ENGLISH LITERATURE
STD 8
JULIUS CAESAR
ACT 3 SCENE 1
Reference 1
Soothsayer: Ay, Caesar; but not gone.
Artemidorus: Hail, Caesar! Read this schedule.
a. Where do Artemidorus and the Soothsayer await Caesar? With whom does
Caesar enter?
Ans: Artemidorus and the Soothsayer await Caesar in the street leading to the Capitol.
Caesar enters with Brutus, Cassius, Casca, Decius, Metellus, Trebonius, Cinna,
Antony, Lepidus, Popilus and Publius and other senators.
b. What does the soothsayer imply by saying „but not gone‟?
Ans: The soothsayer implies that the Ides of March have indeed come, but it hasn‟t
yet passed, that is the day has not yet concluded.
c. In scene one, there is still a chance that the conspiracy might be
foiled. Explain why Artemidorus fails to get Caesar to read his warning.
Ans: Artemidorus approaches with his letter, saying that its contents are a matter of
closest concern for Caesar. Caesar responds, “What touches us our self shall be last
served”—that is, his personal concerns are his last priority. Artemidorus tells him to
read it instantly, but Caesar dismisses him as crazy.
Reference 2
Casca: “Speak, hands, for me!”
a. i) Who was the first to stab Caesar? What were Caesar‟s famous last words?
Ans: Casca was the first to stab Caesar. His famous last words were “Et tu Brute?
Then fall, Caesar!”
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ii) Describe the event that has led to Caesar‟s disbelief and horror?
Ans: Caesar has been struck by the conspirators, and to his disbelief, Brutus has also
been a part of this act. Caesar is shocked as he is unable to comprehend why Brutus,
who he loved and trusted so much, would do something like this. Caesar then admits
that if that is the will of the people, then he should fall or die.
b. What is the immediate reaction of the assassins after completion of the
cruel act?
Ans: Cinna, Cassius and Brutus are pleased and urge everyone to not be afraid, rather,
to go to the market place and announce to all that finally there has come peace, liberty
and freedom from cruelty.
c. Which senator was quite confounded with this mutiny? How did Brutus
assure him and other Romans?
Ans: Publius was quite confounded with this mutiny. Brutus assures Publius and
other senators that there is no need to fear, as no harm will be intended to him or any
of them. He asks Publius to leave them; for fear that the people will attack them, doing
some mischief to his old body.
d. Who has fled to his house and why is he amazed?
Ans: Antony has fled to his house as he is shocked by the news of Caesar‟s
assassination.
e. What conversation do Casca and Brutus have about death? Why do they
think they have done Caesar a favour by killing him?
Ans: After killing Caesar, the assassins justify their reason in doing so. Casca thinks
that by cutting off twenty years of a person‟s life, one cuts off twenty years of fearing
death. In reply, Brutus agrees and says that hence, death is a benefit, as it were in
Caesar‟s case. He therefore reiterates that they are indeed Caesar‟s friends and urges
them all to bend over Caesar‟s body and wash their hands in his blood and walk to the
market place spreading the message of peace and liberty.
f. Who enters the scene? What qualities of Brutus and Caesar does he
highlight?
Ans: Mark Antony‟s servant enters the scene. The servant (on behalf of Antony)
describes Brutus as a noble, wise, valiant and an honest man. He says that Caesar was
mighty, bold, royal and loving. The servant also tells Brutus that his master loves and
honours Brutus; and he feared, loved and honoured him.
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g. What assurance does Antony need from Brutus?
Ans: Antony wants a guarantee from Brutus that no harm will come to him; also an
explicit justification on why Caesar had to die.
h. Why does Antony request to be killed immediately by the conspirators?
Ans: Antony tells the conspirators that if they feel that he is next to be killed after
Caesar, then there is no other hour fit than Caesar‟s time of death, nor any instrument
half as worthy than the one used to kill Caesar. Antony says that even if he were to
live for a thousand years, he would be as eager to die, at that very time and that place
itself.
Reference 3
Brutus: “O Antony, beg not your death of us.
………You see we do,”
a. How did Brutus try to convince Antony that they were not as bloody as they
seemed? What explanation does he give? What assurance does Brutus give
him at this point?
Ans: Brutus tries to convince Antony by asking him not to judge them by the act
committed by them (bloody hands), but by looking into their hearts, which were full
of pity for the general wrong done to Rome. He also explains to him that as fire drives
out fire, so also pity drives out pity, and hence they had done this deed on Caesar.
Brutus assures Antony that for him, their swords have leaden points (no intention of
any harm to Antony) and have only brotherly love for him.
b. How does Cassius appeal to the ambition of Antony?
