Scene at a glance
- Before the Capitol: "The ides of March are come" — "Ay, Caesar; but not gone"; Artemidorus's warning ignored ("last served").
- Popilius Lena alarms Cassius; Brutus calms him; Trebonius draws Antony away.
- Metellus pleads for Publius Cimber; Brutus and Cassius join; Caesar: "constant as the northern star", "lift up Olympus".
- Casca: "Speak, hands, for me!"; Caesar: "Et tu, Brute!"; dies at the foot of Pompey's statue.
- "Liberty! Freedom!"; Brutus: "ambition's debt is paid"; hands bathed in blood; Cassius: "lofty scene … acted over".
- Antony's servant (Brutus noble; Caesar mighty); Antony mourns, offers his life, shakes hands, asks to speak.
- Cassius objects; Brutus sets conditions (no blame, all good of Caesar, by permission, same pulpit, after Brutus).
- Soliloquy: "bleeding piece of earth", "butchers", "Woe to the hand", civil war, "Cry 'Havoc'".
- Octavius within seven leagues of Rome.
Common traps
| Trap | Correct idea |
|---|---|
| Brutus struck first | Casca struck first; Brutus struck last. |
| "bleeding piece of earth" = the ground | It is Caesar's bloody body. |
| Caesar read the warning | He never read Artemidorus's letter. |
| Popilius Lena was a conspirator | He was not; his remark only alarmed Cassius. |
| Antony spoke before Brutus | Brutus spoke first; Antony last. |
| Antony's friendship was sincere | It was an act; the soliloquy shows his anger. |