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23 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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Julius Caesar
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A great Roman general who has recently returned to Rome after a military victory in Spain. Julius Caesar is not the main character of the play that bears his name; Brutus has over four times as many lines, and the play does not show us Caesar's point of view. In his own mind, he seems already to be an absolute ruler.
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Marcus Brutus
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A high-ranking, well-regarded Roman nobleman who participates in a conspiracy to assassinate Caesar. Brutus is motivated by his sense of honor, which requires him to place the good of Rome above his own personal interests or feelings.
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Marc Antony
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A loyal friend of Caesar's. In contrast to the self-disciplined Brutus, Antony is notoriously impulsive and pleasure-seeking, passionate rather than principled. He is extremely spontaneous and lives in the present moment. As resourceful as he is unscrupulous, Antony proves to be a dangerous enemy of Brutus and the other conspirators.
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Cassius
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A talented general and longtime acquaintance of Caesar. Cassius resents the fact that the Roman populace has come to revere Caesar almost as a god. He slyly leads Brutus to believe that Caesar has become too powerful and must die, finally converting Brutus to his cause by sending him forged letters claiming that the Roman people support the death of Caesar. Impulsive and unscrupulous like Antony, Cassius harbors no illusions about the way the political world works. A shrewd opportunist, he acts effectively but lacks integrity.
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Octavius
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Caesar's adopted son and appointed successor. Octavius, who had been traveling abroad, returns after Caesar's death, then joins with Antony and sets off to fight Cassius and Brutus. Antony tries to control Octavius's movements, but Octavius follows his adopted father's example and emerges as the authoritative figure, paving the way for his eventual seizure of the reins of Roman government.
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Casca
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One of the conspirators. Casca is a tribune (an official elected to represent the common people of Rome) who resents Caesar's ambition. Casca is the first to stab Caesar.
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Calphurnia
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Caesar's wife. Calphurnia invests great authority in omens and portents.
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Portia
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Brutus's wife and the daughter of a noble Roman (Cato) who took sides against Caesar.
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Flavius and Murellus
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Two tribunes who condemn the plebeians for their fickleness in cheering Caesar when once they cheered for Caesar's enemy Pompey. Flavius and Murellus are punished for removing the decorations from Caesar's statues during Caesar's triumphal parade.
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Cicero
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A Roman senator renowned for his oratorical skill. Cicero speaks at Caesar's triumphal parade. He later dies at the order of Antony, Octavius, and Lepidus.
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Lepidus
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The third member of Antony and Octavius's coalition. Though Antony has a low opinion of Lepidus, Octavius trusts Lepidus's loyalty.
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Decius
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A member of the conspiracy. Decius convinces Caesar that Calphurnia misinterpreted her dire nightmares and that, in fact, no danger awaits him at the Senate. Decius leads Caesar right into the hands of the conspirators.
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Publius
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A Senator who travels with Caesar to the Senate House the day Caesar is killed, he witnesses Caesar's assassination.
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Popilius Lena
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The Senator who terrifies Cassius by telling Cassius that he hopes his "enterprise [assassination attempt] today may thrive" or be successful just as Caesar goes into the Senate house on the "ides of March" (Act III, Scene I, Line 13).
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Terminus
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The only conspirator who does not actually stab Caesar, he is the man responsible for saving Mark Antony's life following Caesar's assassination.
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Ligarius
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The reluctant assassin, Caius Ligarius at first hesitates in killing Caesar, but later enthusiastically follows the others in killing Caesar after Brutus restores his conviction.
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Metellus Cimber
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A conspirator against Caesar, it is his petition or request to Caesar for his brother's banishment to be overturned, that allows the conspirators to move close to Caesar, before they assassinate him with multiple stab wounds.
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Cinna
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A conspirator against Caesar, who plays a key role in enlisting Brutus to their cause. It is Cinna who suggests to Cassius that Brutus join their conspiracy. Also assists Cassius' manipulation of Brutus by placing Cassius' letters responsible for manipulating Brutus where Brutus is sure to find and read them.
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Artemidorus
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The man who nearly saves Caesar, he presents Caesar with a letter warning warning Caesar that he will be killed (Act II, Scene III). Caesar however does not read the letter and so proceeds to his doom.
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Cinna, the Poet
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A humble poet, this man dies because he has the wrong name at the wrong time. After Mark Antony incites (angers) the people of Rome against Caesar's assassins, Cinna who shares the same name as one of the assassins, is killed despite his explaining his identity as a poet. The mob, eager for blood, kill him regardless and use the excuse that they never liked his poems much anyway (Act III, Scene III, Lines 1-43).
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Lucilius, Titinius, Messala, Young Cato and Volumnius
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Friends to Brutus and Cassius.
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Varro, Clitus, Claudius, Strato, Lucius and Dardanius
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Servants of Brutus
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Pindarus
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A servant to Cassius, he is also the messenger bearing the wrong news. In Act V, Pindarus misreports to Cassius that Titinius, a scout sent to Brutus' forces was captured by the Triumvir's forces when he was actually welcomed by Brutus' army. On Pindarus' information, Cassius assumes that Brutus has been defeated and so thinking all is lost, decides to kill himself, using Pindarus to hold a sword out which he runs onto the very sword Cassius used against Caesar.
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