Get notes, workbook solutions, summary, questions and answers, and pdf of the drama/play Julius Caesar (Act 1 Scene 2) by William Shakespeare which is part of ICSE Class 9 English. However, the notes should only be treated for references and changes should be made according to the needs of the students.
Summary
In the aftermath of a decisive victory against Pompey and his sons, Caesar returns triumphantly to Rome. The city is adorned with trophies won in battle, and a large crowd gathers to celebrate the end of a ruinous civil war. Yet the victory, unprecedented in that it’s against a Roman citizen, splits the populace into two camps: those who support Caesar and those who do not.
Tribunes Flavius and Marullus find themselves angered by the sight of craftsmen abandoning work to revel in the festivities. They chide the citizens for their inconsistent loyalties.
Amid the celebrations, a soothsayer cautions Caesar about the Ides of March, a warning Caesar brushes off as mere dreaming. Meanwhile, Cassius seizes an opportunity to speak privately with Brutus, who reveals his unease about the possibility of Caesar ascending to the throne. Cassius skillfully amplifies Brutus’ concerns, invoking the legacy of Brutus’ ancestor, Junius Brutus, who resisted tyranny. Brutus confesses that he’d rather live as a common villager than under a dictator.
As the festivities conclude, Caesar returns, visibly irritated. Eager to understand why, Brutus and Cassius question Casca, who informs them that Mark Antony had thrice offered a crown to Caesar. Although Caesar declined each time, his hesitation suggests he actually wanted to accept it. He then suffered an epileptic seizure, adding to the mounting concerns about his fitness to lead.
Sensing an opportunity, Cassius hatches a plan to further manipulate Brutus. He decides to send anonymous letters to Brutus, raising questions about Caesar’s ambitions and subtly suggesting what the Roman populace expects of their leaders — thereby deepening Brutus’ internal conflict about Caesar’s rising power.
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Evergreen Workbook Solutions
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Caesar had a fever in
Answer: b. Spain
2. Caesar suffered from
Answer: a. an epileptic fit
3. The crown was offered to Caesar by the
Answer: c. Mark Antony
4. Caesar voiced his fears to Antony about Cassius
Answer: c. both of the above
5. Caesar was deaf from
Answer: b. the left ear
Context Questions
Question 1
CAESAR-Who is it in the press that calls on me?
I hear a tongue, shriller than all the music,
Cry ‘Caesar!’ Speak; Caesar is turn’d to hear.
1. Who called out to Caesar? What did he warn Caesar of?
Answer: The Soothsayer called out loudly to Caesar, standing out amongst the cheers and music of the crowd. He warned Caesar to “Beware the ides of March,” which refers to March 15th. This warning foreshadows Caesar’s assassination.
2. What is the meaning of ‘Press’? Give another meaning of ‘Press’.
Answer: ‘Press’ refers to the crowd gathered to celebrate Caesar’s triumph. Another meaning of ‘press’ is to squeeze, push, or apply pressure, which reflects the crowded and chaotic nature of the public celebration.
3. Why is Caesar ‘turn’d to hear’? How does Caesar challenge the speaker?
Answer: Caesar is ‘turned to hear’ the Soothsayer because his voice stands out from the loud music and cheers of the adoring crowd. Caesar challenges the Soothsayer aggressively, demanding “What sayst thou to me now?” He wants to hear the warning directly.
4. How does Caesar react to the warning of the speaker?
Answer: Caesar arrogantly dismisses and ignores the Soothsayer’s dramatic warning, bluntly calling him a “dreamer.” This reveals Caesar’s overconfidence and refusal to heed warnings and signs, even supernatural ones foretelling his death.
5. Who else tries to warn Caesar about the danger which is in store for him later in the play? What aspects of Caesar’s character are shown?
Answer: Later in the play, Calpurnia, Caesar’s wife, also tries to warn him not to go to the Senate based on her ominous dreams. He similarly dismisses her concerns. This continues to show Caesar’s stubborn arrogance and sense of invulnerability, which prove to be fatal flaws.
Question 2
BRUTUS – Cassius, Be not deceived: if I have veil’d my look,
I turn the trouble of my countenance
Merely upon myself. Vexed I am
Of late with passions of some difference,
Conceptions only proper to myself.
1. Where are Brutus and Cassius at this time? What is the occasion?
Answer: Brutus and Cassius are alone in Rome while the rest of the citizens celebrate Caesar’s recent military victory over Pompey. They have stayed behind during the festivities and victory parade. The scene takes place on the day of Caesar’s triumphant return to Rome.
2. What has Cassius told Brutus regarding the latter’s attitude towards him?
Answer: Cassius has told Brutus that lately Brutus seems very distant and aloof towards him, not showing the same friendliness, warmth and affection as he used to. Cassius says Brutus has been treating him in a cold and unfriendly manner.
