perhaps the best word
would be"
,,
ÿ
paradox. (2) Almost no historian denies that Caesar could be ruthless, unscrupulous,
and tyrannical. (3) At the same time however, he was a gitted orator, writer, political reformer
and, most of all, military leader. (4) The events of his life are a catalog of impressive
achievements, but throughout the story of Caesar's life runs the undercurrent of resentment ÿis'
great leader aroused in those around him. (5) As Shakespeare's tragedy Julius Caesar shows,
Caesar ultimately will be brought down by those closest to him.
(6) Gaius Julius Caesar was born in Rome in July of the year 100 B.C. (7) As a young
/
man, he was involved in political and military matters, but his .serious career in politics began in
.:65 B.C., when he was elected toa position as director.of public works. (8) In this position,
Caesar sponsored elaborate, expensive games to win public favor. (9) His continued lavish
expenditures gained popularity for Caesar, and he was elected "Pontifex Maximus," or chief
priest of the state religion, in 63 B.C. (10) Resentment of Caesar and his power was evident even
at this early period in his career. (11) TWO years later, Caesar joined witati the Roman consuls
Pompey and Crassus to form the First Triumvirate; each &the three men took power over a
different pb.rt of the Roman world. (12) Caesar's enemies referred to this alliance as "the threeheaded monster."
(13) Against heavy opposition, Caesar was elected consul in the year 59 B.C. (14) To
strengthen his position, he married his only daughter Julia to Pompey, thus solidifying that
alliance. (15) To get his measures passed in the Roman Assembly, Caesar took advantage of any
alliances he had, and his opponents strongly resented his heavy-handed tactics. (16) As long as
©2002 by Applied Practice, Ltd., Austin, TX. All rights reserved.
52
Caesar was consul, he could not be prosecuted. (17) His enemies would have to wait until he was
a private citizen to bring charges against him.
(18) At this point, Caesar left Rome for nine years, during whicll he conquered most of
--what is now.ÿ-ÿ--entral.Eumpeandÿven made two successful militaryexÿc'ursions into Great Britain.
(19) Ready to return to Rome, Caesar was warned by his enemies that he would be prosecuted if
he returned to italy. (20) During his absence his consulship had expired, Crassus had been killed
in battle, his daughter Julia had died in childbirth, and Pompey had switched his allegiance to
Caesar's opponents. (21) Despite warnings from Pompey and the Senate, Caesar crossed the
rubicon, the river separating Gaul and Italy. (22) His troops qonquered both Italy and Spain, and
Caesar was named dictator of Rome. (23) A year later, Caesar's army defeated Pompey's,
despite being outnumbered more than two to one.
(24) Caesar's triumphs continued, including his swirl victory over the rebellious Asian
king Pharnaces, after which Caesar declared, "Veni, vidi, vici" ("I came, I saw, I conquered"), but
his behavior as dictator was inviting jealousy and resentment. (25) He often simply announced
his decisions and had them entered in the record as senatorial decrees. (26) He issued coins with
his image on them. (27) He allowed his statues to be adorned. (28) The statues were adorned
like statues of the gods.
(29) Caesar sat dressed in a purple robe such as the old kings of Rome had worn in his
gilded chair at the festival of the Lupercalia after Caesar was named "Dictator Perpetuus"
(perpetual dictator) in February of 44 B.C. (30) This festival, held on February 15, is depicted in
the opening scene of Shakespeare's play. (31) As in the play, Marc Antony publicly offered a
crown to Caesar. (32) Master politician that he was, Caesar could since that the people did not
want him to assume the role of king, so he refused the crown, declaring, "Jupiter alone is king of
the Romans." (33) The crowd shouted their approval of Caesar's declaration, but Caesar had his
refusal noted in the official records.
©2002 by Applied Practice, Ltd., Austin, TX. All rights reserved.
53
q
(34) Although Caesar had won over the commoners, many of those in the political and
military arena mistrusted him. (35) Some of these men had decided that Caesar must be stopped.
•
ÿ
,
.
