Story of the Play: Julius Caesar
The
Life and Death of Julius Caesar is one of Shakespeare’s most well-known and
oft-quoted plays, a classic story of loyalty, politics, murder and intrigue
with some of the greatest oratory ever written.
The
story begins in the streets of Rome in the year 44 BCE. The tribune Marullus, a government official chosen
to represent the common people, asks the commoners why they are loitering in
the streets, and a cobbler plainly replies: “we make holiday to see Caesar and to rejoice in his triumph.” Marullus mocks the mob for their fickle
loyalties, since they used to be loyal to Caesar’s enemy, Pompey, who Caesar
has now vanquished. He sends the
commoners home with: “Run to your
houses, fall upon your knees, / Pray to the gods to intermit the plague / That
needs must light on this ingratitude” and proceeds to tear down the decorations
the commoners have hung in Caesar’s honor. Alone, Marullus states his fear that Caesar has grown dangerously high
in the esteem of the people.
But
allow me to pause here, dear reader/listener, to briefly explain the underlying
political state in Rome at the time (which will clarify several plot points
along our journey through this play.) You’ve already heard two names important to the background of the story: Caesar and Pompey. In 61 BCE, these two men, along with a third, Crassus, formed the
First Triumvirate of Rome – three men chosen to rule equally, and for a limited
time; the Triumvirate was solidified by inter-marrying amongst each other’s
families. However, human nature being what
it is, each man soon began to act on behalf of his own personal ambitions for
wealth, land and power. In 58 BCE,
Caesar began his military campaigns, conquering, among others, Gaul (now
Italy), and parts of Britain and France, all the while maintaining his power,
in absentia, in the Roman political machine. In 53 BCE, Crassus died in a failed military invasion, eliminating him
as a potential political threat to the remaining two leaders. During Caesar’s absence from Rome for
nearly 10 years, his daughter – who had become Pompey’s wife – died, severing
the tie between the remaining two members of the original Triumvirate. When Pompey was named the sole Consul of
Rome, effectively cutting Caesar out, and married the daughter of Caesar’s
enemy, the Triumvirate dissolved and the two men became known enemies. In 50
BCE, Pompey ordered Caesar to return to Rome and disband his armies. When Caesar refused, believing (probably
rightfully so) that Pompey intended to capture and prosecute him, Pompey had
Caesar declared a traitor to Rome. As a
result, in 49 BCE, Caesar crossed the Rubicon River into Italy thrusting Rome
into Civil War. A year later, Caesar
defeated Pompey and it is here that Shakespeare’s story begins.
It
is interesting to note that Caesar actually lived for almost four years after
the death of Pompey, when he met and fell in love with Cleopatra, Queen of
Egypt, all the while maintaining dictatorship of Rome. But that is another story, and Shakespeare
didn’t mind playing with time, and so condenses several years of history into
this two and a half hour play. So let’s
get back to our story….
A
flourish of trumpets announces the entrance of the victorious Caesar with a
great crowd, celebrating the Lupercal, a fertility festival. Caesar encourages his wife Calpurnia to
stand in the way of the virile Mark Antony, who is running in the Lupercal
race; touching the runners brings fertility, and Caesar would like Calpurnia to
provide him with an heir. As Caesar’s
party continues toward the Capitol, a Soothsayer (a prophet who can see the
future) calls out to Caesar “Beware the Ides of March.” Ides means the fifteenth day of the
month. But Caesar ignores this warning
and the procession continues.
As
the crowd moves by, two Roman politicians remain behind – Cassius and Brutus,
longtime friends and intimates of Caesar. Cassius accuses Brutus of being distant and withdrawn. He offers to be Brutus’ mirror, to help him
see himself as others see him. Brutus
admits he is afraid of Caesar’s growing popularity, and says he loves honor more
than life itself. Cassius confirms
Brutus’ fears saying that Caesar is a mere mortal – one whose life he saved
once during a swimming contest – and yet now has come to be regarded as a god.
Cassius reminds Brutus of Caesar’s physical weakness (now considered to have
been epilepsy) and they marvel that this fallible man has risen so high. “The fault, dear Brutus, is in not in our
stars,/ But in ourselves, that we are underlings,” says Cassius. The men are not fated to serve Caesar, they
merely allow themselves to do so. Cassius fears that Caesar is being treated
like a king; as free Romans they cannot abide the idea of kingly power being
vested in one man, who would rule over them. Brutus promises to consider what should, if anything, be done. When Caesar returns he tells Antony he does
not trust Cassius who has “a lean and hungry look.”
Brutus
and Cassius get the attention of another noble Roman, Casca, who delivers news
that during the celebrations, Mark Antony offered Caesar a crown three times, which
Caesar refused each time, despite the cheering of the crowd. Then Caesar fell to the ground foaming at
the mouth. The men fear Caesar only
refused the crown as a political ploy, but really intends to become dictator of
Rome, with the blessing of the people. Casca also tells that the Tribune Marullus, who we met at the beginning
of the play, has been put to death for removing Caesar’s victory
decorations. The men plan to meet again
later and Cassius hatches schemes to further sway Brutus to join the plot he is
hatching to unseat Caesar.
