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Julius Caesar

Summary of Julius Caesar

It is the feast day of Lupercal yet the people are gathering in the streets for another celebration – the triumphant campaign of Caesar against Pompey’s sons. The commoners rejoice over the defeat of one great leader against another Roman, but Flavius and Marullus, among other officials and conservative aristocrats of Rome, disprove of it. During the festivity, Mark Antony, Caesar’s right arm, puts Caesar forward as king of Rome but the senate sees this as a threat to their own interests for Rome. For this reason, they decide to crush his ambitions. Among the leaders that conspire against Caesar is Cassius who convinces Brutus, a nobleman and dear friend of Caesar’s, to join them in a plan to kill Caesar. Brutus then appears torn between his friendship and duty for his country but finally makes up his mind. He leads the conspiracy along with Cassius and other members of the senate.
Caesar, on the other hand, ignores the warnings of the soothsayer, Calphurnia, his wife, and Artemidorus, his supporter. Convinced by the senators, he goes to the Capitol where his men successfully carry out the murder. Learning that Caesar was stabbed to death, Antony is spared and allowed to speak at the funeral. Brutus delivers his speech first and attempts to justify the murder by reasoning out Caesar’s selfish ambitions that may potentially step on the rights of the citizens of Rome. Antony, in contrast, uses a different approach as he takes advantage of the crowd’s basest emotions and state of confusion, ultimately influencing them to wage a civil war. For this, Brutus and Cassius ready their armies against Antony, Octavius, Caesar’s adopted son, and Lepidus, the three leaders that will make the next triumvirate. Because Cassius and Brutus in the end are defeated, they commit suicide to keep their good name. Antony then recognizes Brutus as the noblest Roman of them all and gives him an honorable burial.

Background of Julius Caesar during the...