JULIUS CAESAR ACT 3 SCENE 1

1(i) This conversation takes place near the Capitol. Caesar told the soothsayer
that the “ides of March are come” because the soothsayer had earlier told
Caesar that he must be careful around the ides of March. He had met the
soothsayer earlier at his palace during the feast of Lupercal.

1(ii) Artemidorus is a teacher of rhetoric in Rome. He is also well versed in the

art of predictions and tries to warn Caesar to be careful of Brutus. He tries to
give this warning in the form of documents, but Caesar does not take it and
does not get the benefit of the second warning. The importance of
Artemidorus’s schedule is that it tries to warn Caesar of the conspiracy by
Brutus.

1(iii) Artemidorus requests Caesar to read his schedule first because it was
very important the Caesar read this schedule to get warned about an
assassination attempt on him.

1(iv) The two reasons given by Caesar for not reading the schedule given by
Artemidorus are :
-Artemidorus kept insisting that Caesar read his schedule first. This irritated
Caesar and therefore he did not read it.
-Caesar felt that anything that pertained to him personally should be given
least priority. Therefore, he did not read the schedule.

1(v) The two people who try to warn Caesar are the Soothsayer and
Artemidorus. The people who try to defeat the efforts of the soothsayer and
Artemidorus are Decius and Publius.

(vi) Artmidorus’s fears are justified because just that morning when the
Soothsayer had met Portia he had told Portia that they would ask Caesar to
look after himself well as the foreshadow trouble for Caesar.

1(vii) Caesar is in a confident mood at this point in this scene. He mockingly

tells the soothsayer that the ides of march, of which he was warned earlier, has
arrived. He does not want to read the documents offered to him by Artemidorus
saying that what pertains to him must be dealt with last.

2(i) “This” refers to the plan made by the conspirators to kill Caesar. “ If it
would be known what could happen”. This is said by Cassius. He says this to
ask Brutus as to what would happen if their plan were discovered by Caesar.
Cassius also say that if the plan is discovered by Caesar he would attack Caesar
and that either he or Caesar would survive the attack.

2(ii) The duty that was assigned to Casca was to attack Caesar suddenly in case
their plot was discovered. He should be sudden so that Caesar was taken by
surprise.

2(iii) Popilius Lena wished Cassius great success. Cassius thought that this
meant that Popilius Lena has discovered the plot to kill Caesar. They thought
that Popilius Lena was telling Caesar about the plot to kill him. Brutus showed
that the was nothing to fear since Lena was smiling when he was talking to
Caesar and that Caesars expression had not changed when Lena was speaking
to him.

2(iv) The task which was assigned to Trebonius was to take Mark Anthony out
of the way so that the attack on Caesar could be carried out more easily.

2(v) Metellus Climber presented a petition for recalling his brother from exile.
Metellus Climber tried to flatter Caesar by calling him the “most high, most
mighty and most powerful Caesar” He also said that “ I throw my humble heart
before your throne”.

2(vi) The two arguments that Caesar gave to reject the petition of Metellus
Climber are :
- that he was immovable like the pole star. That once he had taken a decision
he would not change his decision without good reason.
- that Publius Climber, the brother of Metellus Climber was exiled because he
had not followed the laws of the land and that this crime could not be
pardoned.
The trait of Caesar that is highlighted in this is that Caesar was a firm decision
maker and that he stood by his decision when made.

3(i) The Northern Star is also called the pole star. Unlike other stars it has a
fixed position in the sky. Here Caesar means that like the pole star he was firm
on his decisions. He also meant that there was no other decision maker who
dealt with issues strictly and firmly.

3(ii) Caesar compares himself with the pole star because he feels that like the
pole star which has a fixed position in the sky he is very firm in his decision
making. The occasion for such comparison is the petition by Metellus Climber
to recall his brother Publius Climber from exile.

3(iii) The comparison made by Caesar between the firmament and the world of
men is that Caesar says that like countless stars in the sky which shine bright
there are many bright people on earth. However, in the sky there is only one
star, the pole star, which stays in a fixed position. Like the pole star, which is
the only star of its kind, Caesar was the only man on earth who stood firm on
his decisions.

