Julius Caesar: Act 3

Julius Caesar:Act 3

English 10

Greater Atlanta Christian

Caesar’s Trip to the Senate:

Caesar’s progress toward the Capitol is met by further warnings.

The Soothsayer is there and Caesar tells him that the Ides of March have come and nothing has happened.

The Soothsayer replies that the Ides may have come, but they haven’t gone.


Artemidorus tries to warn Caesar as well He was a Greek professor of rhetoric

(political persuasion) who had been the teacher of many of the conspirators.

He had picked up the details of the plan because they had spoken loosely about it when they were around him. He wanted Caesar to know of the plan.


Artemidorus might have wanted to do this because he favored Caesar or because of a potential reward from Caesar.

He passes a note with the details of the plan to him, but Caesar puts it aside though Artemidorus pleads with him to read it first (instead of other documents)


Caesar’s answer:• “What touches us ourself should be last

served.” (III, i, 8)

This is the quote that basically condemns himself.

The End is Near:

The conspirators and others have all now crowded around Caesar.

They have gotten this close because they are pretending to be petitioning for a recall of a banished Roman citizen

Each of the conspirators can close in under the guise of wanting to add themselves to the petition.

The End is Near:

Finally, Casca breaks the plan into action with the cry:• “Speak hands for me!” (III, i, 76)

Everyone begins striking at Caesar with daggers. They had agreed to equally participate in the attack.

Caesar tried vainly to avoid the stabs.

The End is Near:

Caesar finally turns and faces Brutus. This led to the line:

• “Et tu, Brute? Then fall Caesar.”

Caesar was amazed and discouraged by the involvement of Brutus.

Legend says that Brutus actually stabs him “below the belt.”

The End is Near:

The importance of this part of the scene would be Shakespeare’s attempt to compare the BRUTAL acts of Brutus to the NOBLE words of Brutus.

How can two such things exist in the same person?

It is part of the tragic flaw of Brutus.

The End is Near:

Brutus tells the conspirators to smear the blood of Caesar on their arms and swords and race to the marketplace chanting, “Peace! Freedom! Liberty!”

This just adds to the appearance of the group as BUTCHERS.• Remember they wanted a “sacrifice” and not

a “butchering” of Caesar.

After-Effects:

Brutus shows little remorse for the act. He has Caesar’s body dragged to the

foot of the statue of Pompey and declares the body “no worthier than the dust.”

This is the same man Caesar forgave and spared his life from the prison cell earlier.

After-Effects:

Full of panic, the Capitol quickly empties out. Nobody’s sure the range of the assassination plot and nobody felt very safe.

Publius, an old Senator unable to run and escape, is approached by Brutus.

Brutus tells him he is safe and that no other Roman is a target.

After-Effects:

He asks that he help the crowd know the same thing so that an uncontrollable mob does not form.

Antony, fearing a bit for his life, had taken off and now sends a messenger to Brutus asking if it is safe for him to have an audience with Brutus.

After-Effects:

In the message, Antony appeals to Brutus’ vanity by calling him “noble.”

Antony realizes that Brutus probably just wants to replace Caesar and that means that he could continue as the 2nd in command.

The message, though, does not promise submission to Brutus.

After-Effects:

Antony asks that Brutus explain the assassination to Antony’s satisfaction and that it be clear that Antony had no role in the plot.

The praise in the message wins over Brutus…but not Cassius who hears the whole scene.

Cassius is not buying Antony’s pleas.

After-Effects:

Once again, Brutus discards good advice from Cassius and welcomes Antony on stage with him.

Antony “bluffs” the need to have Brutus kill him then if he still had it in his mind to do so. That way he would die with the same weapon that killed Caesar and be honored to do so.

After-Effects:

Brutus is taken in by the praise of Antony, but Cassius encourages Brutus to reel Antony in by offering to split the loot now gained by Brutus.

Antony makes no reply to the offer of riches, but instead continues his flattery of Brutus. He even shakes the bloody hands of the conspirators.

After-Effects:

Antony then begins to speak of the love he had for Caesar (but he doesn’t do this until Brutus himself mentions something of love for Caesar).

Cassius jumps back in and wants to know if Antony is “with them” or “against them.”

Antony avoids direct comment on that.

Antony’s Moves:

Antony wants to have an explanation of the “crimes” of Caesar that called for such a horrific murder.

Brutus is still confident he can give that. Antony also asks to bring Caesar’s body

to this forum area so that he can speak at the funeral service of Caesar.

Antony’s Moves:

This seemed like a moderate request, but Cassius pulls Brutus aside and urges him not to let Antony speak at the funeral.

Cassius knows that Antony is a powerful speaker that could be dangerous if he gets the attention of the people.

Antony’s Moves:

Brutus’ vanity is just too strong, though. He feels he MUST give Antony the stage

and he consents for Antony to speak. However, Brutus says that he will speak

first. This will give him a chance to explain the murder and then Antony could say nothing because the crowd will have been convinced by “noble” Brutus.

Antony’s Moves:

Brutus even places conditions on Antony just to make sure.• He must not blame the conspirators.

• He must speak all the good he can of Caesar.

• He must also mention that he is doing all of this speaking with the permission of Brutus and the conspirators.

He was vain & stupid to think it would work to limit Antony’s powerful speech.

Antony’s Moves:

Later, at the end of Act 3, Scene 1, Antony has a moment alone with Caesar’s body and he apologizes for his show of affection with the conspirators.

There is also another famous Shakespearean quote in this speech from Antony.

Antony’s Moves:

“And Caesar’s spirit, ranging for revenge With Ate by his side come hot from hell, Shall in these confines with a monarch’s

voice

Cry ‘Havoc,’ and let slip the dogs of war.”

