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Julius Caesar Act III Scene 1

Que (i) Where does this conversation take place? Why did Caesar tell the
soothsayer “The ides of March are come”? When had he met the soothsayer
before?
Ans: This conversation took place in Rome, in front of the Capital.
Julius Caesar told soothsayer because earlier, (Act I, scene2) the soothsayer had
warned him for this day but he is unharmed. He met soothsayer (Act I, scene 2)
during the celebration of the Feast of Lupercal. (Act I Scene2)
(ii) Who is Artemidorus? Whom does he represent in the play? What is the
importance of his ‘Schedule’?
Ans: Artemidorus is a teacher of rhetoric as well a soothsayer. He represents the
common people/citizens of Rome. His “schedule” is important because it is a warning
to Caesar, that would affect Caesar personally (“touches Caesar nearer”). With the
reference to a previous scene Artemidorus fear is justified because Act II Scene 4
denotes same fear is their in the mind of Portia.
(iii)Why does Artemidorus request Caesar to read his ‘Schedule’ first? With
reference to a previous scene, show how Artemidorus fears are justified?
Ans: Artemidorus requested Caesar to read his ‘schedule’ first because his
“schedule” affects Caesar personally and ‘touches Caesar nearer’. In the previous
scene (Act II, Sc 4), a tense atmosphere is created before Caesar’s murder with Portia
crying out in terror. Similar tension is reflected in Artemidorus’ fears of the dangers
ahead.
(iv) Mention the two reasons given by Caesar for not reading the ‘Schedule’ handed
over by Artemidorus. Which traits of his personality is revealed by his act?
Ans: Two reasons: (i) Whatever affects Caesar personally will be addressed last (ii)
Official petitions should be put up on the Capitol, not in the street. Caesar, as a king
who is considered to be God’s agent (using third person ‘royal’ plural) places public
welfare before self.
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(v) Name two people in the scene who are trying to warn Caesar. Name two other
people who defeat their efforts to do so. Which theme of the play is highlighted
here? Explain it briefly.
Ans: Julius Caesar was warned by (i) Soothsayer, and (ii) Artemidorus. The two
persons who defeated their effort were Decius and Publius. Here, Caesar neglected
his private self in favour of what he believed was public good because he says what
affects him personally comes last and ignores Artemidorus’ warning.

2.
“Cassius: Casca be sudden, for we fear prevention.
Brutus, what shall be done? If this be known,
Cassius or Caesar never shall turn back,
For I will slay myself”

(i) “if this be known” – What does “this” refer to ? If it would be known what could
happen? [ @Jitendra Sir (Mob.968986770)]

Ans: “this” refers to the conspiracy to kill Julius Caesar. If the plan to murder Caesar
would become public or if it failed, Cassius would commit suicide.
(ii) What duty is assigned to Casca? Why should he be “sudden”?
Ans: The duty which was given to Casca was he has to stab Caesar first. He has to be
sudden (quick) so that no one can stop them from killing Caesar.
(iii) What has Popilius Lena said and done which makes Cassius to fear? What did
they think that Lena was saying? How does Brutus show them that there is nothing
to fear?
Ans: Popilius Lena had said to Cassius, “I wish your enterprise today may thrive”,
without elaborating. He advances to Caesar after that. Cassius feared Popilius Lena
had discovered their evil intentions and had gone ahead to warn Caesar of impeding
danger. Brutus show them that nothing to fear by pointing out that Popilius Lena was
smiling and that Caesar’s expression had remained unchanged.
(iv) What was the task assigned to Trebonius? What petition did Metellus Cimber
present to Caesar? In what way did he flatter Caesar?
Ans: Trebonius had to distract Mark Antony and move him out of the way. Metellus
Cimber made a petition to repeal the banishment of his brother. He flattered Caesar
by kneeling ‘couching’s and lowly courtesies’.
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(v) Give two of the arguments given by Caesar to reject the petition made by
Metellus. Which trait of Caesar’s character is highlighted in these arguments?
Ans: Caesar gave two arguments to reject the petition:
i) Caesar doth no wrong
ii) Nor without cause will he (Caesar) be satisfied. These arguments highlighted i)
Steadfast ii) Does not give into flattery iii) stubbornness iv) egoistic nature of Caesar.
3.
“Caesar: But I am constant as the northen star,
Of whose true-fix’d and resting quality
There is no fellow in the firmament.”

(i) What is the “northern star” ? Give the meaning of “Of whose true fix’d and
resting quality/There is no fellow in the firmament”.
Ans: ‘Northen Star’ means ‘The Pole Star’. The meaning of the above lines is that No
other star in the sky is as rigid or constant as the North Star. It is the most resolute
and inflexible. Julius Caesar was just like that northern star who would not change his
decision about Publius Cimber.
(ii) Why does Caesar compare himself with the northern star? What is the occasion
for such a comparison?
Ans: Julius Caesar compare himself to the northern star because of his ‘Quality of
being most resolute and firm’. The occasion for such comparison is banishment of
Publius. Julius Caesar would not change his decision about repealing banishment of
Publius Cimber, despite all flattery.
(iii) State the comparison made by Caesar between the firmament and the world of
men.
Ans: Julius Caesar made comparison between the firmament and the world of men ,
Just like the sky has innumerable stars, all filled with fire and shining. Yet there is
only one as fixed and firm as the North Pole, with ‘true fixed and resting place.’
Similarly, the world is filled with people, yet Caesar stands apart, being most
‘unshak’d of motion’ and constant.
(iv) Why is Caesar so stubborn in his attitude towards the conspiracy ? What purpose
does his stubbornness serve on the dramatic effectiveness?
Julius Caesar was stubborn in his attitude towards the conspirators because he was
egoistic, overambitious, practical minded, pragmatic by nature. This stubbornness
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serves on the dramatic effectiveness of his murder. He had shown his stubbornness
towards Publius Cimber and given him punishment and though many romans
requested him to forgive Publius he rejected their request. Just because of his
stubbornness many noble romans as well as his nearest and dearest friend Brutus
took participation in the conspiracy of his murder.
(v)What horrible event is about to take place in a short time? Who was the first to
strike? Why is Antony absent from the scene? What could have happened if Antony
were to be present on the scene?
Ans: The horrible event about to take place in short time was Murder of Julius
Caesar. Casca was the first to strike. Antony was outside. It was believed that he
escaped to his house. He could have prevented this murder.

4.
“Brutus:
Fates, we will know your pleasures.
That we shall die, we know; ‘tis but the time
And drawing days out, that men stand upon.
Cassius:
Why, he that cuts off twenty years of life
Cuts off so many years of fearing death.”

(i) When does this conversation take place? In what state of mind are Brutus and
Cassius? [ @Jitendra Sir. Mob.968986770]
Ans: This conversation took place just after the assassination of Julius Caesar. Brutus
and Cassius were in a Jubilant (happy) mood
(ii) What is meant by ‘Fates’? State in your own words what the Fates were
responsible for. According to the extract, what do men know and what do they fear?
Ans: According to classical allusion Fates means ‘The three goddesses of Destiny’.
Fates are responsible for time of death of people on earth. Men know that they will
surely die, but they don’t know exactly when. Hence they spend their living years
fearing the impending moment of inevitable death.
(iii) What positive note does Casca strike in the death of Caesar? What does Brutus
feel about it?
Ans: Casca was the first to strike (stab) Julius Caesar. Brutus feels that he has done a
good deed by cutting short ‘his times of fearing death’. It was the act of a friend or
well wisher.
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(iv) After the extract, what does Brutus ask the Romans to do? In what way does this
seem to be a fulfilment of Calpurnia’s dream?
Ans: After the extract, Brutus asked the Romans “Stoop, Romans, stoop. And let us
bathe our hands in Caesar’s blood” and that all should cry “Peace, freedom, and
Liberty!”. In Act II, Scene 2, Calpurnia dreamt of Caesar’s statue bleeding “like a
fountain with an hundred spouts.... many lusty Romans...bathe their hands in it.”
(v) State briefly the role played by the assassination of Caesar in the story-line of
Julius Caesar.
Ans: The assassination of Julius Caesar creates the crisis in the play. This scene
emphasises the theme of betrayal. In this scene Julius Caesar realizes he cannot trust
anyone, including Brutus.
5.
Cassius:
Stoop, then, and wash. How many ages hence
Shall this our lofty scene be acted over,
In states unborn and accents yet unknown!

