Julius Caesar
Acts IV/V Discussion
1. How does Antony show himself to be
ruthless in this scene?
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“These many, then, shall die; their names are pricked.”
Not only does Antony easily mark people close to him for death, but
he also uses Lepidus to do the killing while, at the same time, planning
to cheat him out of the rewards.
Antony, Octavius and Lepidus casually assemble a list of men who are
to die.
This list includes not only enemies of the triumvirate but friends and
family members as well.
The three men bargain with each other, offering the death of a nephew
for the death of a brother.
This gruesome game clearly illustrates the viciousness and atrocities
created by ill-managed insurrection.
Background information Act IV
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Actual time between Caesar’s funeral and the forming of the Second
Triumvirate was over a year and a half.
Antony failed to win over the Senate and was defeated by Decius Brutus’ army
in Gaul.
While Antony was away from Rome, Octavius Caesar convinced the Senate to
recognize him as Caesar’s rightful heir and had Mark Antony declared as a
public enemy.
In the meantime, while Antony and Octavius were at odds with each other,
Brutus and Cassius gathered their forces and amassed their power over the
eastern portion of the Roman republic.
Knowing it was possible for Rome to fall into the hands of the conspirators if
Antony and Octavius continued to oppose each other, Marcus Lepidue, a
Roman general, successfully attempted to reconcile the two men.
Second Triumvirate = Antony, Octavius, and Lepidus
2. Why do you suppose Octavius assents to
Antony’s suggestion regarding Lepidus?
“And some that smile have in their hearts, I
fear, / Millions of mischiefs.”
 Octavius seems to be a wily person himself,
possibly planning his own strategy.
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3.In what unfavorable terms does
Antony describe Lepidus?
“This is a slight unmeritable man,”
 “Do not talk of him,/But as a property.”
 It is apparent that Antony and Octavius are
after power.
 From his comments concerning Lepidus, it
is clear that Antony uses and manipulates
people as easily as he used and manipulated
words in his funeral oration.
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4. What are Brutus and Cassius
up to?
“Brutus and Cassius/ Are levying powers.”
 Brutus and Cassius are getting an army
together.
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5. What does Antony suggest in response to
Brutus and Cassius’ actions?
“Therefore let our alliance be combined.”
 Antony suggests he and Octavius combine
their alliances and retaliate against Brutus.
 “Let slip the dogs of war!”
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6. Who is Brutus speaking of when he says:
“Thou hast described a hot friend cooling.”
Brutus is speaking of Cassius.
 conflict
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7. Why does Brutus suggest that he and
Cassius hold their discussion inside the tent?
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“Let us not wrangle. Bid them move away.”
If the disagreement is observed by the troops, they
may be demoralized if they witness their leaders
fighting between themselves.
The inevitable clash between Cassius’ cynical
realism and Brutus’ stubborn idealism not only
makes for excellent drama but also bring to light
the larger issues of morality and ethics with
rebellion.
8. For what reason does Brutus claim that
Cassius is often condemned by the people?
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“Are much condemned to have an itching palm,”
Cassius is greedy and will take bribes to sell state
offices.
Cassius is well-aware that it takes money to
maintain an army and it is not always possible to
obtain the needed funds in honorable ways.
Brutus sees this as corruption.
9. Why is Brutus so outraged at
official corruption?
“Did not great Julius bleed for justice
sake?”
 Brutus did not kill his good friend Caesar so
other can make dirty profits.
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10. How does Cassius try to
intimidate Brutus?
“I’ll not endure it. You forget yourself”
 Cassius tries threats, saying he is an older,
better soldier and suggests that he may fly
into a rage if Brutus does not respect him.
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11. What is Brutus’ response?
“Make your vaunting true,”
 In effect, Brutus scoffs Cassius by saying he
is full of words.
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12. In speaking of honesty, why does Brutus
sound like he lacks modesty?
“For I am armed so strong in honesty
 That they pass by me as the idle wind,”
 While it may be fit for others to speak of
how honest another person is, it is
somewhat immodest of a man to boast of
his own honesty.
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13.If Brutus knows Cassius gets money dishonestly
how can honest Brutus ask him for it?
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“I did send to you
For certain sums of gold, which you denied me,”
It appears that Brutus is not practical enough to do what must be done
to pay his soldiers, but is realistic enough to ask Cassius for his illgotten money.