......... On March 15, Caesar attended a meeting of the S eÿate... (ÿ6)_The conspirators arrived witk ..... ÿ ......
concealed daggers• (37) They had agreed that each man would stab Caesar once. (38) The
ancient historian Plutarch wrote "Some say that he fought and resisted all the rest, shifting his
body to avoid the blows, and calling out for help, but that when he saw Brutus's sword drawn, he
covered his face with his robe and submitted, letting himself fall.., at the foot of the pedestal on
which Pompey's statue stood."
(39) Thus, Caesar met his death in the brutal and poignant manner Shakespeare
dramatized in his tragedy. (40) Understandably, Shakespeare presents Caesar as a paradox.
(41) The man who did much to improve Roman society, from eliminating a corrupt tax system to
reforming the calendar, was also the man who seemed too power-hungry for comfort.
(42) Caesar's grandnephew, Octavius, became his successor, Rome's first emperor to rule under
the name Augustus• (43) Less brilliant than Caesar, Augustus was also more humble• (44) The
success of the relatively uncomplicated Augustus underscores the fact that Julius Caesar's
paradoxical nature, while fascinating, ultimately led to his downfall.
°
What change, if any, should be made in
sentence 3?
.
What change, if any, should be made in
sentence 5?
A Change military to Military
A Change will to would
B Omit the comma after however
B Insert a comma after tragedy
C Insert a comma after time
C Change those to they
D Make no change
D Make no change
©2002 by Applied Practice, Ltd., Austin, TX. All rights reserved.
54
..7,.-.
3-"
o
What is the most effective way to improve
the organization of the second paragraph
(sentences 6-12)?
.
Wlaat"is Me most effective way to combine
sentences 26-287
A " Furthermore, he issued coins with his
image on them and allowed his statues
to be adorned like statues ofÿe gods.--
A Move sentence 6 ÿo that it.follows
sentence 8
B Move sentence 12 so that it f611ows
B Because he issued coins with his image
sentence I 0
on them, he allowed his statues to be
adorned like statues of the gods.
C Move sentence 10 to the end of the
paragraph
C After he issued coins witÿ his image on
D Move sentence 11 to the beginning of
them, he allowed his statues to be
adorned, and they were adorned like
the paragraph
statues" of the gods..
4. Which transition should be added to the
beginning of sentence 16?
D Issuing coins with his image on them,
and allowing his statues to be adorned
like statues of the gods.
A Therefore,
'7. What is the most effective way to rewrite
B For example,
C In fact,
D However,
r.ÿ,.?.
What change, if any, should be made in
sentence 21 ?
A Omit the comma after Senate
B Change rubicon to Rubicon
C Change separating to seperating
D Make no change
" sentence 29?
A
In February of 44 B.C., Caesar sat
dressed in a purple robe such as the old
kings of Rome had worn in his gilded
chair at the festival of the Lupercalia
after he was named "Dictator
Perpetuus" (perpetual dictator).
B In February of 44 B.C., Caesar was
named "Dictator Perpetuus" (perpetual
dictator), and at the festival of
Lupercalia, he sat in his gilded chair
dressed in a purple robe such as the old
kings of Rorne had worn.
C Dressed in a purple robe in his gilded
chair such as the old kings of Rome had
worn, in February of 44 B.C., Caesar
was named "Dictator Perpetuus"
(perpetual dictator) at the festival of
Lupercalia.
D Caesar, dressed in a purple robe such as
the old kings of Rome had worn, in
February of 44 B.C. at the festival of
Lupercalia, was named "Dictator
Perpetuus" (perpetual dictator) and sat
in his gilded chair.
©2002 by Applied Practice, Ltd., Austin, TX. All rights reserved.
55
..
N&ole.
Period
Act 5
19)
Did Antony and Octavius expect a battle at Phillipi?
W:ho do you ÿ';ÿ'L" '"ÿ1ÿ-- winÿl ,,, ,,,-- vv.,,, ..... the battle? .... -
ÿ- ............. ÿ- ---ÿ ":ÿ-ÿÿÿ:ÿ-.-.