3. What reason does Brutus give to Cassius for not going to the games? With whom does Brutus compare himself to?
Answer: Brutus explains to Cassius that he has not been going to the games and festivities because he is preoccupied with his own private thoughts and emotions that have been troubling him. He compares himself to Mark Antony, noting that Antony has an energetic, lively personality and loves attending social events, while Brutus has been solitary, moody and antisocial lately.
4. What does Brutus tell Cassius regarding his conflicting thoughts and emotions? What effects are they having on Brutus regarding his attitude towards others?
Answer: Brutus tells Cassius that he is conflicted within himself, bothered by passions and thoughts that are personal to him. He does not specify what these passions are. This inner turmoil and emotional conflict is causing him to appear detached, remote and inattentive to others, even close friends like Cassius.
5. What is Cassius’ motive in showing his friendship towards Brutus? How is Cassius shown to be a schemer?
Answer: Cassius is scheming to win Brutus over to the developing conspiracy to assassinate Julius Caesar. He is only pretending friendship and concern for Brutus, but his real hidden motive is political – he wants to recruit Brutus into the murder plot. So Cassius is shown to be manipulative, crafty and devious in the way he tries to play on Brutus’s emotions and sense of friendship.
Question 3
CASSIUS – ‘Tis just:
And it is very much lamented, Brutus,
That you have no such mirrors as will turn
Your hidden worthiness into your eye.
1. What does Cassius go on to tell Brutus about what the people are lamenting about?
Answer: Cassius goes on after the extract to tell Brutus that many Romans, including Cassius himself, are lamenting and expressing regret that Brutus does not fully see or appreciate his own true worth and virtues. They think Brutus undervalues his admirable qualities.
2. What ‘dangers’ does Brutus refer to after the extract?
Answer: After the extract, Brutus refers to the growing “dangers” of Julius Caesar gaining too much power and dominating Rome as dictator. He fears Caesar’s ambitions will lead to tyranny.
3. How does Cassius offer to show the brothers his true worth?
Answer: Cassius offers to metaphorically be a mirror for Brutus and reveal to him the hidden strengths and virtues that Brutus cannot see clearly in himself. Cassius claims he can reflect Brutus’s true qualities back at him.
4. How does Cassius convince Brutus not to doubt him?
Answer: Cassius convinces Brutus not to doubt his motivations by insisting that he is an honest, direct, plain-spoken man, not a deceptive, fawning flatterer. Cassius claims Brutus has no reason to be suspicious of him.
5. How does Brutus portray himself to be truly concerned about the present condition prevailing in Rome?
Answer: Brutus shows he is concerned not just for his own reputation but for the greater good of Rome. He would prefer being a common citizen of Rome to accepting tyranny or dictatorship. This makes him seem truly principled and caring about his country’s fate.
Question 4
BRUTUS – What means this shouting? I do fear, the people
Choose Caesar for their king.
CASSIUS-Ay, do you fear it?
Then must I think you would not have it so.
1. Why are Brutus and Cassius alone together at this time while the festivities are on?
Answer: Brutus and Cassius are alone together at this moment because they have stayed behind in Rome while the rest of the citizens are out celebrating Caesar’s recent military victory over Pompey. There is a festive parade going on that they are avoiding.
2. Why is Brutus not in favour of Caesar becoming king?
Answer: Brutus does not favor Caesar becoming king because it would destroy the Roman republic and its democratic institutions, putting all power in one man’s hands. Brutus cherishes the liberties and freedoms of Rome, which he believes kingship would extinguish.
3. What two weaknesses of Caesar does Cassius highlight to Brutus?
Answer: Cassius highlights two of Caesar’s weaknesses to Brutus – his inability to swim across a rushing Tiber river, and his susceptibility to fever and fits. Cassius uses these examples to portray Caesar as weak and unfit to rule Rome.
4. How does Cassius compare the names of ‘Brutus’ and ‘Cassius’ to that of the name of ‘Caesar’?
Answer: Cassius points out that the name Brutus is just as honorable and noble as the name Caesar. The founder of the Roman republic was the heroic Lucius Junius Brutus, so Cassius argues Brutus comes from an equally great lineage and family reputation as Caesar.
5. Brutus comments “I do fear”. What does the word ‘fear’ signify? How does Cassius interpret the word ‘fear’ to judge Brutus mind?
Answer: When Brutus says “I do fear,” it shows he is genuinely worried about the prospect of Caesar gaining authoritarian power. Cassius interprets Brutus’s use of the word “fear” as a sign that Brutus would strongly oppose Caesar becoming king, and could be recruited into the developing conspiracy.
Question 5
I, as Aeneas, our great ancestor,
Did from the flames of Troy upon his shoulder
The old Anchises bear, so from the waves of Tiber.
