Play Summary
The action begins in February 44 BC. Julius Caesar has
just reentered Rome in triumph after a victory in Spain over the sons of his old
enemy, Pompey the Great. A spontaneous celebration has interrupted and been
broken up by Flavius and Marullus, two political enemies of Caesar. It soon
becomes apparent from their words that powerful and secret forces are working
against Caesar.
Caesar appears, attended by a train of friends and
supporters, and is warned by a soothsayer to "beware the ides of March," but he
ignores the warning and leaves for the games and races marking the celebration
of the feast of Lupercal.
After Caesar's departure, only two men remain behind —
Marcus Brutus, a close personal friend of Caesar, and Cassius, a long time
political foe of Caesar's. Both men are of aristocratic origin and see the end
of their ancient privilege in Caesar's political reforms and conquests. Envious
of Caesar's power and prestige, Cassius cleverly probes to discover where
Brutus' deepest sympathies lie. As a man of highest personal integrity, Brutus
opposes Caesar on principle, despite his friendship with him. Cassius cautiously
inquires about Brutus' feelings if a conspiracy were to unseat Caesar; he finds
Brutus not altogether against the notion; that is, Brutus shares "some aim" with
Cassius but does not wish "to be any further moved." The two men part, promising
to meet again for further discussions.
In the next scene, it is revealed that the conspiracy
Cassius spoke of in veiled terms is already a reality. He has gathered together
a group of disgruntled and discredited aristocrats who are only too willing to
assassinate Caesar. Partly to gain the support of the respectable element of
Roman society, Cassius persuades Brutus to head the conspiracy, and Brutus
agrees to do so. Shortly afterward, plans are made at a secret meeting in
Brutus' orchard. The date is set: It will be on the day known as the ides of
March, the fifteenth day of the month. Caesar is to be murdered in the Senate
chambers by the concealed daggers and swords of the assembled conspirators.
After the meeting is ended, Brutus' wife, Portia,
suspecting something and fearing for her husband's safety, questions him.
Touched by her love and devotion, Brutus promises to reveal his secret to her
later.
The next scene takes place in Caesar's house. The time is
the early morning; the date, the fateful ides of March. The preceding night has
been a strange one — wild, stormy, and full of strange and unexplainable sights
and happenings throughout the city of Rome. Caesar's wife, Calphurnia, terrified
by horrible nightmares, persuades Caesar not to go to the Capitol, convinced
that her dreams are portents of disaster. By prearrangement, Brutus and the
other conspirators arrive to accompany Caesar, hoping to fend off any possible
warnings until they have him totally in their power at the Senate. Unaware that
he is surrounded by assassins and shrugging off Calphurnia's exhortations,
Caesar goes with them.
Despite the conspirators' best efforts, a warning is
pressed into Caesar's hand on the very steps of the Capitol, but he refuses to
read it. Wasting no further time, the conspirators move into action. Purposely
asking Caesar for a favor they know he will refuse, they move closer, as if
begging a favor, and then, reaching for their hidden weapons, they kill him
before the shocked eyes of the senators and spectators.
Hearing of Caesar's murder, Mark Antony, Caesar's closest
friend, begs permission to speak at Caesar's funeral. Brutus grants this
permission over the objections of Cassius and delivers his own speech first,
confident that his words will convince the populace of the necessity for
Caesar's death. After Brutus leaves, Antony begins to speak. The crowd has been
swayed by Brutus' words, and it is an unsympathetic crowd that Antony addresses.
Using every oratorical device known, however, Antony turns the audience into a
howling mob, screaming for the blood of Caesar's murderers. Alarmed by the furor
caused by Antony's speech, the conspirators and their supporters are forced to
flee from Rome and finally, from Italy. At this point, Antony, together with
Caesar's young grandnephew and adopted son, Octavius, and a wealthy banker,
Lepidus, gathers an army to pursue and destroy Caesar's killers. These three
men, known as triumvirs, have formed a group called the Second
Triumvirate to pursue the common goal of gaining control of the Roman
Empire.
Months pass, during which the conspirators and their
armies are pursued relentlessly into the far reaches of Asia Minor. When finally
they decide to stop at the town of Sardis, Cassius and Brutus quarrel bitterly
over finances. Their differences are resolved, however, and plans are made to
meet the forces of Antony, Octavius, and Lepidus in one final battle. Against
his own better judgment, Cassius allows Brutus to overrule him: Instead of
holding to their well-prepared defensive positions, Brutus orders an attack on
Antony's camp on the plains of Philippi. Just before the battle, Brutus is
visited by the ghost of Caesar. "I shall see thee at Philippi," the spirit warns
him, but Brutus' courage is unshaken and he goes on.
The battle rages hotly. At first, the conspirators appear
to have the advantage, but in the confusion, Cassius is mistakenly convinced
that all is lost, and he kills himself. Leaderless, his forces are quickly
defeated, and Brutus finds himself fighting a hopeless battle. Unable to face
the prospect of humiliation and shame as a captive (who would be chained to the
wheels of Antony's chariot and dragged through the streets of Rome), he too
takes his own life.
