Julius Caesar Act II Study Guide
Act II, scene i (page 917)
1. What important political question is Brutus pondering at the opening of the scene?
______
2. Read lines 21-27. Paraphrase these lines.
______
3. What does Brutus fear may happen if Caesar is crowned?
______
4. Read lines 112-140. How is Brutus’ perception of swearing an oath different from that of Cassius?
Cassius: ______
Brutus: ______
______
5. Why does Brutus not wish to include Cicero?
______
6. Read lines 155-161. What reason does Cassius offer to justify the killing of Antony?
______
7. Read lines 162-191. What reasons does Brutus give for not killing Antony?
a. ______
b. ______
______
8. What is the conspirators’ plan to ensure that Caesar goes to the Senate the next morning?
______
9. Portia tries to persuade Brutus to tell her what is troubling him. What arguments does she give to convince Brutus that she can keep a secret?
a. ______
b. ______
c. ______
Act II, scene ii (page 928)
1. Where and WHEN does this scene take place?
______
2. What does Caesar do because of all the strange things that have happened during the night?
______
3. What strange and horrible things that have been seen that night does Calpurnia report to Caesar?
a. ______
b. ______
c. ______
d. ______
e. ______
4. What do the augurs report?
______
5. How does Caesar interpret their report?
______
6. Why does Calpurnia urge Caesar to stay home?
______
7. How does Decius fulfill his earlier promise to ensure that Caesar go to the capitol?
______
8. Explain why Caesar’s interpretation of the dream is dramatic irony.
______
Act II, scene iii (page 932)
1. What does Artemidorus plan to do?
______
2. Of what significance is this scene to the play?
______
Act II, scene iv (page 933)
1. What does Portia ask Lucius to do?
______
2. Of what significance is this scene to the play?
______
Act II quotes: Identify the speaker of each of the following quotes.
1. “I know no cause to spurn at him/ But for the general.” ______
2. “And therefore think him as a serpent’s egg/ Which hatched, would, as his kind, grow mischievous/ And kill him in the shell.” ______
3. “For he can do no more than Caesar’s arm/ When Caesar’s head is off.” ______
4. “Cowards die many times before their deaths; / The valiant never taste of death but once.” ______
5. “If thou read this, O Caesar, thou mayest live; / If not, the Fates with traitors do contrive.” ______
6. “How hard it is for women to keep counsel!”______
7. “My ancestors did from the streets of Rome/ The Tarquin drive, when he was called a king.” ______
8. “O conspiracy, Sham’st thou to show thy dang’rous brow by night, / When evils are most free? ______
9. “I think it is not meet Marc Antony, so well beloved by Caesar/ Should outlive Caesar; we shall find of him a shrewd contriver.”______
10. “For he loves to hear/ That unicorns may be betrayed with trees, / And bears with glasses, elephants with holes, / Lions with toils, and men with flatterers.” ______
11. “Brutus is wise and, were he not in health, / He would embrace the means to come by it.” ______
12. “You are my true and honorable wife!”______
13. “When beggars die, there are no comets seen; / The heavens themselves blaze forth the death of princes.” ______
14. “A lioness hath whelpèd in the streets, / And graves have yawned, and yielded up their dead.” ______
Julius Caesar Act II Study Guide page # 3