1. Julius Caesar Background Iacta alea est “The die has already been cast”

2. The Play: The Results of Violence Assassination: The murder of a public figure is an act that can take place in a split second yet change the course of history March 15, 44 BC Julius Caesar is assassinated on the floor of the Roman Senate

3. The Play The play is about the assassination of a Roman general and dictator who lived and died more than 2000 years ago. Shakespeare drew his material from the ancient biographical text The Lives of Noble Grecians and Romans written by Plutarch (Greek writer and biographer)

4. War & Individual Power It seems that the Roman world in Caesar’s time was continually at war. But in Rome, the general had enormous individual power. Powerful generals like Caesar moved with their plundering armies over the entire Mediterranean World. The Roman Empire during the life of Caesar

5. Private Armies and Betrayal These powerful armies would rule the territory with Roman governors who exacted cruel taxes. Sometimes the generals turned on one another Strong men battling for power

6. Caesar and Pompey: jealousy and murder First Triumvirate : Gaius Julius Caesar, Gnaeus Pompey Magnus, and Marcus Licinius Crassus Caesar and Pompey were friends. In 60 B.C. the two generals helped to bring order to a weakened government. Caesar Pompey Crassus

7. Jealousy! Crassus is killed in Syria; eager for more power, Caesar leaves Rome. Caesar conquers the Gauls in Europe, sending back loads of money to the people, and the people give Caesar their favor.

8. Jealousy! Jealous of Caesar’s military triumphs in the Gallic wars, Pompey looks towards success in the Senate The Senate is wary of Caesar’s ambition and fear that with the love of the people Caesar might declare himself king Caesar’s standard (i.e. his symbol)

9. Views of Caesar… Caesar saw himself as a defender of the people. Critics said he bought support with bribes and handouts. Enemies said he deprived Romans of their liberty.

10. Unconquerable God Caesar the invincible; the son of Zeus Declared dictator for 10 years and saw to it that his supporters, including Brutus, became senators Built a statue to himself with the inscription “To the Unconquerable God”

11. Caesar’s arrogance Common people loved him The month of Quintilis is renamed to the month of July in his honor Later he was declared dictator for life (Feb. 15, 44 B.C.) Offered the crown 3 times but refused Why? Looked down upon to be a king – not democratic, the Roman’s had killed their previous king for being a tyrant Caesar was the first to print his own bust on a Roman minted coin (Denarius)

12. Caesar’s arrogance His arrogance and thirst for power became unbearable to some senators Members of the Roman senate create plans to assassinate him on March 15, 44 B.C. because of his threat to the Republican traditions They succeed. “Sic semper tyrannis” -thus always to tyrants-

13. Shakespeare’s Play Shakespeare’s play starts with events that happened a month before the murder. The play condenses 3 years of history into one play in which 6 days are acted out.

14. Characters

15. Julius Caesar He is the head of the Roman state. He is a great soldier, and has just returned from a series of wars during which he defeated the sons of the previous Roman ruler, Pompey. He is popular with the crowds that stand in the streets to greet his triumphal return, cheering and clapping. Calpurnia is Caesar’s wife.

16. Mark Antony He is a loyal friend and supporter of Caesar, who he believes will make a good ruler of Rome. He is appalled at the killing of the head of state, and although he shakes hands with the conspirators immediately after the murder, he vows to avenge Caesar’s death. He gives a funeral oration over Caesar’s dead body that stirs the crowd to anger and desire for revenge. He will be one of the three rulers of Rome, after Caesar’s death, and he gathers an army to fight the killers.

17. Brutus He is a respected Roman, a man of intelligence and honor, who is a personal friend of Caesar, yet wonders whether, as a ruler, he will overstep his powers and become a tyrant rather than a good head of state. He is finally convinced to join the conspirators as their leader. As they raise their daggers to commit the murder, Caesar recognizes his dear friend and cries, in Latin, “Et tu, Brute?” or “You too, Brutus?” Portia is Brutus’ wife.

18. Cassius Cassius is one of the leaders of the conspiracy. He is suspicious of Caesar from the beginning, gathers others into the band, and convinces Brutus to join with them in their plans for assassination. He and Brutus flee Rome after the killing, each gathers an army, and they try to conquer Mark Antony’s army.