(i) When Cassius says, “Stoop, then and wash,” to whom is he speaking? What
exactly does he mean? Who had just suggested washing?
Ans: After the murder of Julius Caesar says “Stoop, then and wash” to all the Roman
conspirators. He means that all people should wish their hands in Caesar’s blood.
Marcus Brutus just suggested washing.
(ii) Explain the meaning of “states unborn”, “accents” and “Pompey’s basis”.
Ans:
a. States unborn: States (nations) not yet discovered or known or faraway lands.
b. Accents: Languages
c. Pompey’s basis: Base or foot of Pompey’s statue.
(iii) What does Brutus want to express when he says, “How many times shall Caesar
bleed in sport”?
Ans: Brutus wants to say that, They have become famous and this scene would be
enacted many times. In later years, people all over the world (of different) nations
would commemorate this ‘lofty scene’, a historical moment through drama for
entertainment.
(iv) What does Cassius believe “the knot of us” will be called and why?
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Ans: Cassius believed that Romans will think that we all conspirators have given them
liberty, peace and freedom from tyranny and dictatorship of Julius Caesar and
establish the Republic form of government in Rome.
(v) The entry of the servant of Antony may be said to mark the turning point of the
whole play. Narrate, very briefly, in what way this is so.
Ans: The entry of the servant of Mark Antony is the turning point of the whole play
because, The conspirators have to save their life from crowd and so they want to
give the justification of Caesar’s murder to the crowd to convince them but at the
same time there is entry of Mark Antony’s servant who bring the message that Mark
Antony wants to meet Brutus and his group. After this there is entry of Mark Antony
who convince all the conspirators and he gets the permission to give speech during
the funeral of Julius Caesar. Mark Antony was a great orator so by using his oratory
he turns the table.
6.
Antony:
O mighty Caesar! Dost thou lie so low?
Are all thy conquest, glories, triumphs, spoils,
Shrunk to this little measure? Fare thee well.

(i) Where does the mighty Caesar lie? What is meant by “this little measure”? Give
one example each of Caesar’s conquests and his glories.
Ans: The mighty Caesar lie at the foot of Pompey’s statue. “This little measure”
means the small place where his dead body lies. The example of Conquests is when,
The play begins with Caesar’s victory over the sons of Pompey. Glories: He places the
public over his personal self.
(ii) Who are the “gentlemen” he addresses? What does he implore them to do?
What does his request tell us about his character?
Ans: Mark Antony addresses “gentlemen” to all the conspirators. He also asked all
the conspirators to kill him too with the same swords they had used to assassinate
Julius Caesar. This request of Mark Antony tell us that he is a Loyal friend who is
grieving deeply. [ @Jitendra Sir
(Mob.968986770)]
(iii) Give the meaning of: “Who else must be let blood, who else is ranks” What in
your opinion, is Antony reason for saying so?
Ans: “Who else must be let blood” means who else must be assassinated after the
killing of Julius Caesar, “who else is rank” means who else has the same status as
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Julius Caesar. Antony says this because he is unaware of the intentions of the
conspirators and fears that they intend to murder him too.
(iv) What does Antony’s expression, “the most noble blood of all this world indicate
about Antony’s feelings for Caesar?
Ans: These lines shows Mark Antony’s extreme love and respect, high regard for
Julius Caesar.
(v) What did Brutus tell Antony about the conspirators feelings for Caesar? Was
Brutus honest? Why?
Ans: Brutus tell to Mark Antony that the hearts of all the conspirators are ‘pitiful’ and
they loved Caesar. But they love Rome more. Yes, Brutus is honest because he
sincerely believed in the cause and welfare of the Romans, seeing Caesar a tyrant
and unworthy leader. Because he was influenced by the cunning words of Cassius.
7.
Antony:
My credit now stands on such slippery ground.
That one of two bad ways you must conceit me,
Either a coward or a flatterer.

