The Tragedy of Julius Caesar: Act 1

In Scene I, what do Flavius and Marcellus want the commoners to do?

• Go home and put on their best clothes.

• Stand along the sides of the street to get ready for Caesar's procession.

• Break up, move along, and ignore Caesar's victory.

• Offer their services free of charge to Caesar.

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What is the Soothsayer's advice to Caesar?

• "Neither a borrower nor a lender be."

• "Beware the Ides of March."

• "Go you down that way towards the Capitol."

• "Remember the Alamo."

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Explain the difference between the views of Caesar held by Cassius and Brutus.

• Cassius openly wants Caesar out of power. Brutus loves Caesar but recognizes his flaws and thinks about the state of his countrymen.

• Cassius wants Caesar to stay in power. Brutus thinks Cassius would be a better leader and wants to help him take over.

• Cassius wants Caesar out of power. Brutus agrees but thinks Cassius would not be a good leader either.

• Cassius thinks Caesar should share his power with Cassius, Brutus and others. Brutus thinks the power should be divided equally among all of the countrymen.

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Caesar clearly gives his thoughts about Cassius. What does he say?

• "It doth amaze me A man of such feeble temper should So get the start of a majestic world."

• "He had rather be a villager Than to repute himself a son of Rome."

• "He has a lean and hungry look.; He thinks too much. Such men are dangerous."

• "We have both fed as well, and we can both Endure the winter's cold as well as he."

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Why does Shakespeare include Caesar fainting?

• To show the audience that Caesar is a kind-hearted leader.

• To show that Cassius is clearly the superior leader.

• To show how weak Caesar is as a leader.

• To show Caesar pretending to have a seizure so people will forgive him for anything he just said or did.

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At the end of Scene II in lines 312 - 326, Cassius makes plans. What plans does he make? Why?

• He is going to ask Casca and Brutus to have dinner with him the following evening to discuss what to do about Caesar.

• He plans to hold a reception in Caesar's honor to make amends with him.

• He is going to forge notes to Brutus from several citizens in order to help sway Brutus against Caesar.

• He is going to meet Casca at the water tower because he's been talking stuff.

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Casca says, "For I believe they are portentous things/Unto the climate that they point upon." What does he mean?

• He thinks they are going to continue to have bad weather.

• He thinks Caesar has caused some kind of magic spell to be put upon the city.

• He thinks the "unnatural" sights he has seen are signs of tragedy about to unfold in his country.

• He thinks Caesar will make some needed improvements in the way the government is run.

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Why does Cassius want Brutus to join the conspiracy?

• Brutus is well thought of by the people. If he supported the conspiracy, the conspirators would be in better favor with the people following the assassination.

• Brutus has the best knowledge of the layout of the Capitol. It would be easy for him to plan a secret attack.

• Brutus has great influence over the soldiers. Cassius needs Brutus to direct them not to help Caesar.

• If a fight breaks out during the assassination attempt, they don't want Brutus on the other side because he's been getting swole.

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Based on the following passage, why are Flavius and Marullus upset with the townspeople?

O you hard hearts, you cruel men of Rome,

Knew you not Pompey? Many a time and oft

Have you climb'd up to walls and battlements,

To towers and windows, yea, to chimney-tops,

Your infants in your arms, and there have sat

The livelong day, with patient expectation,

To see great Pompey pass the streets of Rome:

And when you saw his chariot but appear,

Have you not made an universal shout,

That Tiber trembled underneath her banks,

To hear the replication of your sounds

Made in her concave shores?

And do you now put on your best attire?

And do you now cull out a holiday?

And do you now strew flowers in his way

That comes in triumph over Pompey's blood? Be gone!

• They are upset that the people were just celebrating Pompey, and are now celebrating his death.

• They are upset that Caesar, a man who has no more weight than they do, is now in charge.

• They are upset that people are taking the day off when they should be at work.

• They are upset that no one voted for Caesar, yet he is now in power.

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What does this following passage tell the reader about Marc Antony?

CAESAR

Forget not, in your speed, Antonius,

To touch Calpurnia; for our elders say,

The barren, touched in this holy chase,

Shake off their sterile curse.

ANTONY

I shall remember:

When Caesar says 'do this,' it is perform'd.

• That he is willing to do whatever Caesar asks of him.

• That he wants Calpurnia to get pregnant.

• That he feels weird about hitting Calpurnia with a goat skin.

• None of the answers are correct.

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