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Julius Caesar
Gaius Julius Caesar (100–44 BC) was a Roman general who played a vital role in the transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire. He was dubbed the Republic’s “dictator in perpetuity.”
4,636 Questions
When did William Shakespeare write Julius Caesar?
Julius Caesar was possibly the first play performed at the opening of the new Globe Theatre in 1599, based on a diary entry by Thomas Platter for September 21, 1599 saying he had attended a performance of the play at the Globe Theatre at about two o'clock. The year before, Francis Meres made a list of Shakespeare's plays and did not mention Caesar. It was therefore written in 1599. Few Shakespeare plays can be dated with such accuracy.
What does Brutus believe might happen to Caesar once he is crowned?
Brutus thinks Caesar might become a tyrant and even abolish the Senate, or at best have the Senate totally irrelevant. servant to Caesar. Brutus fears that all hopes of reviving the Roman republic will end if Julius Caesar is crowned king.
Due to the way the Roman Republic had been established in 509 BC, the return of a king was equated to the return of tyranny in republican culture. Therefore, Caesar's mistake was to arouse suspicions that he wanted to become a king.
The Romans had created the Republic through a rebellion against the last king of Rome, Lucius Tarquinius Priscus, who was a tyrant. They decided to do away with the monarchy and established the republic to prevent any man from concentrating power in his hands and, therefore, prevent the return of tyranny. The Romans swore that they would not allow anyone to try to become a king ever again. During the Early Republic one man was executed and another one was forced to commit suicide because of accusations of trying to become a king. To traditional republicans anyone who tried to become a king was an enemy and someone who could be killed.
Caesar's aroused suspicions that he wanted to become a king in several ways:
· He issued coins bearing his likeness (portrait which looked very much like him) following the practice of Hellenistic kings in the eastern Mediterranean.
· Caesar also copied the practice of Hellenistic king by creating a personality cult. He created a religious cult based on himself by claiming decent from Venus and built a new temple of Venus for this cult.
· He constantly got the senate to bestow honours on him in a regal fashion. He was given the title of Pater Patriae (Father of the nation) and he was given the honours of a gilded chair and of wearing purple, red sandals and a golden wreath. All these had been regal symbols during the monarchy (through some senators also were red sandals).
· A senatorial delegation went to consult Caesar at the temple of Venus he built. He refused to stand to honour them when they arrived and the senators felt deeply insulted.
· Someone placed a diadem (crown) on the statue of Caesar on the Rostra. The tribunes, Gaius Epidius Marcellus and Lucius Caesetius Flavius removed it, and Caesar's reaction was one of displeasure, though he did not anything about it.
· Some among the populace called Caesar Rex (king). Soon after the crown incident, the two mentioned tribunes had citizens arrested after they called out 'Rex' to Caesar as he passed by in the streets of Rome. Caesar, seeing his supporters threatened, ordered the release of the arrested and took the tribunes before the Senate and had them stripped of their positions.
· During the religious festival of the Lupercalia, Caesar sat on the gilded chair at the Rostra (a platform for public speeches) and wore the purple, the red sandals and the golden laurel. Mark Antony (who was a Lupercal priest) tried to place a diadem on Caesar's head saying "the people offer this to you through me." Antony was trying to imply that the people were offering him the title of king. Caesar, on noticing that there was little support from the crowd, refused and ensured that the crown did not touch his head. The crowd roared with approval. Antony tried again and again there was no support from the crowd. Caesar stood up refused again and said "Jupiter alone is King of the Romans." The crowd shouted in approval again.
These are two theories regarding the stunt at the Lupercalia. According to one, Caesar wanted a massive public event to be able to declare that he didn't want the title, and perhaps mend fences with the Senate. According to the other, it was aimed at testing public support for him becoming a king. Had the crowd supported Antony he would have accepted the crown. Either way, people weren't ready.
