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.
Cinna the Poet
On his way to attend Caesar’s funeral, he is caught up in the riot caused by Antony’s funeral oration. The mob at first confuses him with Cinna the conspirator, but even after they discover their error, they kill him anyway “for his bad verses.”
Brutus Quotes
-Between the acting of a dreadful thing
And the first motion, all the interim is
Like a phantasma, or a hideous dream
- Not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more
- There is a tide in the affairs of men
Caesar Quotes
-Young Cassius has a lean and hungry look
-Cowards die many times before their deaths;
The valiant never taste of death but once
-I am constant as the northern star
-Nor heaven nor earth have been at peace tonight.
Thrice hath Calphurnia in her sleep cried out
“Help, ho, they murder Caesar!”
Calpurnia Quotes
-When beggars die, there are no comets seen;
The heavens themselves blaze forth the death of princes
Cassius Quotes
-The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars,
But in ourselves, that we are underlings
-Why, man, he doth bestride the narrow world
Like a Colossus, and we petty men
Walk under his huge legs and peep about
To find ourselves dishonorable graves.
-Strike as thou didst at Caesar, for I know
When thou didst hate him worst, thou lovedst him
better
Than ever thou lovedst Cassius.
Cicero Quotes
-Good even, Casca: brought you Caesar home?
Why are you breathless? and why stare you so?
- Good night then, Casca: this disturbed sky
Is not to walk in.
Decius Quotes
-This dream is all amiss interpreted;
It was a vision fair and fortunate:.
-Shall no man else be touch’d but only Caesar?
Lepidus Quotes
-Upon condition Publius shall not live,
Who is your sister’s son, Mark Antony.
Marc Antony Quotes
- I doubt not of your wisdom.
Let each man render me his bloody hand:.
-Post back with speed, and tell him what hath chanced:
Here is a mourning Rome, a dangerous Rome
-This was the noblest Roman of them all:
All the conspirators save only he
-This is not Brutus, friend; but, I assure you,
A prize no less in worth: keep this man safe
Octavius Quotes
-Upon the right hand, I; keep thou the left.
-You may do your will,
But he’s a tried and valiant soldier.
Portia Quotes
-I must go in. [Aside] Ay me, how weak a thing
The heart of woman is!
-I grant I am a woman; but withal
A woman well-reputed, Cato’s daughter.
Think you I am no stronger than my sex,
Being so father’d and so husbanded?
Tell me your counsels; I will not disclose ‘em.
I have made strong proof of my constancy,
Giving myself a voluntary wound
Here, in the thigh. Can I bear that with patience.
And not my husband’s secrets?
Rhetorical and Literary Devices
Brutus- Rhetorical questions, appealing to pathos, appealing to logos, and parallelism.
Antony- Repetition, appealing to pathos, appealing to ethos.
Plot Diagram
Caesar is a national hero, and there are rumblings in the Senate that he seems to be on the path to becoming a king.
Cassius is gathering forces to rebel against Caesar, which amounts to treason. Brutus must be convinced to join the plot.
When Antony comes to see Caesar’s body, he convinces a trusting Brutus to let him speak at Caesar’s funeral.
Antony gives a rousing speech; public opinion turns against Brutus and Cassius.
Portia dies; Caesar’s ghost shows up; Brutus and Cassius make a suicide pact.
Cassius and Brutus kill themselves; Antony and Octavius (with Lepidus) are free to rule Rome.
Climax
Antony’s speech
Tragedy
Tragedy is a form of drama based on human suffering that invokes an accompanying catharsis or pleasure in audiences
Tragic Hero
A literary character who makes a judgment error that inevitably leads to his/her own destruction.
Foil
A character who contrasts with another character
Brutus’ Foil
Cassius is Brutus’ foil
Fate vs. Free Will
Free will is to believe that human beings can be the authors of their own actions and to reject the idea that human actions are determined by external conditions or fate.
Brutus a Tragic Hero
He is unfailingly presented as a noble, upright, virtuous man who is, however, led into the tragic act of betraying a friend; and he suffers both internal and external conflict as a result.
Resolution
Brutus and Cassius lose the fight they began in the plot to assassinate Caesar. Beat by Octavius and Antony
Four recurring motifs
Fate, cowardice, betrayal, and power.
Four contrasts
Rhetoric, power, persuasion, omens
Main theme
Fate vs. Free Will
Why doesn’t Caesar trust Cassius
Cassius is to well read and well thought. He isn’t ever completely sincere.
Plebian loyalty
They switched sides to support Brutus and Cassius killing Caesar after his death, and when Antony turned them against Brutus after his speech.
Why doesn’t Brutus kill Antony
Brutus does not want to be perceived as bloody butchers. He is concerned with the image the people will have of him. He is honorable in all that he does. He tries to always to the right thing.
omens impacts
Soothsayer advising him to beware the ides of march, bad weather, Calpurnia’s dream of Caesar’s death, and Caesars ghost during every decision Brutus made.
Why does Cassius need Brutus’ support
Brutus is honored and trusted due to his and his families actions, so the masses won’t be as upset by these actions.
How does Cassius get his support
He sends him forged letters to try and show that the people of Rome want Caesar dead.
Three warnings
Beware the Ides of March, Calpurnia asking him not to go because of her dream and Artemidorious’ letter warning him of Brutus.
Last words
“et tu, Brute…” This shows his surprise and dismay that Brutus would ever do this.
Triumvirate
Antony, Lepidus, and Octavian in 43 BC.
“This was a man”
Shows that Brutus depicted honor and what a man should be.
