Julius Caesar

Julius Caesar - I

Julius Caesar, an able General and a conqueror, returns Rome amidst immense popularity after a victory in Spain. He defeated the sons of his old enemy, Pompey the Great. The people celebrate his return and he is offered the crown by close friend and military commander Mark Antony which he refuses.

Jealous with Caesar’s growing power and afraid that he may one day become an authoritarian king, Cassius instigates a conspiracy to murder Caesar. He involves Marcus Brutus who is the very close friend of Caesar and a trusted Roman Senator in the plot. Cassius convinces Brutus that Caesar is too ambitious and should be killed before being allowed to rule the Roman Empire. Brutus is convinced by Cassius that it is for the good of Rome that Caesar should be killed.

Caesar is worried as his wife Calphurnia tells him the horrible dream she had about his death and that the strange occurrences the night before are a prelude of his death. Caesar dismisses the doubts of Calphurinia considers the prediction very general. Caesar sends a servant to a priest to offer a sacrifice and ask him to come back and tell him the results. The servant returns and reports that the Soothe Sayers have recommended Caesar to stay at home.

Then Decius, a conspirator, comes to fetch Caesar to the senate. Caesar expresses his inability to come citing Calphurnia dream as the reason. Decius tells him her dreams were not of his death, but of him saving Rome. Decius Brutus tells Caesar that the senate have decided to offer a crown to him that day, and if he does not attend the meeting of the senate, they may change their mind. Thus Caesar dcides to leave for the Senate despite his wife's pleas. Attempts are made to warn Caesar of the plot to kill him, but none are successful. Soon other Senators and conspirators including Marcus Brutus, Metellus arrive at Caesar’s palace. Caesar invites the senators and says them to come in and have some wine be like friends and will go to the senate together straightaway.

Julius Caesar - II

At the senate Metellus gives a petition requesting Caesar to recall his brother, Publius who had been banished from Rome. Caesar answers that since Publius had been banished by lawful decree; there is no just cause for absolving his guilt. Brutus and Cassius kneel at Caesar’s feet and repeat Metellus’s plea. Caesar answers that he will not change his mind, declaring himself to be as ‘constant as the Northern Star’. Caesar is murdered in the Senate House by the conspirators. Recognizing that the Brutus, too, has joined with the conspirators, Caesar speaks his last word:”Ettu, Brute?”-Then falls Caesar.

Antony enters and pretends that he agrees with the conspirators actions. Addressing Caesar’s departed spirit; Antony asks to be pardoned for making peace with the conspirators over his dead body.
However, Antony is granted permission to speak at Caesar's funeral. Brutus and Cassius enter the Forum with a Crowd of Plebeians. Brutus speaks first at the funeral to explain their reasons for killing Caesar. He feared that the Romans would live as slave under Caesar’s leadership. The people seem to accept his explanation.

Brutus explains to the crowd that Antony had no part in the conspiracy. And then Antony enters with Caesar’s body. Antony says that he has come to bury Caesar, not to praise him. Throughout his speech, Antony never really says anything bad about Brutus and the others, but he talks about Caesar being such a great and noble man willing to sacrifice all for his people. He reminds the plebeians of the day when he offered the crown to Caesar three times, Caesar refused and three times. He insists that as they all loved Caesar once, they should mourn for him.

The Plebeians are touched. They become angry and a mob runs through the streets in search of the conspirators. Battle plans are made as well as a list of people supportive of Brutus and the conspirators to be killed. There is a battle between the armies of Octavius Caesar and Antony Clash with those of Brutus and Cassius at Philippi and Sardis. Finally Brutus and Cassius are defeated and both commit suicide.