The Tragedy of Julius Caesar - BORGER HIGH ENGLISH 2
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1 The Tragedy of Julius Caesar William Shakespeare
Transcript of The Tragedy of Julius Caesar - BORGER HIGH ENGLISH 2
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The Tragedy of Julius
Caesar
William Shakespeare
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Tracking characters Instructions: Complete the table by noting details that describe each character or by listing key actions of each character. This table will help you keep track of characters in the future Acts.
Caesar
Antony
Calpurnia
Brutus
Cassius
Casca
Character Characteristics/Actions/Purpose
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Portia
Soothsayer
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Act 1, Scene I
Enter FLAVIUS, MURELLUS, a CARPENTER, a COBBLER, and certain other COMMONERS over the stage FLAVIUS Hence! Home, you idle creatures get you home! Is this a holiday? What, know you not, Being mechanical1, you ought not walk Upon a laboring day without the sign Of your profession?—Speak, what trade art thou? CARPENTER Why, sir, a carpenter. MURELLUS Where is thy leather apron and thy rule? What dost thou with thy best apparel on? —You, sir, what trade are you? COBBLER Truly, sir, in respect of a fine workman2, I am but, as you would say, a cobbler3. MURELLUS But what trade art thou? Answer me directly. COBBLER A trade, sir, that I hope I may use with a safe conscience, which is, indeed, sir, a mender of bad soles. MURELLUS What trade, thou knave4? Thou naughty knave, what trade? COBBLER Nay, I beseech you, sir, be not out with me. Yet, if you be out, sir, I can mend you5. MURELLUS What mean’st thou by that? “Mend” me, thou saucy fellow?
COBBLER Why, sir, cobble you. FLAVIUS Thou art a cobbler, art thou? COBBLER Truly, sir, all that I live by is with the awl6. I meddle with no tradesman’s matters nor women’s matters, but withal7 I am indeed, sir, a surgeon to old shoes. When they are in great danger, I recover them. As proper men as ever trod upon neat’s leather8 have gone upon my handiwork. FLAVIUS But wherefore art not in thy shop today? Why dost thou lead these men about the streets? COBBLER Truly, sir, to wear out their shoes to get myself into more work. But indeed, sir, we make holiday to see Caesar and to rejoice in his triumph9. MURELLUS Wherefore rejoice? What conquest brings he home? What tributaries10 follow him to Rome To grace in captive bonds his chariot wheels? You blocks, you stones, you worse than senseless things, O you hard hearts, you cruel men of Rome, Knew you not Pompey? Many a time and oft Have you climbed up to walls and battlements, To towers and windows, yea, to chimney tops,
1. Mechanical: of the working class 2. In respect of a fine workman: in relation to a skilled worker 3. Cobbler: “Mender of shoes” or “a clumsy bungling worker” 4. Knave: a tricky rascal 5. Mend you: “mend your shoes” or “improve your disposition” 6. Awl: small, pointed tool for making holes in leather 7. Withal: nevertheless 8. Neat’s leather: leather made from the hides of cattle 9. Triumph: procession celebrating the return of a victorious leader 10. Tributaries: captives Pompey: a Roman general defeated by Caesar
Don’t be angry. But if your soles are worn out, I can mend you.
Past tense of “tread”
Often
Their decapitated heads
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Your infants in your arms, and there have sat The livelong day with patient expectation
To see great Pompey pass the streets of Rome. And when you saw his chariot but appear, Have you not made an universal shout That Tiber11 trembled underneath her banks To hear the replication of your sounds Made in her concave shores12? And do you now put on your best attire? And do you now cull out13 a holiday? And do you now strew flowers in his way That comes in triumph over Pompey’s blood14? Be gone! Run to your houses, fall upon your knees, Pray to the gods to intermit the plague15
That needs must light on this ingratitude. FLAVIUS Go, go, good countrymen, and for this fault, Assemble all the poor men of your sort, Draw them to Tiber banks, and weep your tears Into the channel till the lowest stream Do kiss the most exalted shores of all16. The CARPENTER, COBBLER, and all the commoners exit. See whether their basest mettle17 be not moved. They vanish tongue-tied in their guiltiness. Go you down that way towards the Capitol. This way will I. Disrobe the images18
If you do find them decked with ceremonies. MURELLUS May we do so? You know it is the feast of Lupercal19. FLAVIUS It is no matter. Let no images Be hung with Caesar’s trophies. I’ll about And drive away the vulgar20 from the streets. So do you too, where you perceive them thick. These growing feathers plucked from Caesar’s Will make him fly an ordinary pitch21, Who else would soar above the view of men And keep us all in servile22 fearfulness.
11. Tiber: river that flows through Rome 12. Concave shores: hollowed-out banks 13. Cull out: pick out 14. Pompey’s blood: Pompey’s sons 15. Intermit the plague: stop the trouble 16. The most exalted shores of all: the highest banks 17. Whe’r their basest mettle: whether the most inferior material of which they are made 18. Disrobe the images…decked with ceremonies: strip the statues…covered with decorations 19. Feast of Lupercal: ancient Roman festival of fertility celebrated on February 15th 20. Vulgar: the common people 21. Pitch: upward flight of a hawk 22. Servile: slavelike, submissive to authority
1st sign of motif Motif:
Comparison to a proud bird that needs its feathers plucked to humiliate it, or “bring it down a notch”
wing
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Act 1, Scenes II & III Caesar, Brutus, their wives, and all sorts of other folks are gathered in a public place. They're
ready to celebrate the feast of the Lupercal, an annual party which involves a bunch of
Romans dressed in leather loincloths (a piece of fabric wrapped around a guy’s hips)
running around the city beating whoever they find with a goatskin whip. Seriously.
Caesar's friend Antony will be running in the festival this year,
and Caesar tells Antony not to forget to "touch Calpurnia." She is
Caesar's wife, and the whip is supposed to cure her "barrenness"
(which means she can’t have babies). After broadcasting his wife's
business in the street, Caesar hears a soothsayer (a prophet or
fortuneteller) call out to him in the crowd. Caesar now hears the famous
warning to "beware the Ides of March," (March 15th) but he ignores it.
List any weird holidays traditions that we celebrate that could be compared to the feast of
Lupercal:
Brutus and Cassius meet and talk while everyone else moves on to the next event. Cassius
hints that Brutus has a reputation for being a really honorable guy, and that everybody agrees
about this except Caesar. As Brutus begins to catch the whiff of disloyalty in Cassius's talk,
Cassius assures Brutus he's being serious about the whole "noble" thing and not just flattering
him. Without saying so, Cassius suggests that a lot of respected Romans think it would be really
nice if someone like Brutus led Rome, even though it would mean "disposing" of Caesar.
What is Cassius trying to do to Brutus’ feelings towards Caesar, and what do you think his
ultimate goal is?
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Their conversation is interrupted by shouts, and Brutus ends by pointing out that he loves
Caesar but hopes the Roman people haven't crowned him king. (Remember, they live in a
republic, which has no place for monarchs.) Brutus adds that he loves honor more than he
fears death, which spurs Cassius to continue suggesting they do something to stop Caesar.
What does it mean by “he loves honor more than he fears death”?
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Cassius harps on the fact that Caesar isn't any better than them, so they have no reason to
be his subjects. In fact, Cassius says, Caesar is a gutless wonder. Cassius tells a story of how
Caesar challenged him to a race on the Tiber River, but Caesar got so tired that Cassius had to
rescue him from drowning. Cassius describes how Caesar became sick in Spain, had a seizure,
and whimpered (They call seizures “Falling sickness”). Cassius is clearly implying that
Caesar is weak and not fit to be a king.
There's some more shouting that seems to imply that the people are crowning Caesar, which
helps Cassius's cause. Cassius drives his point home: Brutus is just as good as Caesar, and
they would be cowards if they didn't do something to stop Caesar from becoming the "first man"
of Rome. Brutus promises he's not suspicious of Cassius's motives or flattery but asks him to
lay off trying to get him to kill Caesar for a little bit.
(using the image above, imagine the next scene set up on stage with the two groups divided.
Brutus and Cassius on one side and Caesar and his crew on another. Draw a line between the
two “crews”). Brutus notices Caesar and the rest of his crew look pretty unhappy. Caesar spots
Cassius giving him the stink eye and calls out instructions to Antony: he'd like to be surrounded
with fat, happy men, because the "lean and hungry look" of Cassius strikes him as dangerous.
