Act V - Scene III The Fields of Battle Practice Quiz — The Tragedy of Julius Caesar
by William Shakespeare — tap or click to flip
Practice Quiz: Act V - Scene III The Fields of Battle
Why does Cassius say he killed his own ensign (flag-bearer)?
Because the ensign was turning back and fleeing the battle. Cassius killed him for cowardice and took the flag himself.
What does Pindarus urge Cassius to do when he first enters the scene?
Pindarus urges Cassius to fly (flee) further off because Mark Antony is in Cassius's tents.
Why does Cassius send Titinius to the nearby troops?
To determine whether the troops are friends or enemies. Cassius's own eyesight is too poor ("My sight was ever thick") to tell from the hilltop.
What does Pindarus report seeing from the hilltop?
He reports that Titinius is enclosed by horsemen who ride toward him, that Titinius dismounts, and that the horsemen shout for joy — leading Cassius to believe Titinius was captured.
What is ironic about Pindarus's report of Titinius's fate?
It is dramatically ironic because Titinius was actually being greeted by friendly soldiers from Brutus's forces, not captured by enemies. The shouts were celebration, not triumph over a prisoner.
How did Pindarus come to be Cassius's servant?
Cassius took Pindarus prisoner in Parthia and made him swear an oath to do whatever Cassius commanded in exchange for sparing his life.
What are Cassius's dying words?
"Caesar, thou art revenged, / Even with the sword that kill'd thee." He acknowledges that the sword used to assassinate Caesar is now killing him.
What happens to Pindarus after he kills Cassius?
He gains his freedom as Cassius promised, but says he would not have chosen freedom this way. He flees far from Rome where no Roman shall take note of him.
What news does Messala bring when he returns with Titinius?
That the battle is an exchange: Octavius has been overthrown by Brutus's forces, while Cassius's legions have been defeated by Antony — not a total loss.
What is the significance of the setting sun imagery in Titinius's speech?
Titinius compares Cassius's death to the setting sun: "So in his red blood Cassius' day is set; / The sun of Rome is set!" It symbolizes both Cassius's personal end and the decline of the Roman Republic.
What does Messala personify Error as?
"Melancholy's child" — born from sadness and despair, Error never leads to anything good but instead destroys those who conceive it ("kill'st the mother that engender'd thee").
What does Titinius do when he discovers Cassius's body?
He places a victory wreath on Cassius's brow (the garland Brutus's soldiers gave him) and then kills himself with Cassius's sword, calling it "a Roman's part."
What does Brutus mean when he says "O Julius Caesar, thou art mighty yet"?
He means that Caesar's spirit continues to exert power from beyond the grave, turning the conspirators' own swords against them and causing their destruction from within.
What is the significance of Cassius noting this is his birthday?
It creates cyclical closure: "where I did begin, there shall I end." The man who rejected omens and fate earlier in the play now sees his life completing a predetermined circle.
Why does Brutus order Cassius's body sent to Thasos rather than buried in camp?
He fears the funerals would discomfort (demoralize) his soldiers. He wants to keep morale up for the second fight he plans that same afternoon.
What does Titinius mean by "Alas, thou hast misconstrued every thing"?
He means Cassius misinterpreted the shouts and the horsemen as signs of defeat and capture, when they were actually signs of victory and celebration. It also echoes the broader theme of misinterpretation throughout the play.
What time does Brutus say it is at the end of the scene, and what does he plan?
It is three o'clock. Brutus plans to try fortune in a second fight before nightfall, showing his determination to continue despite the losses of Cassius and Titinius.
How does the scene connect to Cassius's earlier philosophy about fate?
In Act I, Cassius told Brutus "The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, / But in ourselves." Now he surrenders to fate on his birthday, saying "My life is run his compass" — a complete reversal of his earlier rejection of destiny.