(i) What is meant by the word “credit”? Why does it now stand “on such slippery
ground”?
Ans: The word “credit” means “Reputation”. Mark Antony stand on such slippery
ground because he is now making friendship with the conspirators who had
murdered his friend Julius Caesar. He tells to the conspirator that you can consider
me either ‘a coward’ or ‘a flatterer’.
(ii) what does Antony mean by “That one of the two bad ways you must conceit me,
Either a coward or a flatterer?”
Ans: Antony said the above lines because he is going to make friendship with all the
conspirators who had murdered his friend Julius Caesar. Antony appears to be a bad
person who is behaving like a coward or flattener. He seems to be insincere and not
brave.
(iii) What effect do Antony’s action and words have on his listeners?
Ans: Antony’s action and words made a deep impact over the minds and actions of
the conspirators, they became emotional fool except Cassius, He is still defensive
against Mark Antony. All the other conspirators consider him friend at that moment.
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(iv) What mistake did Brutus make by granting request of Antony? What did Cassius
warm him then? What was the consequence of the mistake?
Ans: Brutus underestimates Mark Antony’s oratory power and gives Antony a chance
to sway the mood of the general public of Rome with his words. Cassius warns Brutus
that people might be moved by what Antony speaks at Caesar’s funeral. The
consequence and impact of Brutus’ mistake is that Mark Antony got chance to
manipulate all the Romans and all the Roman people turn against the conspirators.
(v) How did Antony prove that he could be both a coward and a flatterer?
Ans: Mark Antony proves that he could be a coward and a flatterer, by fawning
(showing false affection) at the murderers, behaving politely with all of them and
also kneeling down, shaking each one’s hand and praising them excessively.
8. [@Jitendra Sir (Mob.968986770)]

Pardon me, Julius! Here wast thou bay’d , brave hart;

(i) Who speaks these words: “Here thou bay’d,?” What is the comparison implied in
the expression? To what custom of the hunters does it refer?
Ans: Mark Antony speaks these words. He has compared Caesar to the hunting of a
stag or deer by hounds. It refers to the hunters’ custom of dogs or hounds chasing a
deer to a bay from where it cannot escape. Here hunters/princes means all the
conspirators and deer means Julius Caesar.
(ii) Explain the double meaning intended in the expression, “brave hart.”
Ans: In the above lines the figure of speech ‘Pun’ has been used. (hart/heart)
Meaning a courageous (hart) deer hunted down by dogs and Caesar being a bold
man with a brave heart hunted down and killed by the conspirators.
(iii) Who are the hunters in the present crisis? Give the meaning of: “Sign’d in thy
spoil, and crimson’d in thy lethe.”
Ans: The hunters means all the conspirators or killers of Caesar. The meaning of
“Sign’d thy spoil, and crimson’d in thy lethe’ means They (all the conspirators) are all
marked with Caesar’s blood. Their hands are red at present just after killing Caesar.
According to Classical mythology ‘Lethe’ was the river of death in the classical
underworld. Anyone who drank its water forgot the past. Caesar too has forgotten all
his earthy possessions after losing his life.
(iv) In what way was the world, “the forest to this hart,” and “this indeed, “O world,
the heart of thee”?
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Ans: The meaning of the above lines is that Julius Caesar was a great Roman soldier
who roamed the world freely just as a stag (deer) moves freely in the forest. Caesar
loved Rome, and he was so great that he was the heart of the world (Rome) i.e., he
was loved by all.
(v) Why does the speaker arouse Cassius’ suspicion? What does Cassius ask the
speaker as as result f the suspicion?
Ans: Cassius gets suspicious about Mark Antony because he was praising and
speaking highly of Julius Caesar who has just been assassinated by Cassius and other
conspirators. Cassius asks Antony, the speaker, his true intentions and whether or
not to be counted as a friend to them.
9.
Antony:
“And Caesar’s spirit, ranging for revenge,
With Ate by his side come hot from hell,
Shall in these confines with a monarch voice”
(i) Why is Caesar’s spirit “raging for revenge”? When and to whom does Caesar’s
spirit appear later in the play?
Ans: Julius Caesar’s spirit “raging for revenge” because he has been brutally
murdered. He is now hunting with Ate, the Greek goddess of mischief and revenge,
to avenge his untimely death. This is a classical Allusion. In Act IV scene 3 Julius
Caesar’s ghost appears at night, infront of Brutus, in his tent at Sardis. The ghost of
Julius Caesar proclaiming that (warn him about the upcoming future that) he would
meet again at Philippi.
(ii) Who is Ate? Why is her name used in the context? What is meant by “confines”?
Ans: Ate is the Greek goddess of mischief and revenge. Her name is used in this
context because Julius Caesar has been wrongfully murdered, which must be
avenged hence the reference to the goddess of revenge. ‘Confines’ means ‘regions’
(iii) “With a monarch’s voice Cry “Havoc!”- This indicates absolute and authoritative
royal command for destruction. What does the expression foretell about the things
to come?
Ans: It is a royal command which is a signal for mass slaughter and plunder. It is the
sign of times to come in the political arena of Rome with shifting powers from the
Monarchy to Republicans.
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(iv) Who are the ‘dogs of war’? Which foul deed is referred to and how will it “smell
above the earth”?
Ans: ‘The dogs of war’ means War is described as a destructive hunter with fierce
dogs. The foul deed referred to is the murder of Julius Caesar. This would have strong
consequences that would affect several men.
(v) What would the consequences of these happenings be for the conspirators and as
well as for Antony? [ @Jitendra Sir
(Mob.968986770)]
Ans: The result of these happenings are that all the Roman public turn against the
conspirators. After that Civil war has started and Mark Antony, Lepidus and Octavius
formed the second Triumvirate.
10.
Antony:
“Yet, stay awhile;
Thou shalt not back till I have borne the corpse
Into the market place: there shall I try,
In my oration, how the people take
The cruel issue of these bloody men….”

