Julius Caesar exam review – Flashcards

Cobbler Pun used by shakespeare The first pun is a play on the words sole/soul. The workman indicating that his job entails fixing the soles of the shoes. He also jabs the tribune by pointing to Marullus' poor humor and that the cobbler might need to fix the tribune's bad soul.

Antony This was the noblest Roman of them all. All the rest of the conspirators acted out of jealousy of great Caesar. Only he acted from honesty and for the general good. His life was gentle, and the elements mixed so well in him that Nature might stand up and say to all the world, "This was a man." The noblest Roman of them all, according to Marc Antony, was Brutus—one of Caesar's assassins, and now a corpse at Antony's feet. The note of regret here is ironic, to say the least, because Antony raised the army which has destroyed Brutus. Yet Antony now comes to praise Brutus, not to bury him. Of all the conspirators, only Brutus thought of the "common good," and had honest intentions toward the general populace. The rest merely envied Caesar's greatness; Brutus thought it a real threat to the Republic.

Caesar Cassius appears a little underfed these days. His "lean and hungry look" unsettles Julius Caesar, who prefers the company of fat, contented men—who wouldn't bite the hand that feeds them. Cassius looks like he's been up late nursing his envy, a situation that bodes ill for the dictator. Caesar's intuition is accurate: Cassius will spearhead the plot to assassinate him Marcus Antonius tries to soothe Caesar: "Fear him not, Caesar, he's not dangerous,/ He is a noble Roman, and well given." Ironically, the superstitious Caesar, who sees through Cassius's noble exterior, will die, while the deluded Antony will survive to avenge him, and later to take power. Caesar astutely characterizes Cassius. He is aware of the threat he poses. Cassius' description ironically fits Marc Antony as well, for after Caesar's death, Antony shows himself to be "lean and hungry."

Murellus You blockheads, you unfeeling men! You hard hearts, you cruel men of Rome, didn't you know POMPEY Caesar has just conquered the sons of his deceased enemy Pompey. He as won in a civil war, not a foreign conquest. Pompey? Marullus is criticizing Romans for celebrating Caesar and not moaning for Pompey

Cassius I know where I'll wear this dagger, then. I'll kill myself to save myself from slavery Cassius has already proposed his plan of conspiracy, yet here he brings up the fact that he could take his own life and be free no matter what else happened. This is eerie given his death later in the play. It seems Cassius has a prophetic sense of how the entire matter will end for him and takes the opportunity to tell us that he accepts that fate nobly.

soothsayer The "ides" of March is the fifteenth; which day of the month the ides is depends on a complicated system of calculation Caesar himself established when he instituted the Julian calendar, a precursor of our own. The ides of January, for example, is the thirteenth; the ides of March, May, July and October is the fifteenth. The importance of the ides of March for Caesar is that it is the day he will be assassinated by a group of conspirators, including Brutus and Cassius. Despite numerous and improbable portents—the soothsayer's warning, some fearsome thundering, his wife's dreams of his murder, and so on—Caesar ventures forth on the ides to meet his doom.

Cassius to brutus I was born as free as Caesar. So were you. We both have eaten as well, and we can both endure the cold winter as well as he. They are just as capable as Caesar

Antony Be patient, gentle friends, I must not read it. It isn't proper for you to know how much Caesar loved you. You aren't wood, you aren't stones—you're men. And, being men, the contents of Caesar's will would enrage you. It's better that you don't know you're his heirs, for if you knew, just imagine what would come of it! This is the point at which Antony begins using some really questionable methods of rhetoric (the art of persuasion). It's obvious to the reader that Antony wants a disastrous outcome, and he's inviting it by playing on the public's own willingness to be taunted and deceived by this game of peek-a-boo with a dead man's will. For shame.

Caesar to antony Cassius would be the first man I'd avoid. He reads a lot, he's a keen observer, and he sees the hidden motives in what men do. He doesn't like plays the way you do, Antony caesar doesn't fear him .

cassius to brutus No, Caesar doesn't have epilepsy. You and I, and honest Casca, we have epilepsy—we've fallen. Cassius is referring to epilepsy and justifying the actions of the conspirators on the basis they couldn't help themselves..... he is being sarcastic. Caesar literally has "the falling sickness" (epilepsy). Cassius (who says the line that you've quoted) and Brutus and Casca (to whom Cassius is speaking) do not have epilepsy. They do not suffer convulsions that cause them to lose control of their bodies and fall to the ground. But Cassius is saying that all three of them are failing to stand in the way of Caesar's ambitions to become emperor. He says that they are metaphorically collapsing on the ground by not doing enough to limit Caesar's power.

