Act I, Scene I

1. Why are the people of Rome celebrating in the streets? They are honoring Caesar on the Feast of Lupercal. He defeated Pompey.

2. Why is Marullus upset that the people of Rome are celebrating? He thinks people forgot their loyalty to Pompey. He is angry because he thinks they should only honor Pompey and not Caesar.

3. What do Marullus and Flavius plan to do as they walk to the capitol? They will tear down and destroy any decorations that honor Caesar.

4. What can you infer are Marullus’s and Flavius’s feelings toward Caesar? Why might they feel this way? They are angry at him and dislike him because he drove out Pompey. They are loyal to Pompey.

Act I, Scene II

1. Why does Caesar want Antonius to touch Calpurnia as he runs by? He wants her to become pregnant and superstition has it that when runners touch women on the Feast of Lupercal, they become fertile.

2. What does the soothsayer tell Caesar? Beware the Ides of March.

3. What is Caesar’s reaction to the soothsayer? He ignores him and doesn’t care what he says.

4. What does Cassius mean when he asks if Brutus can see his own face? Cassius is asking Brutus is Brutus is aware of his own strengths and how much the people of Rome like him.

5. What does Cassius say he will do for Brutus? He will show Brutus his own strengths and how much the people of Rome love him.

6. Cassius launches into a long speech 6. Cassius launches into a long speech. In the middle, he says, “I was born free as Caesar; so were you.” What does he mean by this? Caesar is not god; he is human. Caesar is no better than Cassius or Brutus.

7. Name two other instances that show Caesar to be weak. Cassius had to save Caesar from drowning. Caesar was sick and cried out like a little girl.

8. What does Cassius mean by the following line: “Men at some time are masters of their fates: The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, But in ourselves, that we are underlings.” Men must take control of their destiny. If they want to make something happen, they should not look to fate but should take action.

9. What does Brutus say he will do with Cassius’s words? He will think about them.

10. What does Brutus mean by the following lines: “Brutus had rather be a villager Than to repute himself a son of Rome Under these hard conditions at this time”? Brutus would rather live outside of the Rome that he loves than live in Rome under the tyranny of Caesar.

11. What does Caesar mean by this line 11. What does Caesar mean by this line? What might this be an example of? “Yond Cassius has a lean and hungry look; He thinks too much: such men are dangerous.” Cassius does not look satisfied; he looks like he wants something. Caesar is suspicious of him. This is foreshadowing.

12. What was offered to Caesar by Antony 12. What was offered to Caesar by Antony? Why do you think Caesar initially refused to take it? Who seemed to want Caesar to take it? Caesar was offered the crown. The crowd wanted Caesar to take it.

13. What happened to Caesar in the marketplace 13. What happened to Caesar in the marketplace? What disease does he have? Caesar swooned and fainted. He has the falling sickness, which is epilepsy.

14. Why does Cassius say that he and Brutus have the falling sickness? Cassius and Brutus are too weak and afraid to “stand up” to Caesar. They bow down to him like everyone else.

15. How does Cassius plan to convince Brutus that the Romans support Brutus for king? He will plant fake letters from Roman citizens that show support for Brutus.

Act I, Scene iii

1. What crazy things did Casca see in the streets of Rome? A lion near the Capitol A man on fire who wasn’t burned A terrible storm An owl in the market during the day

2. What might those crazy things foreshadow? Something bad is going to happen to Caesar.

3. What does Cassius think the storm and crazy events foreshadow? Caesar is going to become a dictator and make Rome a terrible place to live.

4. What does Cassius have Cinna do? Cinna will plant the fake letters for Brutus to see.