(Label Antony and Caesar) Antony assures Caesar that Cassius is noble and not dangerous.
Caesar continues to say mean things about Cassius: that he doesn't like music, or smiling, or
Brutus and Cassius
Caesar and his crew
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people who are better than him. (Who is this guy, the Grinch?) Obviously, Caesar has figured
out that he should not trust Cassius.
List the insults that Caesar has made about Cassius:
Just then Brutus and Cassius confer with Casca, who has been at the festivities with Caesar.
(Label Casca, and then draw an arrow from where Casca is to where he joins Brutus and
Cassius.) Brutus asks what has put Caesar in such a bad mood. Casca tells him that the crowd
was gathered to watch Caesar receive a (symbolic) crown. Antony offered Caesar the crown
three times, Caesar refused it all three times, and three times the crowd cheered wildly
(presumably because of the humility of their fearless leader). Casca thinks the crowd was stupid
for not noticing how hard it was for Caesar to resist taking the crown. Each time Caesar refused
it a little less enthusiastically. Apparently the whole thing was so upsetting that it prompted one
of Caesar's epileptic seizures (Also known as: ________________________) in the middle of
the marketplace. Caesar had fallen down and started foaming at the mouth, unable to speak.
Even weirder, before Caesar had the seizure, he stood up before the crowd and opened his
jacket, offering the crowd his throat to cut. When he came to, he apologized for any weird
behavior, blaming it on his sickness, and everyone happily forgave him. Casca is convinced the
people would've forgiven him for stabbing their mothers, as they are foolish sheep.
Explain: ____________________________________________________________
Brutus asks if Cicero, the great orator, had anything to say about this. Casca says Cicero did
speak, but Casca couldn't understand it because he was speaking Greek. (Casca, not an orator
himself, doesn't know Greek.) Hence the phrase, "It's all Greek to me." (See, you're smarter
every day.)
After Brutus and Cassius part ways, Cassius thinks he'll convince Brutus to get on the
conspiratorial bandwagon eventually, even though the man is noble, or honorable. Cassius is
convinced that Caesar treats Brutus with favoritism, making it harder for Brutus to rebel against
him. (It's always harder to kill someone who's nice to you.) Still, Cassius thinks he'll sway
Brutus by faking some letters and throwing them through his
window at night. The letters will supposedly be from citizens
praising Brutus, and, between the lines, Cassius will suggest that
Caesar is too ambitious and should be put down by someone like
Brutus. Cassius is certain he can shake Brutus's loyalty to Caesar.
Come up with a way that you would persuade Brutus to join your
side (the dark side against Caesar Mwahahahahaha!)
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Scene III
Cicero (the Greek dude) runs into Casca on the street that night. Casca's a little shaken up.
Though he's seen his fair share of bad nights, he says the sky is dropping hot fire is definitely a
first. Casca thinks maybe there's a civil war in heaven, or maybe the gods are raining down fury
because the world has displeased them. This would all be crazy talk except that Casca's seen
worse than bad weather tonight. A slave boy's hand was lit on fire by a torch, and yet it didn't
burn. Then there was a surly lion at the Capitol. Also a bunch of women were terrified by a
vision they swore they saw of men walking the streets covered in flames. Casca reports the
strangest thing of all: a nighttime bird was in the market, during the daytime! Since it doesn't get
any crazier than that, it's clear all these things are bad omens. (Seriously, a nighttime bird.)
Cicero thinks they should hold off on crazy interpretations of the flaming men, lions, and various
insomniac birds. He says people basically interpret things to mean whatever they want them to
mean. After confirming that Caesar will be at the Capitol tomorrow, Cicero leaves.
Casca then runs into Cassius. Cassius explains his interpretation of the night’s weird events.
Obviously the heavens are making the world disco-fabulous to signal their serious displeasure
with the state of affairs in Rome, where a certain someone, though he is no better than Cassius,
has grown too powerful for his own good. Who is this certain someone? ___________________
Casca has heard that tomorrow the senators will crown Caesar king, and that he plans to
wear his crown everywhere but Italy. Cassius points out where he'll wear his dagger, and
basically blabs his plan to murder Caesar. The thunder stops (drama!), and Cassius contends
that Caesar is only a tyrant because people are stupid and beg to be taken advantage of. Casca
takes the bait and pledges not to tattle. More important, he pledges to join in on the conspiracy
to kill Caesar. Conveniently, there's a meeting of all the conspirators starting right now at the old
theater, Pompey's Porch. They're waiting for Cassius.
Cinna, another conspirator, happens to be on his way to that same secret meeting, and they
all stop for a chat. Cinna mentions it would be really nice if Brutus was also interested in killing
his friend, Caesar. To further this goal, Cassius sends Cinna on an errand to plant some letters
Cassius has written in various places where Brutus will find them. Cassius has impersonated
other Romans in the letters, all of which praise Brutus and suggest that somebody should really
off Caesar for Rome's sake. Cassius confides to Casca that they'll have Brutus on their side in
no time. Casca is glad, as Brutus is well regarded and will make all the nasty things they do
seem virtuous and worthy. Cassius agrees they really do need Brutus, and by morning they'll
have confirmation on whether or not he'll join them.
List the conspirators we know of so far (people who want to kill Caesar):
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SCENE III: A street in Rome, one month later
Thunder and lightning. Enter from opposite sides, CASCA, with his sword drawn, and CICERO CICERO Good even, Casca: brought you Caesar home? Why are you breathless, and why stare you so? CASCA Are not you moved, when all the sway of earth1 Shakes like a thing unfirm? O Cicero, I have seen tempests2, when the scolding winds Have rived3 the knotty oaks, and I have seen The ambitious ocean swell and rage and foam, To be exalted4 with the threatening clouds: But never till to-night, 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.5 CICERO Why, saw you anything more wonderful? CASCA A common slave--you know him well by sight-- Held up his left hand, which did flame and burn Like twenty torches join'd, and yet his hand, Not sensible of fire, remain'd unscorch'd. Besides--I ha' not since put up my sword-- Against6 the Capitol I met a lion, Who glared upon me, and went surly by,
Without annoying me: and there were drawn Upon a heap a hundred ghastly women7, Transformed with their fear; who swore they saw men all in fire walk up and down the streets. And yesterday the bird of night did sit Even at noon-day upon the market-place, Hooting and shrieking. When these prodigies Do so conjointly meet, let not men say 'These are their reasons; they are natural;' For, I believe, they are portentous things Unto the climate that they point upon.8 CICERO Indeed, it is a strange-disposed time9: But men may construe things after their fashion, Clean from the purpose of the things themselves10. Come Caesar to the Capitol to-morrow? CASCA He doth; for he did bid Antonius Send word to you he would be there to-morrow.
Evening
1. All the sway of earth: whole pattern or rule of things 2. Tempests: storms 3. Rived: split open 4. Exalted with: raised up 5. Either…destruction: either there is a civil war in heaven or the gods are trying to destroy the world because they are angry with people’s disrespectful (saucy) ways 6. Against: near 7. Drawn/upon a heap…ghastly women: A hundred women, while like ghosts, were gathered in a huddle 8. When these…upon: when these exceptional things (prodigies) happen all at once (conjointly), they are ominous signs of things to come in the climate and region in which they occur. 9. Strange-disposed: unusual 10. Men may…themselves: Men are capable of misunderstanding the actual meanings of things
Mo
tif: Diso
rder in
Natu
re!
Elizabethan Superstition: The people who lived in Shakespeare’s day are called Elizabethans, after their great monarch Queen Elizabeth 1. The Elizabethans were extremely superstitious. They believed in astrology, magic, witchcraft, good and bad omens, ghosts, and fortune-telling. Animals were often considered omens. For instance, owls and ravens were both associated with death.
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CICERO Good night then, Casca: this disturbed sky Is not to walk in. CASCA Farewell, Cicero.