1. Who speaks these lines? Who was Aeneas?
Answer: These boastful lines are spoken by Cassius. Aeneas was a legendary hero of Troy who escaped the destruction of the city while bearing his elderly father Anchises on his shoulders.
2. Why does Cassius compare himself to Aeneas?
Answer: Cassius compares himself to the heroic Aeneas in order to exaggerate and glorify his own actions. He wants to portray himself as a great savior who is rescuing Rome from Caesar’s tyranny, just as Aeneas rescued his father and the Trojan ancestral spirits from Troy’s downfall.
3. Who is this ‘man’ referred to in the fourth line of the extract? What grudge does the speaker bear against this ‘man’?
Answer: The “man” referred to scornfully in the fourth line is Julius Caesar, who Cassius greatly resents and envies. Cassius bears a bitter personal grudge against Caesar’s power and popularity.
4. How does the speaker compare this man to God?
Answer: With heavy sarcasm and irony, Cassius compares Caesar to an immortal god in order to mock Caesar’s arrogance and ambition. Cassius sees Caesar as merely a mortal man who has unjustly made himself into a deity.
5. What does this speech reveal about the speaker?
Answer: This hyperbolic, boastful speech reveals Cassius’s deep jealousy and hatred of Caesar. It shows his obsession with Caesar and willingness to violently conspire against him.
Question 6
BRUTUS- That you do love me, I am nothing jealous;
What you would work me to, I have some aim:
How I have thought of this and of these times,
I shall recount hereafter
1. What does the word ‘jealous’ mean in the extract?
Answer: In this extract, the word “jealous” means “suspicious.” Brutus is saying he does not distrust or doubt Cassius’s expressions of affection for him.
2. Brutus is aware of Cassius’ motive. What is the motive?
Answer: Brutus seems aware that Cassius’s underlying motive is to recruit him into joining the developing conspiracy to assassinate Julius Caesar. That is why Cassius is so earnestly courting Brutus’s friendship.
3. What does Brutus assure Cassius of after the extract that makes Cassius ‘glad’?
Answer: After the extract, Brutus assures Cassius that he will consider what Cassius has said. This response makes Cassius glad, as he feels he is making headway in persuading Brutus.
4. Who enters after the extract?
Answer: Shortly after this extract, Casca enters the scene and interrupts the conversation between Brutus and Cassius.
5. Who does Cassius decide to ‘pluck’? Why?
Answer: Based on his blunt conversation with Casca, Cassius decides he wants to “pluck” or recruit Casca into the conspiracy against Caesar as well. Cassius thinks Casca’s cynical, sarcastic attitude can be useful to the plot.
Question 7
CAESAR-Let me have men about me that are fat;
Sleek-headed men and such as sleep o’ nights:
Yond Cassius has a lean and hungry look;
He thinks too much: such men are dangerous.
1. Who does Caesar address these words to? How does this person try to assure Caesar not to fear?
Answer: Caesar addresses these critical words about Cassius to Mark Antony. Antony tries to reassure Caesar by insisting that Cassius is a noble Roman, not a danger or threat to Caesar.
2. How is Caesar not convinced?
Answer: Caesar is not convinced by Antony’s reassurances. He remains distrustful of Cassius’s motivations and ambitions.
3. What reasons does Caesar give for fearing the person in question?
Answer: Caesar gives two reasons for his wariness about Cassius – that he has a “lean and hungry look,” and that he “thinks too much.” Caesar believes these traits make Cassius willing to undermine him.
4. Which weakness of Caesar is shown after the extract?
Answer: After this extract, Caesar ignores the warnings of a soothsayer about the Ides of March, showing Caesar’s superstitious weakness and egotism.
5. How is Caesar shown to be far-sighted and wise in his judgement of character?
Answer: Caesar shows great insight and judgement of character in accurately identifying Cassius as cunning, sly and ambitious. His assessment of Cassius as a scheming, dangerous threat will prove correct.
Question 8
BRUTUS – Ay, Casca; tell us what hath chanced to-day,
That Caesar looks so sad.
CASCA – Why, you were with him, were you not?
BRUTUS-I should not then ask Casca what had chanc’d.
1. What had chang’d that day as described by Casca?
Answer: Casca describes several alarming incidents that happened that day – Antony offering Caesar a crown three times, Caesar refusing it reluctantly, and Caesar then suffering a fit and collapsing in public.
2. In what way was the incident a ‘mere foolery’? Give three instances.
Answer: The whole incident with the crown was foolishness in three ways – Caesar clearly wanted the crown but pantomimed refusing it; the fickle crowd cheered or jeered based on Caesar’s reactions; and Casca calls the coronet just a flimsy ornament.
3. What information did Casca give about Flavius and Marullus?
Answer: Casca also told Brutus and Cassius that the tribunes Marullus and Flavius were silenced and removed from power for removing ceremonial scarves from Caesar’s statues.
