Download Julius Caesar - Fort Bend ISD

10 January 2013
Agenda:
Pre-Assessment
Assign
Act I & II
Vocabulary- Quiz 1/18
Notes: Julius Caesar
Act I & II

Act I:
 Withal
 Replication
 Intermit
 Aim
 Vulgar
 Construe
 Chidden
 Wenches

Act II:
 Forth
 Tempests
 Rived
 Alchemy
 Ghastly
 Portentous
 Offal
 Countenance
Julius Caesar
Notes
 503
BC – Rome ends rule of
Tarquins, a series of harsh,
cruel rulers.
 Rome decides never again to be
under the rule of an oppressive
government.
 Refuse all forms of govt. that consists
of kings & emperors (rulers who
achieve power based on inheritance).
 Rome
sets up a Republic – a govt.
in which officials are elected
 The new govt. was made of 2
parts:
 2 Consuls (leaders)
– elected
officials
 Senate – appointed by Consuls
 Governing
bodies could be made
of people from any walk of life:
noble or common
Julius
Caesar got into
politics during a time in
which the Consuls and the
Senate were having
problems.
 In this time of instability,
he became an outspoken
leader.
In
60 BC the first
triumvirate (3-person
governing body) was
formed.
Consisted of Caesar,
Pompey (a famous general),
and a wealthy man named
Crassus.
 Crassus
died.
 Eager for more power and
realizing that he could only
achieve it with conquests and
money, Caesar departed for what
has been called the Gallic Wars.
 His armies roamed Europe for 8
years.
 Caesar amassed huge sums of
money, which he sent back to
Rome to gain favor with the
people.
Pompey, jealous of Caesar’s growing
power and favor with the people,
threw his weight to the Senate,
which was also weary of Caesar’s
ambitions.
 Caesar refused the Senate’s order to
give up his command and return to
Rome.
 Instead, Caesar’s army marched on
Rome, took control, and chased
Pompey all the way to Egypt. There,
Pompey was murdered.
o
 Caesar
returned to Rome, was
accepted by the people for his
military abilities, was loved
for all the goods he brought
back from his conquests, and
was elected Dictator for Life.
 Caesar would now rule Rome
until his death, and the next
leader would have to be
elected.
Many
believed that
Caesar wanted to be
Emperor instead of just
Dictator for Life.
 If emperor, Caesar’s son
would inherit the throne,
instead of being elected.
Many
feared that Caesar
would bring back a style
of life similar to when
the Tarquin’s ruled.
To prevent this, some
members of the
legislature carried out a
deceitful plan…
Key Themes
Honor
Ambition
Envy
Power
Cast of Major
Characters
Julius Caesar





Ruler of the Roman Empire.
He is presented as a man of strong will and
self-belief. He is used to issuing commands and
being obeyed. He is stubborn and will not listen
to pleas for mercy if he thinks he is in the right.
He considers himself to be resolute and
unwavering.
Caesar denies he is afraid of Cassius and
claims not to fear anyone or anything.
The conspirators believe Caesar is too
ambitious and will soon acquire such power that
Rome will be enslaved to one man.
Although Caesar is a commanding figure, he is
physically weak, suffering from epilepsy as well
as deafness in one ear.
Mark Antony
Mark Antony is Julius Caesar’s righthand man and personal friend.
 He enjoys sports and theater.
 It is Antony’s cunning speech to the
masses after Caesar’s death that turns
public opinion against the assassins,
who gravely underestimated and
misread him.
 He shows fairness/nobility in victory.

Brutus





Marcus Brutus is recruited for the
assassination by Cassius.
He becomes part of the plot because he
is concerned about the welfare of Rome.
He does not covet power for its own
sake, and nor does he have any
personal complaint about Caesar.
He is presented throughout as a man of
courtesy and honor, although perhaps
also as a man who is unsuited to wield
political power.
After he is dead, Antony salutes him as
“the noblest Roman of them all.”
Cassius





Cassius is the chief conspirator against
Caesar.
It is he who recruits Brutus and the others.
Cassius is consumed with envy of Caesar,
and sees no reason why Caesar should
hold power over him.
Cassius is a good observer of men and he
has uncommon insight into people’s
motivations.
Caesar observes that Cassius has a “lean
and hungry look.”
He is in every way a contrast to the more
sociable Antony.
Casca
 Casca is one of the
conspirators, and it is he who
stabs Caesar first.
 Casca is known for his wit
and liveliness.
 He is a man of action who can
get things done.
Cinna

The conspirator who urges Cassius to
bring "noble" Brutus into the
conspiracy; he assists by placing some
of Cassius' forged letters where Brutus
will discover them.
Artemidorus
 Artemidorus is a teacher of
rhetoric who tries but fails to
warn Caesar of the plot
against him.
Trebonius
A
member of the conspiracy
against Caesar.
Decius Brutus
Conspirator who uses
flattery to get Caesar to the
Senate House.
Calphurnia
Caesar’s
wife.
Calphurnia invests great
authority in omens and
portents.
Portia
Brutus’s
wife; the daughter
of a noble Roman who took
sides against Caesar.
Flavius
A
tribune (an official
elected by the people to
protect their rights).
Murellus
A tribune-condemns the
plebeians for their fickleness
in cheering Caesar (they once
cheered for Caesar’s enemy
Pompey.
Cicero
A Roman senator renowned
for his oratorical skill.