Exit CICERO, enter CASSIUS
CASSIUS Who's there? CASCA A Roman. CASSIUS Casca, by your voice. CASCA Your ear is good. Cassius, what night is this! CASSIUS A very pleasing night to honest men. CASCA Who ever knew the heavens menace so? CASSIUS Those that have known the earth so full of faults. For my part, I have walk'd about the streets, Submitting me unto the perilous night, And, thus unbraced11, Casca, as you see, Have bared my bosom to the thunder-stone12; And when the cross blue lightning seem'd to open The breast of heaven, I did present myself Even in the aim and very flash of it. CASCA But wherefore13 did you so much tempt the heavens? It is the part of men to fear and tremble, When the most mighty gods by tokens send Such dreadful heralds to astonish us.
CASSIUS You are dull, Casca, and those sparks of life That should be in a Roman you do want, Or else you use not. You look pale and gaze And put on fear and cast yourself in wonder, To see the strange impatience of the heavens: But if you would consider the true cause Why all these fires, why all these gliding ghosts, Why birds and beasts from quality and kind14, Why old men fool and children calculate, Why all these things change from their ordinance15 Their natures and preformed faculties16 To monstrous quality,--why, you shall find That heaven hath infused them with these spirits, To make them instruments of fear and warning Unto some monstrous state.17 Now could I, Casca, name to thee a man Most like this dreadful night, That thunders, lightens, opens graves, and roars As doth the lion in the Capitol, A man no mightier than thyself or me In personal action, yet prodigious18 grown And fearful, as these strange eruptions are. CASCA 'Tis Caesar that you mean; is it not, Cassius? CASSIUS Let it be who it is: for Romans now Have thews19 and limbs like to their ancestors; But, woe the while! our fathers' minds are dead,
11. Unbraced: with jacket open 12. Thunder-stone: lightning 13. Wherefore: why 14. From quality and kind: not displaying their normal characteristics and nature 15. Ordinance: usual ways 16. Preformed faculties: qualities one is born with 17. Heaven…state: the gods have filled them with super-natural powers in order to warn the Romans of a terrible or unnatural state of affairs in the government 18. Prodigious: ominous and large 19. Thews: muscles 20. Yoke and sufferance: servitude and the acceptance of it
The h
eavens are sen
din
g us a m
essage
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And we are govern'd with our mothers' spirits; Our yoke and sufferance20 show us womanish. CASCA Indeed, they say the senators tomorrow Mean to establish Caesar as a king; And he shall wear his crown by sea and land, In every place, save here in Italy. CASSIUS I know where I will wear this dagger then; Cassius from bondage will deliver Cassius: Therein, ye gods, you make the weak most strong; Therein, ye gods, you tyrants do defeat: Nor stony tower, nor walls of beaten brass, Nor airless dungeon, nor strong links of iron, Can be retentive to the strength of spirit; But life, being weary of these worldly bars, Never lacks power to dismiss itself. If I know this, know all the world besides, That part of tyranny that I do bear I can shake off at pleasure. CASCA So can I: So every bondman21 in his own hand bears The power to cancel his captivity. CASSIUS And why should Caesar be a tyrant then? Poor man! I know he would not be a wolf, But that he sees the Romans are but sheep: He were no lion, were not Romans hinds.22 Those that with haste will make a mighty fire Begin it with weak straws: what trash is Rome, What rubbish and what offal23, when it serves For the base matter to illuminate So vile a thing as Caesar! But, O grief, Where hast thou led me? I perhaps speak this Before a willing bondman; then I know My answer must be made. But I am arm'd, And dangers are to me indifferent.24
CASCA You speak to Casca, and to such a man That is no fleering tell-tale25. Hold, my hand: Be factious for redress of all these griefs,26 And I will set this foot of mine as far As who goes farthest. CASSIUS There's a bargain made. Now know you, Casca, I have moved already Some certain of the noblest-minded Romans To undergo with me an enterprise Of honourable-dangerous consequence; And I do know, by this, they stay for me In Pompey's porch: for now, this fearful night, There is no stir or walking in the streets; And the complexion of the element In favour's like the work we have in hand, Most bloody, fiery, and most terrible. CASCA Stand close awhile, for here comes one in haste. CASSIUS 'Tis Cinna; I do know him by his gait; He is a friend.
Enter CINNA
Cinna, where haste you so? CINNA To find out you. Who's that? Metellus Cimber? CASSIUS No, it is Casca; one incorporate To our attempts. Am I not stay'd for, Cinna?
Threaten
s to kill h
imself if
Caesar is cro
wn
ed K
ing.
21. Bondman: slave 22. Hinds: deer 23. Offal: trash 24. I, perhaps…indifferent: perhaps you (Casca), are a willing slave of Caesar, in which case you will want to fight me. But I am armed and unafraid of danger. 25. Fleering tell-tale: sneering tattletale 26. Be griefs: form a political group to right these wrongs
Caesar’s slave b
y cho
ice
They shook on it. If you are involved in a plot to kill Caesar, I am too.
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CINNA I am glad on 't. What a fearful night is this! There's two or three of us have seen strange sights. CASSIUS Am I not stay'd for? tell me. CINNA Yes, you are. O Cassius, if you could But win the noble Brutus to our party-- CASSIUS Be you content: good Cinna, take this paper, And look you lay it in the praetor's chair, Where Brutus may but find it; and throw this In at his window; set this up with wax Upon old Brutus' statue: all this done, Repair to Pompey's porch, where you shall find us. Is Decius Brutus and Trebonius there? CINNA All but Metellus Cimber; and he's gone To seek you at your house. Well, I will hie, And so bestow these papers as you bade me. CASSIUS That done, repair to Pompey's theatre.
Exit CINNA
Come, Casca, you and I will yet ere day See Brutus at his house: three parts of him Is ours already, and the man entire Upon the next encounter yields him ours. CASCA O, he sits high in all the people's hearts: And that which would appear offence in us, His countenance, like richest alchemy, Will change to virtue and to worthiness. CASSIUS
Him and his worth and our great need of him You have right well conceited. Let us go, For it is after midnight; and ere day We will awake him and be sure of him.
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Analyzing the Motif
A motif is any element that recurs in one or more works of literature or art. The motif of disorder in nature runs throughout much of Shakespeare’s work and usually signifies the disorder of the political state (government). As you read Julius Caesar, note the motif of disorder in nature as it occurs and jot the details down in the cluster chart below. One example has been provided. As you complete this chart, ask yourself, what is out of order in the political state?
Disorder in
Nature
Storm "dropping
fire"
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Act 1: Using Text Aids to Read Shakespearean Drama Shakespeare’s plays contain language and references with which most modern readers are not familiar. When reading Shakespearean drama, use text aids to help you understand what is going on in the play.
• Review the dramatis personae – the cast of characters – at the beginning of the play.
• Read any background information provided about the play.
• As you read the play, consult the marginal notes, called glosses, beside the text. These notes define words and explain references. After you consult the glosses, reread the passage to make sure you understand what it means.
DIRECTIONS: Use the text aids for Act 1 to help you answer the questions. 1. In Act 1, scene I, the cobbler states his reason for being in the street: “But indeed, sir,
we make holiday to see Caesar and to rejoice in his triumph.” What sort of triumph is Caesar having?
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2. In lines 65-66 of Act 1, scene I, Flavius tells Marullus to remove decorations from the statues. Marullus questions him in lines 67-68, saying it is the feast of Lupercal. What and when is the feast of Lupercal?
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3. At the opening of Act 1, scene II, Antony is dressed “for the course,” or for a race. Why is a race being held? Why does Caesar tell Antony to touch Calpurnia during the race?
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4. What date is the ides of March? ____________________________________________
5. In lines 55-62 of Act 1, scene II, Cassius flatters Brutus to persuade him to oppose Caesar. Use the text aids for these lines to express what Cassius says in your own words. Cassius tells Brutus that…._________________________________________
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6. In Act 1, scene III, Casca interprets the strange natural events that have been occurring in Rome since Caesar returned. Use text aids to express what he says in your own words. Casca says that….________________________________________
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How does Cassius respond?__________________________________________________
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Character Traits
The following list of traits or attributes describe the characters from The Tragedy of Julius Caesar. Before each word, List + for a positive trait, - for a negative trait, or N for a neutral trait. After completing the positive/negative, think of individuals you know who represent these characteristics. After reading Act 1, you will return to this chart and fill out which character each term represents.