Another fear for the republicans was that Caesar was planning a military campaign against the mighty Persians and to return the legion standards, which the Persians had captured when they had defeated Crassus, to Rome. The popularity of a conquest of Persia would have enhanced Caesar's status and popularity and might have made the idea of him is becoming king acceptable.The conspirators had to act quickly after Caesar appointment as dictator for life. He planned to leave for his campaign in April. They assassinated him just before that, on the 15th of May, one month after his appointment as dictator for life.
What disagreement do Brutus and Cassius have about battle strategy?
Brutus wants to march to Phillipi. In other words, he want to take to battle to them. Cassius wants to stay put and let the battle come to them.
How does Anthony show he understands the people better than brutus?
Brutus thinks Caesar is an honorable man. But when he is told that his rise to power will be the downfall of Rome, Brutus decides to plot with the rest of the conspirators and end Caesars reign, and life.
What was Cassius role in the conspiracy in Julius Caesar?
He was the first of many to stab ceasar. He also said, "Speak hands for me!" It was the last thing said before Caeser's murder.
What were Brutus and Cassius religious views?
They were adherents of the religion of Ancient Rome, a complex mix of public worship of the Olympian gods (the Romanized versions of the Greek pantheon) and private worship of the Lares and Penates (household gods). There were also various cults, or private worship of particular deities apart from the regular pantheon, usually oriental like Mithras. Brutus was a Stoic, but this is more of a philosophy than a religion.
Similarities between Julius Caesar and Alexander the Great?
They were both skilled military generals on the battlefield. The were both seen as successful leaders of the empire, Trajan being known to some as the greatest of Emperors. Both rulers expanded the empire by conquest and stretched over many other empires.
What type of leader was Cassius in the tragedy of Julius Caesar?
Cassius is one of the murderers of Julius Caesar, one of the leaders of the conspiracy, and one of Brutus's in-laws.
Why does Antony tell the crowd that he does not plan to read Caesar's will to them?
In "The Tragedy of Julius Caesar," Julius Caesar didn't take the soothsayer, Artemidorus seriously, and saw his insistence that he look at the letter immediately a sign of the man's insanity. As a result, he didn't look at the letter that could have saved his life.
What does the quarrel between Brutus and Cassius at camp near Sardis show?
The immediate cause of the quarrel between Brutus and Cassius is Brutus saying that he believes Lucius Pella has taken bribes. Cassius is friends with Lucius and is angry that Brutus would accuse his friend.
The dream that Caliphurnia, the wife of Julius Caesar, had the night before the ides of march was supposed to be prophetic. It depicted omens of chaos, and Romans bathing in Caesar's blood, which portends Caesar's death. The dream frightens Calphurnia, and she attempts to warn him to stay away from the capital.
What act is the feast of Lupercal in Julius Caesar?
The ides is the subdivision of the month on the Roman calendar. Some months is on the 13th of the month and some days it is on the 15th of the month. The feast of the Lupercal was festival that was a tribute to the god of fertility (our Valentine's Day is on the 14th of the month of February, no coincidence), and it is also a communal event. Shakespeare makes use of some historical fact that Caesar was assassinated on the 15th of March (ides of March), exactly one month from the feast of Lupercal (ides fo February). There is also the famous "beware the ides of March" line spoken by the soothsayer. In my opinion, the key to including the feast is that it is a communal event, in which Romans as a community become involved in the Tragedy by offering to Caesar the crown of emperor / king. This implicates the people of Rome in the tragedy (i.e. the death of the Roman republic). In this way the personal tragedy (Brutus' personal betrayal of the laws of Rome and of Caesar), is mirrored in by the community, who have already abandoned the ideals of the Republic in offering Caesar the crown.
What themes are discussed in the play of Julius Caesar?
Fate vs. Free will
Caesar brings up questions about this but Cassius tells Brutus that people can control their own fates.