Brutus to cause cassius Our action will seem too bloody if we cut off Caesar's head and then hack at his arms and legs too, Caius Cassius—because Mark Antony is merely one of Caesar's arms. It'll look like we killed Caesar out of anger and Mark Antony out of envy. Let's be sacrificers but not butchers, Caius. if they kill to many people it will seem like they are envious for the power and that they are not doing it for the people of Rome; also Mark Antony is not threatening unless Caesar is alive so they wont kill him

Brutus Antony sends a servant to judge the scene — better the servant should be at risk than his master — revealing Antony as a consummate survivor. This is not to say that he does not truly grieve Caesar's death. His feelings are clear when he views the corpse and sees the murderers, their arms bathed in Caesar's blood. Yet, he is able to cover his feelings, not only so that he can place himself in a position to avenge Caesar's death, but also so that he can find his own position of power. In contrast to the conspirators — even the sharpest of them, Cassius — Antony is strong and politically knowledgeable. Gone are the images of him as womanizer and drunkard. He's taken charge at the moment of greatest danger and he does so by manipulating Brutus' innocence. Speaking of Antony, Brutus says, "I know that we shall have him well to friend," but he is wrong — Antony has a plan to persuade the general public to his side at the funeral oration and turn them against the conspirators. Further, while the conspirators weren't very good at keeping their plans to themselves, Antony has been successful. He knows that his ally, Octavius, is on the outskirts of Rome. A military strategy is already afoot. What it is, Antony doesn't divulge, but because Antony tries to dissuade Octavius from entering Rome, the reader may wonder whether Antony does this in order to avoid sharing power. Without that proof, this would've been a savage action! Our reasons are so well considered that even if you, Antony, were Caesar's son, you would be satisfied with them.

Brutus to cassius Please. I'll go onto the platform first, And explain our Caesar's death. Whatever Antony shall speak, I'll formerly declare That he speaks with our permission And that we are happy that Caesar shall Have all true rights and lawful ceremonies. It'll be to our advantage more than doing us harm. (speaking so that only CASSIUS can hear) With your permission, I'll stand on the platform first and explain the reason for Caesar's death. What Antony says, I'll announce, he says only by our permission and by our conviction that Caesar should be honored with all the usual and lawful ceremonies. It'll help us more than hurt us.

Antony Antony is in great quandary after the cold-blooded assassination of Julius Caesar. Those who have killed Julius Caesar can also eliminate him from the scene, a fact well-known to Antony. However, he wishes to avenge Caesar's death. Therefore, when he is invited by Marcus Brutus for a discussion, he is cautious and on his guard. He first wails and laments the death of Caesar and then asks if he was the next one to bleed to death. He also requests the two to "fulfill their pleasure" when their hands were reeking with the blood of Caesar. Not even in thousand years will he get a better time to be killed than by the same daggers, the same people, the same hour and the same manner as was Caesar. Brutus, however, requests Antony to see thair hearts full of brotherly love and not their hands full of blood. He further adds that for Antony, their swords had "leaden points". Cassius also adds that when the new republic will be formed, Antony's voice will be given same consideration as any man in deciding the new posts of honour. Antony senses a chance, and requests the conspirators to place their hands in his hand as a new found friendship. It is here that he remarks that his "credit" now stands on such slippery ground. Credit means reputation.According to Antony, it will be very difficult for him to explain the reason for his joining hands with the murderers of Julius Caesar and adds that he will either be called a flatterer or a coward, both will actually ruin and tarnish his image and reputation. But in reality ,it gives him an outside chance to save his life and to wait for the most opportune moment to give the conspirators and murderers of Julius Caesar a taste of their own medicine. "My reputation now is on a slippery ground, because you will judge me in two bad ways, either a coward--who joins the side of his enemy, or a flatterer--that I'm just pretending to be on your side." The "slippery ground" also means that the floor he's standing on is covered with blood, which makes it so slippery. Now that I've shaken your hands, you'll take me for either a coward or a flatterer—in either case, my credibility stands on slippery ground.

Brutus I'd rather be a poor villager than call myself a citizen of Rome under the hard conditions that this time is likely to put us through. He would rather call himself a poor villager than a citizen of Rome if Rome is indeed headed toward monarchy.

Antony Now, let it work. Trouble, you have begun—take whatever course you choose! So said Mark Antony after successfully rousing the rabble against Brutus and Cassius in Shakespeare's JULIUS CAESAR. Antony's speech, in which he incited a riot against his enemies, all the while protesting that they were "honorable men," is a masterpiece of wicked and sly demaogogery. Its sheer disengenousness is grimly hilarious; Antony clearly wants the men who assassinated Casear to run afoul of a hateful mob, to be lynched, tortured, drawn and quartered, or worse... but he keeps insisting that he has nothing against Caesar's killers, all the while stirring up resentment against them through masterfully underhanded rhetoric.