4. What is Brutus’ assessment of Casca when he leaves? How does Cassius contradict Brutus about his assessment?
Answer: Based on his coarse language and cynical attitude, Brutus sees Casca as a rude, blunt commoner. However, Cassius contradicts this assessment, saying Casca is actually clever and perceptive, and should be recruited into the conspiracy.
5. How does Cassius judge Brutus’ character at the end of the scene? What do you think of Cassius from this judgement?
Answer: By the end of the scene, Cassius judges Brutus to have an honorable character and noble motives, unlike himself. But he thinks Brutus’s virtues can be manipulated into opposing Caesar for the greater good of Rome. This shows Cassius’s cunning political mind.
Morning Star Workbook Solutions
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Caesar dismissed the soothsayer when he warned him of the “ides of March” as a?
(a) a daydreamer
(b) an ignorant
(c) a superstitious
(d) a feeble creature
Answer: (a) a daydreamer
2. What would happen when Antony would touch Calpurnia during the traditional footrace?
(a) She would be cured of insomnia
(b) She would be cured of epilepsy
(c) She would be cured of infertility
(d) She would be cured of timidity
Answer: (c) She would be cured of infertility
3. In this scene who has been compared to a rider of a stubborn horse?
(a) Caesar
(b) Cassius
(c) Brutus
(d) Casca
Answer: (c) Brutus
4. According to Brutus, which trait of Antony does he lack?
(a) Bravery
(b) Liveliness
(c) Tactfullness
(d) None of these
Answer: (b) Liveliness
5. What did Cassius accuse Brutus of in this scene?
(a) Being unfriendly towards him
(b) Being too selfish
(c) Being too busy
(d) Being irrational
Answer: (d) Being irrational
6. What reason did Brutus give for being unfriendly towards Cassius?
(a) Triumphant return of Caesar
(b) Fear of losing his freedom
(c) His own conflicting emotions
(d) None of the above
Answer: (c) His own conflicting emotions
7. What is meant by ‘age’s yoke’ as spoken by Cassiuss ?
(a) Oppression under Caesar’s rule
(b) The age of burden under monarchists
(c) The era of end of republicanism
(d) None of the above
Answer: (a) Oppression under Caesar’s rule
8. What does Cassius say to manipulate Brutus to his side?
(a) Brutus is God-like
(b) Brutus cannot see his own worthiness
(c) Brutus is more noble than Caesar
(d) None of the above
Answer: (b) Brutus cannot see his own worthiness
9. ‘To all the rout, then hold me dangerous.” What is meant by rout and whom does it hold dangerous?
(a) Group; Caesar
(b) Enemy; Brutus
(c) Mob; Cassius
(d) Tribunes; Cassius
Answer: (c) Mob; Cassius
10. For whom does Brutus say, ‘ I love him well’?
(a) Antony
(b) Casca
(c) Cassius
(d) Caesar
Answer: (d) Caesar
11. Which virtue’ of Brutus is Cassius talking about in this scene?
(a) He loves Caesar more than himself
(b) He loves honour more than he fears of death
(c) He prefers death more than money
(d) None of the above.
Answer: (b) He loves honour more than he fears of death
12. Cassius compares himself to which ancestor of his when he talks about saving Caesar from drowning?
(a) Aeneas
(b) Prometheus
(c) Achilles
(d) Aphrodite
Answer: (a) Aeneas
13. According to Cassius, Caesar is mortal because he is subject to
(a) drowning and fever
(b) sickness and death
(c) temptation and fear
(d) superstition and fate
Answer: (b) sickness and death
14. What does Cassius convince Brutus of by giving examples of Caesar’s drowning and sickness episodes?
(a) Caesar is brave and sturdy
(b) Caesar is prone to diseases
(c) Caesar is not liked by people
(d) Caesar is weak and vulnerable
Answer: (d) Caesar is weak and vulnerable
15. Which trait of Cassius’ personality is revealed in this scene?
(a) Clever opportunistic
(b) Clever Manipulator
(c) Fair idealistic
(d) Passionate politician
Answer: (b) Clever Manipulator
16. Which characteristic trait of Brutus is revealed when he is confronted with
making moral choices?
(a) Slow, confused idealist
(b) Quick, active thinker
(c) Slow, deliberate thinker
(d) None of the above.
Answer: (c) Slow, deliberate thinker.
17. Cassius says that Rome has space only for one great man. Who is the man Cassius is referring to?
(a) Brutus
(b) Caesar
(c) Antony
(d) Octavius
Answer : (b) Caesar
18. What does Caesar think about Cassius in this scene?
(a) He thinks too much and is dangerous
(b) He is too thin to be a capable warrior
(c) He is too passive to be given a task
(d) He is too passive to be a warrior
Answer: (a) He thinks too much and is dangerous.
