Julius Caesar : Summary

Summary

Julius Caesar’s Battle Victory and Death: In 44 BC, General Julius Caesar defeated his rival Pompey in the Roman Civil War and returned to Rome victorious. The Romans cheered for him as he crossed the road. But not everyone welcomes him and Flavius and Marulus fear that Caesar has become too popular. So he could re-establish the monarchy in Rome. Caesar prepares to welcome the masses to the Lupercalia festival. Lupercalia was a priestly festival in ancient Rome. The festival is celebrated every year on 15th February to promote health and fertility among the people to purify the city.

Cassius and others’ conspiracy against Caesar: On this day an astrologer, Artemidorus, came to Caesar and warned Caesar to “beware of the Ides of March”. That is March 15th. Caesar ignored him. Does not attach much importance to his words. Caesar’s friends Cassius and Brutus discuss the powers of Julius Caesar. Cassius worries that Caesar might become a dictator. He feared that Caesar’s dictatorship would destroy the Roman Republic. Brutus supports Cassius’ concerns but remains loyal to Caesar. Meanwhile, Cassius plots to assassinate Caesar. He lists Casca, Decius, Trebonius, Ligurius, Metellus Cimber, and finally Brutus as conspirators. They also plan to kill Caesar’s close friend, Antony. But Brutus takes a stand against it.

Assassination of Julius Caesar: Meanwhile, Caesar’s wife Calpurnia has a nightmare in which Caesar’s death is predicted. Caesar calls his wife’s dream a delusion. He then went to the Senate on the Ides of March, i.e. 15th March. In the Senate, Caesar Metellus rejects Cimber’s plea to bring back his banned brother. At this point, the conspirators signal to cause chaos and attack Caesar. When Brutus strikes, Caesar, shocked at his friend’s betrayal, says, “Et tu, Brute?” (“You too, Brutus?”)

The true understanding of the people of Rome through Antonio’s speech: Since Julius Caesar was very popular in Rome, the people rioted after he was killed. The conspirators hatch a plan to pacify the people. Antony understands the plot of Caesar’s killers with the body. Antony is mortified but convinces the conspirators that he will publicly side with them. At Caesar’s funeral, Brutus made his first public speech. He tells the crowd that he killed Caesar out of love for Rome and fear of Caesar’s dangerous ambitions. That is, he indicated that Caesar would have become a dictator. The crowd believes Brutus and agrees with him.

After this, Antony spoke. He addresses the crowd as “friends, Romans, countrymen” and gains their favor, saying that Caesar was a great ruler. He was brutally killed by a conspiracy against him. He gives several examples against the charges of Caesar’s despotic ambitions. He continued to highlight what Julius Caesar had done for the people of Rome. Antony’s speech incited the crowd against the conspirators. Cassius and Brutus are sent out of the city to raise an army to fight Antony’s forces.

War and the defeat of the conspirators: Octavius Caesar had already arrived in Rome. Octavius was the nephew and adopted son of Julius Caesar. He named himself as the successor of his great uncle. After the funeral, he meets Antony and General Lepidus. Octavius, Antony, and General Lepidus plan to defeat the forces of Brutus and Cassius and restore order to Rome themselves. Thus, an alliance is formed and a civil war is declared against the armies of Brutus and Cassius.

Brutus and Cassius quarrel during preparations for battle. Cassius refuses to punish the soldier who accepted the bribe. Brutus fears that if they do not act honestly, they will all be involved in corruption and that Caesar’s death will be in vain. Eventually, the two reunite. Brutus finds that his wife Portia has committed suicide after Brutus’ long absence. Later that night, Brutus sees Caesar’s ghost. The ghost says that the next day Brutus will see him again – in Philippi, on the battlefield with the forces of Antony, Octavius, and Lepidus.

In Philippi, the war begins. Cassius’s forces were quickly defeated. Cassius sends his servant Pindarus to see how Brutus’ soldiers are doing on the battlefield. Pindarus brings bad news. That said, Titinius, Cassius’s friend and fellow soldier, has been captured. Titinius was actually celebrating his victory with his soldiers on one side of the battlefield. But Pindarus and Cassius saw them from afar so did not understand. Cassius in despair tells Pindarus to kill him. Yet he will not accept defeat. Pindarus kills him as Cassius says.

Meanwhile, Brutus continues to fight. But at some point, he also lost to the opposition. Antony asks the soldiers to bring Brutus alive. Brutus kills himself with his sword rather than return to Rome as a slave. The play ends with Antonio approaching Brutus’ corpse and praising him. While others conspired against Julius Caesar, Brutus, thinking only of the good of the people of Rome, was included in the conspiracy against Julius Caesar and killed him.