+/- N Trait Someone You Know J.C. Character
Ambitious
Articulate
Athletic
Brave
Conceited
Crafty
Cruel
Emotional
Envious
Handicapped
Honest
Loyal
Open
Patriotic
Quick-Tempered
Restless
Skinny
Superstitious
Trusting
Weak
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Illustrating the Night of March 14th
Directions:
1. Go to page 907 and refresh your memory over what happens on this night.
2. At the top of your construction paper, title your drawing with a unique title.
3. Illustrate on the construction paper one or all of the events that take place in Rome
on that night (no stick figures).
4. At the bottom of your construction paper, write a detailed description of the drawing
in your words (4-6 sentences).
5. Put your name, date, and class period on the BACK of the paper.
Act 2 Scene I
Brutus contemplates the conspiracy in his garden late into the night. He has reached the conclusion that Julius Caesar must die. Brutus can't justify Caesar's death by any personal acts of Caesar's; Caesar has just got to go for the public good. Brutus reasons that, although Caesar isn't bad now, getting a crown would change his nature. Brutus admits he's seen no evidence that ambition would change Caesar, but he reckons it isn't worth taking the chance. Thus Brutus decides action must be taken now, as Caesar is like a serpent's egg – dangerous once hatched. (Time to make an omelet.)
Explain the bolded quote above: ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
While doing all this thinking, Brutus sends his servant Lucius to light a candle in his room. Lucius returns with a letter he's found (Cassius's invention). The letter says Brutus should recognize his own noble nature and do something before Rome falls to the tyranny of a monarch. Brutus is fooled by the letter and promises that, for Rome's sake, he won't fail. Lucius then confirms that it's the Ides of March (the fateful day Caesar had been warned about). After this healthy bit of foreshadowing for the audience, Brutus admits he's been kept up every night since Cassius planted the fear of tyranny in his mind.
The group of conspirators then shows up at Brutus's door to try to win Brutus over to their cause. They're all disguised and looking shady. Cassius introduces all the conspirators, and Brutus asks to hold everyone's hand for the Roman version of Kumbaya over their murdering plan. Cassius suggests they swear an
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oath to their cause, which Brutus opposes violently. They are Romans, and Romans don't do oaths – they're just true to their word, even if that word is murder. Then they all have a little debate about whether to include Cicero (the Greek speaking dude), but it's decided he'd never be a follower and shouldn't be invited to join Team Secret Conspiracy.
Cassius then suggests they also kill Antony (Caesar's young friend) while they're at it, though Brutus thinks this would be overkill. (Get it? Ugh.) He talks about how they should murder Caesar nobly, carving him up like a dish for the gods, not like a "carcass fit for hounds." The conspirators should think of the murder as an act of sacrifice for the state and not as a bloodbath. Brutus also contends that because Antony is like Caesar's arm, once they kill Caesar, Antony will be powerless. An arm without a head can do nothing, and Brutus is sure they have nothing to fear from Caesar's friend. Trebonius, another conspiratorial lackey, suggests that Antony will be sad after the murder but will eventually laugh about the whole thing. (Right.)
Explain the bolded quote above: ____________________________________________
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They agree to go their separate ways, but before they do, Cassius points out that Caesar has been cautious lately because of all the bad omens floating about. Cassius
further worries that Caesar's prophets might convince him to take a sick day from the Capitol. Decius tells everyone not to worry; he'll show up at Caesar's place in the morning to make sure Caesar goes the Capitol. He can sway Caesar easily with fairy-tale interpretations of whatever worries Caesar. In fact, everyone will meet at Caesar's to make sure he shows up at the Capitol for the murder. It's a team effort. Cassius prompts them to be "good Romans" and keep their word. Brutus tells them to make sure they don't look like suspicious murderers. Brilliant!
If a bunch of your friends showed up to your house to persuade you to attend an event, would you be able to say no? Explain why or why not. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
After everyone leaves Brutus, his wife, Portia, whom he left in bed, shows up to have a little husband-wife chat. The other night Brutus gave her a mean look at dinner and dismissed her when she wanted to talk about what was bothering him. (Apparently the plan to murder
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Caesar didn't make it into pillow talk.) Portia pleads with him to tell her what's making him so unhappy. Brutus claims he's just a bit sick, and Portia says that pacing about at all hours of the night is surely not the best cure. She points out it must be a sickness of the mind that plagues him. She says she has a right to know who the masked men who were just at their house in the middle of the night were. Portia claims she does more than simply serve Brutus, and she asks that he confide in her as a beloved wife rather than ignore her like a kept woman. Though she knows she's a woman, she's his wife, and she can keep a secret, no matter what it is. Brutus then asks the gods to make him worthy of such a noble wife. Brutus sends Portia back to bed, promising to tell her everything later.
Come up with a group meme about something from this scene. Describe who/what would be your background picture and write what it would say. Don’t copy the ones on this page! ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
*Add characters to character list!
Act 2, Scene III
SCENE III. A street near the Capitol.
Enter ARTEMIDORUS, reading a paper ARTEMIDORUS 'Caesar, beware of Brutus; take heed of Cassius; come not near Casca; have an eye to Cinna, trust not Trebonius: mark well Metellus Cimber: Decius Brutus loves thee not: thou hast wronged Caius Ligarius. There is but one mind in all these men, and it is bent against Caesar. If thou beest not immortal, look about you: security gives way to conspiracy1. The mighty gods defend thee! Thy lover, 'ARTEMIDORUS.'
Here will I stand till Caesar pass along, And as a suitor2 will I give him this. My heart laments that virtue cannot live Out of the teeth of emulation.3 If thou read this, O Caesar, thou mayst live; If not, the Fates with traitors do contrive.4
Exit
1. Security gives way to conspiracy: overconfidence opens the door to conspiracy 2. Suitor: one who has a favor to ask 3. Out of the teeth of emulation: out of danger from malicious envy 4. Contrive: conspire
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Analyzing Soliloquies Pg. 906-907 Cassius’ Soliloquy: this takes place after Cassius has tried to talk Brutus into
joining the dark side.
CASSIUS
I will do so. Till then, think of the world.
Exit BRUTUS
Well, Brutus, thou art noble. Yet I see
Thy honorable mettle may be wrought
From that it is disposed. Therefore it is meet
That noble minds keep ever with their likes,
For who so firm that cannot be seduced?
Caesar doth bear me hard, but he loves
Brutus.
If I were Brutus now and he were Cassius,
He should not humor me. I will this night,
In several hands, in at his windows throw,
As if they came from several citizens,
Writings all tending to the great opinion
That Rome holds of his name, wherein
obscurely
Caesar’s ambition shall be glanced at.
And after this let Caesar seat him sure,
For we will shake him, or worse days
endure.
What purpose does it serve of Cassius to be on the stage alone talking?
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Pg. 917, Brutus’ soliloquy: this takes place right after Lucius has brought Brutus the letter he
found forged by Cassius from the Romans.
BRUTUS
It must be by his death, and for my part
I know no personal cause to spurn at him
But for the general. He would be crowned.
How that might change his nature, there’s
the question.
It is the bright day that brings forth the adder
And that craves wary walking. Crown him
that,
And then I grant we put a sting in him
That at his will he may do danger with.
Th' abuse of greatness is when it disjoins
Remorse from power. And, to speak truth of
Caesar,
I have not known when his affections
swayed
More than his reason. But ’tis a common
proof
That lowliness is young ambition’s ladder,
Whereto the climber upward turns his face.
But when he once attains the upmost round,
He then unto the ladder turns his back,
Looks in the clouds, scorning the base
degrees
By which he did ascend. So Caesar may.
Then, lest he may, prevent. And since the
quarrel
Will bear no color for the thing he is,
Fashion it thus: that what he is, augmented,
Would run to these and these extremities.
And therefore think him as a serpent’s
egg—
Which, hatched, would as his kind grow
mischievous—
And kill him in the shell.
What do the last three lines of this soliloquy mean?
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Soliloquy Definition:
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Page 932-933 Artemidorus’ Soliloquy: this is Caesar’s warning to stay away from the
conspirators. Will he read it?
ARTEMIDORUS
(reads aloud)
“Caesar, beware of Brutus. Take heed of
Cassius. Come not near Casca. Have an eye
to Cinna. Trust not Trebonius. Mark well
Metellus Cimber. Decius Brutus loves thee
not. Thou hast wronged Caius Ligarius.