3(iv) Caesar is stubborn in this attitude towards the conspirators because he

feels that they are raking up an issues which did not require a review. He felt
that once a decision was taken the king must stand by that decision and not
keep on changing it. The stubbornness of Caesar creates a dramatic
effectiveness because it creates a natural rift between those making the
petition an Caesar. This lead to a situation, where the killing of Caesar, appears
to be a natural result of his continuing stubbornness.

3(v) The horrible event that is about to take place in a short time was that very
shortly an attack was planned on Caesar to kill him. The first to strike was
Casca and Brutus was next. Anthony was away from the scene as Trebonius has
skillfully take away Mark Anthony from the scene just before the attack on
Caesar. If Mark Anthony were present, he would have tried to prevent the
attack on Caesar and would have attempted to save Caesar from getting killed.

4(i) This conversation takes place immediately after Caesar is killed by Casca
and Brutus. Brutus and Casca are in the very fluid and fearful state of mind.
After the killing of Caesar they do not know what destiny has in store for them.
They do not know I they too will be killed by others of whether they would
survive the killing of Caesar.

4(ii) Fates refers to the three goddess of destiny. According to me Fates will be
responsible for either rescuing and protecting Casca and Brutus after the death
of Caesar or fate will also ensure that Casca and Brutus will die upon killing
Caesar. According to the extract the men know that it is possible that they too
may be killed by others in the manner in which Caesar was killed. They fear
that they may not be killed but may have to live the rest of their lives in fear of
being killed by those who are sympathetic to Caesar.

4(iii) The positive not that Casca strikes in the death of Caesar is that if they
too are killed at least they would be saved of the trouble of living the rest of
their lives in the fear of being killed by others. Brutus agrees to this. He says
that if they are killed then they would become Caesars friends and not his
enemies.

4(iv) Brutus, after the killing of Caesar, asks the Romans to bend and immerse
their hands, upto their elbows, in Caesars blood and spread this blood on their
swords. Then to go out into the marketplace waving the red swords over their
heads screaming “ Peace Freedom and Liberty. This seemed to fulfill
Calphurnia’s dream because she had dreamt of blood dripping from Caesars
statue.

4(v) The role of the assassination of Caesar in the storyline of Julius Caesar is
very vital. It is the turning point of the play. Rome was a peaceful and well
managed city before the assassination of Caesar. After the assassination of
Caesar Rome became a city of death destruction and anarchy.

5(i) When Cassius says “stoop and wash” he is speaking to Brutus and the
other conspirators. He means that they should bend and cover their arms till
their elbow with the blood of dead Caesar. He also means that they should dip
their swords on Caesars blood. Brutus had earlier suggested the washing.

5(ii) When Brutus says “how many times shall Caesar bleed in sport” he means
that like Caesar now lies dead – in the future too other men like Caesar may
have to be killed. The way Caesar was lying at the base of the statute of
Pompey’s statue, it almost appeared as if he was killed for the entertainment of
the people of Rome.

5(iii) “States unborn” refers to countries which have not yet been formed or
those that may be formed in future. “Accents” means language. The reference
is to languages that are not yet spoken buy may be spoken in future.”Pompey’s
basis” refers to the statue of Pompey.

5(iv) The “lofty scene” is the scene of Caesar like dead below the statue of
Pompey and the conspirators celebrating their victory over the dead body of
Caesar. It also refers to the act of the conspirators soaking their hands and
swords in the blood of Caesar and shouting “ peace, freedom and liberty”.

5(v) The servants entry may be considered the turning point of the play. The
servant enters to ask the conspirators if Mark Anthony could meet them to
understand why Brutus and his fellow conspirators decided to kill Caesar. This
point is the turning point in the play because it is at this time that Brutus
decides to invite Anthony to come there so that he can be explained the cause
of the killing of Caesar. This proved to be a mistake for Brutus because this is
the time when he agreed that Anthony could address the citizens of Rome.
Anthony took full advantage of this and turned the opinion of people against
Brutus.

