JULIUS CAESAR – ACT IV, SCENE III, PART 3,
Extract - 1: Messala: Myself have
letters of the selfsame tenor…………. Cassius: No more, Good night; Early
to-morrow will we rise, and hence.
1. Glossary
1. Public declaration or condemnation → An official
public announcement condemning someone, often leading to punishment or
outlawry.
2. Selfsame tenor → Exactly the same tone or content.
3. Official declaration → A government-issued
announcement.
4. Proscription → Official banishment or outlawry; in
Ancient Rome it also meant publishing a list of people to be killed or exiled.
5. Bills of outlawry → Written notices that declare
someone an outlaw and strip away legal protection.
6. Fugitive → Someone running away from the law.
7. Cicero being one → Cicero was among those killed in
the proscription.
8. Order of proscription → The official command that
outlawed and condemned certain people to death.
9. Methinks → “I think” or “it seems to me.”
10. Aught of her → Anything about her.
11. As you are a Roman → As a true Roman citizen.
12. Bear the truth → Tolerate or endure the truth.
13. By strange manner → In an unusual or shocking way.
14. With meditating → By thinking beforehand.
15. Endure → Bear or tolerate without complaint.
16. Even so great men great losses should endure →
Even great men must suffer great losses patiently.
17. To our work alive → Let’s return to our urgent
business.
18. Marching to Philippi → Moving their army to
Philippi (a city in Macedonia, Greece).
19. Seek us → The enemy comes to attack us.
20. Waste his means → Use up his resources.
21. Weary his soldiers → Tire out his soldiers.
22. Nimbleness → Quickness, readiness to act.
23. Forced affection → People forced to support you,
not truly loyal.
24. Grudged us contribution → Resented giving us money
or supplies.
25. New-added and encouraged → Reinforced with fresh
troops and morale.
26. Cut him off → Stop or intercept him.
27. Our cause is ripe → Our situation is at its peak;
now is the right time to act.
28. Decline → Downward slope or weakening stage.
29. There is a tide in the affairs of men → There is a
critical moment of opportunity in people’s lives.
30. Taken at the flood → Seized at its highest point,
when it can carry you forward.
31. Bound in shallows and in miseries → Stuck in
difficulties and failures.
32. Current when it serves → Opportunity when it
appears.
33. Lose our ventures → Lose our chances or
undertakings.
34. The deep of night → The middle of the night.
35. Niggard with a little rest → Spare ourselves just
a little time for sleep.
36. Rise, and hence → Get up and depart (move out).
2. Paraphrase
Messala: I have letters too, of exactly the same
content. They include an official declaration that Octavius, Antony and Lepidus
have put to death a hundred senators by proscription and outlawry.
Brutus: My letters don’t match yours — mine say
seventy senators were killed, including Cicero.
Cassius: Cicero too
Messala: Yes, Cicero is dead, executed under that
order of proscription. Did you get any news from your wife, my lord?
Brutus: No, Messala.
Messala: Nothing written about her in your letters?
Brutus: Nothing.
Messala: That seems strange.
Brutus: Why do you ask? Have you heard anything of
her?
Messala: No, my lord.
Brutus: Now, as a Roman, tell me the truth.
Messala: Then, like a Roman, be brave: she is dead,
and in a strange way.
Brutus: Farewell, Portia. I’ve been thinking that
death comes to all eventually; that thought helps me bear it now.
Messala: Yes, great men should endure great losses.
But my own nature could not bear it so calmly.
Cassius: I’m as practiced in self-control as Brutus.
Brutus: Well, let’s return to business. What do you
think of marching to Philippi right now?
Cassius: I don’t think it’s a good idea.
Brutus: Why not?
Cassius: It’s better to let the enemy come to us.
They’ll waste their resources and tire their soldiers, while we remain rested
and nimble.
Brutus: Good reasons must give way to better ones. The
people between here and Philippi only pretend to support us. They resent us for
taking their supplies. If the enemy marches through their lands, they’ll
recruit fresh troops and come against us stronger. If we meet them at Philippi,
we cut them off from that advantage.
Cassius: Hear me, good brother.
Brutus: Excuse me, but also note that we’ve already
gathered all the friends we can. Our army is full and our cause is at its peak.
The enemy is growing stronger every day. We are at our best moment; if we wait,
we’ll decline. There’s a tide in the affairs of men which, taken at the flood,
leads to fortune. If missed, the whole journey of life can be trapped in
shallows and miseries. We are now on such a full sea. We must take the current
while it serves, or lose our chance.
Cassius: Then, as you will, let’s march to Philippi.
Brutus: It’s the middle of the night now. Nature calls
us to rest. Is there anything more to say?
Cassius: Nothing more. Good night. Tomorrow morning we
rise early and march.
