Act I - Scene II A Public Place Practice Quiz — The Tragedy of Julius Caesar
by William Shakespeare — tap or click to flip
Practice Quiz: Act I - Scene II A Public Place
What is happening in Rome at the opening of Act I, Scene 2?
The festival of Lupercal is being celebrated. Caesar enters with his entourage, and Antony is about to run in a ceremonial race.
What does Caesar ask Antony to do regarding Calpurnia during the race?
Caesar asks Antony to touch Calpurnia as he passes during the race, because tradition holds that a barren woman touched during the Lupercal chase will be cured of infertility.
What does the Soothsayer say to Caesar, and how does Caesar respond?
The Soothsayer warns Caesar to "beware the ides of March." Caesar dismisses him as "a dreamer" and moves on.
How many times is Caesar offered a crown, and by whom?
Mark Antony offers Caesar a crown (actually a coronet) three times during the Lupercal games, and Caesar refuses it each time with decreasing conviction.
What happens to Caesar after he refuses the crown the third time?
Caesar suffers an epileptic seizure (the "falling sickness"), falling down in the marketplace, foaming at the mouth, and becoming temporarily speechless.
What news does Casca share about Marullus and Flavius?
Casca reports that Marullus and Flavius have been "put to silence" (removed from office or possibly executed) for pulling decorations off Caesar's statues.
What is Cassius's plan at the end of the scene?
Cassius plans to forge letters that appear to come from different Roman citizens and throw them through Brutus's window, praising Brutus and hinting at Caesar's dangerous ambition.
What do the three offstage shouts during Brutus and Cassius's conversation signify?
Each shout corresponds to one of the three times the crowd cheers as Antony offers Caesar the crown and Caesar refuses it.
What internal conflict does Brutus reveal in his conversation with Cassius?
Brutus admits he is "with himself at war," torn between his personal love for Caesar and his fear that Caesar's growing power threatens the Roman Republic.
How does Caesar describe Cassius, and what traits concern him?
Caesar says Cassius has a "lean and hungry look," reads too much, observes other men closely, rarely smiles, loves no plays and hears no music. Caesar considers such restless, intellectual men dangerous.
What role does Casca play in this scene?
Casca serves as an eyewitness reporter, providing a blunt and sardonic account of the crown-offering ceremony. His plain-spoken style contrasts with the elevated verse of Brutus and Cassius.
How does Antony respond when Caesar expresses concern about Cassius?
Antony defends Cassius, saying "Fear him not, Caesar; he's not dangerous; he is a noble Roman and well given." Caesar remains unconvinced.
What does Cassius's closing soliloquy reveal about his true character?
It reveals that Cassius is a calculating manipulator. He acknowledges Brutus is noble but sees that nobility as something to be "wrought" (shaped) for his own purposes, and he plans to use forged letters to deceive Brutus.
How does the scene explore the theme of fate versus free will?
The Soothsayer's warning represents fate, while Cassius's argument that "the fault is not in our stars, but in ourselves" champions free will. Caesar's dismissal of the warning suggests he believes he can defy fate.
How does the scene develop the theme of appearance versus reality?
Caesar appears all-powerful but is physically weak (deaf in one ear, epileptic). His crown refusals may mask genuine desire for power. Cassius appears to be a friend to Brutus but is actually manipulating him.
What does the scene suggest about the relationship between political power and the common people?
The crowd's fickle cheering and jeering at Caesar's crown refusal shows that public opinion is easily swayed. Casca mocks the crowd's fickleness, and Caesar himself uses the ritual to stage-manage his public image.
How does the scene introduce the theme of honor?
Brutus declares he loves "the name of honor more than I fear death," establishing honor as his guiding principle. Cassius exploits this by framing the conspiracy as a matter of Roman honor and duty rather than personal ambition.
What is the significance of the Colossus metaphor in this scene?
Cassius compares Caesar to the Colossus of Rhodes, saying "he doth bestride the narrow world like a Colossus," while ordinary men "walk under his huge legs." The image emphasizes Caesar's outsized dominance and the conspirators' sense of powerlessness.
How does Shakespeare use dramatic irony in the Soothsayer's warning?
The audience knows Caesar will be assassinated on the ides of March, so his dismissal of the Soothsayer as a "dreamer" is tragically ironic. Caesar's confidence in ignoring the warning makes his fate feel both avoidable and inevitable.
What classical allusion does Cassius use in his Tiber River story?
Cassius compares himself to Aeneas carrying his father Anchises from the flames of Troy, casting Caesar in the role of a helpless dependent. This allusion both elevates Cassius and diminishes Caesar by inverting the hero-follower relationship.
What does "the falling sickness" refer to in this scene?
It refers to epilepsy, which Caesar suffers from. Cassius uses the phrase with double meaning, suggesting that Brutus and Casca also have a "falling sickness" in that they are falling under Caesar's dominance.
What does Cassius mean when he says he will write letters "in several hands"?
He means he will write the forged letters in different handwriting styles so they appear to come from multiple Roman citizens rather than from a single source.
Who says "The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but in ourselves, that we are underlings"?
Cassius says this to Brutus while arguing that they should not passively accept Caesar's dominance. He claims their subordinate position is their own fault, not a matter of destiny.
Who says "Yond Cassius has a lean and hungry look; he thinks too much; such men are dangerous"?
Caesar says this to Antony after observing Cassius. It reveals Caesar's keen ability to judge character, even though he ultimately fails to act on his own insight.
What does Brutus mean when he says "Brutus had rather be a villager / Than to repute himself a son of Rome / Under these hard conditions"?
Brutus means he would rather live as a simple villager than call himself a Roman citizen while living under the oppressive conditions of Caesar's growing tyranny. It shows his republican ideals are beginning to outweigh his personal loyalty.