Ans: Cassius appeals to Antony‟s growing ambition by saying that his voice (opinion)
will be given as much importance as anyone else‟s in deputing new dignities
(honourable offices)
c. Why did Brutus tell Antony to be patient till they had appeas‟d the crowd?
Ans: Brutus tells Antony to be patient, as the crowd is beside themselves with fear by
the death of Caesar; after which Antony will be given an explanation as to why Brutus
who loved Caesar the most, struck him and committed the deed.
Reference 4
Antony: “I doubt not of your wisdom.
Let each man render me his bloody hand.”
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a. Critically analyse the action made by the speaker while speaking the above
lines.
Ans: Despairing over Caesar‟s death, Antony knows that he poses a danger to the
conspirators and that he must pretend to support them if he wants to survive. He
assures them that they have his allegiance and shakes their hands, thus smearing
himself with Caesar‟s blood and marking Trebonius with blood as well. By marking
Trebonius, Antony may be silently insisting on Trebonius‟ guilt in the murder, even if
his part was less direct than that of the other conspirators. Yet he does so in a
handshake-an apparent gesture of allegiance. While the blood on Trebonius‟ hands
marks him as a conspirator, the blood on Antony‟s hands, like war paint, marks him
as the self-appointed instrument for vengeance against Caesar‟s killers.
b. How did Antony portray the killing of Caesar? What analogy did he use?
Ans: Antony points at the place where Caesar was surrounded by his murderers, the
spot where he fell and now where his „hunters‟ stand, sign‟d in his destruction by
crimson red blood by his lethe or death.
The analogy used by Antony is that he describes Caesar as a „deer‟, his murderers as
„hunters‟, and the world/Caesar‟s kingdom as the „forest‟. He also describes the
“hunters” standing around Caesar „sign‟d in his spoil‟, and „crimson in thy lethe‟.
Antony dramatically compares Caesar, lying helpless on the ground to a deer stricken
(stabbed) by many princes (conspirators).
c. What permission did Mark Antony seek?
Ans: Antony wants Brutus to allow him to produce the body of Caesar at the market
place, and also to speak at his funeral.
d. Why does Cassius argue against allowing Antony to speak at Caesar‟s
funeral?
Ans: Cassius is wary that Antony, whilst speaking at Caesar‟s funeral, may sway the
crowd against them with his forceful words and stir them to sympathy.
e. How does Brutus suppress the fear that Cassius has? What conditions did he
lay down on giving Antony permission to speak?
Ans: Brutus tells Cassius that he will go onto the platform first, and explain Caesar's
death. Whatever Antony shall speak, he shall formerly declare that he speaks with
their permission and that they are happy that Caesar shall have all true rights and
lawful ceremonies. More than harm, it will be to their advantage.
Brutus asks Mark Antony to take Caesar's body. The other conditions that he lays
down are - he shall not blame them in his funeral speech, but speak all the good that
he can devise of Caesar and he must say that he speaks by their permission or else he
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won‟t have any part at all in his funeral. Also Antony will speak only after Brutus
finishes his speech in the same pulpit.
Reference 5
Antony: “O, pardon me, thou bleeding piece of earth,
That I am meek and gentle with these butchers.”
a. Where does Antony make this speech?
Ans: Antony makes his speech in front of Caesar‟s body.
b. Who is denoted as the „bleeding piece of earth‟? Why?
Ans: The „bleeding piece of earth‟ refers to Caesar‟s body as his body, badly
butchered by the assassins is spouting blood all over the ground.
c. How does Antony‟s speech at the end of scene 1 (lines 254-275) reveal his true
feelings about the assassins?
Ans: Antony asks Caesar to forgive him as he is meek and gentle with these butchers!
He glorifies Caesar and curses the people who killed him. He predicts over Caesar‟s
wounds, which like dumb mouths, open their ruby lips to ask the voice and action of
his tongue. Antony curses and prophecies that a domestic fury and fierce civil strife
shall break out in all the parts of Italy; blood and destruction shall be so widespread,
and dreadful objects so familiar, that mothers shall only smile when they see
their infants cut into pieces by the hands of war. He also predicts that Caesar's spirit;
raging for revenge, coming hot from hell with Ate by his side
shall cry "Havoc!" in these regions, with a monarch's voice and let the dogs of war
loose and this foul deed shall smell above the earth with decaying men, groaning for
burial.
d. What is Antony‟s plan in order to take power in Rome?
Ans: Antony orders Octavius‟s servant to get back to him quickly and tell him what
has happened.
He emphasises that Rome is now in mourning and not safe for Octavius yet. He plans
that in his speech he will understand how the people take the cruel actions of these
bloody men. Once he knows that, Antony asks the servant to immediately report it to
young Octavius.
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