The Tragedy of Julius Caesar

The Tragedy of Julius Caesar (1599) is Shakespeare's tragedy about the events leading to the murder of Julius Caesar. Two tribunes, Marullus and Flavius, break up the Roman citizens attending a victory parade for Julius Caesar. Characters include Mark Anthony (his one and only friend), Marcus Brutus, Octavia, and Calpurnia (Caesar's wife). A soothsayer forewarns Caesar's fate: "Beware the Ides of March". Another favorite quote: "Cry 'Havoc!' and let slip the dogs of war." [Painting by Edward Scriven, Brutus and the Ghost of Caesar, 1802.]