19. For whom does Caesar say that ‘Seldom he smiles”?
(a) Antony
(b) Brutus
(c) Cassius
(d) None of the above.
Answer: (c) Cassius
20. Casca’s description of Caesar declining the crown thrice, tell us which Characteristic trait of Casca ?
(a) He was a gossip-monger
(b) He had an irrational prejudice against Caesar
(c) He had a favourable impression about Caesar
(d) None of the above
Answer: (a) He was a gossip-monger
21. What Does Cassius soliloquy at the end od the scene predict ?
(a) Brutus’ will not join them
(b) Caesar would quell their conspiracy
(c) Troublesome times ahead
(d) None of the above.
Answer: (c) Troublesome times ahead
Context Questions
1. Caesar
Forget not, in your speed, Antonius,
To touch Calpurnia; for our elders say,
The barren, touched in this holy chase,
Shake off their sterile curse.
Antony
I shall remember;
When Caesar says “Do this,” it is perform’d.
Caesar
Set on; and leave no ceremony out.
Soothsayer
Caesar!
(i) Where does the scene take place? Why have the characters referred to in the extract gone there?
Answer: The scene takes place in a public space in Rome. The characters, including Caesar, Antony, and others, have gathered to witness the Lupercal festival, a celebration that includes races and other activities. Caesar specifically wants Antony to participate in the race.
(ii) What is the “holy chase” Who is assigned to take the “holy chase”? What is its significance?
Answer: The “holy chase” refers to the ceremonial run during the Lupercal festival, where young men, known as Luperci, run through the streets of Rome, striking bystanders with strips of goatskin. Antony is assigned to participate in this race. The significance of the holy chase lies in the belief that a barren woman, when touched by one of the runners, could be cured of her sterility. Caesar hopes this will cure Calpurnia’s barrenness.
(iii) What instructions did Caesar give to Calpurnia earlier regarding the holy chase ? Which characteristic trait of Caesar is revealed by his instructions?
Answer: Caesar instructs Calpurnia to stand in Antony’s way so that she may be touched during the race, hoping this will cure her sterility. This reveals Caesar’s concern for his legacy, as he desires an heir. It also shows his belief in omens and superstitions, indicating a blend of rationality and superstition in his character.
(iv) Give the meaning of:
a) “Shake off their sterile curse”
Answer: This phrase means to rid oneself of the curse of infertility or barrenness.
b) “Do this, it is perform’d”
Answer: Antony is assuring Caesar that once he is asked to do something, it will be done without question or hesitation.
(v) According to the extract, explain the type of relationship that existed between, Caesar and Antony.
Answer: The relationship between Caesar and Antony is one of mutual respect and loyalty. Antony is depicted as a devoted follower who promptly and obediently carries out Caesar’s commands. Caesar, in turn, trusts Antony and expects his loyalty, indicating a bond of strong allegiance between them.
2.Soothsayer
Beware the ides of March.
Caesar
What man is that?
Brutus
A soothsayer bids you beware the ides of March.
Caesar
Set him before me; let me see his face.
Cassius
Fellow, come from the throng; look upon Caesar.
(i) What is meant by “Beware the ides of March What is its significance in the play, Julius Caesar?
Answer: “Beware the ides of March” is a warning given by a soothsayer to Julius Caesar, indicating that the 15th of March (the ides) will be a dangerous day for him. The phrase foreshadows Caesar’s assassination, which occurs on that very day, marking it as a significant moment of impending doom in the play.
(ii), What was Caesar’s reaction to the soothsayer’s warning? What Light does his reaction throw on Caesar’s character?
Answer: Caesar dismisses the soothsayer’s warning, calling him a dreamer and paying no heed to the danger. This reaction showcases Caesar’s arrogance and his belief in his invulnerability, traits that contribute to his downfall.
(iii) What, in your opinion, is the soothsayer’s motive in warning Caesar to “beware the ides of March” Which theme in the play is revealed through soothsayer’s warning and Caesar’s denial of it?
Answer: The soothsayer’s motive seems to be to prevent Caesar from falling into danger by alerting him to the threat. The theme of fate versus free will is highlighted here; despite the warning, Caesar chooses to ignore it, suggesting that his fate is sealed by his own actions and hubris.
(iv) Why does Caesar want the soothsayer to look at him? What does Caesar think of the soothsayer?
Answer: Caesar wants the soothsayer to look at him likely to assert his authority and perhaps to judge the man giving the ominous warning. Caesar considers the soothsayer to be a mere dreamer, someone not to be taken seriously, further emphasizing his dismissive attitude towards omens and prophecies.
(v) Give two other examples of warning about the danger which is in store for Caesar.
Answer: A. Calphurnia, Caesar’s wife, has a nightmare in which she sees a statue of Caesar spouting blood, symbolising his death, and she pleads with him to stay home on the ides of March.