6(i) Mighty Caesar lies at the base of the statue of Pompey. “ This little
measure” means that the mighty Caesar is now lying on the ground covering
only a very small portion of it. This is the same Caesar who was known for his
vast conquests of many lands. An example of Caesars conquest is his defeating
Pompey in what is known as the battle of Pompey. An example of Caesar’s
glory is Caesars conquest of Nervii.
6(ii) The “gentlemen” that Anthony addresses are Brutus and his group of
conspirators. He implores them to kill him there and then if they had any plans
of doing so. He says that there could not be a more appropriate time for him to
die even if the lived for a hundred years more. This tells us that Mark Anthony
was not only very sincere to Caesar – even after the death of Caesar but he was
also very skillful in his speech and knew how to tackle the conspirators through
the use of appropriate words.

6(iii) “ Who else must let blood, who else must rank” means that Anthony ask
the conspirators which other important person they want to kill. He means that
if killing him (Mark Anthony) is part of their plan, they should do so
immediately.
6(iv) “The most noble blood of all this world” indicates the high esteem in
which Mark Anthony viewed Caesar, even after his death.

6(iv) Brutus told Anthony that they had no personal enmity against Caesar.
They had killed Caesar only so save Rome from the cruelty of Caesar. He said
just like one fire is required to kill another fire, the killing of Caesar was
required to save Rome from his cruelty. Brutus told Anthony that while they
appeared to be blood thirsty and violent, this was not actually the case. Brutus
was honest in his statement to Anthony. He was honest because Brutus took
part in the conspiracy only because he was convinced that Caesar coronation
as emperors was not good for the citizens of Rome.

7(i)Anthony says these words to Brutus,Cassius, Decius and Metellus. He

speaks these words after shaking his hands with Brutus,Cassius and the other
conspirators. He says these words because he thinks that the conspirators
would treat his handshake with them as either flattery or cowardice.

7(ii)The word "credit" means reputation. This credit now stands on slippery
grounds because Anthony had to shake hands with the conspirators which
could be viewed by the conspirators as flattery or cowardice.

7(iii)Anthony shakes the blood stained hands of the conspirators after Caesars
death.Anthony says that the conspirators may treat this act of shaking hands
with the conspirators as flattery of the conspirators - or cowardice on the part
of Anthony.

7(iv)Anthony's actions completely changes the mood of this listeners.The

listeners were earlier supportive of Caesars killing but are now lead by
Anthony to believe that Caesar was not power hungry and and greedy. They
now believe that Caesars killing was not right and want to punish the
conspirators.
7(v)Brutus made the mistake of letting Anthony address the audience in praise
of Caesar.Cassius had warned Brutus not to let Anthony address the
audience.Cassius had warned that Anthony's address of the citizens might
influence and change the opinion of the citizens against the conspirators.

7(vi)Anthony proved that he could be a coward and a flatterer.He proved that

he was a coward by shaking hands with the conspirators after they had killed
Caesar. He proved he was a flatterer by singing praises of Caesar in order to
turn public opinion against the conspirators.

8(i) These words are spoken by Mark Anthony. “Here was thou bay’d means
that “this is the place where you were hunted down like a deer is hunted down
by a pack of hounds”. The comparison that is used in the expression is that
Ceasars death is compared to the death of a deer in a deer hunt where hounds
tire the deer and then mercilessly tear it apart. The custom of hunters that is
referred to here is the killing of deer but first tiring it out and then killing it.

8(ii) The Double meaning in the terms “brave hart” is that “brave hart” refers
to the courage that Julius Ceasar showed and also is also used to compare
Caesar with that of a Stag which bravely confronts the hounds after it has been
cornered by them.

8(iii) The hunters in the present crisis are the conspirators who have plotted to
kill Julius Caesar. They include Brutus, Cassius, Casca, Cinna and others.
“Sign’d in thy spoil and crimsion’d in thy lethe” means that Caesar in lying in a
pool of his own blood. There are stab marks all over his body – almost as if each
of the conspirators who stabbed him wanted to leave his signature on Cesar's
body.

8(iv) The world was “the forest to this hart” means that Mark Anthony
compares Caesar to a stag which roamed on the earth as if the earth was his
forest. This conveys that Caesar was as comfortable in this world and in Rome
as a Stag would be in a forest. Mark Anthony also says “O world the heart of
thee” which means that he compares the Caesar to the to the heart of a human
being. This indicates that he considered Caesar to be the heart of Rome –
without whom Rome would not survive.

