Julius Caesar Act 1 Scene 3

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS (Answers)

Extract: 1
i) Casca is in a public place in Rome at this time. He has come there in
a state of anxiety, having witnessed strange and unnatural
occurrences in the city. He is speaking to Cicero, a prominent Roman
politician and orator.
ii) a) The phrase “all the sway of earth/Shakes like a thing unfirm”
means that the entire earth is shaking as if it is unstable and
unreliable.
b) The phrase “To ambitious ocean swell and rage and foam, / To be
exalted with the threatening clouds” means that the ocean is rising
and becoming agitated, as if it is trying to match the fury of the
storm clouds.
iii) The “scolding winds” are strong, harsh winds that blow during the
storm. They whip up the sea and cause the trees to bend and sway.
iv) Casca saw a slave’s hand that was on fire but did not burn. He
includes this detail immediately after the extract about the calamities
to emphasize how strange and inexplicable the events of the night
were.
v) The next day is supposed to be the day when Caesar is to be
crowned king. It will be a fatal day because some Romans fear that
Caesar will become a tyrant and destroy the Roman Republic. A
soothsayer had warned Caesar to beware the Ides of March (March
15), which is the day of Caesar’s assassination.

Extract: II
i. Casca is at a public place in Rome, in a state of awe and
wonder at the strange and unusual natural phenomena he has
just witnessed. He is speaking to Cicero, a renowned
philosopher and statesman.
 ii. a) “all the sway of earth/Shakes like a thing unfirm” means
that the earth trembles and shakes as if it is unstable and
unsure of itself.
b) “To ambitious ocean swell and rage and foam, To be
exalted with the threatening clouds” means that the ocean
becomes turbulent and agitated, as if it is trying to rise up and
join the clouds in a show of force.
iii. Casca believes that these unnatural events are a sign of
something terrible about to happen. He thinks that the gods
are angry and are trying to warn the people of Rome. Cassius
uses Casca’s belief to his advantage, convincing him that
these events are a sign that Caesar must be stopped before
he becomes too powerful.
iv. Cicero believes that the unnatural events are simply the result
of the chaos and disorder of the world, and that they should
not be given any special significance. This is a contrast to
Casca’s belief that these events are a warning from the gods.
v. The strange events have a profound impact on the audience,
who are frightened and believe that something terrible is
about to happen. However, they have no effect on Caesar,
who remains oblivious to the warnings and continues on with
his plans for the future.

Extract: III
i) The group of people planning on the following day is the Roman
senate, who are planning to crown Caesar as king. Cassius tries to
prevent this plan by convincing Brutus to join the conspiracy and to
assassinate Caesar before he can become too powerful.
ii) Cassius says that the Romans now do not have manly courage
because they have become too submissive and passive in the face of
Caesar’s rise to power. He believes that they have lost their sense of
honor and independence.
iii) (a) “Cassius from bondage will deliver Cassius” means that Cassius
will free himself from the bondage of Caesar’s tyranny by taking
action and conspiring against him.
(b) “Therein ye gods, you tyrants do defeat” means that the gods
will defeat the tyrants who seek to oppress the people and take
away their freedom.
iv) Cassius says that the “strength of the spirit” is more important than
physical strength or bravery in battle. He believes that if one has the
will to act and to fight for what is right, then they can achieve
anything.
v) Cassius shows his zealous love for freedom and democracy by
speaking out against Caesar’s potential coronation as king and by
 urging Brutus to join the conspiracy. He believes that the Roman
people deserve to have a say in their government and that they
should not be ruled by a single person

Extract: IV
i) The poor man referred to is Caesar. Cassius says that if Caesar had
not been born into a position of power, he would have been no
different from a wolf or a lion.
ii) The sentence “those that with haste will make a mighty fire, begin it
with weak straws” refers to Caesar because Cassius is saying that
despite Caesar’s seemingly insignificant and weak appearance, he
has managed to gain power and influence. Cassius considers Caesar
“vile” because he believes that Caesar is no better than any other
man and does not deserve to be in a position of power over others.
iii) Cassius blames Rome for allowing Caesar to rise to power. He
argues that Caesar has become great because Rome has allowed it.
Cassius gives three reasons for Caesar’s greatness: Caesar is a great
warrior, he has defeated his enemies in battle, and he has won the
favor of the people through his generosity.
iv) Casca extends his hand to Cassius as a sign of fellowship, and says
that he is willing to follow Cassius wherever he goes.
v) Cassius and Casca must keep an appointment later that night to
meet with other conspirators who are plotting against Caesar. They
will meet at Pompey’s Porch, and the purpose of their meeting is to
finalize their plans for the assassination of Caesar.

Extract: V
i.) Cinna and Cassius are in a street in Rome. They are
accompanied by Casca, who had just left them to go home.
ii.) Cinna says “I am glad on’t” because he has found out that
Brutus is also dissatisfied with Caesar’s power and rule,
which means they have a potential ally in their plot
against Caesar. He is here to deliver forged letters to
Brutus, in an attempt to persuade him to join their
conspiracy.
iii.) Casca is the person who describes the “fearful night”. Two
“strange sights” he had seen earlier in this scene were a
slave’s hand catching fire but not burning, and a lioness
giving birth in the streets.
iv.) “Stay’d for” means to be expected or awaited. Cassius
asked the question “Am I not stay’d for?” to confirm if
someone was waiting for him.
v.) Cinna is eager for Brutus to join the party because he is an
influential and respected figure in Rome, and his support
would give credibility to their cause. When Cassius says “be
you content”, he means that Cinna should trust him and
follow his lead. Cassius instructs Cinna to leave the forged
letters in a prominent place where Brutus will find them, in
the hope that he will read them and join their cause.