Brutus, having just condemned Cassius for obtaining money through
extortion, now castigates Cassius for not sharing with him the spoils of
his efforts.
Ironically, Brutus, accusing Cassius of contaminating “our fingers with
base bribes,” fails to recognize his own participation in corruption
when he insisted the conspirators contaminate their fingers with the
blood of the murdered Caesar.
14. What is the point and tone of Cassius’
speech in response to Brutus?
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“Come, Antony, and young Octavius, come!/
Revenge yourselves alone on Cassius.”
Cassius sounds as if he is feeling sorry for himself
because Brutus is treating him in a very unfriendly
way.
appeal to pathos
Cassius swallows his pride and instigates the
reconciliation between the two men.
15. Do you think the speech by
Cassius is sincere?
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your opinion
16. Who is Pluto and how does
this allusion fit Cassius’ speech?
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Pluto is the Roman god of the underworld; however, this
does not fit very well in the context of the passage.
Further research shows that the reference to Pluto may
have been a mistake because in later editions, Pluto has
been changed to Plutus, who is the Roman god of riches.
“Dearer is used to mean, “having more value,” “Pluto’s
mine,” (Plutus’) refers to gold mines.
Cassius is trying to prove he has “ a heart richer than gold .
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But, he is also referring to suicide.
17. After the poet interrupts and speaks of “Love and
be friends,” what is the cause of Brutus’ grief?
“No man bears sorrow better. Portia is
dead.”
 Portia has committed suicide.
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18. How does Portia choose to
take her life?
“And (her attendants absent) swallowed
fire.”
 Portia put hot coals in her mouth until she
choked.
 Enforces the continuing imagery of
destruction by fire - conflagration
 Tragedy
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19. What is Messala referring to when he
says: “That, methinks, is strange”?
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Messala asks if Brutus’ letters include any news about
Portia. Brutus answers, “Nothing.” Messala believes this to
be odd and proceeds to tell Brutus of Portia’s death.
Brutus does not let on that he knows about the suicide.
Brutus, always concerned with his public image, could
have put on this show of stoic resignation to impress
Massala, knowing that word of his response would spread
through the camp and, indeed, Messala calls Brutus a great
man.
Brutus sounds like Caesar.
20. What is the difference between Brutus and Cassius’ plans
for engaging the armies of Antony and Octavius?
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Cassius wants the enemy to come to them. This
way, the enemy soldiers will be tired while their
own soldiers will be well rested. Brutus, however,
wants to go to the enemy to prevent them from
picking up more soldiers along the way.
Brutus behaves dictatorially and his brazen overconfidence makes it more and more difficult to
differentiate between the tyranny of the dead
Caesar and the tyranny of the living Brutus.
21. Brutus says that “There is a tide in the
affairs of men” What does he mean by this?
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Brutus means that there is a time that is
right to take action; if that moment is
missed, it is gone forever.
22. Brutus treats his followers with kindness and respect.
What theme can this element of the play support?
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“I pray you, sirs, lie in my tent and sleep.”
This element of Brutus’ personality suggests a
conflict between his public and private self.
Publicly, Brutus is viewed as a powerful man,
capable of brutal actions. Privately, however,
Brutus is kind, caring, and forgiving, which
contradicts his public reputation.
Perhaps Brutus is in a role he was not meant to
play.
23. What monstrous apparition does Brutus
see and what message does it bring?
“thou shalt see me at Philippi.”
 Brutus sees the ghost of Caesar, and the
ghost says it will see Brutus again on the
field at Philippi, where the battle is taking
place.”
 Fulfillment of Antony’s prophecy that
Caesar’s spirit has “come hot from hell”
 Foreshadowing
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24. What does Antony think is the reason for Bruts and
Cassius’ armies having confronted them face-to-face?
“thinking by this face/ To fasten in our
thoughts that they have courage.”
 Antony believes Brutus and Cassius are
trying to be intimidating by making a show
of bravery.
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25. What is Octavius’ response when Antony
orders him to take the left side of the field?
“I do not cross you; but I will do so.”
 first overt sign of dissension between the
two men
 Octavius is making a show of power and
superiority.
 Notice all the power plays.
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26. What does Cassius remark
about Antony?
