Julius Caesar

Julius Caesar

Julius Caesar was at one time the great leader of Rome before he was betrayed and assassinated by some of his closest friends and followers on one fateful night. Cassius, Brutus, and the rest of the conspirators killed Caesar because they were afraid that he may become King and revoke their privileges and take all their power from them. The senators and conspirators thought that Caesar wanted to rule Rome on his own and overthrow the Roman republic which also motivated them to kill him. Caesar is first introduced early in the play as the fearless and victorious leader of Rome. He does not have as many lines as many of the other characters in the play but without his part there would be no play because his role is especially important to the play. In the play Caesar is warned by a few people including his own wife Calphurnia that he should not go to the senate on the "Ides of March" (March 15th), but because of his arrogant and indecisive personality he goes to the senate where he is then assassinated. Caesar does however return to the play in Act 4 as a ghost that haunts Brutus. Though he does not have many lines in the play as you read the play you can see that Julius Caesar is physically weak, superstitious, and also very indecisive. All three of which lead to his death and the end of Julius Caesar's rule over Rome.

First of all, Julius Caesar was physically weak. In Act I, Scene 2, Cassius says, "Caesar cried, "Help me, Cassius, or I sink!" he is talking to Brutus and telling him of how he had to save Caesar because he could not swim. And then in Act I, Scene 2, Casca says, "Marry, before he fell down, when he perceiv'd the common herd was glad he refus'd the crown", and he was telling Brutus how Caesar fell to the ground when he heard that the people were glad he refused the crown.

Secondly, Julius Caesar was superstitious. In Act I, Scene 2, Caesar says, "The barren, touched in this holy chase, shake off their sterile curse", he was talking about how he wanted Antony to touch Calphurnia with a leather thong so that she could have children. And then in Act II, Scene 2, Caesar says, "Go bid the priests do present sacrifice, and bring me their opinions of success", and he is having the servant tell the priests to make a sacrifice right away and bring him