Caesar And you too, Brutus? In that case, die, Caesar. It is a Latin phrase meaning "and you, Brutus?" or "and you, too, Brutus?" In this phrase, these are not the words, but their background, which is important. Marcus Brutus had been one of the closest friends of Caesar. Caesar could least expect him joining hands with the people plotting his assassination. It is widely believed that when Caesar saw him among the assassins, he resigned himself to his fate. This phrase has come down a long way in history as an expression to mean the ultimate betrayal by one's closest friend; that means getting hit where you least expect it.

Brutus to conspirators Kneel, Romans, kneel, and let's wash our hands, up to the elbows, in Caesar's blood and smear it on our swords. Then we'll go out, even to the marketplace, and, waving our bloody swords over our heads, let's cry, "Peace, freedom, and liberty!" After the conspirators stab Caesar to death, they decide it would be a good idea to wash their hands in his blood, then run through the marketplace announcing that they have liberated Rome from bondage. Good thinking - now everyone will know that Rome is safe from danger...right?

Brutus Remember March, March 15th. Didn't great Caesar bleed for the sake of justice? Who among us stabbed him for any cause but justice? What—did one of us strike down the most powerful man in the world in order to support robbers? Should we now dirty our fingers with lowly bribes and sell the mighty offices that we hold for whatever money we can get our hands on? I'd rather be a dog and howl at the moon than be that kind of Roman. Brutus isn't politicking here. They've obviously fled the country, so it doesn't matter so much what the Romans think. Instead, this bribery is a question of personal honor. For Brutus, his honor is at stake more than anything else, especially given that he's resigned himself to some sad fate after murdering his friend.

Caesar Cowards die many times before their deaths. The brave experience death only once a comparison between someone who is a coward (that is, someone who is afraid to face the challenges of life, such as dealing with difficult situations, taking risks, and fighting for what he or she believe in) and someone who is valiant (that is, someone who is brave in facing the challenges of life, is never afraid to face difficult or risky situations, and will always fight for what he or she believes in). When you look at just the first part of the quotation, "Cowards die many times before their deaths," try to think of how someone can actually "die many times" before they actually die. Right away, you realize that Shakespeare is using death as a metaphor (because a person can't physically die multiple times in a single lifetime). Here, he uses the metaphor of death to convey how a person feels inside when he or she runs away from a challenge. That person "dies" a little inside each time he or she chickens out, meaning that he or she loses a little strength of character each time he or she refuses to face a challenge of life. Now take the second part of the quotation, "The valiant never taste of death but once." Shakespeare is saying that a valiant person dies only once, which probably means when he or she actually physically dies. So, Shakespeare isn't using death as a metaphor in this part of the quotation. He is saying that a person who is not afraid to face the challenges of life doesn't "die" inside like the coward does. This person can hold their head up high and be proud that he or she faced that difficult situation or fought for what he or she believed in. So, when this brave and valiant person physically dies, this is the only time he or she will know death because he or she has never been afraid to face the challenges of life.

Cassius Men can be masters of their fate. It is not destiny's fault, but our own faults, that we're slaves. In literal sense, the phrase means that it is not fate, but weakness of the character that forces a person to act against his will. Figuratively, it puts fate and one's character or position side by side, stressing on the second as a dominant force. However, it dismisses the presence of some divine elements often deemed active in controlling human existence. For some critics, nevertheless, it is present in the word "underlings" means there is something above in the heaven, which plays its role in shaping the circumstances, though it might not be in the 'stars' that is 'preordained fate.' That's what Cassius says to Brutus as the two contemplate removing Caesar from power. Although Cassius claims that men are "masters of their fates" as a way to motivate the conspirators to action against Caesar, there's a lot of evidence to suggest he's wrong. The play is full of omens and prophesies that come true, which undermines the sense that characters can exercise free will and shape the outcomes of their lives. We should also keep in mind that Julius Caesar dramatizes historical events that have, by definition, already happened. As characters struggle with questions of fate vs. free will, the audience already knows what their futures hold. This tends to create a lot of dramatic irony.

Brutus to cassius Cassius, calm down. We know each other well, and you can speak your grievances quietly. Let's not argue here in front of both our armies, which ought to see nothing but love between us. Order them to move back. Brutus knows how dangerous it is for him to argue with Cassius on what amounts to a public "stage." Because he knows the troops are watching closely, he urges Cassius into the tent, where these two generals can hash out their differences in private. -we shouldnt argue outside in front of our soldiers -brutus wise. presents a unified front to men. bad for their moral