B. The priests, after sacrificing an animal, find that it lacks a heart, which they interpret as a bad omen and advise Caesar not to leave his house on the ides of March. Caesar dismisses both warnings.
3. Cassius
Brutus, I do observe you now of late:
I have not from your eyes that gentleness
And show of love as I was wont to have.
You bear too stubborn and too strange a hand
Over your friend that loves you.
Brutus
Cassius,
Be not deceivd if I have veil’d my look,
I turn the trouble of my countenance
Merely upon myself. Vexed I am
Of late with passions of some difference,
Conceptions only proper to myself,
Which give some soil, perhaps, to my behaviours;
(i) Where are Brutus and Cassius at this time? What does Cassius observe about Brutus?
Answer: Brutus and Cassius are in a public place in Rome, after Caesar and others have exited following the soothsayer’s warning about the Ides of March. Cassius observes that Brutus has not been showing him the same gentleness and affection as he used to, and he finds Brutus to be acting distant and stubborn.
(ii) Why does Brutus not go along with Caesar to the games? With whom does Brutus contrast himself ? How ?
Answer: Brutus does not go along with Caesar to the games because he says he is not “gamesome” and lacks the lively spirit that Antony has. Brutus contrasts himself with Antony, noting that he does not share Antony’s enthusiasm and quick spirit for such activities.
(iii) What does Cassius accuse Brutus of? What reply does Brutus give?
Answer: Cassius accuses Brutus of bearing a “stubborn and strange” attitude towards him, indicating that Brutus has been acting distant. Brutus replies that his troubled appearance is not directed at anyone else but is a result of his internal conflicts and personal struggles.
(iv) Give the meaning of:
a) “You bear too stubborn and too strange a hand”
Answer: This phrase means that Brutus is being overly distant, unfriendly, and unapproachable towards Cassius.
b) “Vexed I am/Of late with passions of some difference”
Answer: This means that Brutus is troubled by conflicting emotions and thoughts, which are causing him inner turmoil.
(v) What, do you think, is the motive of Cassius in professing friendship to Brutus ? What type of a person is Cassis ?
Answer: Cassius’s motive in professing friendship to Brutus is likely manipulative; he seeks to win Brutus over to his side in opposing Caesar. Cassius appears to be cunning, persuasive, and ambitious, using his influence to sway others to his cause.
4. Brutus
What means this shouting? I do fear, the people
Choose Caesar for their king.
Cassius
Ay, do you fear it?
Then must I think you would not have it so.
Brutus
I would not, Cassius; yet I love him well.
(i) Where are Brutus and Cassius at this time? Why have they come together? Who are shouting?
Answer: Brutus and Cassius are in a public place in Rome. They have come together after Caesar’s public appearance to discuss their concerns about Caesar’s growing power. The shouting comes from the crowd, reacting to events involving Caesar, specifically the offering of the crown to him by Mark Antony.
(ii) What reason does Brutus give here for the “shouting”? What was the real reason?
Answer: Brutus fears that the shouting indicates the people have chosen Caesar to be their king. The real reason for the shouting was that Caesar was offered a crown by Mark Antony, which he refused, causing the crowd to cheer.
(iii) Why was Brutus afraid that Caesar might become king? Why did he not want Caesar to become king?
Answer: Brutus was afraid that Caesar might become king because he believed that Rome should remain a republic, where no one man held absolute power. He did not want Caesar to become king because he feared that Caesar’s rule would lead to tyranny and the loss of freedom for the Roman people.
(iv) When Brutus says, “I would not Cassius; yet I love him well” he is undergoing a conflict of two emotions. What are they?
Answer: Brutus is experiencing a conflict between his love and loyalty to Caesar as a friend and his fear and sense of duty to Rome. He loves Caesar personally but fears that Caesar’s rise to power would harm the republic.
(v) How did Cassius finally convince Brutus that Caesar should be killed ?
Answer: Cassius convinces Brutus that Caesar should be killed by appealing to Brutus’s sense of honor and love for Rome. He suggests that Caesar’s ambition will lead to tyranny and that it is their duty to prevent this for the good of the republic. Cassius also flatters Brutus by pointing out that many Romans respect and admire him and would prefer him over Caesar. Finally, Cassius manipulates Brutus by planting fake letters from citizens, expressing fear of Caesar’s rule, to convince Brutus that his actions would be supported by the people.
5. Cassius
I, as Aeneas, our great ancestor,
Did from the flames of Troy upon his shoulder
The old Anchises bear, so from the waves of Tiber
Did I the tired Caesar. And this man
Is now become a god, and Cassius is
A wretched creature, and must bend his body,
If Caesar carelessly but nod on him.
(i) Who was Aeneas? Which legendary incident connected with Aeneas is referred to in the extract?