There is but one mind in all these men, and
it is bent against Caesar. If thou beest not
immortal, look about you. Security gives
way to conspiracy. The mighty gods defend
thee! Thy lover, Artemidorus”
Here will I stand till Caesar pass along,
And as a suitor will I give him this.
My heart laments that virtue cannot live
Out of the teeth of emulation.
If thou read this, O Caesar, thou mayst live.
If not, the Fates with traitors do contrive.
What do we learn from Artemidorus’ soliloquy?
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1. Write a soliloquy in modern language from the point of view of any other
character. It needs to be at least 10-15 lines. Reveal your thoughts and
feelings. YOU ARE THE CHARACTER, be scornful, worried, proud, or
whatever your character may be feeling!
1__________________________________________________________________ 2__________________________________________________________________ 3__________________________________________________________________ 4__________________________________________________________________ 5__________________________________________________________________ 6__________________________________________________________________ 7__________________________________________________________________ 8__________________________________________________________________ 9__________________________________________________________________ 10_________________________________________________________________ 11_________________________________________________________________ 12_________________________________________________________________ 13_________________________________________________________________ 14_________________________________________________________________ 15_________________________________________________________________
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Act 3 Scene 1
The crowd of disloyal senators and a bunch of others surround Julius Caesar just outside the Capitol. After a vague interaction between Caesar and the soothsayer, Artemidorius pleads with Caesar to read his letter first, as it's dearest to Caesar. (This note tells Caesar of the plot and the names of the conspirators.) Caesar, the picture of humility, says that, because he puts the affairs of Rome before his own, he'll read Artemidorius's letter last. Artemidorius presses him, and Caesar brushes him off: Before Caesar has time to consider that he's
committed the biggest mistake of his life, he is hustled to the Capitol by Cassius. Cassius says Caesar needs to hurry to the Capitol. Explain the two warnings that Caesar has gotten and ignored: ___________________________________________________________________
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As Caesar enters the Capitol, Senator Popilius wishes Cassius good luck
in "today's enterprise." Naturally, the conspirators flip out a little bit – Popilius, who is now chatting up Caesar, seems to know about the plot. Brutus, calm and collected, assures everyone that they're just scaring themselves. Popilius smiles with Caesar, who looks unconcerned, so he clearly hasn't just heard about the murder plot.
Meanwhile, Trebonius is busy luring Antony away, and the plan is falling
into place. Metellus will come up close to Caesar, pretending to have some request, and everyone will gather around him to fall into killing position. Cinna says Casca will strike first. The team breaks and hustles as Caesar calls the Senate to order. Metellus is the first to come before Caesar. Caesar declares that Metellus's brother (whom Metellus is making a request on behalf of) will remain banished. Further, no amount of begging and pleading will shake the great Caesar, it only makes him mad. (Caesar, in his arrogance, definitely makes it harder to be sympathetic towards him here.) As Metellus is making his plea for his brother Publius, Brutus joins in and kisses Caesar's hand, which totally surprises Caesar. Cassius falls to Caesar's feet. As Caesar is surrounded, he declares he definitely won't change the law to accommodate Publius. He declares himself to be "as constant as the northern star." While every man might be a fiery star, all the stars move except the northern one. Caesar identifies with that star, so he's not about to change his mind.
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The conspirators press on, and Caesar demands that they go away, saying that their pleading is as useless as trying to lift up Olympus, mountain of the gods. Caesar is shocked when Brutus decides to kneel.
Suddenly Casca rises to stab Caesar. Brutus stabs him
too. Caesar’s last words are some of literature's most famous: "Et tu, Brute? [You too, Brutus?] – Then fall, Caesar!" It seems Caesar is willing to fall if one of his most noble friends, Brutus, would betray him. This is moving, even after the whole, "I'm the most special star in the whole galaxy" speech. Describe what you would think if you were just an onlooker at
the capitol: ___________________________________________
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Immediately after Caesar falls, Cinna proclaims,
"Liberty! Freedom! Tyranny is dead!" and tells everybody to run and spread the message in the streets. Brutus realizes that all the other folks standing around in the Capitol watching Caesar bleed might be a bit shocked. He tells them to stay and relax, as "ambition's debt is paid," meaning Caesar's death is the cost and consequence of Caesar's determination.
Trebonius enters to confirm the worst: Antony has run to his house, shocked by the act, and people are shrieking in the street like it was Doomsday. Brutus then basically says: "We all know we'll die eventually, and life is just the process of waiting for the days to pass before it happens." (Maybe Brutus should get a hobby, or a support group.) Brutus goes on to suggest that, as Caesar's friends, they've done him a favor by shortening the period of time he would've spent worrying about death. Interesting logic. Weirdly, Brutus then calls everyone to bathe their hands up to their elbows in Caesar's blood and to cover their swords with it, so they can walk out into the streets and the marketplace declaring peace, freedom, and liberty in the land. Cassius says he's sure this bloodbath will go down in history as a noble act, and everyone agrees that Brutus should lead the procession into the street, as he has the boldest and best heart in Rome. Just then, Antony's servant enters, causing the marching band of merry, bloody men to take pause.
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So as an onlooker, you’ve just seen them murder Caesar, and are now seeing them bathe in his blood. What are your thoughts? ___________________________________________________________________
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Antony has sent word with his servant to say Brutus is noble and wise,
and, further, that while Antony loves Brutus and honors him, Antony also feared, loved, and honored Caesar. Brutus tells Antony's servant that his master will be safe if he comes to the Capitol. Cassius, however, is still suspicious of Antony. Antony shows up and makes a great show over Caesar's body, weeping and wailing. He worries aloud about who else will be killed over some secret grudge the conspirators might hold. Antony then pleas with the conspirators to kill him right now if they want him dead, as to die by swords still fresh with Caesar's blood would be the greatest death ever, hands down. Brutus then pleads with Antony that, though the conspirators' hands are bloody, their hearts are pitiful. After all, someone needed to do this terrible deed for Rome, to drive out fire with fire. Brutus promises to soon explain the reason they've killed Caesar. Right now, though, they've got to go out and quiet the public, which is a bit frightened of the men who stopped for a quick dip in Caesar's blood.
Antony says he has no doubt that Brutus probably had some very good reason to kill Caesar, and he shakes bloody hands with the conspirators all around. He then looks on Caesar's corpse and begins a long-winded speech in praise of Caesar, whom he has betrayed by becoming loyal to his murderers. Cassius interrupts this dramatic posturing and flat-out asks whether Antony is with them or against them. Antony says he is committed to the conspirators, but then he notices Caesar's corpse again (still lying on the ground at their feet), and the plan to be down with the murderers suddenly looks a little less savory. Still, Antony will remain their friend if they can provide some reason to believe Caesar was dangerous. Brutus promises they can and must. What are all of the emotions Antony is feeling right now? Predict what choice he will make about the conspirators. ___________________________________________________________________
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Antony's only other little request is that he be allowed to take the body to the marketplace and to speak at Caesar's funeral. Brutus, ever trusting, readily gives in to Antony's request, but Cassius senses foul play and pulls Brutus aside. Cassius warns Brutus to bar Antony from speaking at Caesar's funeral, as he's likely to say things that will incite the people against the conspirators. Brutus will solve this problem by going to the pulpit first and
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explaining in a calm and rational manner his reasons for killing Caesar. Just to make sure, Brutus makes Antony promise not to say anything stirring at Caesar's funeral. Instead of blaming the killers, he should speak of Caesar's virtue by focusing more on Caesar's life than his death. Antony promises and is left alone to give a little soliloquy (speaking one's thoughts aloud when by oneself), in which he reveals that he fully intends to incite the crowd to bloody murder against the conspirators. In fact, there'll be so much blood and destruction that Caesar might show up from hell with the goddess of discord at his side, and mothers will smile to see their infants torn limb from limb. (Ew.) Just then a servant arrives with the news that Octavius is on his way. Octavius is Caesar's adopted son and heir, and Caesar had recently sent him a letter asking him to come to Rome. Antony tells the servant to hold Octavius where he is, as it's not safe for him in the city yet. He says Octavius should come after Antony has had a chance to give his speech and kick-start the mob rioting. Why does Caesar have an adopted son? ___________________________________________________________________ Scene II
Brutus ascends to the pulpit and the crowd falls silent. He delivers an earnest, honest, and simple speech. First, he says that the people should trust his honor, which they know to be true. He asks if anyone can say they loved Caesar more than he did. No one can. Brutus says he rose against Caesar not because he didn't love him, but because he loved Rome more. If Caesar were still living, they'd all be slaves. To have let him live would be to submit to slavery, and that's downright un-Roman. So obviously Caesar had to die.