21)
Who was right about the battle, Brutus or Cassius?
22)
How does Antony feel about Brutus?
23)
What does Casssius say about Antony (lines 45-47)?
24)
How does Brutus feel about suicide?
25)
If they lose, will Brutus allow himself to be taken captive?
26)
Who did Cassius kill during the battle?
27)
What mistake did Brutus make?
28)
What happens to Titinius?
29)
What does Cassius order Pindarus to do?
30)
Why does Lucilius pretend to be Brutus?
31)
What does Brutus want his men to do?
32)
What doe Antony say about Brutus?
.ÿ. .... ..... ÿÿ--ÿ-ÿ-ÿ-
Iÿportant Quotaÿons froÿ JMius Caesar
You blocks, you stones, you worse than senseless things!
O you hard hearts, you cruel men of Rome,
Knew you not Pompey? (1.1.39)
Beware the ides of March. (1.2.13)
:, I am not gamesome: I do lack some part
J Of that quick spirit that is in Antony. (1.2.28)
., Poor Brutus, with himself at war,
Forgets the shows of love to other men. (1.2.46)
5. Set honour in one eye and death i' the other,
And I will look on both indifferently. (1.2.87)
tÿ, Well, honour is the subject of my story.
I cannot tell what you and other men
Think of this life: but, for my single self,
I had as lief not be as live to be
In awe of such a thing as I myself. (1.2.92)
I was born free as Caesar; so were you:
We both have fed as well, and we can both
Endure the winter's cold as well as he. (1.2.97)
(6. Ye gods, it doth amaze me,
A man of such a feeble temper should
So get the start of the majestic world,
And bear the palm alone. (1.2.129)
Why, man, he doth bestride the narrow world
Like a Colossus; and we petty men
Walk under his huge legs, and peep about
To find ourselves dishonourable graves.
Men at some time are masters of their fates:
The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars,
But in ourselves, that we are underlings. (1.2.135)
When could they say, till now, that talked of Rome,
That her wide walls encompassed but one man?
Now is it Rome indeed and room enough,
When there is in it but one only man. (1.2.154) Side note: Doesn't this remindyou of Haimon?
There was a Brutus once that would have brook'd
The eternal devil to keep his state in Rome
As easily as a king. (1.2.167)
r- why man, ne aom oesmae me narrow wona/m<e a tÿolossus, an(] we petty men /
Walk under his huge legs and peep about..."
'Let's kill him boldly, but not wrathfidly) Let's carve him as a dish fit for the gods
/Not hew him as a carcass for the hounds."
i "And therefore think him as a serpent's egg/Which hatched would as his kind grow
mischievous/And kill him in the shell."
"Yond Cassius has a lean and hungry look. He thinks too much, such men are
dangerous."
'ÿBut I am constant as the Northern Star/Of whose true-fixed and resting quality/
There is no fellow in the firmament."
isis it expected I should know no secrets/That appertain to you? Am I your self/But,
as it were, in sort or limitation?/ To keep with you at meals, comfort your bed,
/Andtalk to you sometimes? Dwell I but bathe suburbs/Of your pleasure?"
"Why, knowst thou any harm's intended towards him?:'
"This dream is all amiss interpreted."
"And for thy humour t will stay at home."
" ..you have some sick offence within your mind / Whichby the right and virtue
of my place / t ought toknow of..."
"I can o'ersway him: for he loves to hear / That unicorns may be betrayed with
trees. "
"I think it is not meet / Mark Antony, so well beloved of Caesar / Should outlive
CaesarJ'
"I have not slept."
"ff thou read this Caesar, thou mayst live..."
"I have a man's mind, but a woman's milght. / How hard it is for women to keep
counsel,"
ÿ '
\
. "How foolish do your fears seem now... / I am ashamed I did yield to them. /
Give me my robe, for I will go."
"Into what dangers would you lead me, Cassius, / That you would have me seek
into my self / For that which is not in me?"
"...think not, thou noble Roman, / That ever Brutus will go bound to Rome. / He
bears too great a mind."