Julius Caesar: Act V Reading and Study Guide
I. VOCABULARY: Be able to define the following words and understand them when they appear in
the play.
battles ______________________________
Armies
exigent ______________________________________________________________________
Critical moment
presage ______________________________________________________________________
Foretell
consorted ____________________________________________________________________
Accompanied, went with
apt _________________________________________________________________________
Credulous; easily impressed
several ______________________________________________________________________
Separate (not together)
smatch ______________________________________________________________________
Trace; taste (small amount)
Seemingly indifferent to or unaffected by emotions or pain. Ruled by reason, not
stoic_________________________________________________________________________
emotions.
Brutus is stoic because he uses reason to
Which character can be considered stoic? Why? _____________________________________________
justify killing his friend; he does not show emotion after finding out Portia died; he
____________________________________________________________________________________
runs into the sword to kill himself.
II. QUESTIONS: answer the following questions.
Scene 1:
1. About what do Octavius and Antony argue? (947, 16-18)
They argue about which side of the field they will fight on.
2. What is significant about this day for Cassius?
It is his birthday.
3. What are two things Brutus says he will never do, even if he loses the war? (952, 100-7, 110-1)
He will not kill himself or let himself be taken prisoner.
Scene 2:
4. How does Brutus feel about the battle at this point? 953
He feels like his army could win. Octavius’ army doesn’t look motivated.
Scene 3:
5. Who wins the first battle? 953
Antony and Brutus win a battle.
6. What does Cassius send Titinius to do?
He sends him to see whose army is in their camp.
7. Why does Cassius decide to kill himself? (954, 34-35)
He feels guilty and that he will lose the battle.
8. How does Cassius’s death help Pindarus?
Pindarus becomes free.
9. What mistake caused Cassius’s death?
Titinius is free, not captured as Cassius thought.
10. What does Titinius do when Messala goes to inform Brutus of Cassius’s death? (956, 90)
He kills himself.
Scene 4:
11. What happens to Cato?
He dies in battle.
12. Who does Lucilius pretend to be?
Brutus
13. What happens to Lucilius?
He is kept safe because Antony would rather have him as an ally than an enemy.
Scene 5:
14. What does Brutus ask Clitus, Dardanius, and Volumnius to do?
He asks them to kill him.
15. How does Brutus die?
Strato holds his sword and Brutus falls on it.
16. According to Marc Antony, why is Brutus better than the other conspirators?
He killed Caesar because he loved Rome. The others were simply jealous of Caesar.
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