Casca in History Casca was a tribune of the plebs in 44 B. C., fought in the battle of Philippi in 42, and died shortly after. He was not the uneducated man that Shakespeare represents him; for Plutarch relates that, at the murder of Cæsar, when the victim "cried out in Latin, 'O traitor Casca, what do'st thou?' Casca, on the other side, cried in Greek, and called his brother to help him.” Publius Publius is included among the dramatis personæ as a senator. He is an old man, and at the assassination of Cæsar is "quite confounded with this mutiny." Beyond this he plays no part in the drama. The name does not appear in Plutarch. Popilius Lena Popilius Lena, another senator, was a friend to Cæsar. He unwittingly gave the conspirators reason to fear that their plot was discovered, III. i. 13. The incident is taken almost literally from Plutarch. Trebonius Trebonius is one of the conspirators. In Plutarch he plays the part which Shakespeare has assigned him. "Trebonius, on the other side, drew Antonius aside, as he came into the house where the senate sat, and held him with a long talk without." Artemidorus would have warned Cæsar to trust not Trebonius." In history he played rather a prominent part in the last days of the republic. He was one of Cæsar's legates in Gaul, became successively prætor, proprætor, and consul, and after the death of Cæsar, pro-consul in the province of Asia. In 43 B. C. he was surprised by Dolabella in the town of Smyrna, and slain in his bed. Ligarius Ligarius is a friend and admirer of Brutus, who styles him "brave Caius" and "my Caius." He is ill, but possesses a spirit which, in the interest of a friend, can make him forget physical pain: I am not sick, if Brutus have in hand Any exploit worthy the name of honour.-II. i. 316. Artemidorus says that Cæsar has wronged Ligarius, and Metellus informs the other conspirators that: Caius Ligarius doth bear Cæsar hard, Who rated him for speaking well of Pompey.—II. i. 215. He perished with his two brothers in the proscription of 43 B. C. Decius Brutus Decius Brutus, surnamed Albinus, is one of the most dan- U gerous and most ungrateful of the conspirators. According to Plutarch, Cæsar put such confidence in him "that in his last will and testament he had appointed him to be his next heir." By his adroit flattery he prevails upon Cæsar to attend the senate, when Calpurnia's persuasions and his own fears would have kept him away. History tells us that after the death of Cæsar Decius went to his province, Cisalpine Gaul, which he refused to surrender to Antony, who had obtained it from the people. In 43 B. c. he was betrayed by Camillus, a Gaulish chief, and was put to death by Antony. Metellus Cimber Metellus Cimber's attitude toward Cæsar is like that of Decius Brutus-humble and flattering. In history his true name is Lucius Tillius Cimber; but ᄂ Shakespeare is following Plutarch when he calls him Metellus. After the assassination he went to his province of Bithynia and raised a fleet, with which he rendered service to Cassius and Brutus. Cinna Cinna is one of the earliest of the conspirators to join with Cassius in his plot against Cæsar's life. He is so hated by the people that in their frenzy they slay Cinna, the poet, mistaking him for the conspirator. Flavius and Marullus Flavius and Marullus are tribunes who oppose Cæsar after his victory at Munda over the sons of Pompey. They possess considerable influence with the citizens, whom they compel to "vanish tongue-tied in their guiltiness.' They were deprived by Cæsar of their tribuneships, or, as Casca has it, "for pulling scarfs off Cæsar's images, are put to silence." Artemidorus Artemidorus of Cnidus, a teacher of rhetoric, endeavors vainly to warn Cæsar against his impending danger. Plutarch says he was "a doctor of rhetoric in the Greek tongue, who, by means of his profession, was very familiar with certain of Brutus' confederates, and therefore knew the most part of all their practices against Cæsar.” Cinna, the Poet Cinna, the poet, who was slain for his namesake, Cornelius Cinna, enjoyed considerable renown during his lifetime. He was a tribune of the plebs, and a friend of Catullus. His principal work was an epic poem entitled "Smyrna." Lucilius Lucilius was a friend of Brutus, whom he strove to shield L by impersonating him at the battle of Philippi. Antony says of him: "I had rather have such men my friends than enemies," and after the battle takes him into his service. He remained with Antony, "and was very faithful and friendly unto him till his death." Titinius Titinius was "one of Cassius' chiefest friends," who fought with him at the battle of Philippi. He was greatly attached / to his master, and slew himself over his body. He is included in the eulogium of Brutus: Are yet two Romans living such as these? Messala Messala was a friend of Brutus and Cassius. At Philippi he "had charge of one of the warlikest legions they had." After the battle he took refuge in the island of Thasos. Finally he became Octavius' friend, "fought valiantly, and with great affection" for him at Actium. In addition to being a soldier, L he was a patron of learning and the arts, a historian, a poet, a grammarian. and an orator. Young Cato Young Cato was the son of the famous Stoic of the same name. (See note, Act V. iv. 4.) Philippi, bravely proclaiming: I am the son of Marcus Cato, ho! He died at the battle of A foe to tyrants, and my country's friend.-V. iv. 4. Volumnius Volumnius was "a grave and wise philosopher, who had been with Brutus from the beginning of this war." They had been at school together, and Brutus speaks of "our love of old." He refuses to help Brutus commit suicide on the ground that "that's not an office for a friend." Lucius "And what a dear little fellow Lucius is!-so gentle, so dutiful, so loving, so thoughtful and careful for his master; and yet himself no more conscious of his virtue than a flower of its fragrance."-Hudson.* The Citizens The citizens and commoners are represented by Shakespeare as a somewhat mean-spirited crowd, easily swayed this way and that. They are fickle and irrational, possessing little of that spirit of freedom that characterized their ancestors. Childish in their love of shows and spectacles, their sympathies are readily moved, and they are formidable only when their deepest passions are aroused. "Yet their feelings are in the main right, and even their judgment in the long run is better than that of the pampered Roman aristocracy, inasmuch as it proceeds more from the instincts of manhood. Shakespeare evidently loved to play with the natural, unsophisticated, though somewhat childish heart of the people; but his playing is always genial and human-hearted, with a certain angelic humor in it that seldom fails to warm us towards the subject."-Hudson.* XV. HISTORICAL INTRODUCTION IN CONNECTION WITH Julius Cæsar was born in 100 в. C., of an old Roman family, the Julia Gens. See note p. 26. |