Julius Caesar: Characters and Act 3 Summary
Characters in Julius Caesar
Flavius and Marullus
Tribunes of the people who are put to death for removing scarves from Caesar’s statues.
Lucilius
A close friend of Brutus and an officer in his army. He is a valiant soldier who pretends to be Brutus in order to deceive the enemy soldiers when he is captured in the battle at Philippi. Antony appreciates Lucilius’ loyalty to Brutus and spares his life in the hope that he will serve him as loyally.
Titinius
A friend of Cassius who commits suicide upon hearing of his death. He stands guard at the tent when Cassius and Brutus quarrel at Sardis.
Messala
A soldier and friend of Brutus and Cassius.
Young Cato
Brutus’ brother-in-law who valiantly rushes headlong toward the enemy and dies a glorious death during the second battle at Philippi.
Volumnius
A soldier and a friend of Brutus and Cassius. He refuses to help Brutus commit suicide on the basis of their friendship.
Clitus
Brutus’ slave. He also refuses to help Brutus commit suicide.
Varro and Claudius
Brutus’ servants.
Strato
Brutus’ loyal slave. He is willing to hold the sword while his master runs through it, committing suicide.
Lucius
Brutus’ servant. He is a gentle, mild-mannered boy who sings for Brutus.
Dardanius
Brutus’ slave. Pindarus, Cassius’ slave, mistakenly tells Cassius that Titinius has been taken captive by the enemy forces. This causes Cassius to despair and kill himself. In truth, Titinius has not been captured at all.
Act Three
Scene 2: The Forum in Rome
In Act Two, Brutus decides Caesar should be killed. Though he is a close personal friend of Caesar, he thinks the Roman people will be treated very badly if Caesar’s powers grow. Caesar continues to ignore bad omens warning him of coming danger. At the beginning of Act Three, Caesar enters the Capitol. There, the conspirators surround him and stab him to death. When Mark Antony, Caesar’s loyal supporter, hears of Caesar’s death, he pretends to join sides with the conspirators and even shakes their bloody hands. Convinced by his loyalty, Brutus grants Antony’s request to take Caesar’s body to the Forum and to give a speech praising and honoring him as long as he doesn’t condemn Brutus and the rest of the conspirators. Secretly, though, Antony vows to avenge Caesar’s death by turning the Roman people against those who murdered Caesar.
At the beginning of Scene 2, Brutus speaks before a group of “citizens,” or common people of Rome. He explains why Caesar had to be slain for the good of Rome. Then Brutus leaves, and Antony speaks to the citizens. A far better judge of human nature than Brutus, Antony cleverly manages to turn the crowd against the conspirators by telling them of Caesar’s good works and his concern for the people, as proven by the slain ruler’s will. He has left all his wealth to the people. As Antony stirs the citizens to pursue the assassins and kill them, he learns that Octavius has arrived in Rome and that Brutus and Cassius have fled.