 |
Julius Caesar's body lies in the Senate.
|
These included a soothsayer who warned him to "beware the Ides of March", and portents
|
such as the dead rising, blood falling from the sky and lions giving birth in the streets.
|
|
|
Brutus, the honourable but misguided assassin of Julius Caesar has committed suicide after being beaten in battle by Mark Antony, who has today taken control of the Empire. With Rome still reeling from the horrific assassination of people's favourite Julius Caesar, this victory has brought a much needed peace to the city at last.
A rising star of the Empire, Mark Antony won over Rome's citizens after giving an emotional speech after Julius Caesar's murder. He spoke just after Brutus had tried to defend his actions in helping kill Caesar.
It was his love for Rome, Brutus claimed, that had led him to strike the fatal blow on one of his oldest friends. He went on to explain that his fears that power would go to Caesar's head and turn him into a tyrant had
|
led him to join with Senator Cassius and Metellus Cimber in a plot to assassinate the emperor.
At first, the fickle crowd supported Brutus, but a rousing speech from Mark Antony, in which he revealed how generous Caesar's will was to the public, swiftly turned them against the conspirators. Whipped into a frenzy, crowds bayed for their blood and threatened to burn down Brutus's home, and riots erupted across the capital. With Romans split into two camps, the vicious civil war that has just ended was inevitable.
The biggest tragedy is that this could all have been avoided if Julius Caesar had only heeded some of the many dire omens and warnings he had received in the days leading up to the assassination.
|
Calpurnia
Julius Caesar's sensible and loving wife, Calpurnia warned her husband not to leave the house during the Ides of March after having a prophetic dream. But sadly, he wouldn't heed her.
|
Julius Caesar
An ambitious and ruthless politician, and a skilled general. His ambition led to his downfall, when long-time friend Brutus betrayed and stabbed him to stop him becoming a tyrant. |
Marcus Brutus
Friend of Caesar,this honourable man was also a patriot, convinced that Caesar must die rather than become a tyrant. His strong principles led him to allow rival Antony speak at Caesar's funeral.
|
Mark Antony
A soldier and Caesar's right-hand man, this calculating chap used his silver tongue to turn the people of Rome against Brutus. With Caesar slain, he grabbed the chance to take control of Rome.
|
|
 |
"Beware the ides of March."
Soothsayer, Act I, Scene II
"Cowards die many times before their deaths; The valiant never taste of death but once."
Julius Caesar, Act II, Scene II
"Et tu, Brute! Then fall, Caesar."
Julius Caesar, Act III, Scene I
|
"Cry 'Havoc' and let slip the dogs of war"
Mark Anthony, Act III, Scene I
"Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears;
I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him."
Mark Anthony, Act III, Scene II
"This was the noblest Roman of them all"
Mark Anthony, Act V, Scene V
|
|
|
|