Answer: Aeneas was a Trojan hero, the son of Anchises and Venus, and a significant figure in Roman mythology, believed to be an ancestor of the Romans. The legendary incident referred to in the extract is when Aeneas carried his father, Anchises, on his shoulders while fleeing the burning city of Troy
(ii) Why does Cassius compare himself to Aeneas?
Answer: Cassius compares himself to Aeneas to emphasize his own strength and loyalty. Just as Aeneas saved his father, Anchises, from the burning Troy, Cassius saved the exhausted Caesar from drowning in the Tiber River. Cassius uses this comparison to highlight his superiority and the irony that, despite saving Caesar, he is now considered inferior to him.
(iii) Who is “this man”? What grudge does Cassius harbour against “this man”?
Answer: “This man” refers to Julius Caesar. Cassius harbors a grudge against Caesar because, despite Cassius’s past acts of bravery and his perceived equality with Caesar, he feels that Caesar is now treated as a god while he himself is reduced to a subservient position.
(iv) Just before the extract Cassius states that he is equal to Caesar in three aspects. What are these three aspects?
Answer: Cassius states that he is equal to Caesar in terms of birth (both were born free), in terms of strength and endurance (both could withstand the cold of winter), and in terms of courage (as they both took on challenges like swimming across the Tiber River).
(v) In his speech, Cassius refers to an incident in which he was much superior to Caesar. Narrate the incident. What conclusion did Cassius draw about Caesar from that incident?
Answer: Cassius narrates an incident where he and Caesar decided to swim across the Tiber River. Although Caesar initially challenged Cassius, it was Cassius who had to save Caesar from drowning when he grew tired and called for help. From this incident, Cassius concludes that Caesar is not as strong or godlike as people believe, and he resents the fact that someone so physically weak is revered as a god by the Romans.
6. Cassius
When went there by an age, since the great flood,
But it was fam’d with more than with one man?
When could they say, till now, that talk’d of Rome,
That her wide walls encompass’d but one man?
Now is it Rome indeed, and room enough,
When there is in it but one only man.
O, you and I have heard our fathers say,
There was a Brutus once that would have brook’d
Th’ eternal devil to keep his state in Rome
As easily as a king.
(i) What is referred to as “the great flood”? Why is this expression used in the text?
Answer: “The great flood” refers to the biblical flood from the story of Noah’s Ark, which is often used in literature to signify a time long past. In the text, this expression is used by Cassius to emphasize the historical significance of Rome and to suggest that throughout its long history, Rome has always been famous for having more than one great man, unlike the present time, which seems to be dominated by a single figure, Julius Caesar.
(ii) Who is referred to as “one only man”? Why is he so referred to?
Answer: The “one only man” referred to in the text is Julius Caesar. He is called this because, in Cassius’s view, Caesar has become so powerful that he overshadows all others in Rome. The city, once full of great men, now seems to revolve around Caesar alone, reducing the stature and influence of everyone else.
(iii) What arguments does Cassius give (just before the extract) to show Caesar is not superior to Brutus?
Answer: Before the extract, Cassius argues that Caesar is not inherently superior to Brutus by pointing out that they are both men of equal stature and capability. He recounts an incident where he saved Caesar from drowning in the Tiber River, highlighting Caesar’s vulnerability and physical weakness. He also mentions how Caesar, during a fever in Spain, displayed weakness by shaking and crying out for water, which contradicts the godlike status he now holds. Cassius’s argument is that Caesar is no more a god than any other man and does not deserve to be elevated above Brutus or anyone else.
(iv) “There was a Brutus.” Who was this Brutus? What would have he done in Rome?
Answer: The Brutus mentioned in the text refers to Lucius Junius Brutus, the founder of the Roman Republic and an ancestor of Marcus Brutus, who is speaking in the play. This Brutus is celebrated for his role in overthrowing the last Roman king, Tarquin the Proud, and establishing the republic. Cassius implies that the elder Brutus would have tolerated the eternal devil ruling in Rome as easily as a king, suggesting that he would have fought against any form of tyranny, including Caesar’s rise to power.
(v) With reference to one incident, state how Cassius was a shrewd manipulator.
Answer: Cassius demonstrates his shrewdness as a manipulator when he decides to plant forged letters in places where Brutus will find them. These letters, supposedly from concerned Roman citizens, express fear of Caesar’s ambition and admiration for Brutus. By doing this, Cassius aims to play on Brutus’s sense of honor and duty, convincing him that the people of Rome want him to take action against Caesar. This manipulation is a calculated move to enlist Brutus in the conspiracy against Caesar, knowing that Brutus’s involvement will lend legitimacy to the cause.
7. Caesar
He reads much;
He is a great observer, and he looks
Quite through the deeds of men; he loves no plays,
As thou dost, Antony; he hears no music:
Seldom he smiles, and smiles in such a sort
As if he mock’d himself, and scorn’d his spirit
That could be movid to smile at any thing.
