Shakespeare’s JULIUS CAESAR begins when Caesar has returned from his recent military triumph that now makes made him Roman
dictator for life. On the streets of Rome, two Tribunes Marullus & Flavius see the general public in their best attire to ‘make holiday to see Caesar & to rejoice in his triumph’ & everywhere all statues of Caesar are decorated & garlanded. The tribunes ridicule & remind them of their loyalties to Pompey and urge them to go home. The tribunes then pull down all decorations of Caesar’s welcome.
We see Caesar for the first time as he goes and attends the annual games held on the Lupercalia Festival, but a soothsayer warns him to ‘Beware the ides (15th) of March’ which he ignores. During the games, Caesar talks to Antony about his suspicions of Cassius. Brutus & Cassius discuss the potential danger if Caesar becomes king and the expectations which the Republic have from Brutus as a true patriot. Casca tells how Caesar was offered the crown and refused it.
There is a terrible storm at night and Casca meets Cicero in the street discussing with him the un-natural happenings,
saying that these happenings are omens of evil to follow. Cicero mentions about a conspiracy and wonders whether Brutus would be persuaded to join.
We see a double-minded Brutus reading a letter showing the opinion which others hold about him & urging him to take action. Cassius comes with other conspirators and they plan Caesar’s murder. Brutus’ wife Portia is worried about her husband’s shaky state of mind and tries to make him open up to her. Later another senator Caius Ligarius also joins the conspiracy.
Caesar is also disturbed by the stormy night and his wife Calpurnia has a nightmare foretelling the assassination. Caesar sends a servant to consult the fortune-tellers. She relates the entire dream and urges Caesar not to go to the Senate House. Caesar’s servant returns with bad news. Caesar tells his wife that ‘for thy humour’ he will not go but will tell Antony to inform others of his absence. Decius Brutus comes and persuades Caesar to change his mind. Other conspirators also come and they all take Caesar to the Senate House.
Outside the Senate House , Artemidorus reads a warning letter which he intends to give Caesar as he passes by. Brutus wife Portia is anxious to know what is happening at the Capitol , and what the soothsayer tells her makes her even more worried.
Caesar passes by, ignoring Artemidorus’ request to read his letter and the warning of the soothsayer and heads straight to the Senate House. The conspirators gather and a petition is made to revoke the banishment of Cimber’s brother which Caesar declines. The conspirators stab Caesar. Brutus takes charge and Antony is given ‘permission’ to conduct Caesar’s funeral speech. Antony prophesies ‘blood and destruction’ and sends a message to Octavius to come quickly.
In the Forum, Brutus explains to the public his motives for assassinating his ‘best lover’ for the good of Rome and that ‘I have the same dagger for myself, when it should please my country to need my death’, thereby gaining the public’s support. Antony comes with Caesar’s corpse and gives a blood curdling rebellious oration tilting the mob against Brutus and the conspirators, threatening to kill them all. Antony gets news of Octavius’ arrivals and that Brutus & Cassius are ‘rid like madmen through the gates of Rome’
Out in the street, the violent mob out on a rampage, seizes a poet called Cinna, thinking him to be one of the conspirators and tearing him to pieces.
Antony, Octavius and Lepidus plan their revenge and strategy to wage war on the factions who were in opposition to Caesar.
In Sardis , outside Brutus’ & Cassius’ camp the two quarrel over payments to their armies. As their argument continues, Brutus tells Cassius that he was a simple man and that Cassius forced him to become negative, and he gives Caesar’s murder as an example. He says that he is depressed because his wife Portia has died. They make up and Cassius goes, leaving a tired Brutus in his tent. Caesar’s ghost appears to Brutus warning him of his ultimate destruction at Philippi . The armies now move to the plains of Philippi .
Antony and Octavius meet face to face with Brutus & Cassius before the battle. Cassius tells fellow soldier Messala that the omens are unfavourable and that their defeat is definite and that he would rather commit suicide than to be taken captive and killed by Antony & Octavius. So Cassius and Brutus bid their final farewell to each other.
The battle begins and the early signs seem favourable for Brutus. Cassius, now deserted by his own troops, decides to commit suicide. His fellow comrade Titinius comes with favourable news, only to find Cassius dead. Brutus still fights on.
One of Brutus’ soldiers, Lucilius pretending to be Brutus, is captured by Antony’s troops, but Antony recognizes him. Brutus, now alone with a comrade, asks him to hold a sword while he does ‘run upon it’, thereby committing suicide. Antony finds the dead Brutus and honours him with full rights saying ‘This was the noblest Roman of them all…….. This was a man.’