JC questions

Government before Caesar

a Republic ruled by Senate consuls and tribunes hated the idea of kings

Opening scene context

Caesar returns after defeating Pompeys sons in civil war

Lupercal festival

Roman fertility rite where Antony touches Calpurnia to cure infertility

Be not out with me pun

out means angry or worn shoes and mend means fix shoes or attitude

Awl pun

cobbler plays on awl and all saying he lives by his tool

Basest mettle moved

Flavius hopes he melted the commoners stubborn loyalty

Falconry metaphor

clipping Caesars feathers stops him from soaring too high

Put to silence

Flavius and Marullus are removed or executed for removing decorations

Beware the Ides

Soothsayer warns Caesar who dismisses him as a dreamer

Tiber River incident

Cassius saved a drowning Caesar comparing it to Aeneas and Anchises

Caesar in Spain

he fell sick had a seizure and groaned like a sick girl

Colossus quote

Cassius says Caesar stands over Rome like a giant statue

Fault in ourselves

Cassius says fate is shaped by actions not stars

Lean and hungry look

Caesar fears Cassius thinks too much and dislikes others power

Crown refusal

Antony offers the crown three times and Caesar refuses reluctantly

Falling sickness

Caesar suffers a seizure in the marketplace

Greek to me

Casca literally could not understand Ciceros Greek speech

Forged letters plan

Cassius will plant fake citizen letters in Brutus house

Storm omens

burning hand lion men on fire and owl at noon

Storm interpretation

Cassius bares his chest saying the storm mirrors Caesars tyranny

Cinna plants letters

he places them on the judges chair window and statue

Tribune definition

elected protector of common peoples rights

Augurer definition

priest who reads omens from sacrificed animals

Why Brutus is essential

his honor makes murder appear patriotic

Cicero and omens

he shrugs them off saying people interpret signs however they want

Serpents egg

Caesar must be killed before power hatches his danger

Lucius brings letter

Brutus servant delivers a forged letter

No oath

Brutus says honest Romans need no oath

Rejecting Cicero

he will not follow plans started by others

Sacrificers not butchers

Brutus wants Caesars death to look holy not bloody

Antony irrelevant

Brutus sees him as a limb of Caesar with no power alone

Decius flattery

he uses flattery to bring Caesar to the Capitol

Portia demands truth

she wants to know Brutus secret torment

Portias thigh wound

she wounds herself to prove strength and loyalty

Ligarius joins sick

he joins out of respect for Brutus and hatred of Caesar

Calpurnias nightmare

Caesars statue bleeds as Romans bathe in the blood

Beast with no heart

augurers find the sacrificed animal lacks a heart

Cowards die many times

Caesars philosophy that the brave die only once

Decius reinterprets dream

he says the blood symbolizes Rome gaining new life

Decius pressures Caesar

he uses the crown and fear of seeming cowardly

Artemidorus letter

he writes a warning naming every conspirator

Security gives way

Caesars arrogance makes him vulnerable to conspiracy

Portia frantic

she is overwhelmed knowing the plot is underway

Mans mind womans might

Portia feels intelligent but powerless

Soothsayers final warning

the Ides have come but are not over

Caesar rejects letter

he puts Rome before his own safety

Fake petition

Metellus begs for Publius Cimber’s unbanishment

Northern Star

Caesar claims he never changes his mind

First and last stabbers

Casca stabs first Brutus stabs last

Et tu Brute

Caesar gives up when Brutus betrays him

Blood ritual

conspirators bathe in Caesars blood proclaiming liberty

Brutus two errors

he spares Antony and lets him speak at the funeral

Dogs of war

Antony vows to unleash civil war

Brutus speech style

plain prose appealing to logic

Antony speech style

rhythmic verse appealing to emotion

Antony evidence

ransoms charity crown refusals and will prove Caesar not ambitious

Honorable man irony

Antony repeats it until it sounds sarcastic

Antony props

Caesars cloak wounds and will enrage the crowd

Caesars will

75 drachmas to each citizen and public parks

Cinna the Poet

mob kills him for his name showing irrational violence

Triumvirate

Antony Octavius and Lepidus rule Rome

Proscription list

they condemn enemies and even family to death

Lepidus insult

Antony calls him a donkey used then discarded

Tent quarrel

Brutus accuses bribery Cassius accuses ingratitude

Quarrel resolved

Cassius bares his chest and they reconcile

Portias death

she kills herself by swallowing hot coals

Tide in affairs

Brutus argues they must attack at peak strength

Caesars ghost

warns Brutus he will see him at Philippi

Cassius omens

he now fears ravens and crows as bad omens

Brutus tactical error

he attacks too early exposing Cassius flank

Cassius suicide misunderstanding

he thinks Titinius is captured but he was being honored

Cassius final words

Caesar thou art revenged dying by the same sword

Lucilius protects Brutus

he pretends to be Brutus to draw enemy capture

Brutus death

he runs on Stratos sword saying he kills himself more willingly than Caesar

Antony verdict

he calls Brutus the noblest Roman of them all