CAESAR
Julius Caesar Background Notes
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For centuries Romans debated and even
fought civil wars to decide whether a
monarchy, a republic, or a dictatorship
was the best form of government
For the first 250 years after its
founding, Rome was ruled by kings
whose domination became increasingly
oppressive.
In 509 B. C. the Romans led by Brutus’
family evicted the reigning Tarquins
(kings) from the throne and the Roman
monarchy became a republic.
Julius Caesar Background Notes
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The Roman people discovered they
exchanged rule by a king for the rule
by a group of patricians (group of
wealthy Romans).
This republican form of government
was composed of two consuls, The
first one being, the Roman Senate that
was made up of praetors who
administered civil justice. The second
consul was the tribune who
represented the people.
By 100 B.C. Rome was a moderate
democracy-ruled by the Senate.
Julius Caesar Facts
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Born July 12 or 13 100 or
102 B.C,; premature and
epileptic; son of minor
nobility; Caesarean birth
As a great commandersecond only to Alexander
the Great; skillful gifted
politician and orator,
popular among the people,
defender of the populares,
gave power and money to
the plebeians, gave
citizenship to the people
he conquered
Julius Caesar Facts Cont.
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Caesar means:
Kaiser (German)
Tsar (Slavonic)
Quasar (Islamic)
Caesar's family traced
its lineage to Venus.
Caesar Timeline
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84 B. C. married Cornelia (daughter of
Lucius Cornelius Cinna); had a
daughter Julia; ordered by Lucius
Sulla to divorce but he refused
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73 named pontiff at Rome
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68 Cornelia died
Caesar Timeline Cont.
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68-66 Gave great
support to Pompey,
boyhood/best friend
66 married Pompeia
(granddaughter of
Sulla and relative of
Pompey the Great)
62 Became praetor
(judge), second in
power only to the
consul of Rome
Caesar Timeline Cont.
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61 named governor of Spain;
divorced Pompeia; suspected of
affair
60 formed an alliance with Crassus
(wealthy) and Pompey (respected
leader and friend); result was the
creation of the
FIRST TRIUMVIRATE (a rule btw.
three) against traditional
politicians, i.e. Cato
Caesar Timeline
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59 Julius Caesar married Calpurnia
{she was barren; childless} and
Pompey married Caesar's daughter
Julia
59 Caesar was a patrician and a consul
member. Known for siding with the
common people and granting them
favors; became very popular
Caesar Timeline Cont.
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57 Caesar's ambition helped him to
extend the Roman's power and enabled
him to conquer Gaul (Southern region
of France and Northern Italy)
57 He was named governor of various
parts of Gaul; as governor, fought next
to his soldiers; reputation grew. He was
also a historian, sending his reports
back to Rome (wrote Commentaries on
the Gallic Wars)
Caesar Timeline Cont.
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57-51 Victory over Gaul in Gallic Wars
solidified financial, political strength
55 first Roman general to raid Britain;
Rome was impressed
54 Julia died followed by Crassus who
was killed in battle at Parthia
Caesar Timeline Cont.
 52
repressed Gaul fought back.
Caesar burned their fields. Again
he fought side by side his men
wearing a scarlet cloak to
encourage them. Although
surrounded and outnumbered 5
to 1, he sent a detachment to
attack the Gallic section from
behind. Frightened, they fell
back and Rome was victorious.
Julius had conquered all of Gaul.
Caesar Timeline Cont.
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50 Pompey became extremely
jealous and alarmed at Caesar's
success and fame. Pompey joined
the side of the conservatives and
made himself sole consul of Rome.
He and the senate requested
Caesar's immediate return without
his army so that they could discuss
his political agenda. Caesar
refused.
Caesar Timeline Cont.
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49 Pompey warned Caesar that
once he and his army crossed the
Rubicon River, which separated
Gaul from Italy, that there was no
turning back, "the die was cast,"
and a civil war would occur. Civil
war did break out between the
conservatives and Caesar's army.
Caesar Timeline
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49 Caesar and his troops invaded
Rome where he made himself the
absolute ruler, dictator. Pompey's
troops surrendered and Pompey
fled to the Balkans. Caesar and his
army followed Pompey as he fled
to Greece and then on to Egypt.
Since Caesar did not have a living
heir declared his nephew,
Octavius, his sole heir.
