Read the excerpt from act 2, scene 1, of The Tragedy of Julius Caesar.[PORTIA.] You’ve ungently, Brutus,Stole from my bed; and yesternight at supperYou suddenly arose, and walked about Musing and sighing, with your arms across,And when I asked you what the matter was,You stared upon me with ungentle looks.I urged you further; then you scratched your head,And too impatiently stamped with your foot. Yet I insisted, yet you answered not,But with an angry wafture of your handGave sign for me to leave you. So I did,Fearing to strengthen that impatienceWhich seemed too much enkindled, and withal Hoping it was but an effect of humour,Which sometime hath his hour with every man.It will not let you eat, nor talk, nor sleep,And could it work so much upon your shapeAs it hath much prevailed on your condition,I should not know you Brutus. Dear my lord,Make me acquainted with your cause of grief.BRUTUS. I am not well in health, and that is all.PORTIA. Brutus is wise, and, were he not in health,He would embrace the means to come by it. . . . You have some sick offence within your mindWhich by the right and virtue of my place, I ought to know of. And upon my knees,I charm you by my once-commended beauty, By all your vows of love, and that great vowWhich did incorporate and make us one,That you unfold to me, your self, your half, Why you are heavy, and what men tonightHave had resort to you—for here have beenSome six or seven, who did hide their facesEven from darkness.BRUTUS. Kneel not, gentle Portia. . . . You are my true and honourable wife, As dear to me as are the ruddy dropsThat visit my sad heart.
Read the excerpt from act 5, scene 5, of The Tragedy of Julius Caesar and the background information on the allusion it contains.Excerpt:[BRUTUS.] It is more worthy to leap in ourselvesThan tarry till they push us. Good Volumnius,Thou know’st that we two went to school together.Even for that, our love of old, I prithee, Hold thou my sword hilts, whilst I run on it. . . .So fare you well at once, for Brutus’ tongueHath almost ended his life’s history.Night hangs upon mine eyes; my bones would rest,That have but laboured to attain this hour. . . . I prithee, Strato, stay thou by thy lord.Thou art a fellow of a good respect.Thy life hath had some smatch of honour in it. Hold then my sword, and turn away thy faceWhile I do run upon it. Wilt thou, Strato?STRATO. Give me your hand first. Fare you well, my lord.BRUTUS. Farewell, good Strato. . . .Caesar, now be still: I killed not thee with half so good a will.Background information:The first book of Samuel in the Bible tells the story of Saul, who asks his armor-bearer to kill him when he is faced with defeat by religious enemies. When the man refuses, Saul falls on his sword rather than be captured by people who he is certain would not only kill him but also abuse him.
Read the excerpt from act 2, scene 1, of The Tragedy of Julius Caesar.BRUTUS. It must be by his death: and for my partI know no personal cause to spurn at himBut for the general. He would be crowned:How that might change his nature, there’s the question.It is the bright day that brings forth the adder,And that craves wary walking. Crown him that,And then I grant we put a sting in himThat at his will he may do danger with.Th’ abuse of greatness is when it disjoinsRemorse from power. And to speak truth of Caesar, I have not known when his affections swayedMore than his reason. But 'tis a common proofThat lowliness is young ambition’s ladder,Whereto the climber-upward turns his face;But when he once attains the upmost round,He then unto the ladder turns his back,Looks in the clouds, scorning the base degreesBy which he did ascend. So Caesar may.Then lest he may, prevent. And since the quarrelWill bear no colour for the thing he is,Fashion it thus: that what he is, augmented,Would run to these and these extremities;And therefore think him as a serpent’s eggWhich, hatched, would as his kind grow mischievous,And kill him in the shell.
Which evidence from the text supports the conclusion that Brutus and Cassius are in conflict? Select two options.
Read the excerpt from act 1, scene 1, of The Tragedy of Julius Caesar and the background information on the allusion it contains.Excerpt:[FLAVIUS.] See whether their basest mettle be not moved.They vanish tongue-tied in their guiltiness.Go you down that way towards the Capitol;This way will I. Disrobe the imagesIf you do find them decked with ceremonies.MARULLUS. May we do so?You know it is the feast of Lupercal.FLAVIUS. It is no matter; let no imagesBe hung with Caesar’s trophies. I’ll about,And drive away the vulgar from the streets:So do you too, where you perceive them thick.These growing feathers plucked from Caesar’s wingWill make him fly an ordinary pitch,Who else would soar above the view of men,And keep us all in servile fearfulness.Background information:In Rome, February 15 was Lupercalia, an annual festival celebrating the myth of the she-wolf that saved the lives of the infant twins Romulus and Remus. According to legend, the two boys became the founders of Rome. The festival is also said to have celebrated the god who protected flocks from hungry wolves.
What is the best definition of the literary term allusion?
What does this interaction reveal about Antony? Select two options.
Read the excerpt from act 4, scene 3, of The Tragedy of Julius Caesar.[BRUTUS.] Messala, I have here receivèd letters,That young Octavius and Mark AntonyCome down upon us. . . .MESSALA. Myself have letters of the selfsame tenor.BRUTUS. With what addition?MESSALA. That by proscription and bills of outlawry,Octavius, Antony, and LepidusHave put to death an hundred senators.BRUTUS. Therein our letters do not well agree.Mine speak of seventy senators that diedBy their proscriptions, Cicero being one.CASSIUS. Cicero one!MESSALA. Ay, Cicero is dead,And by that order of proscription.
