ACT 2 Scene 1

Context Questions

1.Lucius
I will, my lord.
Brutus (Exit)
It must be by his death: and, for my part,
I know no personal cause to spurn at him,
But for the general. He would be crown’d:
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.

(i) Where does this scene take place? Who is Lucius? What has he
been asked to do?

Answer: This scene takes place in Brutus’ orchard. Lucius is Brutus’

servant. He has been asked to fetch a taper (a candle) from Brutus’ study
and return to him once it is lit.

(ii) In what mood is Brutus? What does it refer to? Whose death is
suggested?

Answer: Brutus is in a contemplative and troubled mood, reflecting on a

difficult decision he faces. This mood refers to his internal conflict about
whether or not to join the conspiracy against Julius Caesar. The death
suggested is that of Julius Caesar.

(iii) Who has convinced Brutus to take such a step? What is the
motive of Brutus for taking such a decision as expressed in the
extract? What does it reveal about Brutus?

Answer: Cassius has convinced Brutus to consider taking this drastic step.
Brutus’ motive, as expressed in the extract, is to prevent the potential
tyranny that Caesar’s rule might bring if he is crowned king. Brutus is
concerned that power could corrupt Caesar, and his decision reveals his
strong sense of duty to Rome and his fear of the possible abuse of power.

(iv) What danger does Brutus foresee if the person is crowned as a

king? How is this danger expressed by referring to the “bright day”
and the “adder”?
Answer: Brutus foresees the danger that if Caesar is crowned king, he
might become a tyrant, abusing his power. The danger is expressed
metaphorically; the “bright day” symbolizes Caesar’s rise to power, which
might “bring forth the adder,” representing the emergence of tyranny. The
adder (a venomous snake) is a threat that necessitates careful and
cautious behavior, just as Brutus believes Caesar’s potential tyranny must
be prevented before it can take root.

(v) What are your feelings for Brutus at this juncture? Give two
reasons to justify your feelings.

Answer: At this juncture, one might feel a mixture of admiration and pity
for Brutus. Admiration because Brutus is shown as a man of principle,
deeply concerned with the welfare of Rome and willing to make personal
sacrifices for the greater good. Pity because Brutus is clearly tormented by
the decision he faces, indicating the heavy burden of his moral dilemma.
He is caught between his loyalty to Caesar as a friend and his duty to
Rome, highlighting the tragedy of his situation.

2. Brutus
So Caesar may;
Then, lest he may, prevent. And, since the quarrel
Will 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 egg,
Which, hatch’d, would, as his kind, grow mischicvous,
And kill him in the shell.

(i) “So Caesar may.” What may Caesar do? Your answer must refer to
the metaphor of the ladder, used by Brutus in his speech. How does
Brutus intend to prevent Caesar from doing so?

Answer: Brutus fears that Caesar may ascend the “ladder” of ambition,
whereupon reaching the top, he might turn his back on those who helped
him rise and scorn the “base degrees” by which he ascended. Brutus
intends to prevent Caesar from doing this by killing him before he can
become too powerful and potentially dangerous.

(ii) Give the meaning: “And, since the Quarrel/ Will bear no colour for
the thing he is/ Fashion it thus.”
Answer: This means that since there is no valid or visible reason to
oppose Caesar for who he currently is, Brutus decides to justify the
conspiracy by imagining what Caesar could become if given more power.
He “fashions” the argument that Caesar’s potential for tyranny, once
crowned, justifies the need to act against him.

(iii) What is meant by “augmented”? How can Caesar be augmented?

How had there already been an attempt to augment him?

Answer: “Augmented” means increased or made greater. Caesar can be

augmented by being given more power, such as being crowned king.
There had already been an attempt to augment him when the people
offered him a crown, which he refused three times, indicating the possibility
of him being crowned in the future.

(iv) To whom is a “serpent’s egg” compared? What does Brutus want

to communicate by using comparison of a “serpent’s egg’?

Answer: The “serpent’s egg” is compared to Caesar. Brutus uses this

comparison to suggest that just as a serpent’s egg, once hatched, would
grow into something dangerous, so too would Caesar, if allowed to gain
more power. Thus, Brutus argues that Caesar should be “killed in the
shell,” or eliminated before he can become a threat.

(v) What price would Brutus pay later by preventing a “serpent’s egg”
from being hatched?

Answer: By preventing the “serpent’s egg” (Caesar) from hatching, Brutus

pays the price of personal guilt, turmoil, and ultimately, the collapse of his
own life and the Republic he sought to protect. His actions lead to a civil
war and his own downfall, showing the heavy moral and political cost of his
decision to assassinate Caesar.

3. Brutus
Tis good. Go to the gate; somebody knocks.
[Exit Lucius]
Since Cassius first did whet me against Caesar,
I have not slept.
Between the acting of a dreadful thing
And the first motion, all the interim is
Like a phantasma, or a hideous dream:
The genius and the mortal instruments
Are then in council; and the state of man,
Like to a little kingdom, suffers then
The nature of an insurrection..