19. Octavius and Lepidus are the other two who join with Mark Antony after Caesar’s death to rule Rome as a triumvirate.

20. Casca, Trebonious, Decius, Cinna and Metallus Cimber are the other members of the conspiracy, each of whom participates by stabbing Caesar.

21. Julius Caesar: Introduction Some senators begin to conspire... Brutus, Caesar’s friend who believes that he must act against Caesar for the good of Rome Casca, who hates the ordinary citizens of Rome yet is jealous because they love Caesar and not him Cassius, a greedy and jealous man who wants to take drastic measures to keep Caesar from winning any more power—and to take away any power that Caesar previously had!

22. Julius Caesar : Background Shakespeare uses Roman customs and superstition to create spooky conditions to mirror the dangerous plot being planned.

23. Julius Caesar : Background The Romans believed that omens could reveal the future. These omens could take the form of unusual weather, flights of birds, or other natural phenomena.

24. Julius Caesar Roman Terms Forum: The public square or marketplace of an ancient Roman city that was the assembly place for judicial activity and public business. Ides: In the ancient Roman calendar, the fifteenth day of March, May, July, or October, and the thirteenth day of the other months. Feast of Lupercal: A Roman festival supervised by priests on February 15th celebrating the god of fertility. The festival included a race in which men dressed in sacrificial goat skins would run through spectators in the streets, and their touch was thought to cure sterility.

25. Julius Caesar Roman Terms Plebeians: Of or relating to the common people of ancient Rome Patricians: A member of one of the noble families of the ancient Roman Republic, which before the 3rd century B.C. had exclusive rights to the Senate and the magistracies (a position where one has the power to enforce or create laws) Triumvirate: A government of three officers or magistrates functioning jointly

26. Julius Caesar Roman Terms Tribune: (A) an officer of ancient Rome elected by the plebeians to protect their rights from arbitrary acts of the patrician magistrates. (B) a protector or champion of the people. Senate: The supreme council of state of the ancient Roman Republic and later the Roman Empire

27. Julius Caesar Roman Terms Stoicism: A philosophy that focuses on Duty, self-discipline, and subjection to the natural order of things Civic obligations; duty BEFORE self! Repressing all emotions—do not outwardly show happiness, sadness, etc. Speaking in a calm and emotionless manner Epicureanism: A philosophy that focuses on Human freedom; “I am the center of my universe” attitude being good only to increase one’s own happiness; self BEFORE duty! Eliminating fear from life, especially fear of death and the fear of the supernatural (the gods live in their own world and are too busy to bother with us on earth). Speaking in a vibrant and emotional manner

28. Julius Caesar Literary & Drama Terms Anachronism: person, place, or thing placed in the wrong time period. Apostrophe: An address to the absent or dead are spoken to as if present or the inanimate, as if alive. Aside: remarks unheard by other actors on stage when an actor turns his head toward the audience to speak.

29. Julius Caesar Literary and Drama Terms Pun: a humorous play on words indicating different meanings Comic Relief: humor inserted into the play to break a serious mood Foreshadowing: the dropping of important hints by the author to prepare the reader for what is to come Soliloquy: speech delivered while the actor is alone on stage. It informs the audience of what is happening in the character’s mind or gives needed information about other characters.

30. Julius Caesar Literary & Drama Terms Hyperbole: the conscious use of overstatement or exaggeration by a writer for effect Oxymoron: a figure of speech which combines two terms that in ordinary usage are contraries or opposites Blank Verse: Unrhymed lines written in iambic pentameter, each line has 5 sets of unstressed syllables – 10 syllables total

31. Themes of Universal Interest Power Friendship Ambition Vanity Envy Revenge

32. Julius Caesar : Discussion Starters… Discussion starter topic 1: 1. How important is loyalty? Does your country or do your friends consider “loyalty” something to value? When can “loyalty” sometimes cause problems? What should people do when loyalty to their country and loyalty to their friend comes into conflict? Are there limits to what people should do in defense of the nation?

33. Julius Caesar: Discussion Starters Discussion starter topic 2: 2. What will a person do for the sake of political ideals? Assassinations of political figures are common in history. What political figures do you know of who have been assassinated? What effect did these assassinations have on the general public, a political party, or a cause at the time of the assassination?