Who Julius Caesar is
Julius Caesar returns victorious from civil war, and the people of Rome fill the streets to celebrate him. Yet the celebrations reveal a divided city, where admiration for his power stands beside fear of rule by one man.
Shakespeare also shows the frail man behind the commanding public figure. Caesar is deaf in one ear and has seizures, despite the authority he projects before others.
What Julius Caesar wants
Whether Caesar truly wants to become king remains uncertain as the conspiracy takes shape. Mark Antony offers him a crown three times, and he refuses each time, though Casca doubts his sincerity.
Caesar's pride matters when warnings threaten to keep him away from public life. He dismisses a soothsayer, while Decius persuades him by suggesting that the Senate may laugh if he stays home.
Julius Caesar and the others in the story
Marcus Brutus is Caesar's friend, but his loyalty to the Roman republic draws him toward Cassius's plot. Cassius resents Caesar's power and recalls saving him from drowning, resisting the reverence Caesar now receives.
Calpurnia, Caesar's wife, begs him to stay home after a frightening dream. Her concern offers a private contrast to the public pressures surrounding him.
Best-known lines
“Beware the ides of March.”
“Cowards die many times before their deaths; The valiant never taste of death but once.”
Questions
Who is Julius Caesar in Shakespeare's play?
He is a victorious Roman general whose growing power divides Rome between celebration and suspicion.
Does Julius Caesar want to be king?
The play does not establish that he does. He rejects the crown Antony offers, but some senators still fear his ambition.
Who is Julius Caesar's wife?
Calpurnia is his wife. Troubled by a dream, she urges him not to leave home.