Caesar Timeline
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48 Caesar conquered
both Greece and Egypt;
Pompey was killed by
Egyptians (Caesar
merely wanted him
captured - Pompey was
his friend); took
Cleopatra as mistress;
they had a son; helped
her fight her brother
Ptolemy XIII; she soon
became the ruler of
Egypt
Cleopatra
Caesar Timeline
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47 defeated Pompey's ally Pharnaces "Veni, vidi,
vici"- (I came, I saw, I conquered)
45 Several foreign campaigns followed with
Caesar making his power absolute by defeating
his enemies, Pompey’s sons, in Spain; he
returned to Rome; was granted dictatorship for
ten years; he granted clemency to Cassius and
Brutus and gave them responsible positions –
they became senators
Caesar was loved by the common people;
declared dictator for life by senate
While in Rome, his affair with Cleopatra and
news of their son humiliated Caesar's wife
Calpurnia and her family
Caesar Timeline
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44 The Romans had overthrown their
last king 450 years before and had set
up a republican government.
The idea of another king ruling the
"free Romans" was unthinkable. So 60
conspirators plotted and assassinated
Caesar (stabbed him to death); this
threw nation into chaos
PLAYS BEGINS ONE MONTH
BEFORE THE ASSASSINATION!
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18 year old Octavius, Caesar's nephew,
took over power with Marc Antony by
his side
2ND TRIUMVIRATE was formed
between Octavius, Antony, Lepidus
Lepidus eventually retired his position
and the Roman Empire was to be splitOctavius ruling the western region and
Antony ruling the eastern
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Antony began having an affair with
Cleopatra (their affair produced twin
sons) and was consumed with greed
thus a struggle for power over the
entire Roman Empire grew between
him and Octavius
War was declared and during the
Actium War, greatest naval battle of
that time, Marc Antony was defeated
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Antony and Cleopatra fled and
committed suicide, twins were killed
by the Romans, Caesar and Cleopatra's
son was never heard of again.
Octavius became sole ruler of the
Roman Empire and it's emperor; given
the name Octavius Augustus, "anointed
one"; his rule was the beginning of 200
years of Roman peace (“Pax Romana”)
and the beginning of what is known as
the "Golden Age"
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IMPT!!! - The political conflict of the play is
between Brutus, Cassius, and other tribune
conspirators versus those who support
Caesar (Antony and Octavius).
Brutus, Cassius, as well as others conspire
against Caesar's desire for absolute power in
an attempt to preserve Republican Rome
and their own freedom.
In order to understand the themes you must
understand the religious beliefs at that time
as well as the view of the universe. During
this time it was believed that the monarch's
right to rule came from Gods as well as the
people, and so opposition to the anointed
ruler was really opposition to Gods.
THEMES
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Chaos results when prescribed social order is
broken.
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The best intentions of good, noble men can lead
to tragedy. (*tragic hero…know the traits!!!)
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Language is a powerful weapon, and in the
hands of a skilled person, it can be used to
manipulate others.
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Violence and bloodshed can never have morally
good results.
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Orderliness and a stable rule, even though
dictatorial, are preferable to social chaos.
Characteristics of the Roman People
 Polytheistic ~ belief in many
gods
 Superstitious
 Respect for physical strength
 Patriotic
 Sense of honor
 Deep regard for reputations
 Respect for others
Weaknesses of the
Roman People
 Easily
influenced or
swayed; “fickle”
 Relatively
uneducated
POLITICAL TERMS
1. Bondsman – slave
2. Commons - the common people
3. Consul- the chief magistrate and the
highest official in Roman Republic
4. Dictator- total political control by one
person
5. Plebeian- the common people
POLITICAL TERMS
6. Praetor- Roman judge or magistrate,
next to consul in rank
7. Rabblement / rout - the rabble, mob
8. Senators-mainly patricians (wealthy,
high-born citizens); made the laws
9. Tribune - a magistrate who protects the
rights of the lower classes
10. Triumvirate -rule by three men
MILITARY TERMS
1.
Alarum- a trumpet or drum call to
arms
2. Battle- a unit or part of the army
3. Battles - the armed forces drawn
up for fighting
4. Charges - the troops
5. Cohort - an army division
MILITARY TERMS
6. Ensign - the f lag (standard) or standard
bearer
7.
The "horse" in general- the cavalry
8.
Legion - (3000-6000) soldiers of 10 cohorts
9.
Parley - a conference between opposing
forces
10. Tributaries - captives who had to pay a
tribute or ransom to Rome before they could
obtain their freedom
Greek Philosophies
Epicureanism: The secret of the
good life was the intelligent
pursuit of pleasure.
The Epicureans did not believe that
there were gods that man had to
please nor did he have a soul
whose afterlife should be central
concern for his life.
Greek Philosophies
Epicureanism: They felt the most
lasting pleasure was to be found in
a simple, quiet life of moderate
indulgence and mental activity. This
was a completely self-centered
philosophy that tolerated no
emotion that disturbed one's
detachment from day today events
Motto: Eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow we
die.
***Caesar and Antony exemplify this
Greek Philosophies
Stoicism: The stoics believed that the
secret of happiness and pleasure was
to be found in doing one's duty, in
pursuing virtue (honor), and in
mastering man's passion with reason.
The highest aim of man was to live in
harmony with his belief and in doing
so achieve inner strength and peace.
Greek Philosophies
Stoicism: This his is a very
individualistic philosophy, but its rigid
morality not give it a broad appeal. It
did have a a strong influence on Roman
law, the Roman Empire, and on much of
Christian thought. Remember Portia's
reference to marriage!
***BRUTUS – This is his philosophy. Also
Brutus is a Tragic Hero...review
characteristics of a tragic hero!
Tragedy
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A play depicting
serious and
important
events in which
the main
character or
characters
suffer great loss
or even death.
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story is
tragic,
because we
have grown
to care
about the
character
who suffers
this loss.
Tragic Hero
The main
character in a
tragedy who
is flawed, but
is more noble
than evil.
REVIEW of
TRAGIC HERO CHARACTERISTICS
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Noble in stature/royal
Not perfect has tragic flaw
(harmartia)
ex. Pride (hubris)
Downfall partially own fault/due to
free choice
Misfortune not wholly deserved
Accepts his fate and gains wisdom
Catharsis is experienced
Tragic Flaw
Harmartia - a
fundamental character
weakness that is
partially responsible for
the hero’s demise.
The Frog and
The Scorpion
“Why did
you sting
me, Mr.
Scorpion?
For now we
both shall
drown.”
The scorpion replies,
“I
couldn’t
help it,
it’s in my
nature.”
Pun
A play on the
multiple
meanings of a
word, or on
the sound of a
word.
“I am but as
you’d say a
cobbler.”
Anachronism
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An event or
detail that is
inappropriate
for the time
period.
i.e. the
chiming of the
clock in Julius
Caesar from
Act II, sc i
Hyperbole
A figure of speech that uses
exaggeration to express
strong emotion or to create
comic effect. Also called
“overstatement”.
An example of
hyperbole
JC Act I, sc 1
“Weep your
tears into the
channel, till the
lowest stream
do kiss the
most exalted
shores of all.”
Personification
Nonhuman things or
qualities are talked
about as if they’re
human
Soliloquy
A long speech
in which a
character
alone on
stage
expresses
private
thoughts or
feelings
Foreshadowing
Using clues to
hint at what
might
happen later
in the plot.
“Beware the
ides of
March.”
Catharsis
A
sense of
emotional
release
experienced
from
watching a
tragedy
Verse
Poetry. Many
of the
characters in
JC speak in
blank verse,
which is
unrhymed
iambic
pentameter
Prose
 Prose
is the
language of
the common
people. The
commoners
speak in
prose
language.
Iambic pentameter
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An iamb is a unit of speech consisting
of two syllables; one unstressed
syllable followed by one stressed
syllable, such as in the words deny
and expect.
Iambic pentameter is a line of poetry
containing 5 iambs; 10 syllables total.
Foil
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A character
used to
contrast
another
character.
Writers use a
foil to
emphasize the
difference
between
characters.
EXTENDED METAPHOR
 comparison
between 2
unlike things
without using
like or as.
Several lines
long.
example
 “our
Ship of State, which
recent storms have
threatened to destroy, has
come safely to harbor at
last, guided . . .”
Motivation
 Something
that causes a
character to
do something
or act in a
certain way
Verbal irony
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A contrast
between
what is said
and what is
meant. An
example can
be sarcasm.
Dramatic Irony
occurs when
the audience
knows
something
important
that a
character
does not
know
Situational Irony
what
actually
happens is
the opposite
of what was
expected to
happen