ICSE Class 10 English Drama Julius Caesar Act 5, Scene 4 Summary, Theme, Explanation along with difficult word meanings
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ICSE Class 10 Julius Caesar Act 5, Scene 4
By William Shakespeare
In Act 5, Scene 4 of Julius Caesar, Brutus tries to encourage his discouraged troops. During the battle, his brother-in-law, Young Cato, is killed while fighting bravely. To protect Brutus, Lucilius pretends to be him and allows himself to be captured. However, Mark Antony recognizes Lucilius and orders his soldiers to treat him with respect. Antony then sends soldiers to check if Brutus is still alive.
- Julius Caesar Act 5, Scene 4 Summary
- Julius Caesar Act 5, Scene 4 Summary in Hindi
- Julius Caesar Act 5, Scene 4 Theme
- Julius Caesar Act 5, Scene 4 Explanation
Related:
- Julius Caesar Act 5, Scene 4 Question Answers
- Julius Caesar Act 5, Scene 4 Character Sketch
- ICSE Class 10 English Lesson Notes
Julius Caesar Act 5 Scene 4 Summary
This scene takes place during the second battle at Philippi. The battle is still raging. Brutus briefly appears, urging his soldiers to keep fighting, and then exits. Cato, a young noble fighting on Brutus’s side, shows great courage. He shouts his name to the enemy, declaring himself the son of Marcus Cato, a foe of tyrants, and a friend to Rome.
Lucilius, another friend of Brutus, deliberately shouts that he is Brutus himself, proclaiming himself ‘Brutus, my country’s friend!’ He is clearly trying to draw attention and danger away from the real Brutus. Cato is then killed in the fighting. Lucilius mourns the brave death of young Cato.
Soon after, Lucilius is captured by a First Soldier. Lucilius quickly surrenders, but says he only yields to die. He then offers the soldier money to kill him immediately, urging the soldier to ‘Kill Brutus, and be honored in his death’.
The soldiers realize they have captured someone important. The First Soldier refuses to kill him, calling him ‘A noble prisoner!’ The soldiers celebrate, believing they have captured the great enemy, Brutus, and go to tell their general, Antony. Antony enters and asks where Brutus is.
Lucilius then reveals the truth, though not directly. He tells Antony that the real Brutus is safe, assuring him that ‘no enemy / Shall ever take alive the noble Brutus’. He suggests Brutus is protected by the gods from the shame of being captured, and that whenever Brutus is found, alive or dead, he will be found having acted honorably, likely by killing himself.
Antony understands that the prisoner is not Brutus, but recognizes Lucilius’s extraordinary loyalty and courage. He calls Lucilius ‘A prize no less in worth’ than Brutus. Antony orders his men to treat Lucilius kindly and keep him safe, stating he would rather have men like Lucilius as friends than as enemies.
Antony then orders his men to resume the search to find out what has truly happened to the real Brutus, ‘whether Brutus be alive or dead’, and bring the news to Octavius’s tent.
Summary of Julius Caesar Act 5 Scene 4 in Hindi
यह दृश्य फिलिप्पी में दूसरी लड़ाई के दौरान होता है। लड़ाई अभी भी जारी है। ब्रूटस संक्षेप में प्रकट होता है, अपने सैनिकों से लड़ाई जारी रखने का आग्रह करता है, और फिर बाहर निकल जाता है। काटो, ब्रूटस की ओर से लड़ने वाला एक युवा कुलीन, बहुत साहस दिखाता है। वह दुश्मन को अपना नाम चिल्लाता है, खुद को मार्कस काटो का बेटा, तानाशाहों का दुश्मन और रोम का दोस्त घोषित करता है। ब्रूटस का एक और दोस्त, लुसिलियस, जानबूझकर चिल्लाता है कि वह स्वयं ब्रूटस है, और खुद को ‘ब्रूटस, मेरे देश का दोस्त’ घोषित करता है। वह स्पष्ट रूप से वास्तविक ब्रूटस से ध्यान और खतरे को दूर करने की कोशिश कर रहा है।