As the play ends, Antony delivers a eulogy over Brutus'
body, calling him "the noblest Roman of them all." Caesar's murder has been
avenged, order has been restored, and, most important, the Roman Empire has been
preserved.
just reentered Rome in triumph after a victory in Spain over the sons of his old
enemy, Pompey the Great. A spontaneous celebration has interrupted and been
broken up by Flavius and Marullus, two political enemies of Caesar. It soon
becomes apparent from their words that powerful and secret forces are working
against Caesar.
Caesar appears, attended by a train of friends and
supporters, and is warned by a soothsayer to "beware the ides of March," but he
ignores the warning and leaves for the games and races marking the celebration
of the feast of Lupercal.
After Caesar's departure, only two men remain behind —
Marcus Brutus, a close personal friend of Caesar, and Cassius, a long time
political foe of Caesar's. Both men are of aristocratic origin and see the end
of their ancient privilege in Caesar's political reforms and conquests. Envious
of Caesar's power and prestige, Cassius cleverly probes to discover where
Brutus' deepest sympathies lie. As a man of highest personal integrity, Brutus
opposes Caesar on principle, despite his friendship with him. Cassius cautiously
inquires about Brutus' feelings if a conspiracy were to unseat Caesar; he finds
Brutus not altogether against the notion; that is, Brutus shares "some aim" with
Cassius but does not wish "to be any further moved." The two men part, promising
to meet again for further discussions.
In the next scene, it is revealed that the conspiracy
Cassius spoke of in veiled terms is already a reality. He has gathered together
a group of disgruntled and discredited aristocrats who are only too willing to
assassinate Caesar. Partly to gain the support of the respectable element of
Roman society, Cassius persuades Brutus to head the conspiracy, and Brutus
agrees to do so. Shortly afterward, plans are made at a secret meeting in
Brutus' orchard. The date is set: It will be on the day known as the ides of
March, the fifteenth day of the month. Caesar is to be murdered in the Senate
chambers by the concealed daggers and swords of the assembled conspirators.
After the meeting is ended, Brutus' wife, Portia,
suspecting something and fearing for her husband's safety, questions him.
Touched by her love and devotion, Brutus promises to reveal his secret to her
later.
The next scene takes place in Caesar's house. The time is
the early morning; the date, the fateful ides of March. The preceding night has
been a strange one — wild, stormy, and full of strange and unexplainable sights
and happenings throughout the city of Rome. Caesar's wife, Calphurnia, terrified
by horrible nightmares, persuades Caesar not to go to the Capitol, convinced
that her dreams are portents of disaster. By prearrangement, Brutus and the
other conspirators arrive to accompany Caesar, hoping to fend off any possible
warnings until they have him totally in their power at the Senate. Unaware that
he is surrounded by assassins and shrugging off Calphurnia's exhortations,
Caesar goes with them.
Despite the conspirators' best efforts, a warning is
pressed into Caesar's hand on the very steps of the Capitol, but he refuses to
read it. Wasting no further time, the conspirators move into action. Purposely
asking Caesar for a favor they know he will refuse, they move closer, as if
begging a favor, and then, reaching for their hidden weapons, they kill him
before the shocked eyes of the senators and spectators.
Hearing of Caesar's murder, Mark Antony, Caesar's closest
friend, begs permission to speak at Caesar's funeral. Brutus grants this
permission over the objections of Cassius and delivers his own speech first,
confident that his words will convince the populace of the necessity for
Caesar's death. After Brutus leaves, Antony begins to speak. The crowd has been
swayed by Brutus' words, and it is an unsympathetic crowd that Antony addresses.
Using every oratorical device known, however, Antony turns the audience into a
howling mob, screaming for the blood of Caesar's murderers. Alarmed by the furor
caused by Antony's speech, the conspirators and their supporters are forced to
flee from Rome and finally, from Italy. At this point, Antony, together with
Caesar's young grandnephew and adopted son, Octavius, and a wealthy banker,
Lepidus, gathers an army to pursue and destroy Caesar's killers. These three
men, known as triumvirs, have formed a group called the Second
Triumvirate to pursue the common goal of gaining control of the Roman
Empire.
Months pass, during which the conspirators and their
armies are pursued relentlessly into the far reaches of Asia Minor. When finally
they decide to stop at the town of Sardis, Cassius and Brutus quarrel bitterly
over finances. Their differences are resolved, however, and plans are made to
meet the forces of Antony, Octavius, and Lepidus in one final battle. Against
his own better judgment, Cassius allows Brutus to overrule him: Instead of
holding to their well-prepared defensive positions, Brutus orders an attack on
Antony's camp on the plains of Philippi. Just before the battle, Brutus is
visited by the ghost of Caesar. "I shall see thee at Philippi," the spirit warns
him, but Brutus' courage is unshaken and he goes on.
The battle rages hotly. At first, the conspirators appear
to have the advantage, but in the confusion, Cassius is mistakenly convinced
that all is lost, and he kills himself. Leaderless, his forces are quickly
defeated, and Brutus finds himself fighting a hopeless battle. Unable to face
the prospect of humiliation and shame as a captive (who would be chained to the
wheels of Antony's chariot and dragged through the streets of Rome), he too
takes his own life.
As the play ends, Antony delivers a eulogy over Brutus'
body, calling him "the noblest Roman of them all." Caesar's murder has been
avenged, order has been restored, and, most important, the Roman Empire has been
preserved.