The Tragedy of Julius Caesar Flashcards
Soothsayer
Fortune Teller, who warns Caesar of the Ides of March ‘Beware the Ides of March’.
Triumvirate
Pompey, Julius Caesar, and Marcus Licinius Crassus, which began in 60 bc, was not a formally created commission but an extralegal compact among three strong political leaders.
Plebians
Supporters of Caesar
Feast of Lupercal
A fertility festival honoring Pan, and was celebrated in the Coliseum. Also where Calpurnia was touched.
Soliloquy
The monologues given by Antony and Brutus after Caesars death.
Monologue
The soliloquy of Antony.
Aside
A remark or passage by a character in a play that is intended to be heard by the audience but unheard by the other characters in the play.
Ides of March
The Ides of March is a day on the Roman calendar that corresponds to 15 March. The day Caesar was murdered.
Artemidorus
Writes a letter to Caesar warning him about the plot to kill him.
Calphurnia
Wife of Julius Caesar.
Portia
Wife of Brutus. Kills herself.
Conspirators
Gaius Cassius Longinus.
Marcus Junius Brutus.
Servius Sulpicius Galba.
Quintus Ligarius.
Lucius Minucius Basilus.
Gaius Servilius Casca (brother of Publius Servilius Casca Longus)
Publius Servilius Casca Longus (brother of Gaius Servilius Casca and the one responsible for the first stab)
Antony
Antony is a good friend of Julius Caesar who launches himself into a major position of power over the course of the play.
Lepidus
The third member of Antony and Octavius’s coalition.
Octavius
Caesar’s adopted son and appointed successor. Octavius returns after Caesar’s death; joins with Antony and sets off to fight Cassius and Brutus. Antony tries to control Octavius’s movements, but Octavius follows his adopted father’s example and emerges as the authoritative figure.
Caesar
A great Roman general and senator, recently returned to Rome in triumph after a successful military campaign. Declined the crown several times. He is unable to separate his public life from his private life, and, seduced by the populace’s increasing idealization and idolization of his image, he ignores ill omens and threats against his life.
Cassius
Cassius dislikes the fact that Caesar has become godlike in the eyes of the Romans. He slyly leads Brutus to believe that Caesar has become too powerful and must die, finally converting Brutus to his cause by sending him forged letters claiming that the Roman people support the death of Caesar.
Brutus
Brutus has many internal struggles, his assassination of Caesar with the other conspirators, and their subsequent downfall. In the final scene, Mark Antony describes Brutus as “the noblest Roman of them all”, for he was the only conspirator who acted for the good of Rome.
Decius
The conspirator who persuades Caesar to attend the Senate on the day of the ides of March by fabricating a flattering interpretation of Calphurnia’s portentous dream and by telling Caesar that the Senate intends to crown him king.
Caesar’s Ghost
The spirit of Caesar is present each time Brutus makes a poor decision as well as each time he has a pang of conscience for an evil act. Brutus commits a fatal error in military judgment as he rushes onto the field, but must later retreat. This defeat leads to the suicide of Brutus. Caesar’s Ghost was here for this.
Marullus
Met with Flavius to establish order and protect the rights of the people.
Flavius
Met with Marullus to establish order and protect the rights of the people.