Such men as he be never at heart’s ease
Whiles they behold a greater than themselves…
(i) Of whom is Caesar speaking? Which two traits of the man is he talking about?
Answer: Caesar is speaking about Cassius. The two traits he mentions are Cassius’s keen observation and his deep thinking, which makes him dangerous. Caesar notes that Cassius “reads much,” “is a great observer,” and “thinks too much.”
(ii) Do the earlier episodes in the play suggest that Caesar has judged this person’s character accurately? Explain briefly.
Answer: Yes, the earlier episodes suggest that Caesar has judged Cassius’s character accurately. Cassius is portrayed as a manipulative and cunning individual who is dissatisfied with Caesar’s rise to power. His dialogue with Brutus in Act 1, Scene 2, shows his intent to conspire against Caesar, which aligns with Caesar’s assessment that Cassius is dangerous because he is never at ease when someone is greater than himself.
(iii) Immediately before this speech, what type of man has Caesar said he prefers? How is the man referred in this extract different from that?
Answer: Before this speech, Caesar mentions that he prefers men who are “fat,” “sleek-headed,” and sleep well at night—men who are content and not ambitious. The man referred to in this extract, Cassius, is the opposite: he is lean, has a “hungry look,” and is not content, as he is constantly thinking and observing, making him a threat in Caesar’s eyes.
(iv) What personal physical weakness is revealed by Caesar in the remaining part of this speech? What contrast is created by this revelation with the last two lines of the extract?
Answer: Caesar reveals that he is deaf in one ear when he asks Antony to come to his right side to speak to him. This physical weakness contrasts with the last two lines of the extract, where Caesar asserts his fearlessness, stating, “for always I am Caesar.” Despite his vulnerability, Caesar tries to maintain an image of strength and invulnerability, which is undercut by his admission of a physical flaw.
Extras
Multiple Choice Questions
1. What does Brutus accuse Cassius of in their argument?
A. Not being a true friend
B. Having an itching palm
C. Being a coward
D. Conspiring with Caesar
Answer: B. Having an itching palm
15. What does the storm in Act 1, Scene 3 symbolize?
A. The wrath of the gods
B. The chaos in Rome
C. Caesar’s imminent death
D. The power struggle in the Senate
Answer: B. The chaos in Rome
Questions and Answers
1.Soothsayer Beware the ides of March.
Caesar What man is that?
Brutus A soothsayer bids you beware the ides of March.
i. What is meant by “the ides of March”?
Answer: The “ides of March” refers to March 15th in the Roman calendar, a day that was ominous for Caesar because it was foretold as the day of his assassination.
ii. How does Caesar respond to the soothsayer’s warning?
Answer: Caesar dismisses the soothsayer as a dreamer, ignoring the warning about the ides of March, which reveals his arrogance and sense of invincibility.
iii. What role does the soothsayer play in the unfolding events?
Answer: The soothsayer’s warning is an ominous foreshadowing of Caesar’s fate, signaling the impending danger that Caesar ultimately disregards, leading to his downfall.
iv. Give the meaning of “Beware the ides of March.”
Answer: This phrase is a cautionary statement urging Caesar to be cautious on March 15th, as it would be a dangerous day for him.
v. What thematic significance does this warning have in the play?
Answer: The warning introduces the theme of fate versus free will, where Caesar’s choice to ignore the omen reflects his belief in his control over his destiny, ultimately leading to his tragic end.
10.Caesar He is a great observer, and he looks
Quite through the deeds of men;
Antony Fear him not, Caesar;
Cassius For we will shake him, or worse days endure.
i. Who is Caesar describing in this passage?
Answer: Caesar is describing Cassius, noting his keen observational skills and his tendency to scrutinize the actions of others.
ii. What does Caesar’s observation suggest about his view of Cassius?
Answer: Caesar’s observation suggests that he views Cassius as intelligent and potentially dangerous, as such a man could pose a threat to his authority.
iii. How does Antony try to reassure Caesar?
Answer: Antony tries to reassure Caesar by downplaying the threat Cassius poses, implying that Cassius is loyal and not dangerous, which contrasts with Caesar’s own instincts.
iv. What does this passage reveal about the political tension in Rome?
Answer: This passage reveals the underlying political tension and mistrust in Rome, as even Caesar, despite his power, feels threatened by those who are too perceptive and ambitious.
v. How does this moment contribute to the theme of power and paranoia?
Answer: This moment contributes to the theme of power and paranoia by highlighting Caesar’s unease about those who might challenge his authority, foreshadowing the betrayal and conflict that will arise from this mistrust.
Ron’e Dutta is a journalist, teacher, aspiring novelist, and blogger who manages Online Free Notes. An avid reader of Victorian literature, his favourite book is Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë. He dreams of travelling the world. You can connect with him on social media. He does personal writing on ronism.
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