Julius Caesar is the story of a man's personal dilemma over moral action, set against a backdrop of political drama. Julius Caesar, an able general and a conqueror, returns to Rome amidst immense popularity after defeating the sons of Pompey. The people celebrate his victorious return and he is offered the crown by Mark Anthony which he refuses. Jealous of Caesar's growing power and afraid he may one day become a dictator, Cassius instigates, a conspiracy to murder Caesar. He realizes that to gain legitimacy in the eyes of the Romans, he must win over the noble Brutus to his side, for Brutus is the most trusted and respected in Rome. Brutus, the idealist joins the conspiracy, feeling everyone is driven by motives as honourable as his own. Ironically, Caesar is murdered at the foot of Pompey's statue.

The present extract is from the five Act play. It dramatizes how Caesar is murdered, and how his close friend Mark Anthony cleverly turns the mob against his conspirators. At the same time, different characters are laid bare in their moral uprightness in the backdrop of political and personal compulsions. The fickle nature of the mob is also beautifully revealed.

The setting is in Caesar's house. Caesar says that there is great turmoil in the sky and on earth. Calpurnia who is Caesar's wife had cried out in her sleep, asking for help, on seeing him murdered. She enters and asks her husband not to go to the senate house. Calpurnia says that the guard had seen many unnatural occurances of horrifying dimensions. All of these were ominous and indicated that a tragedy would befall Caesar if he went out of the house.

But Caesar said that only cowards die many times before their death. The valiant die only once. He finds it strange that people fear death when they see it as a necessary end. He agrees not to go but Brutus interpretation of the dream turns Caesar to overrule Calpurnia's fears. Caesar say that Calpurnia saw in a dream his statue "like a fountain with a hundred spouts" and running blood in which Romans bathed their hands. But Brutus twisted the interpretation saying that it indicated that from Caesar, Rome shall be great and his blood would serve as colours added to a coat of arms, as an object of reverence, mementos etc.

Brutus also says that the Roman senators wanted to offer mighty Caesar the crown. If he doesnt go that day, they may change their minds. This proves very effective on Caesar's credulous mind, and he at once gets ready to go.

Before the capitol, as per the plan of the conspirators, Metellus Cimber bows low before Caesar, pleading and fawning before him for recalling his brothers, who had been banished from Rome by a decree. But Caesar said that he is constant like the Northern Star and shall not repeal the decree. At this, the conspirators stab Caesar one by one. Brutus, too, stabs Caesar at which Casesar exclaims. Et, tu, Brute. Then Caesar dies.

Anthony enters and seeing Caesar lying dead says how Caesar with his conquests, glories, triumphs, spoils has shrunk to a "little measure". He addresses Brutus, Cassius and others and requests them to kill him too because he finds it a suitable place and time to lie by Caesar. But Brutus says that their hearts are pitiful and they receive him with all kind love, good thoughts and reverence. He perceives the situation mentally and begs to be excused by Caesar's dead body for "making his peace with his foes".

Cassius asks Anthony whether they should treat him as their friend or foe. At this, Anthony states that he is their friend but they must give him reasons why Caesar was "dangerous" and why they killed him, he also says that he would like to produce Caesar's body at the market place and speak at his funeral, Brutus says that he will be told the reason. Cassius, however, fears that Anthony might move the people's hearts against them. Brutus says then, that Anthony shall not blame them for Caesar's death and he will speak only after Brutus has spoken and with his permission.

Anthony is now alone with Caesar's dead body. He calls it the "bleeding price of earth" and calls the conspirators "butchers". Looking at Caesar, he calls him the ruins of noblest man that ever lived. He predicts that Caesar's murder will trigger a spate of calamities in the whole of Italy. "Domestic fury", "fierce civil strife" shall rage in horrible proportions. Blood and destruction will now be common. Mothers shall see their infants killed before their own eyes. Caesar's spirit shall come out hot from hell and wander in the streets to take revenge.

In the market place, Brutus is in the pulpit and addresses the mob. He tells the mob that they killed Caesar because he had become ambitious and posed a threat to the country and all the countrymen would have become his slaves. Hearing this explanation, the mob approves the conspirators action in murdering Caesar. They hail Brutus and chant "Let him be Caesar". Brutus then tells the mob to listen to Antony who was going to speak with his permission; and requests the mob to be silent and stay on till Anthony has finished speaking.

Anthony then addresses the mob in a very diplomatic manner. He says that he has not come to praise Caesar, but to bury him, for the evil that men do, lives after them and the good is interred with their bones. He says that Caesar was ambitious and he has rightly answered for it in his death. But in the next breath he explodes this by stating that Ceasar brought many prisoners home to Rome and their ransoms helped to fill the state treasury. If Brutus says that Caesar was ambitious, then ambition should be made of sterner stuff. He says sarcastically and repeatedly that Brutus is an "honourable" man. Caesar was offered the crown, thrice, but thrice he did refuse. Was this ambition? He says that they once loved Caesar, but asks what held them back from mourning for him now?

The mob sees reason in Anthony's speech and remarks. Anthony further states that if he stirs their hearts to mutiny and rage, they would do Brutus and Cassius wrong, but both Brutus and Cassius are honourable men. He has found Caesar's will in his cupboard. He doesnt want to read it, because if he does so, they would dip their napkins in his sacred blood. They could ask for Caesar's hair to keep it as a relic. The mob is now aroused. It demands that Anthony read Caesar's will.

Antony asks the mob to make a circle around Caesar's dead body, they are very impatient to hear what Caesar had written in his will. Antony confesses that by reading Caesar's will, he will be doing a great injustice to his murderers, who are so called honorable men. He rouses the mob's emotion and impatience by pointing out to the holes made by the conspirators on Caesars body. The cloak that Caesar was wearing was the same one that he had worn when he won victory over Nervie. In that same cloak were now holes made by the dagger thrust by Cassius and Brutus to stab Caesar. Brutus was very dear to Caesar. So much blood rushed out of Caesar when Brutus stabbed him, showing how unkind Brutus was to him. Caesar never would have expected Brutus to do what he did as Brutus was Caesar's well-loved friend. Was it not ingratitude? It must have broken Caesar's heart. It was a great fall for Caesar; very shocking indeed.

Antony goes on to state that he is not as good a orator as Brutus, but he is a plain and blunt man, who loved his friend Caesar very dearly. He speakes only the truth, unlike Brutus who was good at prejudiced speeches.

By now, the mob is totally moved, full of anger and see through Brutus and the conspirators wrongful act, they want to riot and burn down the house of Brutus. They now want to pursue the conspirators and want to kill them; but before that they want to know what is in Caesar's will.

Anthony reads the will. Caesar has left all his private houses, his newly-planted orchards for all his countrymen to enjoy and their future generations to come. He has also given to every Roman seventy-five silver coins. All his properties now belong to the Romans and they can use them for their pleasure. Can Rome have had another man like Caesar, Antony asks the mob.

Now the mob is fully charged, full of anger and passion and they rise in mutiny against the conspirators. They carry torches of fire in their hands, pull down everything around them to make the torches. Finally, Anthony remarks that he has instigated the mutiny, now let the mob take any course they like.

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