Humanities 3IV. Skepticism and Self-Knowledge

Lecture 15

“The Noblest Roman”

Outline

• Historical Background to Julius Caesar

• What’s at Issue in the Play

• The Drama

Friday movie pick: Elizabeth (1989), Elizabeth:The Golden Age (2007), both starring CateBlanchett

Julius Caesar• The production of Julius Caesar occurs at a moment

in English history when people are growing anxiousabout Elizabeth’s reign. The play dramatizes topicalquestions: What allegiance is owed to a ruler? Howfar must a ruler go before that allegiance is broken?How are honor and loyalty to be balanced?

• S. is able to address these questions through JuliusCaesar because he is not a lawful king; he hasusurped power. The question of what is permissiblein defense of the republic does not arise in England.

History of the Roman Republic• Founded in 509 BC, after defeat of last king• Republic governed by two consuls, elected

annually, and the senate• Power divided between the patricians (ancient

noble families) and the plebeians (includingproperty owners who lack noble status)

• Throughout the history of the republic conflictbetween the classes is a constant

• Crucial is the power of the army and the generalswho command it; for this reason, the army is notallowed within the borders of the republic

First Triumvirate• 59 BC Three generals, Caesar, Pompey and

Crassus make private agreement to share theconsulship

• 53 BC Crassus killed in battle• 51 BC Caesar conquers Gaul and publishes The

Gallic Wars• 49 BC Pompey granted dictatorial powers

(supported by “Optimates”= Patricians); Caesarcrosses the Rubicon and marches on Rome;Pompey flees with Optimates to Egypt

• 48 BC Caesar arrives in Egypt: Pompey killed;affair with Cleopatra

Roman provinces in 44 BC

Background to Julius Caesar• 44 BC (actually October 45): Julius Caesar returns

to Rome after quelling a revolt led by the sons ofhis former rival Pompey

• He is hailed by some, but other resent thecelebration because triumphs are reserved forvictories over foreign enemies

• February 44: C. named “perpetual dictator”;offered crown by M. Antony, but C. refuses

• March 15 (the Ides of March): Caesar assassinatedby conspirators

Issues in Julius Caesar• Caesar has amassed too much personal power and

has taken on the trappings of a king; some want tomake him king

• Other Romans cling to the ideal of the republic,and see only one way to preserve it: kill Caesar

• The drama of the play centers on the psychologyof Brutus, a noble of unimpeachable character

• Brutus’ choice can be seen as a judgment on thelegitimacy of the act, yet it is an act that willdestroy him. That is the essence of the play as atragedy

What are we meant to see?

• The corruptibility of rulers• The different motives of the main characters

(esp. Cassius and Brutus)• The fickleness of the people• The fragility of political order

Caesar above himself

• Flavius: “These growing feathers pluck’d fromCaesar’s wing / Will make him fly an ordinarypitch, / Who else would soar above the view ofmen / And keep us all in servile fearfulness.” (1.1)

• Cassius: “Why, man, he doth bestride the narrowworld / Like a Colossus, and we petty men / Walkunder his huge legs and peep about / To findourselves dishonourable graves…” (1.2)

Cassius

• Acts from “envy” (see Caesar at I.2.192)• Believes he can manipulate Brutus:

“Well, Brutus, thou art noble; yet I seeThy honorable mettle may be wroughtFrom that it is disposed; therefore it is meetThat noble minds keep ever with their likes;For who so firm that cannot be seduced?”(I.2.308)

Brutus• Agonizes about the deed:

“Since Cassius first did whet me against Caesar,I have not slept.Between the acting of a dreadful thingAnd the first motion, all the interim isLike a phantasma, or a hideous dream.The genius and the moral instrumentsAre then in council, and the state of a man,Like to a little kingdom, suffers thenThe nature of an insurrection.“ (II.1.62)

The Deed and it Aftermath

• The responses of Cassius and Brutus(III.1.75)

• Speeches of Brutus and Mark Antony (III.2)• Battle of Phillipi and final judgment on

Brutus (V.5)