(i) To whom Antony speaking? Why is this person here? Where are they?
Ans: Mark Antony is speaking with Octavius Caesar’s servant.
The servant has just come from Octavius Caesar. He has come here with a message
from Octavius that he is coming to Rome.
They are near Caesar’s dead body in front of the Capitol, in Rome.
(ii) What had Antony just said to this person before telling him to “stay awhile”? How
did this person help Antony?
Ans: Antony had told the servant to rush back to Octavius and inform him of that the
condition of Rome is dangerous for his arrival so don’t come to Rome. Mark Antony
says ‘Here is a mourning Rome, a dangerous Rome’ means It would not be safe for
Octavius to come there yet. The servant of Octavius Caesar lent his hand to Mark
Antony to help carry Caesar’s corpse (dead body) to the market place.
(iii) Explain the meaning of “oration”. What does this passage reveal to us about
what Antony proposed to do?
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Ans: The meaning of ‘Oration’ here means ‘giving an effective speech which can
convince someone for something’ This passage reveals (tell) to us that Mark Antony
proposes (is making a plan) to carry Caesar’s dead body to the market place and
address the citizens of Rome at that public spot. He would give an effective speech
which convince them to take the revenge of Julius Caesar’s murder.
(iv) Earlier, Antony said, “Over thy wounds now do I prophesy.” Mention any three
points of his prophesy.
Ans: The three points of the prophesy (upcoming future) of Mark Antony are
i) A curse shall light upon the limbs of men
ii) Domestic fury and fierce civil strife shall cumber all the parts of Italy
iii) In Rome there can be heavy bloodshed and destruction.
(v) Which trait of Antony’s nature is shown in this passage? Give examples of two
other occasions in the play where a different aspect of his character is shown-
distinct from the one shown in this extract.
Ans: This passage tell us that Mark Antony is a Shrewd, good orator and planner. In
Act I Scene 2 Antony acts a tool for Caesar. He says whatever Caesar says is done. In
Act V Scene 1 he is a ‘bee’ with a sting means a powerful cunning commander.

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