1. High School Literature 2.10
Julius Caesar
&
The Nature of Tragedy

2. The Tragedy of Julius Caesar
William Shakespeare’s is a study of the downfall of the lives of Caesar, Brutus, Cassius, and Antony. Shakespeare brings the excitement of conspiracy, suspicion, and ambition to a culmination in Act 5 while with the ghost of Caesar looks on.
Marcus Brutus was Caesar’s close friend and Roman praetor, or protector. Yet, he murdered Caesar. Brutus allowed himself to be enticed into joining a group of conspiring senators with Cassius at the lead. They feared Caesar intended to turn republican Rome into a Roman empire with Caesar as the sole ruler.
In so doing, the citizens of Rome would have no voice or representation for their law. Instead Caesar would reign as supreme emperor deciding the fate of the citizens of Rome.

3. The Assassination of Julius Caesar
Caesar’s assassination is one of the most famous scenes in the play occurring in Act 3 but Act 5 further reveals the nature and character of those who survived after Caesar’s murder.
The early scenes in the play deal with arguments among Brutus and Cassius and their struggle with their conscience along with fear and a mistrust of the actions of others.

4. Warnings & Agency
Caesar repeatedly received and ignored warnings regarding his life. Powerful orations by Brutus and Antony followed the death of Caesar at his funeral further and exposed conspiracies and motives for greed and power.
The conspirators are represented by Brutus who made it clear they committed this act of murder for Rome and not for their own purposes.
However, Antony is clever and subtle in his funeral speech and manipulates the emotions of the crowd by showing them Caesar’s body and suggesting there is a will that will benefit the people.
The mob drives the conspirators from Rome while Brutus and Cassius prepare for war with Marc Antony and Octavius.
You will remember from another lesson that Octavius is the adopted son of Caesar, and will change his name to Augustus when he becomes the first emperor of Rome.

5. The Tragedy of Julius Caesar Act 5
Caesar's ghost appeared to Brutus with a warning of defeat "thou shalt see me at Philippi."
Act 5 begins at the Battle of Philippi where the final fate of Cassius and Brutus await but not before mistrust and revenge precede murder and suicide.
Today, we are going to identify some of the tragic flaws of several of the main characters in William Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of Julius Caesar.

6. Battle of Philippi
The Battle of Philippi was the final battle in the Wars of the Second Triumvirate between the forces of Mark Antony and Octavian and the forces of the Marcus Junius Brutus and Gaius Cassius Longinus in 42 BC, at Philippi in Macedonia. The Second Triumvirate declared this civil war to avenge Julius Caesar's assassination.

7. The ancient city of Philippi
The battle consisted of two engagements in the plain west of the ancient city of Philippi. The first occurred in the first week of October; Brutus faced Octavian, while Antony's forces were up against those of Cassius. At first, Brutus pushed back Octavian and entered his legions' camp. But to the south, Cassius was defeated by Antony, and committed suicide after hearing a false report that Brutus had also failed. Brutus rallied Cassius' remaining troops and both sides ordered their army to retreat to their camps with their spoils, and the battle was essentially a draw, but for Cassius' suicide. A second encounter, on 23 October, finished off Brutus's forces, and he committed suicide in turn, leaving the triumvirate in control of the Roman Republic.

8. What tragic choices did the men make
What tragic choices did the men make? Do we have the opportunity to make these same types of choices?
Act V, scene i
Octavius and Antony enter the battlefield at Philippi with their armies. A messenger arrives to report that the enemy is ready for battle. Antony, the more experienced soldier, tells Octavius to attack from the left.
Octavius refuses and replies that he will attack from the right and Antony can come from the left.
Antony asks Octavius why he questions his authority, but Octavius stands firm.

9. What tragic choices did they make here? Apply them to your lives.
Octavius and Antony celebrate their good fortune that Brutus and Cassius have foolishly come down from the hills. Octavius demands to lead the more important army division, despite his inexperience. Brutus and Cassius arrive with their men, and the opposing leaders hold a brief conference. The exchange, short and bitter, ends with Octavius and Antony storming away.

10. What tragic choices do you see here? Apply them to your life.
Act 5, Scene 3 On a hill in another part of the battlefield Titinius, a soldier and friend to Cassius, warns his commander that Brutus gave the word to attack prematurely, and Antony's men have them surrounded. Pindarus, Cassius's servant, rushes in with news that enemy troops are in the very tents of Cassius's headquarters. He begs Cassius to flee for his life. Cassius refuses and sends Titinius to make certain that they are not Brutus' men that have entered his camp.

11. What is the tragedy here? Can it be repaired?
Pindarus ascends the hill to report on Titinius' movement. What he sees is grim indeed. Cassius knows that he too will soon be captured by Antony and Octavius, and will certainly be dragged through the streets of Rome in chains. He orders Pindarus to help him commit suicide. Pindarus holds the sword steady. Cassius impales his chest on the blade. Pindarus flees as Titinius returns with Messala. Titinius was not captured by Antony -- Pindarus has made a terrible mistake. They come to tell Cassius that Brutus has defeated Octavius' troops, but, instead, they find Cassius's body.

12. What is the price of revenge?
Brutus arrives and sees the bodies of Cassius and Titinius. He cries, "Are yet two Romans living such as these?/The last of all the Romans, fare thee well!"
For Cassius he has special words:
Friends, I owe more tears To this dead man than you shall see me pay. I shall find time, Cassius, I shall find time. (102-3)
Brutus then announces that he plans another siege, this time against Antony.

13. Why is Brutus choosing physical death? Does this show moral agency?
Act 5, Scene 4 & 5: Antony proves too strong and Brutus is forced to retreat. He orders his men to remain fighting on the field. Brutus and his few remaining servants gather at a rock. He asks Clitus and then Dardanius to kill him to avoid capture, but they refuse. He then implores Volumnius as a friend to help him commit suicide. But Volumnius too refuses: "That's not an office for a friend, my lord."

14. What do you think Brutus’ final words mean?
As the enemy troops draw near, Clitus, Dardanius, and Volumnius flee and Brutus remains behind with another servant, Strato.
He convinces Strato to hold the sword for him as he runs upon it.
With his final words Brutus addresses Caesar:
Caesar, now be still: I kill'd not thee with half so good a will.
Antony and Octavius arrive and find Brutus' body. Antony, knowing that Brutus was a valiant defender of Rome, delivers a tribute befitting so honest a man:
Octavius sends Brutus' body to his own tent until they can arrange a proper burial and the play comes to close:
"So call the field to rest; and let's away/To part the glories of this happy day"

15. Discuss D&C 101:78
“that every man may act in doctrine and principle … according to the moral agency which I have given unto him, that every man may be accountable for his own sins” (D&C 101:78) How do you describe moral agency? How does the wise use of agency keeps our choices open and improve our ability to choose correctly?