8(v) Anthony arouses Cassius’s suspicion because Anthony asks Brutus for
permission to take Caesars body to the market place. He also asks Brutus for
permission to speak to the citizens of Rome at the funeral of Caesar. As a result
of this suspicion Cassius asks Brutus not go give Anthony permission to speak
on Caesars funeral.
9(i) Caesars spirit is raving for revenge because Caesar was killed by people
whom he considered his friends. He was killed when he was unarmed and not
expecting an attack. When Brutus was resting with Lucius, Varro and Cladio
the Ghost of Julius Caesar appeared which only Brutus could see.

9(ii) Ate is the Greek Goddess of revenge and destruction. Her name is used
here by Mark Anthony because he feels that since Caesar was killed unfairly,
he (Caesar) would use the help of the Ate to take revenge on the conspirators
for killing him unfairly. Confines means “place”. Mark Anthony means that
Caesar will from the place where he is lying dead declare revenge on the
conspirators.

9(iii) With a monarch’s voice, “Cry Havoc” – this foretells that a lot of gory and
vicious destruction is expected in the days ahead. The terms “Havoc” is
normally used by the king to proclaim all-out war against the enemy.

9(iv) “Dogs of war” refers are the soldiers who go into war on the instructions
of the king. “ Let slip the dogs of war” refers to the command given to the
soldiers in the kings army to go forth and cause destruction to the enemy in all
possible manner using weapons, fire etc. The foul deed referred to here is the
conspiracy killing of Julius Caesar. This foul deed will “smell above the earth”
because according to Mark Anthony, the killing of Caesar will cause a lot of
death destruction and killings. The smell of dead bodies in the forthcoming
destruction will lead to foul smell so bad that it will even “smell above the
earth”.

9(v) The consequences of these happening would lead to danger to the lives of
the conspirators and Anthony. It was very likely that the supporters of Anthony
would attempt to kill the conspirators. Likewise the supporters of the
conspirators would like to kill Anthony and his men.

10(i) Anthony is speaking to the servant of of Octavius Caesar. He had come to

inform Mark Anthony that Octavius was about to reach Rome as he had been
called to Rome by Julius Caesar. They are at the location where Julius Caesar
was killed and the place where his body lay.

10(ii) Anthony told the person “stay awhile” because Anthony did not want the
servant to go and tell Octavius Caesar to enter Rome. Anthony wanted him to
wait till he moved the body of Julius Caesar to the market place and till he had
swayed the mood of the crowd to sympathize with the death of Julius Caesar
and turned the crowd against the conspirators. The servant helped Anthony to
delay the entry of Octavius Caesar in Rome till Anthony had made the climate
more conducive for Octavius to enter Rome.

10(iii) Oration refers to a powerful, emotion moving speech in public. This

passage reveals to us that Anthony, through his oration, proposed to change
the mood of the people from contempt for Julius Caesar to sympathy for Julius
Caesar.

10(iv) The three point of Mark Anthony’s prophecy are as under :

1)Cruel deeds will become common in Italy
2)Mothers will not even cry when their children are killed.
3)There will be death and destruction in Italy all the time.

10(v) The trait of Mark Anthony which are clear from this passage are :
a)That he has a good powers of oration.
b)He is determined to take revenge for Julius Caesars death. Determination is a
trait is clear in this passage.

The other occasions where his other traits become clear are when :
a)he says “ pardon me that I am meek and gentle with these butchers”.

This shows that he can adapt himself to current circumstances. That his he
appeared to be friendly with the conspirators and kept them in the belief that
he was siding with them , though he was plotting to revenge against them.

b) “O mighty Caesar! dost thou live so low?”

Even in the presence of the conspirators he shows his grief over Caesars death.
This shows his courage and loyalty towards Caesar.
vi Why is Cassius unhappy that Brutus has given Antony the permission to
speak at Julius Caesar’s funeral ?

Cassius does not think it would be proper that Antony should speak at
Caesar's funeral as his speech may change the mind of the audience.
But Brutus tells that Antony would only speak with their consent and
he (Brutus) will speak first and his speech will enumerate reasons for
Caesar's death.