Julius Caesar Act 4 and 5 Notes

"Remember March, the ides of March remember: Did not great Julius bleed for justice's sake?"

Brutus is saying that they used their hands to kill Caesar for the good of Rome and now they are using their hands to do evil things.

"There is a tide in the affairs of men which taken at the flood leads on to fortune; omitted, all the voyage of their life is bound in shallows and in miseries."

Brutus is saying they are at high tide, the perfect time to march, and they have to go now unless they won't succeed.

Why does Brutus feel it is time to die? Explain his final words.

Brutus' conscience has been bothering him for killing Caesar and he wants it to end.

Explain why Brutus is the tragic hero of this play

Brutus' flaws are his honor and he was too trusting. Also, he believes everything anyone tells him. Cassius also led Brutus into killing Caesar because he made him think he was doing it for the good of Rome. Brutus allowed Marc Antony to speak at the funeral because he thought he could do no harm but Marc Antony led the revolution against Brutus.

"A peevish-school boy, worthless of such honour, join'd with a masker and a reveler!"

Cassius calls Octavius a peevish-school boy because he is very young and he believes he does not deserve power at this age. He calls Marc Antony a masker and a reveler which is a person who likes to party.

"Strike, as thou didst at Caesar for I know, when thou didst hate him worst, thou lovedst him better than ever thou lovedst Cassius."

Cassius is being over dramatic and saying that Brutus should just kill him because he killed Caesar and he loved Caesar more.

"A friend should bear a friend's infirmities, but Brutus makes mine greater than they are."

Cassius is saying that a friend should accept his infirmities, which is taking bribes, but Brutus does not because he is a very honorable man.

Explain how Cassius feels in his long monologue.

Cassius says that he changes his philosophy and he used to not believe in omens but now he does b/c first he say as they were marching eagles came down to them but then flew away and scavenger birds came down so he thinks they are going to lose. It is Cassius' birthday and he thinks the day he is born is the day he will die

Explain the misunderstanding that led to Cassius' death.

Cassius sent Titinus, his friend, out to see who's army was defeated. Cassius sends Pindarius to look for Titinus and saw him surrounded by people so Marc Antony assumed Titinus was captured and killed himself.

What do Brutus and Cassius quarrel about? How does Cassius defend himself?

Cassius was mad because he excused Lucius of his crimes (taking bribes) but Brutus condemned the man. Cassius says small things like taking bribes should be disregarded at a time like this. Brutus accuses Cassius of taking bribes and Cassius says a friend should accept his infirmities, or weaknesses.

"Caesar, now be still: I kill'd not thee with half so good a will."

He is saying the ghost of Caesar can stop bothering him. His conscience will stop bothering him now. Brutus says that he did not want to kill Caesar half as much as he wanted to kill himself.

"This was the noblest Roman of them all"

Marc Antony called Brutus the noblest Roman in death because he was the only one who truly killed Caesar for the good of Rome.

Why and how does Antony's attitude toward Brutus change from the beginning of this act?

Marc Antony calls Brutus the noblest Roman in death because he was the only one who killed Caesar for the good of Rome. Marc Antony was insulting Brutus in the beginning of the act, preparing to battle him, but now he is complimenting him.

"This a slight unmeritable man, meet to be send on errands: is it fit, the three-fold world divided, he should stand one of the three to share it?"

Marc Antony says that Lepidus is insignificant and doesn't deserve to share power with them. He says they should use Lepidus to do the dirty work and then dismiss him.

What three men ruled Rome after Caesar's death?

Marc Antony, Octavius, and Lepidus. Marc Antony is cold and ruthless. Lepidus is being used to do the dirty work. Octavius seems like a decent person and later becomes more confident.

"Thou shalt see me at Philippi"

The ghost of Caesar- This is foreshadowing that Brutus is going to die in battle. It is probably his conscience bothering him but Brutus accepts his fate and shrugs it off.

Describe Brutus' encounter with the ghost of Caesar. What do the words "Thou shalt see me at Philippi" mean?

This is foreshadowing that Brutus is going to die in battle. This could be his conscience bothering him. The other people in the tent do not see anything. Brutus shrugs it of and accepts his fate.

What do we learn about Portia? Describe the reactions of Brutus and Cassius separately.

We learn that Portia killed herself by swallowing hot coals because she thought Brutus was dead. Brutus was a stoic so he accepted life's trials calmly. Cassius believes in epicureanism so he believed in living with the absence of pain.