Act 1
The people are celebrating two events as the play Julius Caesar begins.
What are The triumph of Caesar over Pompey and the Feast of Lupercal?
Cassius plans to do this to Brutus to make him into a tool that can be used to get close to Caesar. (This phrase from the play uses a homophone.)
What is "bend his mettle"?
Three times it happens.
How many times does Antony offer and does Caesar turn down the crown?
The cobbler says he is a mender of "soles/souls."
What is a homophone?
What is "he is but a limb of Caesar"?
In his soliloquy, Brutus uses this metaphor to reason that they need to kill Caesar before he is crowned king.
What is killing the adder (snake) while it is in the shell?
When Caesar's augerer cut open the beast, it was missing this.
What is a heart?
This disease causes Caesar to fall down and have seizures, where he shakes and foams at the mouth.
What is epilepsy?
The "falling sickness" refers to Caesar's epilepsy and bowing down to Caesar.
What is a pun?
Cassius says this experience in the Tiber River shows Caesar lacked physical stamina.
What is Cassius hauling Caesar out of the water because Caesar was unable to finish swimming?
Two unusual omens concerning animals are seen during the storm at the end of Act 1.
What is the lion at the capitol and the night bird (owl) hooting at midday in the market place?
She proclaims that she is Cato's daughter and stabs herself in the thigh to prove her trustworthiness.
Who is Portia?
Cassius writes fake letters that are supposedly from Roman Citizens and has Cinna place them in three places.
What are in the Praetor's chair (Brutus's chair in the senate), on the statue of Brutus's ancestors (who drove the last king out of Rome), and in Brutus's window?
Cassius says that Caesar bestrides the world "like a Colossus."
What is a simile?
This statement shows that Caesar is both deaf and has a big ego.
"Caesar is turned to hear."
These two tribunes are "silenced" for removing decorations celebrating Caesar.
Who are Flavius and Marullus?
The main details of Calpurnia's bad dream concerning Caesar.
What is a statue of Caesar spouting blood and Romans washing their hands in the blood?
He is the man with "silver hairs" who is not invited to join the conspirators.
Who is Cicero?
The tribunes think these "growing feathers plucked from Caesar's wing" will keep Caesar from realizing how much the commoners like him.
What is a metaphor?
Brutus fears the people will chose Caesar as their king and yet, Caesar is his good friend.
Why is Brutus at war with himself? What is his internal conflict?
Who is Cassius?
Decius's interpretation of Calpurnia's dream.
What is that Rome will be revived by Caesar's blood and thrive once Caesar becomes king?
Caesar notes that he has been up all night "reveling" and is still awake when men come to escort Caesar to the Capitol.
Who is Antony?
The soothsayer repeats "Beware the Ides of March."
What is foreshadowing?
Artemidorus does this to warn Caesar.
What is writing a letter about the assassination plans and giving it to Caesar in the street as he passes by?