Everybody is buying this, but then Antony shows up with Caesar's body.
Brutus introduces Antony to the crowd and closes his speech by restating that he killed his best friend for Rome's sake and that he will turn the same dagger on himself if his country ever needs his death. Everyone is so happy with Brutus that there are some calls to give him a statue among his ancestors and to make him the new Caesar. (These folks are really missing the democratic message of his speech.) Brutus politely dismisses himself and asks everyone to stay and listen to Antony's speech. The crowd is firmly behind Brutus, and they shout out that Caesar was a tyrant and Brutus has done them all a favor.
Then Antony takes over, with the famous speech beginning: "Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears; I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him. The evil that men do lives after them; the good is oft interred with their bones; so let it be with Caesar." The crowd is as good as sold there, but Antony manages to stealthily bring it around to the opinion that Caesar has been killed wrongfully. He begins by insisting that Brutus and the other murderers are honorable, but then proceeds to slowly undermine that statement by pointing
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out how their chief gripe against Caesar, his ambition, could not be true. Antony gives examples of how Caesar loved his people, bringing in money to the country, weeping with the poor, and even refusing the crown three times. Clearly, he suggests, Caesar wasn't ambitious at all, but was devoted and loving to his citizens.
What examples does Antony give to prove that Caesar was not ambitious? ___________________________________________________________________
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Antony uses a little reverse psychology on the crowd, getting them to
clamor to hear Caesar's will by insisting that they shouldn't hear it. He descends to read them the will, but gets sidetracked by mourning over Caesar's body. Again Antony insists Brutus is honorable, but then points out the gash Brutus made in his friend's bloody body. Antony repeats this pattern over and over, until all are in agreement to burn, slay, and otherwise do not-so-nice things to Brutus and the other conspirators. They're so caught up and ready to go a-rioting that they forget about Caesar's will. Antony has to remind them that they wanted to hear it. After the mob gets the news that Caesar left everyone some nice gardens and 75 drachmas (money), they decide to cremate Caesar in the holy place and burn down the traitors' houses with the same fire. As the mob sets off to carry out the chaos and killing, Antony delights that his plan has worked. He then gets the news that Octavius has come to Rome with Lepidus. Both men are waiting for him at Caesar's house. Good fortune is upon them, as they'll be the new triumvirate (the three-man team that ruled Rome). We learn that Brutus and Cassius have fled the city like madmen.
What did Caesar leave the common people in his will? ___________________________________________________________________ Scene III
The poet Cinna, who is traveling the streets, gets caught up by the mob. After asking him a few questions, they confuse him with Cinna the conspirator. He pleads that they've got the wrong guy, but the mob has no mercy. They decide to tear him to pieces anyway for his bad poetry. As they drag him offstage, they list the names of the conspirators whose houses they're off to pillage and burn.
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Caption this picture:
Act 4, Scene I: This Group of men are Pro-Caesar Antony, Octavius, and Lepidus are gathered with a checklist of the men
they plan to murder for conspiracy (killing Caesar). Lepidus agrees that his brother can be killed as long as Antony agrees for his nephew to be killed. Lepidus is sent to collect Caesar's will, to see if they can divert some of his money their way. As soon as Lepidus has gone, Antony begins to talk trash about him. Antony thinks Lepidus is a slight man, so it's a shame that he'll be sharing power with Antony
and Octavius in the triumvirate (a group of three men holding power).
What is the denotative (dictionary) definition of the underlined word? ___________________________________________________________________
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What is the connotative (ideas and emotions) meaning of the underlined word? ___________________________________________________________________
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Antony says he only took Lepidus's word about who should die because
he's more experienced than Octavius. The plan is to let Lepidus bear the burden of ruling while doing as he's told by the other two. Octavius is more in the pro-Lepidus camp and insists that he's a good soldier. Antony replies that his (Antony's) horse is a good soldier too – good at being led and ordered. To them, Lepidus should only be a puppet. They then discuss the fact that Brutus and Cassius are raising an army, which they have to fight by allying their friends and funds. They go off to sit in council and discuss how they'll fight their enemies and weed out the traitors.
What is the conflict between Antony and Octavius? ___________________________________________________________________
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Reread the underlined sentence above. How does this change your view of Antony? ___________________________________________________________________
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Act 4, Scene II: This Group of men are Anti-Caesar
Brutus and his friend Lucilius meet Pindarus, servant and friend to Cassius, with Titinius, another mutual buddy. (Wow, that's a lot of "us"es.) Brutus says Cassius, who isn't there yet, has engaged in or overseen some shady business that makes Brutus wish they had never killed Caesar. Still, if Cassius is on his way, that's OK. Lucilius admits, when asked by Brutus, that Cassius wasn't his usual friendly self. To Brutus, it sounds like the friendship is cooling. Cassius's army will stay in Sardis (in what's now Turkey) that night, and the cavalry will arrive with Cassius. Cassius enters and announces that Brutus has done him wrong. Brutus is shocked: how could he wrong someone who's like a brother to him? The two men are about to have a spat, and they agree it's best to do it privately rather than let the troops know they're fighting. They order their armies to be moved away so they can go to Brutus's tent and argue in private, with Lucilius and Titinius guarding the door.
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Is the conflict described above an example of internal conflict or external conflict? Why? ___________________________________________________________________
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What details or remarks above suggest that tension is increasing between Brutus and Cassius? ___________________________________________________________________
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Why does Brutus suggest meeting in his tent? ___________________________________________________________________
Act 4, Scene III: Brutus and Cassius are in the tent The root of Cassius and Brutus's argument comes out: Brutus has
condemned a man, Lucius Pella, for taking bribes from the Sardians. Cassius wrote a letter saying Pella shouldn't be punished, but Brutus ignored it. He accuses Cassius of being dishonorable for suggesting they let bribery slide. Cassius resents being called greedy, but Brutus gets to the heart of the matter: they all killed Caesar for justice's sake, but when they start getting involved in petty robbery, it compromises their honor and calls into question their noble motives for killing Caesar. Cassius and Brutus then argue, and Brutus is all "I don't even know who you are anymore." Brutus tells Cassius to get out of his sight, which doesn't go over well, and the two start threatening each other.
What wrong has Brutus done to Cassius by condemning Lucius? ___________________________________________________________________
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Brutus brings up an old problem: he had asked Cassius to send gold to pay his soldiers, but Cassius denied him, which was not cool. Cassius claims he didn't deny Brutus; it must've been some bad messenger's fault. Still, Brutus should be a good friend, Cassius says, and ignore his faults. That's what friends do. Things come to a head when Cassius offers Brutus his blade and naked chest. Cassius points out that Brutus stabbed Caesar out of love, which is more than Cassius is getting from Brutus right now. With the offer of murder on the table, they both realize they're being a bit moody and melodramatic. They agree that Cassius is showing his mother's temper again. From now on they'll be friends and not get angry at each other. Reread the underlined sentences above.
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What is Cassius telling Brutus to do to him? Why is he telling Brutus to do this?
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As they step out of the tent, they find a poet waiting to tell them they should be friends. It's really nice of the poet to be so concerned. They laugh at him and send him off, then they direct Lucilius and Titinius to get their armies ready to lodge for the night. Then the big news about what put Brutus in such a bad mood comes out. Portia, Brutus's loving wife, was driven to grief by his flight from Rome and by Antony and Octavius's growing strength. Long story short, she has killed herself by swallowing coals. (Ouch.) After he tells all this to Cassius, Brutus gets some wine and aims to drink the pain away, saying they should speak no more of his dead wife. Messala and Titinius come in, and though Cassius would like to dwell on Portia's death a
bit, Brutus is all business. With what internal conflict has Brutus been struggling with?
