English 10H - Julius Caesar Quotes

Question 1

“You blocks, you stones, you worse than senseless things”

Answer 1

Marllus; Act 1, scene i, line 39; calling the people of Rome “fickle” because they’re followers, switching quickly from Pompey to Caesar.

Question 2

“Beware the ides of March”

Answer 2

Soothsayer; Act 1, scene ii, line 21; tells Caesar to watch out for March 15th, Caesar doesn’t listen, showing he is hubris (arrogant).

Question 3

“I, your glass, will modestly discover to yourself That of yourself which you yet know not of.”

Answer 3

Cassius; Act 1, scene ii, lines 74-76; he’s telling Brutus “let me tell you who you are, let me be your mirror,” might be lying to Brutus

Question 4

“Set honor in one eye and death i’ th’ other And I will look on both indifferently;”

Answer 4

Brutus; Act 1, scene ii, lines 93-94; he doesn’t care about dying as long as he’s doing the right thing

Question 5

“The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, But in ourselves, that we are underlings.”

Answer 5

Cassius; Act 1, scene ii, lines 147-148; saying “it’s not in our destiny to kill Caesar, it’s in our choices.”

Question 6

“Yond Cassius has a lean and hungry look. He thinks too much. Such men are dangerous.”

Answer 6

Caesar; Act 1, scene ii, lines 204-205; Cassius cannot be bribed/convinced, he thinks too much

Question 7

“And yesterday the bird of night did sit Even at noonday upon the marketplace,”

Answer 7

Casca; Act 1, scene iii, lines 26-27; when the king is threatened (Caesar), nature is upset (Great Chain is breaking!)

Question 8

“That lowliness is young ambition’s ladder.”

Answer 8

Brutus; Act 2, scene i, line 23; as Caesar climbs higher (gains more power) he’ll lose sight of the people and become ambitious (power hungry)

Question 9

“And therefore think him as a serpent’s egg.”

Answer 9

Brutus; Act 2, scene i, line 33; they don’t know what ruler Caesar will become, so they have to kill him before he gets to power

Question 10

“Here lies the east; doth not the day break here?”

Answer 10

Decius; Act 2, scene i, line 111; if they’re arguing about where the sun rises they should NOT be making decisions about murder

Question 11

“No, not an oath.”

Answer 11

Brutus; Act 2, scene i, line 125; “oath” implies it’s bad but Brutus believes he’s doing good for the people and shouldn’t keep it a secret once it’s done.

Question 12

“To cut off the head and hack the limbs”

Answer 12

Brutus; Act 2, scene i, line 176; Brutus is naive about Caesar’s death, thinking Anthony will be powerless after Caesar’s death… he’s wrong

Question 13

“That unicorns may be betrayed with trees,”

Answer 13

Decius; Act 2, scene i, line 221; everything can be led and tricked, Caesar will be led out of his house with flattery

Question 14

“Giving myself a voluntary wound in the thigh”

Answer 14

Portia; Act 2, scene i, lines 323-324; she stabbed herself in the thigh yet still isn’t “hardcore” enough to know Brutus’ secret (act of stoicisim)

Question 15

“Cowards die many times before their deaths; the valiant never taste of death but once.”

Answer 15

Caesar; Act 2, scene ii, lines 34-35; if you die you die, he’d rather only die once than die multiple times on the inside (kill his ego)

Question 16

“But I am constant as the North Star”

Answer 16

Caesar; Act 3, scene i, line 66; he doesn’t change his mind

Question 17

“Et tu, Bruté? Then fall Caesar”

Answer 17

Caesar; Act 3, scene i, line 85; he feels not only betrayed by his close friend but also feels it must be his time because Brutus was the one to do it and he’s well respected by the people.

Question 18

“Stoop, Romans, Stoop, and let us bathe our hands in Caesar’s blood,”

Answer 18

Brutus; Act 3, scene i, lines 117-118; they want credit and praise for killing Caesar (also no backing out now)

Question 19

“Cry “Havoc!” and let slip the dogs of war,”

Answer 19

Antony; Act 3, scene i, line 299; he’s so mad about Caesar’s death that he’s going to go on a killing spree (Cassius was right)

Question 20

“Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears … (For Brutus is an honorable man;)”

Answer 20

Antony; Act 3, scene ii, lines 82-91; friends = connection with the audience (ethos), while Brutus had less of a connection. Also going to change the meaning of “honorable man” to something negative towards the Conspirators.

Question 21

“You are not wood, you are not stones, but men.”

Answer 21

Anthony; Act 3, scene ii, line 154; he has more ethos than Marullus did (“you blocks, you stones..”)

Question 22

“This was the most unkindest cut of all.”

Answer 22

Antony; Act 3, scene ii, line 195; it’s the betrayal of Caesar’s friend, his “angel”

Question 23

“He shall not live; look with a spot I damn him.”

Answer 23

Antony; Act 4, scene i, line 8; these people are much more ambitious than Caesar, they’re willing to kill their families

Question 24

“For we are at the stake,”

Answer 24

Octavius; Act 4, scene i, line 52; even though they’re trapped they’re still going to fight (metaphor for bear-baiting)

Question 25

“To tell thee thou shalt see me at Philippi”

Answer 25

Caesar’s Ghost; Act 4, scene iii, line 327; Brutus may die at the battle OR he’s just nervous

Question 26

“This is my birthday,”

Answer 26

Cassius; Act 5, scene i, line 79; he thinks his life has come full circle (he thinks he’s going to die the same day he was born)

Question 27

“Now be a freeman, and with this good sword, That ran through Caesar’s bowels,”

Answer 27

Cassius; Act 5, scene iii, lines 44-45; Cassius is admitting his guilt before his death

Question 28

“This was the noblest Roman of them all.”

Answer 28

Antony; Act 5, scene v, line 74; despite his anger towards the Conspirators, he acknowledges Brutus as the only one doing it for a good reason (for the people)

Question 29

“Within my tent, his bones tonight shall lie.”

Answer 29

Octavius; Act 5, scene v, line 84; completing the great chain of being by restoring a king to the throne