Julius Caesar
William Shakespeare (1599)
“The man who stabbed Caesar for the sake of Rome became the instrument of everything he feared — and his friend's funeral speech destroyed him in twelve minutes.”
Short Summary
Brutus, the most respected man in Rome, is persuaded by Cassius to join a conspiracy against Julius Caesar, who they fear will make himself king and destroy the republic. They assassinate Caesar on the Ides of March. At Caesar's funeral, Mark Antony turns the crowd against the conspirators with a masterclass in manipulative rhetoric. Brutus and Cassius flee, raise armies, and fight Antony and Octavius at the Battle of Philippi. Both sides claim Caesar's legacy. Both Brutus and Cassius die. Antony calls Brutus 'the noblest Roman of them all' — a compliment that summarizes why he was so easy to manipulate.
Detailed Summary
Rome is celebrating Caesar's return from war. Tribunes Marullus and Flavius scold the crowd for celebrating — they fear Caesar's growing power. A soothsayer warns Caesar to 'beware the Ides of March.' Caesar dismisses him. Cassius, a pragmatic senator, has long feared Caesar's ambition and works to...