ICSE Class 9 English Drama Julius Caesar Act 2, Scene 3 Important Question Answers
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Related:
- Julius Caesar Act 2, Scene 3 Summary, Explanation
- Julius Caesar Act 2, Scene 3 Character Sketch
- ICSE Class 9 English Lesson Notes
ICSE Class 9 English Drama Julius Caesar Act 2, Scene 3 Textbook Questions
ASSIGNMENTS
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Which of the following issues was raised by Artemidorus in his letter?
(a) Caesar’s impending death
(b) Caesar’s arrogance
(c) Caesar’s immortality
(d) Caesar’s pride
Ans. (a) Caesar’s impending death
2. According to Artemidorus, Caesar may survive if
(a) Brutus do not join the group of conspirators.
(b) Fates do not ally with the conspirators
(c) Caesar is persuaded not to go to the Senate
(d) Calpurnia accompanies him to the Senate.
Ans. (b) Fates do not ally with the conspirators
3. How does this scene create suspense in the audience?
(a) By letting them know that Caesar would get more warnings.
(b) By letting them imagine that Artemidorus’ letter may save him.
(c) By letting them know a change of plan according to portents.
(d) By letting them know that the conspirators’ plan has leaked out.
Ans. (b) By letting them imagine that Artemidorus’ letter may save him.
4. Artemidorus is a representative of which of the following?
(a) Common citizens of Rome
(b) Well-wishers of Caesar
(c) Members of the Senate
(d) None of the above.
Ans. (b) Well-wishers of Caesar
5. Artemidorus describes the conspirators as
(a) Jealous creatures
(c) Envious usurpers
(b) Saviours of Rome
(d) Masters of Rome
Ans. (a) Jealous creatures
6. “There is but one mind in all these men.” Who are “these men”?
(a) Conspirators against Caesar
(b) Common citizens of Rome
(c) Opponents of Conspirators
(d) None of the above
Ans. (a) Conspirators against Caesar
7. Why does Artemidorus’ heart lament?
(a) The future of Rome
(b) The betrayal by a friend
(c) The fickleness of the mob
(d) The danger to Caesar’s life from jealous rivals
Ans. (d) The danger to Caesar’s life from jealous rivals
8. According to Artemidorus, what gives way to conspiracy?
(a) Negligence
(b) Overconfidence
(c) Lethargy
(d) None of the above
Ans. (b) Overconfidence
CONTEXTUAL QUESTIONS
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:
1. Artemidorus
There is but one mind in all these men, and
it is bent against Caesar. If thou beest not immortal,
look about you; security gives way to conspiracy.
The mighty gods defend thee! Thy lover, Artemidorus.
(i) At what occasion does Artemidorus say these words? Artemidorus is a symbolic individual. Whom does he symbolise in this scene?
Ans. Artemidorus says these words while reading aloud a letter he has written to Caesar. The occasion is the morning of March 15th, just before Caesar is to enter the Capitol. In this scene, Artemidorus symbolizes the common citizen or the ‘Lover of Rome’ who is loyal to Caesar and tries to warn him of the danger. He represents those who see the conspiracy for what it is, i.e. a betrayal and attempt to prevent it.
(ii) “There is but one mind in all these men.” What kind of a mind do the conspirators have? What is the difference in motives for conspiracy between Cassius and Brutus?
Ans. The conspirators’ ‘one mind’ is a collective purpose to kill Caesar. While they all agree on the outcome, their motivations differ. Cassius’s motive is driven by personal envy and jealousy. He resents Caesar’s power and believes he is just as worthy of leadership. In contrast, Brutus’s motive is rooted in civic duty and honor. He believes that Caesar’s ambition poses a threat to the Roman Republic and that killing him is a necessary sacrifice to save Rome from tyranny.
(iii) Why are all the conspirators against Caesar? How would the request “look
about you” be significant at this time?
Ans. The conspirators are against Caesar because they fear his growing ambition and power. They believe he wants to become a king and destroy the Roman Republic, and they see themselves as saviors of Rome. The request to ‘look about you’ is significant because it’s a direct plea to Caesar to be vigilant and aware of the immediate danger from the men who surround him, particularly those he trusts. It’s a final, desperate warning to pay attention to his surroundings.
(iv) What is meant by “security gives way to conspiracy”?
Ans. ‘Security gives way to conspiracy’ means that Caesar’s sense of overconfidence and safety has made him vulnerable. His feeling of being secure from any threat has left him open to the secret plot being carried out by his enemies. It suggests that a person’s trust and lack of suspicion can be exploited by those who are conspiring against them.
(v) Besides Artemidorus, who else had warned Caesar about the danger to his life? What was the warning and how did Caesar react to the warning?
Ans. Besides Artemidorus, the soothsayer and Calpurnia, Caesar’s wife, had also warned him. The soothsayer’s warning was to ‘Beware the Ides of March’. Caesar dismissed this warning as a joke. Calpurnia, on the other hand, had a terrible dream about Caesar’s statue bleeding and pleaded with him to stay home. Initially, Caesar agreed to her request, but he later changed his mind after being persuaded by Decius Brutus, who reinterprets the dream in a positive light and ridicules Caesar for giving in to his wife’s fears.
ICSE Class 9 English Drama Julius Caesar Act 2, Scene 3 Extra Questions and Answers
Multiple Choice Questions
Q1. What is the setting of Act 2, Scene 3?
A. Caesar’s house
B. A street near the Capitol
C. The Roman Senate
D. Brutus’s orchard
Ans. B. A street near the Capitol
Q2. Who is the main character in this scene?
A. Brutus
B. Caesar
C. