Julius Caesar All Acts

Conspirators (vocab)

Persons who secretly lot to carry out an evil or illegal act. Latin for “to breathe together”

Soothsayer

Fortuneteller “Person who speaks the truth”

Servile

Submissive, like a slave. “serve and servant”

Barren

Unable to bear children. Land that doesn’t produce crops or vegetation

Countenance

Face “the way one holds oneself”

Torrent

A swift, violent, stream. French

Encompassed

Past tense of to encompass, To include; to contain en=in

Infirmity

A weakness, disability. Similar to infirmary

Blunt

Abrupt, frank, outspoken. Can mean “dull; slow to understand”

Portentous

Ominous, warning of things to come. NOT flashy or showy

What are the professions of the onlookers questioned by the tribunes, and how do the two men explain their absence from work?

They are a cobbler and a carpenter, and they say that Caesar’s victory is something to celebrate

Why does Marullus think the crowd should feel terrible about Caesar’s victoyry over Pompey?

Because they used to praise Pompey

Marullus and Flavius each give instructions to the gathered crowd. What does each tribune advise the people to do?

Marullus- Go home and pray for forgiveness Flavius- Go to the Tiber and cry

What do Flavius and Marullus plan to do after dispersing the crowd?

Get rid of Caesar’s decorative images and meet at the capital.

Brutus and Cassius do not attend the races. Why not?

Brutus is not interested/competitive

When Cassius tells Brutus he has been behaving strangely toward him lately, how does Brutus respond?

He says he has internal conflict and personal thoughts about Caesar’s victory.

Cassius offers to be Brutus’s mirror. What does Cassius “show” Brutus about himself?

The people love Brutu and he should be in charge

Referring to scene 2, 11. 72-78, list four reason Cassius says Brutus should trust him.

Cassius is serious He isn’t fake He doesn’t become friend with anybody He’s honest

Cassius describes two occasion when he felt Caesar did not behave like someone who should become leader of the Roman Republic. Briefly describe the two occasions.

Caesar couldn’t swim and Cassius had to save him Caesar had epilepsy, and would “shake”, seize often. Cassius saw it as a sign of weakness

Reread scene 2, 11. 139-141. Paraphrase the idea Cassius presents to Brutus

It is Cassius and Brutus’s fault Caesar became so powerful

Caesar speaks to Antony about his concerns regarding Cassius. Summarize Caesar’s concerns from scene 2, 11. 192-212. 11.

He’s too smart, serious (also thin), and dangerous because of that

What happened to Flvius and Marullus in scene 2, 11. 283-285?

They were caught and “put to silences”

Scene 2 ends with a short soliloquy by Cassius. In this soliloquy, what does Cassius say about himself in comparison to Brutus.

Cassius needs Brutus becuse he is powerful and close to Caesar.

What does he reveal he will do “this night”

Writes letters to Brutus in different handwriting and sends them to convince Brutus that he should be in charge of Rome

Act 1, scene 3 begins with an ominous mood created by the weather. What does Casca tell Cicero about the weather at the start of scene 3?

An arguement between the gods or the gods punishing humans

In addition to the vicious storm, Casca reports observing four unusual occcurrences that he believes are a bad sign. List the four occurrences.

A slave’s hand was on fire but didn’t burn A lion in fornt of the capitol, but it didn’t roar or attacked 100 women in fear saw men of fire An owl hooted and screeched in the day

Unlike Casca, why doesn’t Cicero believe the storms and unusual heppenings are portentous?

He thinks people think of it what they want it to be, or miscontrue

In scene 3, 11. 64-82, how does Cassius view the weather and strange events?

He thinks they are signs that warn of Caesar’s rule

How does Cassius respond when Casca tells him that the senators plan on making Caesar king?

He literally says he’ll kill himself, but means he’ll kill Caesar

Where is Cinna supposed to take the letters written by Cassius?

Places Brutus will be and will see the letters

Explain why Casca thinks the group needs Brutus to join.

The people like him and the group will get away with more if Brutus is on their side.

Describe Caesar

He wants the power offered to him, but declines even though its obvious he wants the power

Why does Cassius not want Caesar to be in power?

He thinks Caesar is weak because of Epilepsy and is no more qualified than Cassius or Brutus

Why is Brutus conflicted about becoming a conspirator?

He is friends with Caesar and admires him, but agrees that he shouldn’t become king. He was also easily manipulated by Cassius and the conspirators.

Who is on Caesar’s side

Caesar, Antony, the Plebes, Calphurnia

Who are the conspirators?

Cassius, Flavius + Marullus (not conspirators but don’t like Caesar), Casca, Cinna, and Brutus eventually joins (et tu Brute)

Who is undecided?

Cicero and at this point Brutus

What did Brutus’s ancestor do?

He strongly disagreed with a king leading Rome

Affability

Friendliness, pleasantness Latin for “to speak”

Redress

Compensation, satisfaction. Implies wrongdoing

Constancy

faithfullness Latin for “to stand together”

Imminent

Likely to happen soon

Taper

a candle, to decrease in width or thickness

To spurn

Reject or scorn, spur comes from the same place

Base

Low in rank or position, not the modern meaning

Augmented

to make greater or enlarge, Latin for to increase

Insurrection

a rebellion, uprising, or revolt, similar to insurgent

visage

the face, a look

What question is Brutus pondering at the opening of the scene?

Whether or not he should join the cospirators

For what information does Brutus want Lucius to look at the calendar? What is the significance of whtat Lucius finds?