इसके बाद लड़ाई में काटो मारा जाता है। लुसिलियस युवा काटो की बहादुर मृत्यु पर शोक व्यक्त करता है। इसके तुरंत बाद, लुसिलियस को एक प्रथम सैनिक ने पकड़ लिया। लुसिलियस जल्दी से आत्मसमर्पण कर देता है, लेकिन कहता है कि वह केवल मरने के लिए तैयार है। फिर वह सैनिक को तुरंत मारने के लिए पैसे की पेशकश करता है, और सैनिक से ‘ब्रूटस को मारने और उसकी मृत्यु में सम्मानित होने’ का आग्रह करता है।
सैनिकों को एहसास होता है कि उन्होंने किसी महत्वपूर्ण व्यक्ति को पकड़ लिया है। प्रथम सैनिक ने उसे मारने से इनकार कर दिया, उसे ‘एक कुलीन कैदी!’ कहा। सैनिक जश्न मनाते हैं, यह मानते हुए कि उन्होंने महान दुश्मन, ब्रूटस को पकड़ लिया है, और अपने जनरल, एंटनी को बताने जाते हैं।
एंटनी प्रवेश करता है और पूछता है कि ब्रूटस कहाँ है। लुसिलियस तब सच्चाई का खुलासा करता है, हालांकि सीधे नहीं। वह एंटनी को बताता है कि असली ब्रूटस सुरक्षित है, उसे आश्वासन देता है कि ‘कोई भी दुश्मन/शॉल कभी भी महान ब्रूटस को जीवित नहीं लेगा’। उनका सुझाव है कि ब्रूटस को देवताओं द्वारा पकड़े जाने की शर्म से बचाया जाता है, और जब भी ब्रूटस जीवित या मृत पाया जाता है, तो वह सम्मानपूर्वक कार्य करते हुए पाया जाएगा, संभवतः खुद को मारकर।
एंटनी समझता है कि कैदी ब्रूटस नहीं है, लेकिन लुसिलियस की असाधारण वफादारी और साहस को पहचानता है। वह लुसिलियस को ब्रूटस से ‘एक कम मूल्यवान पुरस्कार’ कहते हैं। एंटनी अपने आदमियों को आदेश देता है कि वे लुसिलियस के साथ दयालुता से व्यवहार करें और उसे सुरक्षित रखें, यह कहते हुए कि वह लुसिलियस जैसे लोगों को दुश्मन के बजाय दोस्त के रूप में रखना पसंद करेगा।
एंटनी तब अपने आदमियों को यह पता लगाने के लिए खोज फिर से शुरू करने का आदेश देता है कि असली ब्रूटस के साथ वास्तव में क्या हुआ है, ‘क्या ब्रूटस जीवित है या मर गया है’, और ऑक्टेवियस के तम्बू में खबर लाए।
Theme of Julius Caesar Act 5 Scene 4
Honor and Nobility in Defeat
The most prominent theme is the pursuit of honor in the face of inevitable defeat. Lucilius and Cato demonstrate the Roman ideal of virtus i.e. manly excellence. Cato dies bravely proclaiming his identity and commitment to liberty, ‘A foe to tyrants, and my country’s friend’, choosing a noble death over surrender. Lucilius sacrifices his safety by impersonating Brutus, a selfless act of loyalty aimed at protecting his leader and drawing the enemy’s focus. Even after being captured, Lucilius maintains his nobility by making a deal for a quick death and then asserting that the true Brutus will only be found having acted ‘like himself’ i.e. honorably, suggesting suicide. This entire scene showcases the commitment of Brutus’s followers to die with honor rather than live in shame.
Loyalty and Sacrifice
This scene powerfully illustrates the theme of unwavering loyalty and sacrifice. Lucilius’s decision to shout ‘And I am Brutus, Marcus Brutus, I!’ and allow himself to be captured is the ultimate act of self-sacrificing devotion to his friend and general. He is willing to offer his life to buy Brutus time or simply to prevent Brutus from suffering the indignity of capture. Antony, recognizing this extreme loyalty, acknowledges its value, stating Lucilius is ‘A prize no less in worth’ than Brutus himself. Antony’s subsequent order to treat Lucilius with kindness and the desire to make him a friend highlights the rare and respected quality of such devotion, even in an enemy.
Mistaken Identity and War’s Confusion
The chaos of battle is emphasized by the theme of mistaken identity and the fog of war. The soldiers are so eager to capture the main enemy that they immediately believe Lucilius’s shouted claim that he is Brutus. Their quick celebration and rush to inform Antony ‘Brutus is ta’en, Brutus is ta’en, my lord!’ is based on a lie and the confusion of the battlefield. This mistake serves a dramatic purpose by setting up Lucilius’s subsequent conversation with Antony, where the actual fate and character of Brutus are discussed. The swift transition from the soldier’s mistaken triumph to Antony’s calm realization underscores the difference between the panicked soldiers and the perceptive general.
