Marc Antony is a loyal supporter of Julius Caesar. They organise a group of senators together to nip Caesar’s ambition in the bud by murdering him. They have a fear of one man being appointed to a God-like status, when they know the man is simply flesh and blood as they are. They are beneficiaries of the republic state and do not wish for it to turn to a Monarchy.
Brutus and Cassius represent are the instigators of the conspiracy which led to Caesars murder. Julius Caesar is loved by many, and for this reason there is increasing pressure on him to consider taking the crown and establishing himself as King of Rome. Rome had experienced Monarchs before, and they feared them and believed that the words ‘monarch’ and ‘tyrant’ were synonymous. However, there was debate and discussion about whether or not they would be better being a monarchy, with a single ruler wearing a crown at the head of the empire. A government of the people, for the people. A republic is a government body formed by elected representatives from the people to serve the best interests of the people. In the time of Julius Caesar, Rome had been a republic. Without going into a detailed account of the history of the Roman Empire, it’s important to understand the junction Rome was at during the events of this play. The main points of the given circumstances to understand are: The Roman Republic, The murder of Caesar and Brutus’ speech at the funeral just before Antony speaks. AnalysisĬontext is really important in understanding this speech. My heart is in the coffin there with CaesarĪnd I must wait a moment till it comes back to me. You all loved Caesar once, and with good reason:įair judgement and reason has been robbed from man and given to beasts. I’m not speaking to disprove what Brutus spoke, When the poor was suffering, he suffered too:Īn ambitious man should be stronger than that. Was this the part of Caesar which was ambitious? He has brought many captives back to Rome, (Because Brutus is an honourable man, all of them are honourable men) If this is the case it was a serious flawĪnd this murder has been his punishment for it.Īt this place, with the permission of Brutus and his followers,
The wrongdoings of men will be remembered after their deathīut the good they do is often buried and forgotten with them. I have come here to bury Caesar, not to praise him. Modern Translationįriends, Romans, Countrymen, listen to me! Lupercalia was a pastoral festival of Ancient Rome observed annually on February 15 to purify the city, promoting health and fertility. In this instance, ‘General coffers’ refers to the economy of Rome. To place (a corpse) in a grave or tomb, typically with funeral rites.Ī coffer is a box or chest used to store money or objects of value. My heart is in the coffin there with Caesar,Īnd I must pause till it come back to me. O judgment, thou art fled to brutish beastsĪnd men have lost their reason. What cause withholds you then, to mourn for him? You all did love him once, not without cause: I speak not to disprove what Brutus spoke, When that the poor have cried, Caesar hath wept:Īmbition should be made of sterner stuff. Whose ransoms did the general coffers fill. He hath brought many captives home to Rome, He was my friend, faithful and just to me The good is oft interred with their bones. I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him. Original Text – Julius Caesar Act 3 Scene 2įriends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears: Pretty high stakes situation right? I think I’d rather just stick with my year 11 modern history class speech about Gorbachov and the Cold War. He has one chance to convince the people of his argument, and if he fails he will likely face death. He’s filled with emotion Grief, guilt, rage and vengeance are coursing through his veins, but he must compose himself and choose his words carefully, so as to not be removed from the stage. What’s more, Marc Antony has come to speak to the mob in the wake of the murder of Caesar, an act which to him is brutal and unjust, but to everyone else was the right thing to do. Well imagine what Marc Antony must be feeling during this public address, stepping up to the plinth to face a rabble of angry and bloodthirsty Romans who believe he’s wrong even before he starts speaking. Nobody likes public speaking, right? It’s up there in the top 3 phobias world-wide.
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