3. 15 One-Mark
Questions
1. Q: Who brings letters to Brutus and Cassius?
A: Messala.
2. Q: How many senators do Messala’s letters say were
killed?
A: One hundred senators.
3. Q: How many senators do Brutus’s letters say were
killed?
A: Seventy senators.
4. Q: Who among the senators killed is especially
mentioned?
A: Cicero.
5. Q: What does ‘proscription’ mean in this context?
A: Official outlawry or order to kill.
6. Q: Whose death shocks Cassius?
A: Cicero’s death.
7. Q: Who informs Brutus about Portia’s death?
A: Messala.
8. Q: How does Brutus bear Portia’s death?
A: Calmly, with patience.
9. Q: Where do Brutus and Cassius plan to meet their
enemy?
A: At Philippi.
10. Q: Which plan does Cassius prefer initially?
A: To wait and let the enemy come to them.
11. Q: Which plan does Brutus prefer?
A: To march to Philippi and face the enemy there.
12. Q: Why does Cassius want the enemy to march first?
A: The enemy will waste resources and tire their
soldiers.
13. Q: Why does Brutus want to go to Philippi quickly?
A: To prevent the enemy from gaining fresh troops and
advantage.
14. Q: What metaphor does Brutus use for opportunity?
A: “There is a tide in the affairs of men…”
15. Q: What do Brutus and Cassius decide at the end?
A: To march to Philippi early next morning
4. 15
5. 40 MCQs
1. Who brings letters about the proscriptions to
Brutus and Cassius?
A) Titinius
B) Messala
C) Lucius
D) Decius
Answer: B) Messala
2. According to Messala’s letters, how many senators
have been put to death?
A) 50
B) 70
C) 100
D) 30
Answer: C) 100
3. According to Brutus’s letters, how many senators
have been put to death?
A) 100
B) 60
C) 80
D) 70
Answer: D) 70
4. Who among the senators is specifically named as
dead?
A) Lepidus
B) Cicero
C) Cassius
D) Casca
Answer: B) Cicero
5. What does “proscription” mean in this passage?
A) Promotion
B) Outlawry and execution
C) Reward
D) Escape
Answer: B) Outlawry and execution
6. Who informs Brutus of Portia’s death?
A) Cassius
B) Titinius
C) Messala
D) Antony
Answer: C) Messala
7. How does Brutus initially react to Portia’s death?
A) He faints
B) He becomes angry
C) He calmly accepts it
D) He laughs
Answer: C) He calmly accepts it
8. Messala praises Brutus’s ability to:
A) Fight
B) Speak
C) Endure great losses
D) Plan battles
Answer: C) Endure great losses
9. Where is the proposed battlefield?
A) Athens
B) Philippi
C) Rome
D) Sardis
Answer: B) Philippi
10. Cassius’s first plan about the battle is to:
A) Attack Rome
B) Wait and let the enemy come
C) Surrender
D) Split the army
Answer: B) Wait and let the enemy come
11. Brutus’s plan is to:
A) Retreat to Greece
B) Go to Rome
C) March to Philippi
D) Ask for peace
Answer: C) March to Philippi
12. Cassius thinks the enemy will ____ if they march
first.
A) Gain courage
B) Waste resources and tire their men
C) Get more friends
D) Lose their way
Answer: B) Waste resources and tire their men
13. Brutus worries that the people between Sardis and
Philippi:
A) Are secretly plotting
B) Will supply the enemy
C) Are forced supporters
D) Will flee
Answer: C) Are forced supporters
14. Why does Brutus want to go to Philippi before the
enemy arrives?
A) To get Caesar’s will
B) To cut off enemy reinforcements
C) To rest more
D) To escape Octavius
Answer: B) To cut off enemy reinforcements
15. Brutus says “our cause is ripe.” This means:
A) Their cause is weakening
B) Their cause is at its peak
C) Their cause is secret
D) Their cause is rotten
Answer: B) Their cause is at its peak
16. Cassius fears that waiting will:
A) Anger the gods
B) Strengthen Brutus
C) Help the enemy grow stronger
D) Make them tired
Answer: C) Help the enemy grow stronger
17. “There is a tide in the affairs of men” means:
A) Life is like a storm
B) Fortune comes once and must be seized
C) Sea travel is dangerous
D) War is inevitable
Answer: B) Fortune comes once and must be seized
18. Missing the tide of opportunity leads to:
A) Victory
B) Riches
C) Shallows and miseries
D) Promotion
Answer: C) Shallows and miseries
19. After Brutus’s speech, Cassius decides to:
A) Surrender
B) March to Philippi
C) Flee to Egypt
D) Send more spies
Answer: B) March to Philippi
20. What time of day is it during their discussion?
A) Early morning
B) Midday
C) Deep night
D) Afternoon
Answer: C) Deep night
21. “Niggard with a little rest” means:
A) Sleep a lot
B) Spare only a little time for sleep
C) Rest forever
D) Work all night
Answer: B) Spare only a little time for sleep
22. Who says “Even so great men great losses should
endure”?