Setting of the Scene
The setting for Julius Caesar Act 5 Scene 4 is primarily defined by the Battlefield at Philippi in ancient Greece. This location immediately establishes a mood of chaos and violence, as the action begins in medias res i.e. in the middle of things with the stage direction ‘Alarum. Enter fighting’, indicating the intense, desperate phase of the second battle between the forces of Brutus and Cassius, and the forces of Antony and Octavius. The setting is not a fixed, specific spot but a dynamic, bloody area where soldiers clash, key characters fight, and the final fate of the Roman Republic’s defenders is decided. The ongoing sounds of the alarm reinforce the setting of immediate, mortal combat.
A key element of the setting is its function as a Trap or Decoy Ground. As the battle is being lost, the setting shifts from just a warzone to a place where loyalists use sacrifice to protect their leader. This is seen when Lucilius attempts to draw the enemy away from Brutus by shouting ‘And I am Brutus, Marcus Brutus, I!’ and allowing himself to be captured. The setting here serves as the place where a fatal case of mistaken identity occurs, tricking the enemy soldiers into believing they’ve captured their main target, thereby temporarily ensuring Brutus’s escape and safety elsewhere on the large battlefield.
Finally, the setting becomes a Locus of Honorable Capture and Respect. The scene ends with the arrival of Antony. Although he is in the middle of a massive battle, Antony demonstrates a remarkable pause in the fighting to recognize Lucilius’s extraordinary loyalty. The battlefield setting, which was a place of brutality moments before, is transformed into a space where Antony’s mercy and political wisdom are displayed. He orders Lucilius to be treated with kindness, understanding that securing the loyalty of noble men is as valuable as winning the battle itself. The setting thus serves as a grim backdrop for this surprising display of military respect.
JULIUS CAESAR ACT 5 SCENE 4 Explanation
Play
Alarum. Enter Brutus, Messala, Cato, Lucilius, and
Flavius.
BRUTUS
Yet, countrymen, O, yet hold up your heads!
Brutus, Messala, and Flavius exit.
CATO
What bastard doth not? Who will go with me?
I will proclaim my name about the field.
I am the son of Marcus Cato, ho!
A foe to tyrants and my country’s friend.
I am the son of Marcus Cato, ho!
Word Meanings
Alarum: A loud call or signal like a trumpet blast to arms; the noise or confusion of battle.
Countrymen: Fellow citizens or patriots.
Hold up your heads: An idiom meaning to maintain courage, confidence, or dignity despite difficulties.
Bastard: it refers to a base, ignoble, or cowardly person
Proclaim: To announce officially or publicly.
Foe: An enemy or adversary.
Tyrants: Cruel and oppressive rulers.
Explanation of the above dialogues— The scene began with an alarum, indicating the noise of battle, and the entrance of Brutus, Messala, Cato, Lucilius, and others. Brutus urged his countrymen to yet hold up their heads, and then Brutus, Messala, and Flavius immediately exited. Cato then challenged what coward would not fight, asking who would go with him. He declared he would proclaim his name throughout the field, shouting that he was the son of Marcus Cato. He further declared that he was a foe to tyrants and his country’s friend, and repeated that he was the son of Marcus Cato. Brutus final, futile attempt to rally his defeated forces before he retreats, underscoring his position as a noble but ineffective leader in this final battle. The focus immediately shifts to Cato, who embodies the fierce, uncompromising spirit of Roman Republicanism inherited from his famous father. His repeated, shouted self-proclamations are not merely boastful; they are a sacrificial act.
Play
Enter Soldiers and fight.
LUCILIUS
And I am Brutus, Marcus Brutus, I!
Brutus, my country’s friend! Know me for Brutus.
Cato is killed.
O young and noble Cato, art thou down?
Why, now thou diest as bravely as Titinius
And mayst be honored, being Cato’s son.
FIRST SOLDIER, seizing Lucilius
Yield, or thou diest.
LUCILIUS
Only I yield to die.
There is so much that thou wilt kill me straight.
Offering money.
Kill Brutus and be honored in his death.
FIRST SOLDIER
We must not. A noble prisoner!
Word Meanings
Noble: Belonging to a high class in society; having fine personal qualities or high moral principles.
Art thou down?: An archaic way of asking, ‘Have you fallen?’ or ‘Are you dead?’
Diest: An archaic form of the word ‘die’
Titinius: A friend of Cassius who kills himself earlier in the play to prove his loyalty after mistakenly believing Cassius had been captured. Lucilius uses him as a benchmark for bravery.
Mayst: An archaic form of may
Yield: To surrender or give up control
Straight: Immediately or at once.