He asks is it it the Ides of March because that is the day the soothsayer warned Caesar of

What do the conspirators want to do the next day?

Kill Caesar

Why does Brutus reject Cicero?

He’ll want to be the leader

What is Cassius’ reaction to Brutus’s rejection of Cicero? What does this show about his and Brutus’s relationship.

He immediately agrees and that shows that respects Brutus’s opinion and looks up to him

What do the conspirators plan to do the next day? (specific)

Decius will make sure Caesar goes to the capital, everyone else will meet at Brutus’s house @8:00 and walk to the capital together

How does Decius say he wll make sure that Caesra goes to the Capital?

Flattery

What has Portia done to show Brutus that she is worthy of knowing his secret?

He hurts herself and wounds her thigh

What strange and horrible things does Calphurnia report to Caesar that have been seen that night?

A lion gave birth, zombies and ghosts, blood and war at the capital

What does Caplhurnia mean when she says “When beggars dies, there are no comets seen;/ The heavens themselves blaze forth the death of princes” (II, ii, 31-33).

The warnings are important because regular people don’t get warnings like Caesra did.

How does Decius convince Caesar to go to the Capital? What does this tell you about Caesar?

He asks why he’s not going, tells him they were going to give him the crown, and if he’s not there, they won’t have the meeting, and that the dreams about his statue pouring blood that the people consume is a sign of a prosperous nation. This shows that Caesar likes being liked

What is Artemidorus’s plan?

To warn Caesar that he will be killed through a petition letter.

Why is Portia so nervous and upset?

She can’t go into the senate, so she doesn’t know what’s going to happen

On what errand does Portia send Lucius?

to go to the senate and report back what happens

Who are the conspirators?

Brutus, Cassius, Casca, Cinna, Decius, Ligarius, Metellus, and Trebonius

What is Decius’s role?

To flatter Caesar into coming to the capital

Who is whose wife: Calpurnia and Portia?

C- Caesar P-Brutus

Who is Artemidorus?

The man who tries to warn Caesar

Who joins late to the conspiracy?

Ligarius

Who is Lucius?

Brutus’s servant

What is a soliloquy?

A speech given to oneself where he/she is the only person onstage

“Shall Rome stand under one man’s awe? What, Rome?/ My ancestors did from the streets of Rome/ The Tarquin drive, when he was called a king./ ‘Speak, strike, redress.’ Am I entreated/ To speak, strike, redress? O Rome, I make the promise,/ If the redress will follow, thou receiveist/ Thy full petition at the hand of Brutus” (56-61). Who said it and who does it reference?

Said by Brutus and references the king that other Brutus kicked out.

Why do they choose to not kill Antony?

It’d be like cutting off the head, then the limbs afterwards. It becomes to violent and personal, not necessary.

Why is Portia frustrated with Brutus?

He will not tell her what is going on

“Cowards die many times before their deaths./The valiant never taste of death but once./Of all the wonders that I yet have heard,/It seems to me most strange that men should fear,/Seeing that death, a necessary end,/Will come when it will come.” Who said it and what does it mean?

Caesar- he does not fear death, cowards experience death in their fear. Everyone dies

Why does Calpurnia not want Caesar to go to the capital?

She has seen strange things, had a bad dream, and it is the Ides of March, the day the soothsayer warned of

What had Caesar decided before Decius came?

He would stay home for Calpurnia’s sake

Does Decius change Caesar’s mind?

Yes

How many characters are in scene 3?

One- Artemidorus

What does Artemidorus know?

He knows about the conspiracy and tries to warn Caesar

Where do both scenes 3 and 4 take place? Who does each focus on?

The street. 3- Artemidorus 4- Portia, Lucius, and the soothsayer

What does Portia send Lucius to do?

Report back what happens at the Senate

What does Portia ask the soothsayer?

If Caesar has gone to the capital

What does the soothsayer do?

Waits for Caesar on the street

Valiant

Brave, courageous, Latin for to be strong

Firmament

The sky, the heavens, Latin for to strengthen

Malice

evil intent, desire to harm another, Latin for bad

Apprehensive

uneasy, anxious about the future

to censure

to judge

interred

to bury

legacy

an inheritance, anything handed down from an ancestor

orator

skilled public speaker

plebeians

common people

to beseech

to beg

In regard to Artemidorus’s request, how does Caesar’s nobility doom him?

He says he will look at things concerning himself last

What is Metellus Cimber’s petition to Caesar? What is Caesar’s response and why does he give this response?

He asks for his brother’s banishment to be undone. Caesar says no because he doesn’t make mistakes and is immovable

What does Brutus instruct the conspirators to do before they go before the public? Why does he instruct them to do this?

Put Caesar’s blood on their hands to show pride in their actions

What request does Antony’s servant bring to Brutus? What is Brutus’s response?

He asks to not be killed and a reason to be friends

Why does Cassius object to letting Antony speak at Caesar’s funeral? What reassurance does Brutus give him?

He doesn’t want Antony to speak against them. Brutus will speak first.

What promise does Antony give Brutus about his funeral speech?

He will go second and he won’t talk bad about the conspirators

After being left alone with Caesar’s body, what does Antony promise to do?

Revenge, blood, destruction, war

What reason does Brutus give for murdering Caesar? What is the crowd’s reaction?

Caesar’s ambition and Brutus’s love for Rome, everyone agrees with him and loves him.