JULIUS CAESAR

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

Answer the following questions briefly.

(a) How do the heavens forth’ the death of Julius Caesar?

Answer:lt was believed that when kings or princes die, a bright star shoots in the sky and falls
down. It leaves a blazing light behind it. So, when Caesar was murdered, a star blazed forth in
the sky.

(b) What does Calpurnia try to convince Caesar of?

Answer:Calpurnia tries to convince Caesar that what she has seen in her dream means a
danger to his life. So, he must not go to the senate-house. He must not leave home. Caesar
doesn’t listen to her words and gets murdered.
(C) Why does Calpurnia say ‘Caesar's wisdom is consumed in confidence’? What does she
mean?
Answer:She says this because she is afraid of something happening to Caesar if he goes out.
What she means is that he is overconfident because of his wisdom, but the ill omens mean that
something bad will happen today.

(d) What does Calpurnia dream about Caesar? How does Decius Brutus interpret the dream?
Answer: Calpurnia dreamt that the statue had a hundred spouts and pure blood ran from them.
Many strong Romans came smiling. They bathed their hands into it. She meant this as an
ill-omen. So she asked Caesar not to go to the senate-house that day.

But Decius Brutus interpreted the dream saying that the Romans bathing their hands in his
blood meant that Caesar’s blood was the ‘spirit of influence’. It should be treated as a great
thing. It shall serve as colours added to a coat of arms, an object of reverence, mementos and a
badge of service.

(e) What are the arguments put forward by Decius Brutus to convince Caesar to go to the
Capitol?
Answer: First, Decius Brutus convinces Caesar that the dream is a good omen. Secondly, he
said that the senators wanted to crown him. If he does not go to the senate today, the senators'
minds may change and they may not offer him the crown later on.

(f) Why is Decius more successful than Calpurnia in persuading Caesar?

Answer:Decius Brutus appeals to Caesar’s vanity (pride) by telling him that the senators want
to crown him, whereas Calpurnia only talks about her dream, which was ominous. It appears
that Caesar is not very superstitious and his pride overcomes any doubts that he had.

(g) What is the petition put before Caesar by the conspirators? How does Caesar respond to it?
Answer: The conspirators put a petition before Caesar to repeal the banishment of Metellus
Cimber’s brother, who had been banished by Caesar on valid grounds. Caesar responds to it by
refusing to do so because this will undermine his authority and also make laws made earlier
meaningless.

(h) Who says ‘Et tu Brute When are these words spoken? Why?
Answer: The words ‘Et tu Brute’ are spoken by Caesar just before dying in the hands of the
conspirators when Brutus stabs Caesar. Caesar speaks these words as Caesar has not
expected such a backstabbing act from him as Brutus was his trusted friend.

(i) In the moments following Caesar’s death, what do the conspirators proclaim to justify
Caesar's death?
Answer: In the moments following Caesar’s death the conspirators proclaim that tyranny is over
with his killing. Now the people will have liberty, freedom and enfranchisement because Caesar
is not alive anymore.
(j) Seeing the body of Caesar, Antony is overcome by grief. What does he say about Caesar?
Answer: He praises Caesar: his conquests, glories, triumphs and spoils. He calls him ‘mighty’
and wonders how ‘low’ he lies in his death. He pays him a warm homage by calling him a
‘bleeding piece of Earth’ and ‘the ruins of the noblest man’. He also calls him ‘the choice and
master spirits of this age’ that ever lived.

(k) Whom does Antony call “the choice and master spirits of this age”. Why?
Answer: Antony calls Caesar as ‘the choice and master spirits Of this age’ because no human
being matched him in any way. He was simply unparalleled in every human aspect.

(l) How do Brutus and Cassius respond to Antony’s speech?

Answer:Brutus and Cassius respond to the speech of Antony in different ways. Cassius feels
that Antony's words will affect the audience so that it goes against them. At this Brutus says that
he will address the public first, giving the reasons for Caesar’s assassination. He (Antony) will
speak later on only with their permission.

(m) Why does Cassius object to allowing Antony to speak at Caesar's funeral? How does Brutus
overcome this objection?
Answer: Cassius does not think it proper that Antony should speak at Caesar's funeral because
his words may change the mood of the audience. But Brutus says that Antony will be allowed to
speak only with their permission. He even adds that Antony shouldn't speak anything against
the senators, and treat them as honourable men.

(n) What are the conditions imposed by the conspirators before allowing Antony to speak at
Caesar's funeral?
Answer: The conspirators laid down the following conditions on Antony’s speaking at Caesar's
funeral:
(i) He will speak only after Brutus has finished speaking.
(ii) He will not blame the conspirators for killing Caesar.
(iii) He can speak whatever good he wants of Caesar, but must mention that he is speaking this
with the permission of all of them.

(o) When he is left alone with the body of Caesar what does Antony call Brutus and the others?
Answer:He calls them butchers and curses them.

(p) What prediction does Antony make regarding the future events in Rome?
Answer:Antony predicts that the whole Of their country will witness a civil war, which will be
bloody and destructive. “Foul be so
common that all feelings of compassion will vanish from the hearts of man. The ghost of Caesar
shall roam about to take revenge and
punish his enemies. The Earth is polluted by the evil smell of rotting bodies.”

(q) What reasons does Brutus give for murdering Caesar?

Answer: Brutus gives various reasons for murdering Caesar. First of all, he says that Caesar
was ambitious. He would have become a dictator if he had lived. He loved Caesar, no doubt, but
he loved Rome more. So, Brutus states that they killed Caesar more for the sake of Rome and
not for any personal reasons.

(r) Who says, “Let him be Caesar”? What light does this throw on the speaker?
Answer: The third citizen, who signifies the common citizen of Rome, speaks the above words
while Brutus has finished his speech justifying the reasons for Caesar's death. Brutus too has
proclaimed that the people can slay him if he becomes ambitious like Caesar. This shows that
the citizens were fully satisfied with the reasons given by Brutus and there was all praise for
Brutus. They praise Brutus and show their sympathy for the assassination.

(s) Why is Antony’s speech more effective?

Answer:Antony's speech is more effective because he appeals to the basic sentiments of the
common people. i.e. the mob. He very cleverly directs his speech towards Caesar's greatness
as a human being. He, in that way, arouses their basic instinct of revenge against the
conspirators. He does so by stating from Caesar's will that Caesar has left everything to them,
the common people of Rome.

(t) At the end of the scene, what is the fate of Brutus and Cassius?
Answer: By his skillful oratory Antony has aroused the anger and hatred of the mob against
Brutus, Cassius and the other conspirators. The mob plans to torch(burn) their houses with the
burning sticks of wood from Caesar's funeral pyre. Pursued by such a hostile, furious and
bloodthirsty mob, Brutus and Cassius have no option but to run away from Rome to save their
lives.