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They've learned that Octavius and Antony have decreed that a hundred senators must die in Rome. Both men are now on their way to Philippi. Brutus says he's only heard the names of seventy senators, and that Cicero is one of them. Messala then pipes up that Cicero is dead, and tries to skirt around the issue of Portia's death with Brutus. Brutus is less hurt than anyone expected him to be. He says Portia had to die only once, and he can bear that death. The talk then turns to beating their enemies at Philippi. Cassius thinks it's better for them to sit tight until Antony and Octavius wear out their own armies with travel. That way Brutus and Cassius's army will still be fresh to fight. Brutus points out, though, that the enemy army might gather strength as it goes. Because more and more men between Rome and Philippi don't support Brutus and Cassius, they might be willing to join Antony and Octavius's forces. Brutus thinks his and Cassius's army is at its peak right now. They'll only get weaker, so it's better to act right away. They all agree to go to Philippi and meet Antony and Octavius's army.
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Are Brutus and Cassius at an advantage or disadvantage in this war that they
have started?
Explain._____________________________________________________________
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Everyone decides to get a little sleep, and Brutus asks Lucius to play him
a tune on his instrument, even though Lucius is sleepy. Brutus has called in some soldiers to sleep in his tent and keep watch. Everyone sleeps but Brutus, who picks up his book to read. Just then Caesar's ghost shows up, claiming he is "thy evil spirit, Brutus." Brutus is a bit shaken, and the ghost explains that he'll see him again at Philippi. Brutus is all "see you then, I guess." After the ghost disappears, Brutus wakes the men who've been sleeping in his tent. None of them saw the ghost. Brutus has one of the men tell Cassius to send his army off early in the morning; Brutus's army will follow. It seems Caesar's ghost has only cemented Brutus's willingness to meet his fate, whatever it be. Look at the bolded text above. Predict what will happen at Philippi.
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Compare and contrast the Triumvirate and the Conspirators
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1. Definitions of ARCHETYPE:
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2. Give me one example of an archetype from any movie:
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Act 5, Scene I OCTAVIUS: Now, Antony, our prayers have been answered. You said the enemy wouldn’t come down but keep to the hills and upper regions. It seems not. Their forces are nearby. They intend to challenge us here at Philippi, responding to our challenge before we’ve even challenged him. ANTONY: I know how they think, and I understand why they’re doing this. They really wish they were somewhere else, but they want to descend on us, looking fierce so we’ll think they’re brave. But they aren’t. A MESSENGER enters. MESSENGER: Prepare yourselves, generals. The enemy approaches with great display. They show their bloody heralds of battle, and something must be done immediately. ANTONY: Octavius, lead your forces slowly out to the left side of the level field. OCTAVIUS: I’ll go to the right side. You stay on the left. ANTONY: Why are you defying me in this urgent matter? OCTAVIUS: I’m not defying you, but it’s what I’m going to do. The sound of soldiers marching, and a drum. BRUTUS and CASSIUS enter with their army, which includes LUCILLIUS, TITINIUS, and MESSALA. BRUTUS: They’ve stopped. They want to talk. CASSIUS: Stay here, Titinius. We have to go out and talk to them. OCTAVIUS: Mark Antony, should we give the signal to attack? ANTONY: No, Octavius Caesar, we’ll respond to their charge. Go forward. The generals want to speak with us. OCTAVIUS: (to his army) Don’t move until we give the signal. BRUTUS: Words before fighting. Is that how it is, countrymen? OCTAVIUS: Not that we love words more than fighting, like you do. BRUTUS: Good words are better than bad strokes, Octavius.
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ANTONY : Brutus, you give a nice speech along with your evil strokes. Think of the hole you made in Caesar’s heart when you cried, “Long live Caesar! Hail Caesar!” CASSIUS: Antony, we don’t yet know what kind of blows you can inflict. But your words are as sweet as honey—you’ve stolen from the bees and left them with nothing. ANTONY: I took their stings too, wouldn’t you say? BRUTUS: Oh, yes, and you’ve left them silent too, because you stole their buzzing, Antony. You very wisely warn us before you sting. ANTONY: Villains, you didn’t do even that much when your vile daggers struck each other as they hacked up Caesar’s sides. You smiled like apes and fawned like dogs and bowed like servants, kissing Caesar’s feet. And all the while, damned Casca, like a dog, struck Caesar on the neck from behind. Oh, you flatterers! CASSIUS: Flatterers! Now, Brutus, you have only yourself to thank. Antony wouldn’t be here to offend us today if you’d listened to me earlier. OCTAVIUS: Come, come, let’s remember why we’re here. If arguing makes us sweat, the real trial will turn that water to blood. (he draws his sword) Look: I draw my sword against conspirators. When do you think I’ll put it away? Never, until Caesar’s thirty-three wounds are well avenged, or until I too have been killed by you. BRUTUS: Caesar, you’re not going to be killed by a traitor—unless you kill yourself.. OCTAVIUS: I hope you’re right. I wasn’t born to die on your sword. BRUTUS: If you were the noblest of your family, young man, you couldn’t die more honorably. CASSIUS: An annoying schoolboy, unworthy of such an honor, joined by a masquerader and a partier! ANTONY: Still the same old Cassius! OCTAVIUS: Come Antony, let’s go. Traitors, we defy you. If you dare to fight today, come to the field. If not, come when you have the courage.
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OCTAVIUS, ANTONY, and their army exit. CASSIUS: Now let the wind blow, waves swell, and ships sink! The storm has begun and everything is at stake. BRUTUS: Lucillius! I’d like a word with you. LUCILLIUS: (coming forward) My lord? BRUTUS and LUCILLIUS converse to the side. CASSIUS: Messala! MESSALA: (coming forward) What is it, my general? CASSIUS: Messala, today is my birthday—I was born on this very day. Give me your hand, Messala. You’ll be my witness that I’ve been forced, as Pompey was, to wager all of our freedoms on one battle. You know that I used to believe in Epicurus and his disregard for omens. I’ve changed my mind now and partly believe in omens. Traveling from Sardis, two mighty eagles fell on our front flag and perched there, eating from the hands of the soldiers who’d accompanied us to Philippi. This morning, they’ve flown away and in their place are ravens, crows, and kites, flying over our heads and looking down on us, as though we were sickly prey. Their shadows are like a deadly canopy, under which our army lies, ready to die. MESSALA: Don’t believe in this. CASSIUS: I only partly believe it, for I’m enthusiastic and resolved to meet all dangers without wavering. BRUTUS: (returning with LUCILLIUS) —Right, Lucillius. CASSIUS: Now, most noble Brutus, the gods are friendly with us today so that we, who want peace, can live on to old age! But since the affairs of men are always uncertain, let’s think about the worst that may happen. If we lose this battle, this is the last time we’ll speak to each other. If we lose, what do you plan to do? BRUTUS: By the same principle that made me condemn Cato for committing suicide, I plan to be patient and submit to what the gods decide. I don’t know why, but I find it cowardly and vile to kill oneself early to prevent possible suffering later on.
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CASSIUS: Then if we lose this battle, you’ll be willing to be led in chains through the streets of Rome? BRUTUS: No, Cassius, no. Don’t imagine that I’ll ever allow myself to return to Rome in chains. My mind is too great for that. But today, the work that March 15th began must end, and I don’t know if we’ll meet again. Therefore, accept my everlasting farewell. Forever and forever, farewell, Cassius! If we meet again, then we’ll smile. If not, then this parting was well done. CASSIUS: Forever and forever, farewell, Brutus! If we meet again, then we’ll smile indeed. If not, it’s true, this parting was well done. BRUTUS: Well, lead on. Oh, I wish I could know what will happen today before it happens! But it’s enough to know that the day will end, and then the end will be known. Come! Let’s go! They all exit.
Act 5, Scene II Sounds of battle. BRUTUS and MESSALA enter. BRUTUS: Ride, ride, Messala, ride, and give these dispatches to our forces on the other side. Faint sounds of battle. They should advance immediately, because I sense Octavius’s side is a bit fainthearted right now, and a sudden push would overthrow him. Ride, ride, Messala. Let Cassius’s wing mount a surprise attack. They exit in opposite directions.
Act 5, Scene III Cassius and Titinius watch the
battle from another part of the field. When Cassius's standard-bearer (the guy who carries his battle flag) tried to run away, Cassius _____________________. This guy is merciless! Titinius doesn't comment on this behavior but points out that Brutus came down on Octavius's army too early. Though they were initially weaker, Octavius's men now appear to be overtaking Brutus's, and Antony is enclosing Cassius's. The situation is looking pretty dire for Cassius and Brutus.