(i) To what does Brutus reply, “Tis good.” Who is knocking at the
gate? Why has he come?

Answer: Brutus replies “’Tis good” to Lucius after he informs Brutus that
someone is knocking at the gate. The person knocking is Cassius, who has
come along with other conspirators to meet Brutus and finalize their plan to
assassinate Caesar.

(ii) What is the impact of Cassius earlier discussion on Brutus?

Answer: Cassius’s earlier discussion has greatly disturbed Brutus, causing

him sleepless nights. The thought of participating in the conspiracy against
Caesar weighs heavily on his conscience, and he has been unable to find
peace since Cassius first planted the idea of Caesar’s potential tyranny in
his mind.

(iii) In what type of mental frame is Brutus? Why does he compare his
mental condition to a nightmare or a horrid dream?

Answer: Brutus is in a deeply troubled and conflicted mental state. He

compares his condition to a nightmare or a horrid dream because the
anticipation of committing a dreadful act—assassinating Caesar—creates a
sense of unease and dread. This “interim” period between deciding to act
and the action itself feels unreal and disturbing, like a phantasma or a
nightmarish vision.

(iv) Give the meaning of:

(a) “All the interim is like a phantasma”

This phrase means that the time between deciding to commit a terrible
deed and actually carrying it out feels unreal and dreamlike, as if one is in
the grip of a terrifying illusion or nightmare.

(b)“The genius and the mortal instruments/ Are then in council”

This means that during such tense moments, the mind (genius) and the
body (mortal instruments) engage in deep, anxious deliberation, as if
holding a council to decide how to proceed.

(v) In the last Lines of the extract, the mental condition of Brutus is
compared to a civil war. Explain how the comparison is made.

Answer: Brutus’s mental state is compared to a civil war within a small

kingdom, which represents his own mind. Just as a kingdom suffers from
internal conflict during an insurrection, Brutus’s mind suffers from the
turmoil and conflict caused by the decision to betray and kill Caesar, whom
he once considered a friend. This internal struggle reflects the chaos and
division that civil wars bring to a state.

4. Brutus
They are the faction. O conspiracy,
Sham’st thou to show thy dangerous brow by night,
When evils are most free? O, then, by day
Where wilt thou find a cavern dark enough
To mask thy monstrous visage? Seek none, conspiracy;
Hide it in smiles and affability:
For if thou path, thy native semblance on,
Not Erebus itself were dim enough
To hide thee from prevention.

(i) Who comes after this extract? How are they dressed? Who informs
Brutus of their arrival?

Answer: After this extract, the conspirators Cassius, Casca, Decius,

Cinna, Metellus, and Trebonius arrive. They are dressed with their hats
pulled down over their ears and half their faces hidden in their cloaks,
making it difficult for Lucius to recognize them. Lucius informs Brutus of
their arrival.

(ii) What is meant by the “faction” and “thy dangerous brow”?

Answer: The “faction” refers to the group of conspirators plotting against

Julius Caesar. “Thy dangerous brow” refers to the threatening and ominous
appearance of the conspiracy or the conspirators.

(iii) How does conspiracy disguise itself at night and during the day?
Answer: At night, the conspiracy disguises itself by taking advantage of
the darkness when “evils are most free.” During the day, it must hide its
“monstrous visage” behind “smiles and affability” to avoid detection.

(iv) What is referred to as “Erebus”? If conspiracy were to appear with

its “native semblance on,” what would happen?

Answer: “Erebus” refers to a place of darkness in Greek mythology, often

associated with the underworld. If the conspiracy were to appear with its
“native semblance on,” meaning without any disguise, even Erebus would
not be dark enough to conceal it from being discovered or prevented.

(v) Why is it necessary to disguise the conspiracy? Give two of the

Precautions taken by the conspirators to hide the conspiracy.

Answer: It is necessary to disguise the conspiracy to prevent it from being

detected and thwarted. Two precautions taken by the conspirators include
meeting at night to avoid being seen and wearing cloaks that hide their
faces to prevent recognition.

5. Brutus
What need we any spur but our own cause,
To prick us to redress? what other bond
Than secret Romans, that have spoke the word,
And will not palter? And what other oath
Than honesty to honesty engagd,
That this shall be, or we will fall for it?

(i) Who are referred to as the “we? What is “our own cause”? State in
your own words how the cause itself is a spur.

Answer: The “we” referred to in this passage are Brutus and the other
conspirators against Julius Caesar. “Our own cause” refers to their belief
that they must protect Rome from tyranny by preventing Caesar from
gaining absolute power. The cause itself serves as a spur because their
commitment to the greater good of Rome is motivation enough to take
action without any external encouragement. They believe their duty to
Rome is all the impetus they need to act.

(ii) Who had suggested the idea of taking an oath? Why did Brutus
dismiss that idea? Was Brutus’ decision wise? Why?
Answer: Cassius suggested the idea of taking an oath to solidify the
conspirators’ commitment. Brutus dismissed this idea because he believed
that their cause was so just and noble that it did not require an oath. He felt
that if their sense of honor and commitment to Rome was not strong
enough to bind them, then an oath would be meaningless. Brutus’ decision
could be seen as wise because it emphasized the moral integrity of their
mission, although it might also be seen as naïve since it underestimated
the potential for human frailty and betrayal.

