Act I
What does the Soothsayer say to Caesar as a form of a warning?
Beware the ides of March
What does Calpurnia see in her vivid dreams that cause her to fear for her husband's life?
She sees Caesar's statue spewing blood as citizens and senators bathe and laugh in it.
Who is in charge of getting Caesar to the Capitol?
Decius
Define spurn.
"I know no personal cause to spurn at him, But for the general" (Brutus, Act II, scene i).
Disdain
What number does this Roman Numeral represent?
IV
4
Who is Caesar suspicious of and why?
Cassius, because he is too "observant", and he thinks too much.
What does Artemidorus plan to do?
Pass along a letter to Caesar before he gets to the Capitol.
His right-hand man
Define adder.
"It is the bright day that brings forth the adder..."
(Brutus, Act II, scene iv).
Poisonous snake
What Act does Brutus decide that he will betray Caesar?
Act II
What would Cassius rather do than have Caesar become king?
Kill himself with his own dagger
Who does Portia send to help Brutus?
Who delivered the falsified letters to Brutus?
Cinna
What does the stage direction, Aside, mean?
Character speaks to the audience as a form of thought.
What special event is happening upon the opening of the play?
The Feast of Lupercal
What was the main reason for the anger of Flavius and Marullus against Caesar?
Their father is Pompey, who Caesar killed.
What type of archetypical character does Portia represent?
The stereotypical shrill, overemotional woman.
Who do the conspirators exclude from their plan, because they do not think he will be a follower?
Cicero
What does the following mean?
"Am I yourself But, as it were, in sort or limitation, To keep with you at meals, comfort your bed, And talk to you sometimes? Dwell I but in the suburbs Of your good pleasure? If it be no more, Portia is Brutus' harlot, not his wife" (Portia, Act II, scene i).
Portia is upset about Brutus keeping secrets, and claims that she might as well be a random woman off the streets, because he is not treating her like his true wife unless it is to his benefit.
Mark Antony later will have an affair with what historically famous person?
Cleopatra
"That thunders, lightens, opens graves, and roars As doth the lion in the Captiol, A man no mightier than thyself or me In personal action, yet prodigious grown And fearful" (Cassius, Act I, scene iii).
Who is Cassius referring to?
Caesar is the lion in the Capitol.
Explain the meaning of this portion of Brutus' speech:
"And therefore think him as a serpent's egg Which hatched, would as his kind grow mischievous, And kill him in the shell" (Brutus, Act II, scene i).
He believes that Caesar is like an unhatched serpent, who he must kill while he is still in his shell because he is defenseless. Once he emerges from the shell, or becomes king, he would be too hard to kill.
From the list below, who are the TWO that are NOT conspirators:
Decius
Casca
Cinna
Cicero
Brutus
Lucius
Cassius
Trebonius
Cicero (too strong-minded to be a follower); Lucius (Brutus' servant)
"Decius, well urged: I think it is not meet Mark Antony, so well beloved of Caesar, Should outlive Caesar: we shall find of him A shrewd contriver; and you know his means, If he improve them, may well stretch so far As to annoy us all: which to prevent, Let Antony and Caesar fall together" (Cassius, Act II, scene i).
Cassius agrees with Decius that they should kill Mark Antony along with Julius Caesar, because he is too committed to Caesar. Not killing him will cause their movement to falter.
Why did William Shakespeare set this play in Rome?
While the play is in direct response to the debate of monarchy and Queen Elizabeth I in England, he was not allow to freely express his opinion. So in order to get around the censorship, he made the setting in Rome but about the same issue.