Which scenarios are examples of internal conflict? Select two options.
Brutus could be considered a major character who acts as a(n)
Which quotation from Julius Caesar is an example of a literary allusion?
What does this interaction reveal about Brutus’s character? Select two options.
Read the excerpt from act 4, scene 2, of The Tragedy of Julius Caesar.[BRUTUS.] He is not doubted—A word, Lucillius.How he received you let me be resolved.LUCILLIUS. With courtesy and with respect enough,But not with such familiar instances,Nor with such free and friendly conference,As he hath used of old.BRUTUS. Thou hast describedA hot friend cooling. Ever note, Lucillius:When love begins to sicken and decayIt useth an enforcèd ceremony.There are no tricks in plain and simple faith;But hollow men, like horses hot at hand,Make gallant show and promise of their mettle;But when they should endure the bloody spur,They fall their crests and, like deceitful jades,Sink in the trial.
Read the excerpt from act 2, scene 2, of The Tragedy of Julius Caesar and the background information on the allusion it contains.Excerpt:[DECIUS.] It was a vision fair and fortunate.Your statue spouting blood in many pipes,In which so many smiling Romans bathed,Signifies that from you great Rome shall suckReviving blood, and that great men shall pressFor tinctures, stains, relics, and cognizance.This by Calpurnia's dream is signified.Background information:In medieval times, it was customary to dip handkerchiefs into the blood of martyrs and other great people. Doing so turned the handkerchiefs into relics for worship or inspiration.
Read the excerpt from act 1, scene 1, of The Tragedy of Julius Caesar and the background information on the allusion it contains.Excerpt:[FLAVIUS.] See whether their basest mettle be not moved.They vanish tongue-tied in their guiltiness.Go you down that way towards the Capitol;This way will I. Disrobe the imagesIf you do find them decked with ceremonies.MARULLUS. May we do so?You know it is the feast of Lupercal.FLAVIUS. It is no matter; let no imagesBe hung with Caesar’s trophies. I’ll about,And drive away the vulgar from the streets:So do you too, where you perceive them thick.These growing feathers plucked from Caesar’s wingWill make him fly an ordinary pitch,Who else would soar above the view of men,And keep us all in servile fearfulness.Background information:In Rome, February 15 was Lupercalia, an annual festival celebrating the myth of the she-wolf that saved the lives of the infant twins Romulus and Remus. According to legend, the two boys became the founders of Rome. The festival is also said to have celebrated the god who protected flocks from hungry wolves.
Read the excerpt from act 4, scene 3, of The Tragedy of Julius Caesar.CASSIUS. Hath Cassius livedTo be but mirth and laughter to his BrutusWhen grief and blood ill-tempered vexeth him?BRUTUS. When I spoke that, I was ill-tempered too.CASSIUS. Do you confess so much? Give me your hand.BRUTUS. And my heart too.CASSIUS. O Brutus!BRUTUS. What’s the matter?CASSIUS. Have not you love enough to bear with meWhen that rash humour which my mother gave meMakes me forgetful?BRUTUS. Yes, Cassius, and from henceforth,When you are over-earnest with your Brutus,He’ll think your mother chides, and leave you so.
Read the excerpt from act 4, scene 3, of The Tragedy of Julius Caesar.[Enter the Ghost of CAESAR]How ill this taper burns! Ha! Who comes here?I think it is the weakness of mine eyesThat shapes this monstrous apparition.It comes upon me. Art thou any thing?Art thou some god, some angel, or some devil,That makest my blood cold and my hair to stare? Speak to me what thou art.GHOST. Thy evil spirit, Brutus.BRUTUS. Why comest thou?GHOST. To tell thee thou shalt see me at Philippi.BRUTUS. Well; then I shall see thee again?GHOST. Ay, at Philippi.BRUTUS. Why, I will see thee at Philippi then.[Exit GHOST]
Read the excerpt from act 4, scene 3, of The Tragedy of Julius Caesar.[CASSIUS.] A friend should bear his friend’s infirmities,But Brutus makes mine greater than they are.BRUTUS. I do not, till you practice them on me.CASSIUS. You love me not.BRUTUS. I do not like your faults.CASSIUS. A friendly eye could never see such faults.BRUTUS. A flatterer’s would not, though they do appearAs huge as high Olympus.
Read the excerpt from act 4, scene 1, of The Tragedy of Julius Caesar.[Exit LEPIDUS]ANTONY. This is a slight, unmeritable man,Meet to be sent on errands. Is it fit,The three-fold world divided, he should standOne of the three to share it?OCTAVIUS. So you thought him,And took his voice who should be pricked to die,In our black sentence and proscription.ANTONY. Octavius, I have seen more days than you:And though we lay these honors on this man.To ease ourselves of divers sland’rous loads,He shall but bear them as the ass bears gold,To groan and sweat under the business,Either led or driven as we point the way;And having brought our treasure where we will,Then take we down his load, and turn him off,Like to the empty ass, to shake his earsAnd graze in commons.
Read the excerpt from act 4, scene 1, of The Tragedy of Julius Caesar.[ANTONY.] And now, Octavius,Listen great things—Brutus and CassiusAre levying powers. We must straight make head.Therefore let our alliance be combined,Our best friends made, our means stretched,And let us presently go sit in council,How covert matters may be best disclosed,And open perils surest answerèd.OCTAVIUS. Let us do so: for we are at the stake,And bayed about with many enemies;And some that smile have in their hearts, I fear,Millions of mischiefs.
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