(iii) Explain what is meant by “honesty to honesty engag’d”. Why is

honesty very important for Brutus and his men?

Answer: “Honesty to honesty engag’d” means that their honesty and

integrity are bound by mutual trust, and they are committed to acting
truthfully and honorably. Honesty is very important for Brutus and his men
because their conspiracy is based on the idea that they are acting for the
greater good of Rome, not out of personal gain or malice. If they are
dishonest, it would undermine the righteousness of their cause and reduce
them to the level of tyrants they seek to oppose.

(iv) According to Brutus, who normally takes an oath? How does

Brutus convince his group to uphold Roman nobility rather than
depend on an oath?

Answer: According to Brutus, oaths are normally taken by priests,

cowards, deceitful men, old and feeble people, and those who need to
swear to bad causes because they cannot be trusted to act honestly.
Brutus convinces his group to uphold Roman nobility by appealing to their
sense of honor and the nobility of their cause. He argues that true Romans
should not need an oath to bind them to their word; their sense of duty and
honor should be enough. This appeal to their noble character and the
righteousness of their cause is intended to inspire them to act without
needing the formal binding of an oath.

6.Brutus
O, name him not: let us not break with him;
For he will never follow any thing
That other men begin.
Cassius
Then leave him out.
Casca
Indeed he is not fit,
Decius
Shall no man else be touch’d but only Caesar?

(i) Who is “him”? What did Brutus want to leave him out of? What
reason had just been given in his favour?

Answer: “Him” refers to Cicero. Brutus wanted to leave Cicero out of the
conspiracy against Caesar. The reason given in Cicero’s favor was that his
“silver hairs” (i.e., his age and wisdom) would give the conspiracy a good
reputation and lend it credibility, making their actions seem more justified.

(ii) Explain “let us not break with him.” Why does Brutus say this?

Answer: “Let us not break with him” means “let us not involve him in this
plan.” Brutus says this because he believes Cicero will not follow anything
that other men begin. In other words, Cicero is not likely to join or support
an initiative that he did not originate.

(iii) What is the meaning of “touch’d” here? Who else, does Cassius
now mention should be “touch’d”? What is his reason?

Answer: “Touch’d” here means “killed” or “targeted.” Cassius mentions

that Mark Antony should also be “touch’d” (killed) because he is a close
ally of Caesar and might use his power and influence to seek revenge on
the conspirators after Caesar’s death.

(iv) Brutus overrides Cassius. Why? What does it reveal about

Brutus?

Answer: Brutus overrides Cassius because he believes that killing Antony

along with Caesar would make their actions seem too bloody and would
appear as if they are driven by envy and wrath rather than by justice. This
reveals Brutus’s desire to maintain a sense of honor and moral high
ground, showing that he is more concerned with the ethical implications of
their actions than with practical concerns.

(v) In his turn, Cassius does not agree with Brutus’ ideas. State the
objection put forth by Cassius and tell how his objection was later
justified.

Answer: Cassius objects to Brutus’s decision not to kill Mark Antony,

arguing that Antony might become a serious threat to them after Caesar’s
death. His objection is later justified as Antony indeed turns out to be a
shrewd and dangerous opponent, rallying the Roman people against the
conspirators and leading to their eventual downfall.

7. Cassius
Yet I fear him;
For in the ingrafted love he bears to Caesar—.
Brutus
Alas, good Cassius, do not think of him.
If he love Caesar, all that he can do
Is to hImself, — take thought and die for Caesar
And that were much he should; for he is given
To sports, to wildness. and much company
Trebonius
There is no fear in him; let him not die;
For he will live, and laugh at this hereafter.
[Clock strikes]

(i) What is the occasion for the dialogue? What is meant by “ingrafted
love”? Name the person being talked about in the dialogue.

Answer: The occasion for the dialogue is a meeting among the

conspirators planning the assassination of Julius Caesar. “Ingrafted love”
refers to a deep-seated and inherent affection or loyalty. The person being
talked about is Mark Antony.

(iI) How does Brutus dismiss Cassius’ fear of that person?

Answer: Brutus dismisses Cassius’ fear of Mark Antony by suggesting that

Antony, even if he loves Caesar, can only harm himself. Brutus argues that
Antony is more inclined towards sports, wildness, and socializing, implying
that he is not a serious threat.

(iII) Why does Trebonius say that there is no cause to fear that man?

Answer: Trebonius says that there is no cause to fear Mark Antony

because he believes Antony will live on and simply laugh at the conspiracy
in the future, implying that Antony poses no real danger to them.

(iv) Which of the three men prove to be right and in what way?
Answer: Cassius proves to be right in the end. After Caesar’s
assassination, Mark Antony’s actions lead to the downfall of the
conspirators. He skillfully manipulates the public and raises an army
against Brutus and Cassius, proving that he was indeed a significant
threat, contrary to what Brutus and Trebonius believed.