“This tongue had not offended so today/If
Cassius might have ruled.”
 If Brutus had listened to Cassius, Antony
would not be alive today.
 Notice all the power plays, conflict,
butchery, disruption
 Tragedy
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27. What do the ravens and crows
flying overhead mean to Cassius?
Cassius interprets them as bad omens for his
side.
 Image of prey
 More foreshadowing in nature
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28. What does Brutus say he
finds cowardly and vile?
Cato’s committing suicide
 Brutus believes that committing suicide is
wrong.
 Lots of suicide
 Will become ironic
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29. Brutus says he “bears to great a mind” to allow
something to happen. What does he mean by this?
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Brutus will not allow himself to be captured
alive and led through the streets of Rome as
a captive.
30. Why do Brutus and Cassius give each
other an everlasting farewell?
“Therefore our everlasting farewell take.
 For every and for ever farewell, Cassius!”
 The two men swear their friendship in case
they do not survive.
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31. What message is Messala ordered to take
to “the legions on the other side”?
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Brutus is ready to charge Octavius’ forces.
The battle has begun.
Brutus and his army face off against the forces of
Antony.
Brutus’ men overpower Octavius’ men and Brutus
sends word of the victory to Cassius.
However, instead of moving in to help Cassius
defeat Antony, Brutus’ men begin a premature
victory celebration.
32. According to Titinius, why is Cassius’
side losing to Antony’s forces?
“O Cassius, Brutus gave the word too
early,”
 Brutus attacked Octavius prematurely, thus
allowing Antony to encircle Cassius’ forces.
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33. How does Cassius die?
Why?
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Cassius has Pindarus kill him because he believes
Titinius, a close friend, has been killed, thus the
battle is lost.
“Caesar, thou art revenged.”
Poetic justice that Cassius kills himself with the
very sword that he used to kill Caesar.
Cassius’ death is an unnecessary mistake, but only
in death can Cassius finally escape the bonds of
Caesar’s power.
34. It turns out that Cassius killed
himself prematurely. Why?
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“for Octavius is overthrown by noble Brutus’ power,”
Titinius is still alive, and Brutus’ forces have almost
defeated the army of Octavius.
Course of a man’s life is metaphorically connected to the
course of the sun in a single day, with sunrise being birth
and sunset being death. In this speech, the images of the
red rays of the sun, with a pun on son, are symbolic of the
red blood seeping from Cassius’ dying body. With
Cassius’ death, night is come for Rome and the ideals of
freedom and liberty that he held dear are thrown into
darkness.
35. Who impersonates Brutus?
Why?
“Safe, Antony; Brutus is safe enough.”
 Lucilius impersonates Brutus. The reason
for the impersonation my be debated, but
the effect is that it saves Lucilius’ life.
 Antony orders the soldiers to “keep this
man safe.”
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36. What does Strato do for
Brutus?
“Give me your hand first. Fare you well, my
lord.”
 The last battle is fought.
 The war is finished.
 Caesar’s death is avenged.
 Brutus decides to take his own life rather
than become a prisoner.
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37. As he dies, why does Brutus
say,”Caesar now be still”?
Ever since Caesar’s death Brutus has felt
the spirit of Julius Caesar walked the land.
Now, Caesar’s spirit may rest.
 Omission of failure
 Tragedy
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38. How do Antony and Octavius
treat Brutus’ body?
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“This was the noblest Roman of them all.”
In his eulogy over Brutus’ lifeless body, Antony praises Brutus.
Words spoken at funerals often ignore the bad and glorify the good.
Is Antony still being sarcastic?
Having successfully avenged Caesar’s death, perhaps Antony realizes
it is time for Caesar’s spirit to rest.
It is time for peace to return to Rome.
Antony is a politician as well as a soldier and must understand that the
only way to truly achieve peace is to honor and thus forgive the fallen
leader of the conspiracy, paving the way for unity and reconciliation in
Rome.
39. Who is the tragic hero?
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your opinion
40. Identify the play’s exposition, rising
action, climax, falling action, and resolution.
Exposition - Caesar’s victory over Pompey
 Rising Action - Brutus’ involvement in the
conspiracy
 Climax - Antony’s funeral oration
 Falling Action - War
 Resolution - Brutus’ death
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