That
night, storms and ill omens plague Rome. In the lightening-lit streets, men whisper about the strange things
happening in the city. In the
fearfulness of the storm, Cassius and Casca agree to conspire to rid Rome of
Caesar. Cassius and his friend Cinna go
to gather more plotters, and to leave anti-Caesar papers where Brutus will find
them, hoping to convince Brutus of mounting public outrage against Caesar.
At
Brutus’ home, his internal battle continues, when his servant Lucius brings him
a letter, seemingly written by the citizens of Rome (but in fact it forged by
Cassius) begging Brutus to strike against Caesar and against tyranny. By the time Cassius arrives at Brutus’ home
with several other conspirators – Casca, Cinna, Metellus Cimber and Trebonius
--, they find Brutus has decided to participate in their plot. When the men want to swear an oath, Brutus
tells them oaths are not necessary when the justness of their cause spurs them
as strongly as it now does. Cassius
wants to kill Antony too, fearing he is as dangerous as Caesar, but Brutus
disagrees. There is just cause to kill
Caesar. “Let’s kill him boldy, but not
wrathfully.” Too many unnecessary
deaths will dishonor the cause, and the conspirators resolve – only Caesar
dies.
When
the men leave, Brutus’ wife Portia, begs him to tell her what has been on his
mind, as she knows he has been distracted lately. Despite her eloquence and devotion, Brutus rebuffs her, saying “O
ye gods, / Render me worthy of this noble wife.” One last conspirator, a sick Ligarius, comes to join the cause,
“A piece of work that will make sick men whole.”
As
thunder continues to rock Rome the next morning, the 15th of March,
Caesar’s wife Calpurnia, insists Caesar should not leave the house. She reveals she has had nightmares in which
she saw a statue of Caesar bleed, and watched as smiling men dipped their hands
in the blood. Caesar, does not want to
appear cowardly but eventually, to appease his frantic wife, he agrees to stay
home. But Metellus Cimber arrives and
cleverly spins Calpurnia’s dreams to appear as good omens of Caesar’s rise to
power, so Caesar changes his mind – he will go to the Capitol. With Cassius, Brutus, Antony, and others
they leave for the Senate. On
another street, the citizen Artemidorus stands, with a petition begging Caesar
against going to the Capitol and naming the conspirators. Portia tries to send
Lucius to bring back news from the Capitol, but she is so worried and
inarticulate that her commands are unintelligible. The Soothsayer’s menacing predictions add to the sense of
foreboding. The
mob again fills the streets of Rome as Caesar, in the company of the
conspirators, enters on his way to the capitol. Artemidorus tries to give Caesar his petition, but Caesar refuses
to read it when he’s told it is for his own benefit, choosing instead to give
his attention to a matter of someone else’s need. When Metellus Cimber tries to kneel to Caesar, Caesar will not
let him abase himself. Yet Caesar
refuses to revoke the banishment of Metellus’ brother Publius Cimber, saying
the banishment was just and it is right for him to stay constant to that
decision. At a word from Casca – “Speak
hands for me” – the conspirators fall upon Caesar, stabbing him 23 times,
crying “Liberty! Freedom! Tyranny is dead!” A dying Caesar looks up at his friend, Brutus, among those who would
have him dead. “Et tu, Brute? Then fall, Caesar” are his final words. As
Antony flees, the Senators react quickly – they must spin this story to their
benefit before the crowd can react badly against Caesar’s death. Brutus
suggests: “Stoop, Romans, stoop, / And
let us bathe our hands in Caesar's blood / Up to the elbows, and besmear our
swords: / Then walk we forth, even to the market-place, / And, waving our red
weapons o'er our heads, / Let's all cry 'Peace, freedom and liberty!” Calpurnia’s dream has indeed come true. Antony’s
servant enters to ask for safe passage for his master to approach, which Brutus
promises. When Antony returns, he
shakes hands with each of the bloody conspirators but laments openly over
Caesar’s body. The conspirators would
like Antony to help convince the citizens of the justness of their murderous
act. Antony asks permission to speak at
Caesar’s funeral and, despite Cassius’ objections, Brutus agrees. Left alone, Antony asks for Caesar’s pardon
and swears he will get revenge for Caesar’s murder with “Cry ‘Havoc’ and let
slip the dogs of war.” As
the second half of the story begins, people rush about in final preparations
for Caesar’s funeral. Antony speaks
with a servant of Octavius Caesar – Julius Caesar’s nephew, whom the murdered
man had summoned to Rome. Antony warns
the servant to observe the temper of the crowd and cautions Octavius to remain
outside the city. As
the Roman mob demands an explanation for Caesar’s death, Brutus addresses them,
affirming his love for Caesar but claiming his death was necessary: “Had you rather Caesar were living and die
all slaves, than that Caesar were dead, to lie all free men?” As Antony display’s Caesar’s body, the crowd
cheers Brutus with: “Live, Brutus,
live! Bring him with triumph home until