A) Cassius
B) Messala
C) Brutus
D) Antony
Answer: B) Messala
23. Who shows the most stoic character in this
passage?
A) Messala
B) Cassius
C) Brutus
D) Titinius
Answer: C) Brutus
24. What quality of Cassius appears when he yields to
Brutus’s plan?
A) Pride
B) Flexibility
C) Anger
D) Carelessness
Answer: B) Flexibility
25. What happens to Cicero according to Messala?
A) He is crowned
B) He flees
C) He is killed under proscription
D) He joins Cassius
Answer: C) He is killed under proscription
26. Messala’s tone in reporting news is:
A) Excited
B) Sad and factual
C) Humorous
D) Mocking
Answer: B) Sad and factual
27. Brutus’s patience at Portia’s death is based on:
A) His hatred for her
B) His belief in fate and death’s certainty
C) His ignorance
D) His desire for revenge
Answer: B) His belief in fate and death’s certainty
28. Cassius initially wants the enemy to:
A) Come to Sardis
B) Stay at Philippi
C) Fight in Rome
D) Disband
Answer: A) Come to Sardis
29. Brutus argues that their legions are:
A) Tired and weak
B) Brim-full and strong
C) Small and scattered
D) In rebellion
Answer: B) Brim-full and strong
30. Brutus fears the enemy will be:
A) “New-added and encouraged”
B) “Weary and tired”
C) “Lost and confused”
D) “Without weapons”
Answer: A) “New-added and encouraged”
31. Brutus uses which natural image to explain
opportunity?
A) A mountain
B) A river tide
C) A forest
D) A storm
Answer: B) A river tide
32. “On such a full sea are we now afloat” implies:
A) They are literally on a boat
B) They are at the height of opportunity
C) They have no money
D) They are fleeing by sea
Answer: B) They are at the height of opportunity
33. Cassius says he has “as much of this in art as …”
meaning:
A) He is equally skilled in self-control
B) He is a painter
C) He writes poetry
D) He loves Portia
Answer: A) He is equally skilled in self-control
34. Who ends the meeting by suggesting rest?
A) Messala
B) Cassius
C) Brutus
D) Titinius
Answer: C) Brutus
35. What do Brutus and Cassius plan to do the next
morning?
A) Return to Rome
B) Rise early and march to Philippi
C) Hide from Antony
D) Send spies to Philippi
Answer: B) Rise early and march to Philippi
36. What does the scene reveal about the Triumvirs
(Octavius, Antony, Lepidus)?
A) They are merciful
B) They are powerful and ruthless
C) They are weak and divided
D) They are fleeing
Answer: B) They are powerful and ruthless
37. What does Portia’s death symbolise in the play?
A) Brutus’s lack of loyalty
B) The personal cost of civil war
C) The end of Rome
D) Messala’s betrayal
Answer: B) The personal cost of civil war
38. Which theme of the play is highlighted by the tide
metaphor?
A) Greed
B) Power of destiny and opportunity
C) Love and friendship
D) Revenge
Answer: B) Power of destiny and opportunity
39. Why is the debate over Philippi strategically
important?
A) It decides who rules Rome
B) It determines their battle position
C) It frees prisoners
D) It makes Cassius happy
Answer: B) It determines their battle position
40. The overall tone of this passage is:
A) Comedic and light
B) Tragic and strategic
C) Romantic and poetic
D) Celebratory and joyful
Answer: B) Tragic and strategic
6. 10 Two-Mark Questions
1. Q: What conflicting reports about the proscription
do Brutus and Messala receive?
A: Messala’s letters report that one hundred senators,
including Cicero, have been executed by Octavius, Antony and Lepidus. Brutus’s
letters say only seventy senators are dead. This contrast shows the confusion
and brutality following Caesar’s assassination and the growing power of the
Triumvirs.
2. Q: How does Brutus react to Portia’s death?
A: Brutus remains calm and composed. He says he has
long meditated on the certainty of death, so he can endure her loss with
patience. This shows his stoic Roman character and self-control even in
personal tragedy.
3. Q: How does Messala describe Brutus’s endurance?
A: Messala admires Brutus, saying great men should
endure great losses. He also confesses that he himself could not have borne
such a loss so stoically, recognising Brutus’s extraordinary self-discipline.
4. Q: Why does Cassius prefer to wait instead of
marching to Philippi?
A: Cassius reasons that if the enemy comes to them,
the enemy will waste supplies and tire their soldiers, while Brutus and
Cassius’s army stays rested and nimble, gaining a tactical advantage in their
own territory.
