Julius caeser

JULIUS CAESAR

-WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

The Play Julius Caesar is in five acts. Given below is a brief summary of the events

that happen before Act II Scene II:--

Two Roman tribunes, Flavius and Murellus, see the common people parading in the

streets instead of working in their shops. They demand to know why the men are not

working. A cobbler informs them that the people are celebrating Caesar's victory.

Murellus is infuriated and tells them that Caesar has not defeated an enemy, but

rather has killed the sons of Pompey the Great. Pompey previously ruled Rome

along with Caesar until their alliance fell apart, at which point they went to battle

over the right to rule.

Julius Caesar triumphantly returns to Rome on the festival of Lupercalia, celebrated

on February 15. He is followed by Antony and Brutus and many followers.

A soothsayer approaches Caesar and calls out for attention. Caesar allows him to

speak, and the man tells Caesar to, "Beware the ides of March". Caesar ignores this

warning and calls the man a dreamer.

Brutus remarks to Cassius that he is afraid the people will crown Caesar king.

Cassius then tells Brutus that "Brutus" is just as good a name as "Caesar", and that

both names could just as easily rule Rome.

Brutus, afraid that Caesar will become a king, struggles to decide whether to take

action with Cassius. Casca remains onstage with Brutus and Cassius and tells them

that the three shouts they heard were because Caesar turned down the crown three

times. Apparently Antony offered him the crown three times, and Caesar turned it

down three times.

Casca then adds that the people forgave Caesar and worshipped him even more for

turning away the crown. Cassius informs the audience in a soliloquy that he will fake

several handwritten notes and throw them into Brutus' room in an attempt to make

Brutus think the common people want him to take action against Caesar.

Cassius then arrives and Casca tells him that the senators are planning to make

Caesar a king the next morning. Cassius draws his dagger and threatens to die before

ever allowing Caesar to achieve so much power. Casca shakes hands with Cassius

and they agree to work together to prevent Caesar from seizing power.

Cinna, a co-conspirator, arrives and together they then leave to go throw Cassius'

handwritten notes through Brutus' window. Cassius indicates that he is quite sure

Brutus will join them within the next day.

Brutus is in his garden and has made up his mind that Caesar must be killed. His

reasons are that Caesar is abusing his power and that he has ascended far too

quickly.

Lucius, Brutus' servant, brings him a letter he has found in Brutus' private room.

Brutus interprets the letter as if it were from all of Rome, telling him to slay Caesar

and restore the republic.

132 | P a g e

Cassius is further of the opinion that Mark Antony should be killed along with

Caesar, but again Brutus is against the plan, calling it too "bloody." They plan to

commit their murder of Caesar at the Senate at eight o'clock that morning (it is only

three in the morning at this point). However, they are worried that Caesar will not

show up because he has become so superstitious over the past few months.

Decius tells them that he knows how to flatter Caesar, and assures them that he will

convince Caesar to go to the Senate. Cassius and his followers then depart, leaving

Brutus alone.

Caesar, still in his nightgown, is terrified by a dream his wife Calpurnia has had in

which she cried out, "Help, ho! They murder Caesar!" He orders a servant to go to

the priests and have them sacrifice an animal in order to read the entrails for

predictions of the future.

Calpurnia arrives and tells him that he dare not leave the house that day. Caesar acts

brave and tells her that he fears nothing, and that he will die when it is necessary for

him to die. The servant returns and tells him that the sacrificed animal showed a very

bad omen, namely the beast did not have a heart.

Caesar insists on misinterpreting the omens, but Calpurnia begs him to blame her for

his absence from the Senate, to which he finally agrees. However, Decius arrives at

that moment in order to fetch Caesar to the Senate House. Caesar tells him to inform

the Senate that he will not come this day. Decius claims that he will be mocked if he

cannot provide a better reason than that. Caesar then tells him about Calpurnia's

dream, which Decius reinterprets in a positive light.

Decius then overwhelms Caesar's resistance by asking him if the Senate should

dissolve until a better time when Calpurnia has more favourable dreams.

Decius also tempts Caesar by saying that the Senate plans to give the crown to him

and they may change their minds if he does not go.

Caesar tells Calpurnia that he was acting foolishly, and agrees to go to the Senate.

Cassius and the other conspirators arrive at that moment to accompany him to the

Senate. Antony also appears and joins the group of men who then escort Caesar out

of his house.

Caesar takes his seat in the Senate and proceeds to allow Metellus Cimber to petition

him. The man throws himself down at Caesar's feet in order to beg for his brother's

release from banishment, but is ordered to get up.

Caesar tells him that fawning will not win him any favours. At this Brutus comes

forward and pleads for the man's brother. Cassius soon joins him.

Caesar tells them his decision is, "constant as the Northern Star" and that he will not

remove the banishment. Casca kneels and says ―Speak hands for me‖ .Casca first,

and then the other conspirators and Brutus all stab Caesar who falls saying, "Et tu,

Brute? - Then falls Caesar.

Antony arrives and laments the death of Caesar. He begs the murderers, specifically

Brutus, to tell him why Caesar had to be killed. Brutus tells him that Caesar was

destroying the republic and had to be removed from power.

Antony pretends to be convinced by this and asks the conspirators to, "Let each man

render me his bloody hand" He then shakes hands with each of them, naming them

as he shakes the hand.

133 | P a g e

Antony quickly recants his agreement with the murderers, and tells Cassius that he

almost joined them after shaking their hands; He asks them if he may have

permission to take the body to the marketplace and show it to the crowds. Brutus

gives him permission to do this, but immediately Cassius pulls Brutus aside and

says, "You know not what you do‖

Brutus decides to give his speech first, and to allow Antony to speak afterwards,

provided that Antony only says positive things about the conspirators. Antony agrees

to this.

Left alone with the body of Caesar, Antony says, "O pardon me, thou bleeding piece

of earth / That I am meek and gentle with these butchers" He continues, with his

speech becoming ever more violent, "Domestic fury and fierce civil strife / Shall

cumber all the parts of Italy"

Brutus tells the masses that he loved Caesar more than any of them, but that he killed

Caesar because he loved Rome more.

Brutus then asks them if they want him to kill himself for his actions, to which the

crowd replies, "Live, Brutus, live, live!"

He lastly begs them listen to Mark Antony speak and to let him depart alone. He

leaves Mark Antony alone to give his oration.

Antony's speech begins with the famous lines, "Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend

me

your ears". His speech continually praises Brutus as "an honourable man" who has

killed Caesar for being ambitious.

He then presents all of the images of Caesar in which Caesar has not been ambitious,

such as when Caesar thrice refused the crown on the day of Lupercal, or when

Caesar filled the Roman treasury with ransom money from victories in war. The

plebeians slowly become convinced that Caesar was not ambitious and that he was

wrongly murdered.

Antony then pulls out Caesar's will and tells them he should not read it to them.

They beg him to read it, and he finally agrees, but puts if off by descending into the

masses and standing next to the body of Caesar.

He shows them the stab wounds and names the conspirators who gave Caesar the

wounds. The crowd starts to surge away in anarchy, crying, "Revenge! About! Seek!

Burn! Fire! Kill! Slay!" Antony stops them and continues speaking.

He finally reads them the will, in which Caesar has given every Roman citizen

seventy five drachmas. The plebeians react in a frenzy of anger against the men who

killed Caesar, and carry away the body.

Antony says, "Now let it work. Mischief, thou art afoot. / Take thou what course

thou wilt‖. He has successfully instigated the mob to mutiny.