his house. Give him a statue with his
ancestors. Let him be Caesar!” Then Brutus turns the podium over to Antony. “Friends,
Romans, Countrymen,” begins Antony’s famous speech. Then, repeatedly referring to “the noble Brutus,” his speech
becomes more and more sarcastic as he openly questions Brutus’ motivations for
Caesar’s death. Antony reminds the
crowd that Caesar brought much glory to Rome and refused the crown three
times. He then describes, in detail,
the death of Caesar and shows the crowd Caesar’s vicious wounds. As the crowd’s opinion begins to sway,
Antony produces Caesar’s will, which he purposely hesitates to read until the
crowd begs him to do so. Caesar has bequeathed a sum of money to every citizen
of Rome, and land for public gardens. The citizens’ outrage turns to cries of “Revenge!” against Brutus and the
conspirators. Antony learns that
Octavius is already in Rome, while Brutus and Cassius have fled the city. War is unavoidable. Things
get ugly in the city of Rome. The mob
runs across a poet named Cinna. Unfortunately for the poet, one of the conspirators was also named
Cinna. The poet tries to explain he is
not the same man, but the mob is in a state of agitation and tears the poor
poet to pieces in revenge for Caesar’s death. Meanwhile,
Antony, Octavius and the Roman noble Lepidus are forming a Second Triumvirate
to rule Rome. Their first order of
business is deciding which traitors the new government will put to death. When
Lepidus is sent to collect Caesar’s will, Antony shares with Octavius his
disdain of their partner – the jockeying for power has already begun. But there is no time to lose, for the armies of Brutus and Cassius are
gathering outside the city. The
scene flies to Sardis and the military camp of the conspirators, where dissent
is also brewing. Cassius, arriving with
his army, is described by Brutus as “A hot friend cooling.” Alone in Brutus’
tent, they have a heated argument when Brutus accuses Cassius of taking bribes
and having “an itching palm,” but they ultimately reconcile. Brutus then reveals he is sick with grief,
having received news that his wife Portia has committed suicide by swallowing
fire – fearing Octavius and Antony, who have been putting to death those they
label as traitors. As Cassius laments,
Brutus expresses Roman stoicism, and the men make preparations for the
impending battle to be held at Philippi. The
military captains leave Brutus alone for the night, but sleep does not come
easily to Brutus. The Ghost of Caesar appears to Brutus, promising to meet him
on the battlefield the next day. On
the plains of Philippi, Antony and Octavius arrive with their armies. When Antony tries to give orders to
Octavius, the younger man asserts his authority as a Caesar and refuses to take
direction from Antony. When Brutus and
Cassius arrive for a pre-battle parley, the men exchange heated insults and
Octavius hurls defiance at the conspirators. Cassisus
calls his friend Titinius to him, confiding it is his birthday and sharing the
vision of an omen: two mighty eagles who alit on the soldier’s banners, only to
be replaced the next day by birds of prey. Cassius and Brutus discuss what they
will do if their army loses; Cassius implies suicide is better than capture. A
great battle rages. The spirit of
Caesar seems to spur the Triumvirate’s cause. Cassius thinks he sees his men
retreating and his tents set on fire. He sends Titinius riding off to
investigate, and his servant, Pindarus, up the hill to report. When Pindarus cries that Titinius has been
surrounded by horsemen who shout for joy, Cassius concludes he is captured and
the battle lost. Calling Pindarus back,
he orders him to obey his master and kill him with his own sword; Cassius dies,
believing Caesar revenged. Pindarus,
freed from his master, wishes his freedom had not been bought at such a high
price. When Titinius returns with
Trebonius, we learn that the horsemen surrounding him had been his friends,
reporting of their army’s victory. Finding the body and realizing Cassius has misconstrued everything,
Titinius kills himself with Cassius’ sword. Brutus
is led to the site of the dead bodies by Trebonius. Impressed by the dead men’s courage, he muses: “Are yet two
Romans living such as these?” But the battle continues – there is no time to
mourn. Antony’s men capture Metellus,
who pretends to be Brutus, but Antony knows the truth – that Brutus fights
on. Yet as the fighting continues, the
end is near for Brutus and his few remaining men; total loss is imminent: “I
know my hour is come.” Neither Lucius
nor Clitus will help him, but Brutus convinces Strato to hold his sword so he
might run upon it. Thus Brutus kills
himself and Caesar is revenged – the Ghost can now rest in peace. Octavius
and Antony discover Brutus, dead. Antony declares: “This was the
noblest Roman of them all: / All the conspirators save only he / Did that they
did in envy of great Caesar; / He only, in a general honest thought / And
common good to all, made one of them.” As Octavius and Antony prepare to celebrate their victory, peace has come
to again Rome…for now. Written
by Kate Magill for Marin Shakespeare Company’s 2009 production
|