Public self vs. Private self
The conspirators neglect private feelings and focus on politics. Examples of this would be the moments between Brutus and Portia as well as Caesar and Calpurnia.
Misinterpretations
Cassius manipulates Brutus into joining the conspirators by forging letters from Romans.
Pindarus tells Cassius that Titinius has been captured, when he was being congratulated by Brutus's men, this causes Cassius to take his life.
Inflexible vs. Power
Brutus and Caesar are quite stubborn. Antony seems to be the most flexible.
Rhetoric and Power
Antony convinces the conspirators that he means them no harm and turns the plebeians against Brutus.
What was Caesar's reaction to the offering to be king according to casca?
Mark Anthony offered Caesar a coronet (a little crown) three times. He was not actually offering Caesar the crown; Casca says it was "mere foolery." Three times, Caesar pushed the crown away. Every time he pushed the crown away, the people cheered because they were glad that Caesar did not want to be king; it proved that he was a man without ambition. However, Casca reports, it appeared to Casca that Caesar really wanted to take the crown. Caesar then offered the people his throat to cut (which was a very odd thing for him to do. Apparently, it was his way of saying, "Here I am to serve the people of Rome; I will give my very life for you, if you want.") Then, Caesar fell down in the market place, apparently suffering from an epiletic seizure. And all the women felt very sorry for him.
What flaw did Brutus have in Julius Caesar?
Brutus' flaw is his naivete because he easily trusts Cassius and the other conspirators. He also thinks that the conspirators are killing Caesar for the same reason as him (which is for the good of Rome).
Calupurnia in To Kill a Mockingbird is almost like the nanny for the kids. She is a black lady, older then Atticus, and she cooks and takes care of the kids and so on.
Calpurnia in Shakespeare's Julius Caesar and in Plutarch's Lives is the wife of Julius Caesar at the time of his death.
He committed suicide.
Brutus had strato hold his sword while he ran himself into it.
Strato closed his eyes so he didn't have to see this happen.
Brutus actually dies to the same sword that killed Caesar.
It is believed that Brutus dying to the dagger that killed Caesar
was Caesar's revenge.
What was Julius Caesar disability?
He had epilepsy, at least that's what the ancient writers say and for many years general historians believed it. Now, with present day advances in medical knowledge, questions are rising as to whether he actually had epilepsy or suffered from hypoglycemia, which is low blood sugar. The symptoms are the same, and the ancients only knew of epilepsy not hypoglycemia.
What is Caesar's opinion of Antony and Cassius?
he si not worthy. and that Antony wants the people in the list to take blame for the bad things that he will do
What does Cassius plan to do to convince brutus to join the conspiracy?
Cassius plans to forge letters that may make it seem like the villagers think that they are unhappy with caesar as the king and bring his ego up more so it can target the fact that brutus's love for Rome is far greater than the love he has for Caesar.
How are the deaths of Brutus and Cassius alike and different in Shakespeare's Julius Caesar?
They both commited suicide due to realizing that they were losing the battle against Antony and Octavius at Phillipi. They are different because Cassius didn't neede to beg anyone to kill him his slave Pindarus had no trouble killing Cassius because it meant he was free from his rule and Cassius wouldn't be missed by most where as Brutus had to beg his soldiers to kill him because Brutus was an honorable man and prior to the speech of Antony at Caesar's funeral, was beloved by by the Romans.eventually the slave named Clitus allowed Brutus to run upon his sword.
How does decius brutus interpret the dream?
Decius interprets Calphurnia's dream as a way to ersuade Caesar to come out of his house instead of hiding. He tells him that the blood in the dream does not mean death but a way of energizing Rome and that all of his men will laugh at him for believing in such a foolish thing.
Why Brutus joined conspirators?
Brutus is concerned about Caesar as a result of Cassius's arguments. He thinks he's ambitious but has not really seen it. He believes that if Caesar became more powerful he would become more and more tyrannical, and it was necessary to stop him before things got that far.