Explanation of the above dialogues— The scene opens with soldiers entering and fighting. Lucilius loudly declared that he was Brutus, Marcus Brutus, affirming that he was Brutus, his country’s friend, and commanding the soldiers to know him for Brutus. Upon witnessing Cato’s death, Lucilius lamented, asking if young and noble Cato was down. He then remarked that Cato now died as bravely as Titinius and might be honored because he was Cato’s son. A First Soldier, seizing Lucilius, commanded him to yield, or he would die. Lucilius responded that he only yielded to die, stating that there was so much that the soldier would kill him straight away. Offering money, Lucilius urged the soldier to kill Brutus and be honored in his death. The First Soldier, recognizing his importance, immediately refused, exclaiming that he was a noble prisoner. Lucilius’s deliberate impersonation of Brutus portrays the profound bond of friendship and devotion that defined the Republican cause, even in utter defeat. By taking the enemy’s attention, Lucilius buys Brutus the time needed to arrange his honorable suicide, thus fulfilling the dramatic necessity that the noble Brutus not be taken alive. Lucilius’s praise of Cato, equating his death to that of the already venerated Titinius, sanctifies the Republican cause. These men choose death over surrender, fulfilling the Roman expectation of honor in defeat.
Play
Enter Antony.
SECOND SOLDIER
Room, ho! Tell Antony Brutus is ta’en.
FIRST SOLDIER
I’ll tell the news. Here comes the General.—
Brutus is ta’en, Brutus is ta’en, my lord.
ANTONY
Where is he?
LUCILIUS
Safe, Antony, Brutus is safe enough.
I dare assure thee that no enemy
Shall ever take alive the noble Brutus.
The gods defend him from so great a shame!
When you do find him, or alive or dead,
He will be found like Brutus, like himself.
ANTONY
This is not Brutus, friend, but I assure you,
A prize no less in worth. Keep this man safe.
Give him all kindness. I had rather have
Such men my friends than enemies. Go on,
And see whe’er Brutus be alive or dead,
And bring us word unto Octavius’ tent
How everything is chanced.
They exit in different directions.
Word Meanings
ta’en: An archaic contraction of the word ‘taken’, meaning captured or seized
dare: to be brave enough to do something; to have the courage to assert something.
assure: to tell someone something confidently; to make a positive declaration.
shame: a painful feeling of humiliation or distress caused by the consciousness of wrong or foolish behavior, or here, the great dishonor of being captured alive.
prize: something of great value obtained in a contest or by capture, here referring to Lucilius’s worth as a noble character.
worth: the value of something; here, the moral or strategic value of Lucilius.
chanced: happened or occurred
Explanation of the above dialogues— A Second Soldier called out, demanding space and telling someone to inform Antony that Brutus had been captured. The First Soldier volunteered to deliver the news, noting that the General was approaching. He then loudly announced to Antony that Brutus had been captured. Antony immediately asked where the prisoner was. Lucilius responded, assuring Antony that Brutus was safe enough. He then asserted that he could guarantee that no enemy would ever take the noble Brutus alive, praying that the gods would protect him from such great shame. Lucilius added that whenever they found Brutus, whether alive or dead, he would be found acting honorably, like himself. Antony then informed Lucilius that the prisoner was not Brutus, but he assured him the man was a prize no less valuable. He ordered his men to keep Lucilius safe and treat him with all kindness, stating that he would prefer to have men of such character as his friends rather than his enemies. Antony then instructed them to continue the search to determine if Brutus was alive or dead, and to bring word to Octavius’s tent regarding how everything had transpired. Following these orders, they all exited in different directions. By guaranteeing that Brutus will never be taken alive, Lucilius seals Brutus’s fate as a noble suicide, a Roman ideal and ensures that the scene transitions seamlessly into the final act. Lucilius’s loyalty is immediately contrasted with the soldiers’ crass desire for glory and reward.Antony demonstrates remarkable political maturity and pragmatism. Recognizing Lucilius’s extraordinary courage, Antony immediately pivots from enemy to potential ally. His order to ‘Keep this man safe; / Give him all kindness’ is not sentimental; it’s a shrewd political move. Antony understands that men who display such unwavering character are invaluable assets. By respecting and sparing Lucilius, Antony elevates himself above simple revenge and demonstrates the kind of wise, strategic leadership required to govern Rome.
Conclusion
In Act 5, Scene 4 of Julius Caesar, Brutus tries to encourage his discouraged troops. During the battle, his brother-in-law, Young Cato, is killed while fighting bravely. To protect Brutus, Lucilius pretends to be him and allows himself to be captured. However, Mark Antony recognizes Lucilius and orders his soldiers to treat him with respect. Antony then sends soldiers to check if Brutus is still alive. Students can take help from this post to understand Act 5, Scene 4 and also learn the difficult word meanings to get a better grasp of Julius Caesar. This post includes a summary of Julius Caesar, which will help students of ICSE class 10, to get a quick recap of the play.