Pindarus comes to Cassius and Titinius with the news that Antony has invaded Cassius's tents. He tries to get Cassius to run away, but Cassius is
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distracted by a set of troops in the distance. Cassius sends Titinius off on horseback to see whether the troops are friends or enemies. He also sends Pindarus higher up the hill to watch and report on Titinius's progress.
Cassius notes to himself _______________________ is a good day to die, his life having come full circle.
Cassius is resigned to his fate, but he still fights on. Pindarus reports on Titinius play by play. A horde of horsemen has surrounded Titinius. Now they've overtaken him. And now they're shouting with joy. It looks like the worst has happened. Cassius calls for Pindarus to stop watching. He laments that he's such a coward to have sent his best friend Titinius to his death. Pindarus returns to Cassius's side, and Cassius speaks to him.
Cassius reminds Pindarus how he took him prisoner at Parthia and spared
his life on the condition that he do whatever Cassius asked him to. Cassius then tells Pindarus how to make himself a free man: he should kill him with the very blade he used to kill Caesar.
Pindarus stabs Cassius, who dies declaring that Caesar is avenged by the same sword that killed him. Pindarus, now hovering around Cassius's body, claims that this wasn't the way he wanted to gain his freedom, and that if he had his own will (and hadn't been Cassius's servant), he wouldn't have done it. He declares that he'll run far away so no Roman will ever see__________________him again.
Messala then enters the scene with Titinius (who – surprise! – is not
dead), announcing the new state of the battle: they're basically even on both sides. Brutus has overtaken Octavius's forces, while Antony's forces have beaten Cassius's men.
The men are stoked to tell Cassius that all isn't lost, but then they see his
dead body, which is in no condition to accept good news. Titinius realizes that Cassius must have misunderstood what had happened on the hilltop. Messala is more Action Jackson than super-sleuth; he goes off unhappily to inform Brutus of Cassius's death. Meanwhile, Titinius is left to find Pindarus.
Pindarus
Titinius
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It doesn't matter where Pindarus is, and Titinius doesn't even look for him. Instead, Titinius explains what actually happened in the scene that Cassius killed himself over. Titinius was indeed overtaken, but by ___________________ on horseback. The shouts Pindarus heard were shouts of joy for Cassius's side. They overtook Titinius to put a wreath of victory on his head, which Brutus then wanted the rider to give to Cassius.
Titinius still has the doomed crown, which, in a dramatic moment, he places on dead Cassius's head. Titinius then cries, "By your leave, gods! – this is a Roman's part," and proceeds to stab himself with Cassius's sword. Titinius dies beside his friend. Messala and Brutus arrive just in time to find that Titinius has played Ultimate Mourning and killed himself.
Brutus cries out, "Julius Caesar, thou art mighty yet!" (He might be suggesting that the ghost is out convincing people to kill themselves, or he might be talking about his effect on the conspirators' consciences.) Brutus laments that two of Rome's bravest men should lie here this way. Brutus gathers his remaining friends for the last fight.
Scene IV Everyone goes out onto the battlefield in a blaze of glory. Young Cato
runs around shouting _______________________as a challenge to anyone who stands for tyranny and against the Roman Republic. Lucilius is running around pretending to be__________________.
Some enemy soldiers unceremoniously kill Young Cato. They're ready to kill Lucilius too, but he says he's Brutus, and they should be honored to kill him. The soldiers take him prisoner and are excited to show off their catch to Antony. (They really believe he's Brutus.) The captive Lucilius tells Antony that no one will ever take Brutus alive. Lucilius promises that when Antony finds Brutus, whether alive or dead, he'll still be Brutus, with the same noble character and unchanged by these events.
Antony tells his overeager soldiers that this guy isn't Brutus, but he's no less worth capturing. Antony orders the soldiers to keep Lucilius safe and to
Friends, Not
Enemies
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be kind to him, as he'd rather have such men for friends than enemies. Antony then sends some folks off to find out whether Brutus is alive or dead. He goes to Octavius's tent to hear news of how things are going.
Scene V Elsewhere in the field, Brutus stops and asks his remaining friends to
rest on a rock. He calls Clitus, Dardanius and Volumnius over and asks all three (separately) to kill him. They all say _______and Brutus tells Volumnius that Caesar's ghost has appeared to him twice, once at night and once again in the fields of Philippi. Brutus knows his hour has come and he would rather leap into the pit than loiter around and wait for his enemies to push him in.
Brutus speaks to his men valiantly. Brutus tells everyone to flee and promises to follow after everyone else has left. The only man left with Brutus now is __________________, who's slept through all the speeches and sadness. Strato has woken up just in time to be asked to hold Brutus's sword while he runs into it. Strato thinks this is a good idea and asks only to shake hands with Brutus before doing the deed.
Brutus' final words assure that what he does now is twice as pure as what he did to Caesar, who is avenged by this act: "Caesar, now be still, I kill'd not thee with half so good a will." Antony, Octavius, and their armies, along with the captive Lucilius and Messala, now approach the site of Brutus's death. Messala asks Strato where their master is, and Strato says that _____________________________.
Only Brutus overcame Brutus, Strato says, and Brutus himself is the only one who gained honor in his death. There's a bit of a conference, and Octavius will entertain all the men who nobly served Brutus. Brutus's enemies are a lot friendlier to him now that he's dead. Antony declares Brutus the "__________________ ___________________” of them all, as he alone among the conspirators killed Caesar not out of envy but out of concern and care for the public good.
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Octavius says Brutus will be buried as an honorable soldier, and his body will stay in Octavius's tent for the night. After that, they agree it's time to celebrate and share "the glories of this happy day.
Draw the scene with Cassius, Pindarus, and Titinius to explain what happened.
Brutus=wants peace in Rome
Cassius=jealous
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CREATING A ROMANMATCH.COM PROFILE You will be creating a RomanMatch.com dating profile for your
character. This will be a life-size character that you and your group
draw on butcher paper. Dress your character in Roman attire and
add as many time-period appropriate details/accessories as you
would like! On your butcher paper, write your character’s dating
profile bio (4-6 sentences). Their bio will be written in first-person
point of view, meaning Cassius’ bio will seem as if it was written by
him. Follow the rubric below to add all of the components to
complete your life-size character’s dating profile!
Example dating profiles pulled from the internet (not mine, I promise!):
1. I like my artsy with a little bit of fartsy. I love Sundays spent drinking massive amounts of coffee and lingering over newspapers and comics (yes, I read comics). And my Friday nights? Well you’ll just have to wait and see won’t you? Favorite Food: Cheetos. Puffs. I don’t know what y’all are thinking with that crunchy crap. Perfect dates are going for a hike, followed by a visit to a new local brewery or trying a new dinner spot and taking a walk nearby. I work hard during the week, fill my weekends with activities, and definitely can be a big ball of energy at times. I’m looking for a guy who can keep up and keep me on my toes.
2. I’m an outgoing lady who loves nightlife, weekend adventures, dancing,
karaoke (I do an amazing Carrie Underwood), getting out on the lake, and meeting new people. I probably change my mind about a thousand times a day and will keep you on your toes, but I like to think I’m worth it. For one, I’m an amazing cook if I do say so myself, and love to try out new recipes. There’s just nothing better than getting creative and making something that you can also eat. It’s the best kind of art.
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The RomanMatch.com logo is at the top of the butcher
paper. Underneath the logo is the character’s name,
written in neat, readable letters. __/5
Five adjectives are included on the butcher paper that
describe the character’s personality based on what was
revealed in the play. These can be negative
characteristics, but make sure they are high school
level (not elementary words like “dumb”).
__/5
The full name of all group members are listed in the
bottom right corner of the butcher paper. __/5 Character is made to look life-like and is visually
appealing. The character fits the time period in which
the work is set and closely matches any descriptions
given about the character.
__/45
A paragraph is added on the butcher paper describing
the character in the format of a dating profile bio (4-6
sentences). Their bio should reflect their personality as
seen in the play.
__/20
Five interesting facts are included about the character.
These will most likely be made-up, but they should fit
the time period and be similar to what you may put on
a dating profile! For example, your character’s dream
date may be getting dressed up in his best toga and
taking his lady to watch the gladiators duel.
__/20