5. Q: Why does Brutus disagree with Cassius about
waiting for the enemy?
A: Brutus argues that the people between their camp
and Philippi are unwilling supporters. If the enemy marches through, they will
gain new recruits and strength. By going to Philippi first, Brutus hopes to cut
off this advantage.
6. Q: What does Brutus mean by “our cause is ripe”?
A: Brutus means their army is at its peak in numbers
and morale. They have already gathered all their allies. Delaying will weaken
them while the enemy grows stronger. Acting now gives them the best chance of
victory.
7. Q: Explain the metaphor “There is a tide in the
affairs of men.”
A: Brutus compares opportunity to the rising tide of
the sea. If taken at its highest point (“the flood”), it carries men to
success. If missed, life is left stranded in shallows and miseries. This
motivates him to strike at once.
8. Q: What decision do Brutus and Cassius finally take
about Philippi?
A: After Brutus’s speech about opportunity, Cassius
agrees to march to Philippi. They decide to meet the enemy there at dawn,
believing this will give them the best chance before their army’s strength
declines further.
9. Q: How does the scene end?
A: It ends with Brutus noting it is late at night.
Both leaders decide to rest briefly, planning to rise early and begin their
march to Philippi, showing disciplined military planning despite personal
grief.
10. Q: What qualities of Brutus emerge in this
passage?
A: Brutus appears stoic, disciplined and farsighted.
He calmly accepts Portia’s death, debates strategy rationally, and uses
powerful metaphors to inspire Cassius. He values timely action and seizing
opportunity, demonstrating his leadership in crisis.
7.
5 Three-Mark Questions
1. Q: Compare Cassius’s and Brutus’s
strategies about fighting at Philippi.
A: Cassius wants to wait for the enemy to attack,
believing this will exhaust their resources and leave Brutus’s army rested.
Brutus wants to march to Philippi immediately, fearing that delay will
strengthen the enemy with new recruits. Brutus’s view is opportunistic and
proactive, while Cassius’s is defensive and cautious. Their debate reflects
differing military philosophies but ends with Cassius yielding to Brutus’s
stronger reasoning.
2. Q: How does Shakespeare show Brutus’s
stoicism through Portia’s death?
A: When told of Portia’s death, Brutus shows
remarkable calm. He claims that meditating on the inevitability of death has
prepared him to endure it. This stoic response underlines his Roman ideals of
self-control and duty above personal feeling. Even Messala and Cassius are
surprised by his composure, which sets Brutus apart as a disciplined,
philosophical leader.
3. Q: What is the significance of the
“tide in the affairs of men” speech?
A: This speech is a turning point in the strategy. It
encapsulates Shakespeare’s theme of seizing opportunity. Brutus argues that
like a tide, fortune must be taken at its height or lost forever. This metaphor
convinces Cassius to march to Philippi. Dramatically, it foreshadows their
coming defeat — they take the tide, but it leads to disaster, showing fate’s
irony.
4. Q: In what way does the conversation
reflect the political situation after Caesar’s death?
A: The letters of Messala and Brutus reveal mass
executions and outlawry under the triumvirs. Cicero’s death and Portia’s
suicide emphasise the chaos and despair following Caesar’s assassination. The
conspirators have lost moral ground and face a stronger, more ruthless
opposition. The scene shows their shrinking circle of support and the high
stakes of the coming battle.
5. Q: How does this scene prepare for the
final conflict of the play?
A: This scene bridges private grief and public duty.
Brutus’s acceptance of Portia’s death and his strategic debate with Cassius
reveal both personal loss and military pressure. The decision to march to
Philippi sets the stage for the climactic battle. Shakespeare uses the tide
metaphor and the night setting to create a sense of urgency, foreshadowing the
tragic end of Brutus and Cassius.
COURTESY: Meta AI & ChatGPT
Compiled by Dr. Shankar D Mishra
ବିଶେଷ ସୂଚନା
: ଯେଉଁ ICSE ଛାତ୍ର ଛାତ୍ରୀ
Std. 6 ରୁ 10 ମଧ୍ୟରେ ଅଧ୍ୟୟନ କରୁଛନ୍ତି ଓ ଇଂଲିଶ
Grammar ଓ Literature ରେ
individual/ group guidance ଆବଶ୍ୟକ କରୁଛନ୍ତି,
ଏହି
WhatsApp ନମ୍ବର ରେ
(8270604524) ଯୋଗାଯୋଗ କରିପାରିବେ
l
*ପରୀକ୍ଷା ରେ
improvement ହେଲାପରେ fees ଗ୍ରହଣ କରାଯିବ,
ନଚେତ
free l
No comments:
Post a Comment