Act 3, Scene 1, Lines 270-73

Antony’s Moves:

Ate = goddess of retribution Havoc = the final call in a battle after all

of the real fighting is done that signals the “all clear” for ruthless looting and killing

“Caesar’s spirit” = could be his ghost or it could be his policies (through someone else)

Plans Being Made:

As soon as Antony finishes speaking near the body of Caesar, a servant of Octavius approaches.

News is that Octavius is coming to Rome to claim what he can of Caesar’s inheritance.

Antony was not pleased to hear this.

Plans Being Made:

Octavius would be a distraction and an obstacle for Antony.

Antony could make a better case for being in charge than a sickly 19-year-old who is only related distantly to Caesar by birth.

Antony tries to keep him away by sending a message that Rome is dangerous right now for someone like Octavius.

Caesar’s Funeral:

Act 3, Scene 2 is the funeral scene. It actually takes place on March 20th. The 5 days in-between were very busy

as the conspirators claimed the spoils of the murder. Many had provinces assigned to them.

Power takes root quickly in these guys!

Caesar’s Funeral:

Brutus begins by addressing a hostile crowd in the forum.

He is not very polished as a speaker and offers the explanation that he loved Caesar and only killed him for the good of Rome.

His best lines were as follows….

Caesar’s Funeral:

“As Caesar loved me, I weep for him; as he was fortunate, I rejoice at it; as he was valiant, I honor him; but as he was ambitious, I slew him.” (III, ii, 24-27)

He’s almost convincing here, but then it is time for Antony to speak to the crowd.

He urges the crowd to listen to him and then even hurries away as though he’s convinced Antony’s speech will do no good.

“Friends, Romans…”

If Caesar were ambitious, that was a bad fault and he was punished for it.

He praises Brutus and the other conspirators (as one of his conditions)

The phrase “Brutus is an honorable man” is repeatedly said, but the irony and tone turn against Brutus with each repetition of the phrase. The phrase soon becomes an insult!


Antony does not present any new evidence or argument against the conspirators or for Caesar, but the manner of speech is so hypnotic, that the crowd can’t help but be swayed to his side.

When Antony senses the crowd’s approval, he calls for action.


Antony had been busy after the assassination. He got funds from a campaign of Caesar’s and persuaded Calpurnia to give him access to the documents of Caesar.

There he found the will for Caesar. He’d use the funds for bribes later, but

he’d use the will NOW!


He shows the crowd the will but refuses to read it. Of course, the crowd demands that it be read.

Antony plays the crowd into a fever pitch by saying that reading it would wrong the honorable men who stabbed Caesar.

The crowd calls them traitors and “honorable men” (again as an insult).


This still wasn’t enough for Antony as he directs the crowd to the body of Caesar again.

He points out the cuts where swords hit the body. He calls out names for each of the cuts.

When he gets to a wound made by Brutus, he hesitates a bit….


“…Brutus, as you know, was Caesar’s angel. Judge, O you gods, how dearly Caesar loved him. This was the most unkindest cut of all! (Act 3, Scene 2, 183-185)

He whips away the cloak of Caesar (very similar to making a cry of “Havoc”) and the crowd is insane with rage and wants the traitors killed.


This was still not enough for Antony and he calms the crowd again.

He tells them that he is “not an orator like Brutus” but is a “plain blunt man.• He’s basically laughing in Brutus’ face at this

point.

• And there is still the matter of the will to be read.


Antony begins the will reading.• Every Roman man gets 75 drachmas

• All gardens & orchards are for the people

• He also left the “common pleasure” of being able to “walk abroad and recreate.”

• In other words, he leaves behind the desire and ability to have great lives as citizens of the greatest nation in the world.


Antony has the crowd right where he wants them and says:• “Here was a Caesar! When comes such

another?” (Act 3, Scene 2, Line 254)

The crowd explodes and they are ready to destroy the conspirators.

Antony watches them rush off and is pleased with the “mischief” he’s started.

Mob Rules Now in Effect

Shakespeare shows the mob at it’s frenzied level very soon after.

They meet a poet named Cinna (not the one who was a conspirator) and demand to know his name.

When he tells them, they recognize the name as that of a conspirator and they kill him.


The conspirators now realize the errors of Brutus in not getting rid of Antony or letting him speak.

The name “conspirator” is now enough reason to kill.

Octavius’ servant reappears and tells Antony that Brutus and Cassius have been run out of Rome.


Brutus and Cassius had hoped they could retire out of Rome and then let things cool down a bit.

This didn’t happen as Antony was in control. Rome was anything but “cool.”

Brutus & Cassius retire to the eastern provinces and are the only 2 conspirators really dealt with in the rest of the play.

Strange Turn for Antony:

Antony did not have everything his way. The day of his funeral speech was the

climax of his life and the apex of his power.

He ended his speech asking when another Caesar would come and that is answered 11 lines later with the appearance of Octavius into Rome.


Octavius’ appearance creates problems for Antony:• Caesar had named Octavius the heir in the will (that

part wasn’t read aloud by Antony).

• Caesar also made Octavius his rightful son.

• He also appropriated the funds (that Antony had already taken) to Octavius.

• This means that Octavius would have been king if Caesar had lived long enough to get the crown.


Antony had seen all of that in the will but had hoped that he had scared Octavius enough earlier where he would not come to Rome.

That plan did not work too well for Antony. The will in its entirety gets ratified by the

Senate (though Antony fought the parts involving Octavius).

Octavius becomes Gaius Julius Caesar Octavius (a great name change to show kin)


Now Octavius can call himself “Caesar” and use the magic and power associated with that name.

With all that is going on, Antony knows that he needs to get straight to the top and he tells the servant that he wants to be taken to Octavius for a direct confrontation.

END OF ACT 3

Julius Caesar: Act 3

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Transcript of Julius Caesar: Act 3