Julius Caesar List of Characters

Originally this post was supposed to contain videos and such but, due to some unexpected technical errors, I was unable to post the videos. But what's done is done and life must go on, so I thought I would give a list of characters for the play, just to make it clearer:

Gaius Julius Caesar:

Julius Caesar was the famous Roman tactician and brought victory to many of Rome’s conquests. He is the last of the first Triumvirate, after he finished off the last sons of his rival Pompey. After returning from a long campaign, his friend Brutus worries that his inability to separate his personal life and political may lead him to be a dictator over the Roman republic .Caesar is viewed to be compassionate, honorable and just by the people, when in reality he has flair of arrogance and self pride. Yet he is not power hungry or overly ambitious, unlike the other members of the senate. Caesar does carried traits of heroism, as he does not expect too much in people and does not has the lust for wealth and power.

Marcus Junius Brutus:

Brutus was considered as Caesar’s friend in the senate. He strongly beliefs in the Roman republic ruled by the vote of the senate. He will do anything in his power to prevent dictatorship from happening. His sense of honor is exploited by the antagonist conspirators of the play, which in the end makes him assassinate Caesar. Because he was at a stand-still between his loyalty to his friend Caesar and his moral allegiance to the Roman republic, he becomes the tragic hero of the play. He displays traits of heroism because he fought for something he truly believed in, and that is what makes a good hero.

Gaius Cassius Longinus:

Cassius was a military general and a long-time acquaintance of Caesar. He is overbearingly jealous of Caesar, as he has become “godlike” to their eyes. He secretly plots Caesar’s death in the conspiracy and convinces Brutus to join him, by forging letters of the approval of Caesar;s death by the Roman people. He is known for his malicious cunning and shrewdness, a true politician making sure nothing stands in his way. His flaw, is that he lacks moral integrity, which in turn caused his downfall later on.

Mark Anthony:

Anthony was a trusted supporter and loyal friend to Caesar. He was a military commander and Caesar’s administrator, which gave him a pivotal background. After Caesar was assassinated, Anthony convinces the conspirators not to kill him by pledging himself to Brutus. When he was speaking over Caesar’s body to the Roman people’s his window of opportunity to expose the traitors arose. In a masterful speech with emotion, he managed to sway the crowd against Brutus, along with Caesar’s own will in his hand. He is also one of the Second Triumvirates. Later on he formed an alliance with Octavius and Lepidus and amassed an army against Brutus and Cassius’ forces. In a way, his loyalty to Caesar resembled a heroic trait, but his ambition was too high to be a real hero.

Publius Servillius Casca:

A public figure opposed to Caesar’s rise to power. Casca relates to Cassius and Brutus how Antony offered the crown to Caesar three times and how each time Caesar declined it. He believes, however, that Caesar is the consummate actor, lulling the populace into believing that he has no personal ambition. He plays a pivotal role in first acts of the lay however.

Calphurnia:

Caesar’s wife. Calpurnia invests great authority in omens and portents. She warns Caesar against going to the Senate on the Ides of March, since she has had terrible nightmares and heard reports of many bad omens. Nevertheless, Caesar’s ambition ultimately causes him to disregard her advice. She is overall a good wife and loyal to Caesar

Octavius:

Caesar’s adopted son and appointed successor. Octavius, who had been traveling abroad, returns after Caesar’s death; he then joins with Antony and sets off to fight Cassius and Brutus. Antony tries to control Octavius’s movements, but Octavius follows his adopted father’s example and emerges as the authoritative figure, paving the way for his eventual seizure of the reins of Roman government.

Portia:

Brutus’s wife; the daughter of a noble Roman who took sides against Caesar. Portia, accustomed to being Brutus’s confidante, is upset to find him so reluctant to speak his mind when she finds him troubled. Brutus later hears that Portia has killed herself out of grief that Antony and Octavius have become so powerful.

Flavius:

A tribune (an official elected by the people to protect their rights). Flavius condemns the plebeians for their fickleness in cheering Caesar, when once they cheered for Caesar’s enemy Pompey. Flavius is punished along with Murellus for removing the decorations from Caesar’s statues during Caesar’s triumphal parade.

Cicero:

A Roman senator renowned for his oratorical skill. Cicero speaks at Caesar’s triumphal parade. He later dies at the order of Antony, Octavius, and Lepidus.

Lepidus:

The third member of Antony and Octavius’s coalition. Though Antony has a low opinion of Lepidus, Octavius trusts his loyalty.

Murellus:

Like Flavius, a tribune who condemns the plebeians for their fickleness in cheering Caesar, when once they cheered for Caesar’s enemy Pompey. Murellus and Flavius are punished for removing the decorations from Caesar’s statues during Caesar’s triumphal parade.

Decius:

A member of the conspiracy, Decius convinces Caesar that Calpurnia misinterpreted her dire nightmares and that, in fact, no danger awaits him at the Senate. Decius leads Caesar right into the hands of the conspirators.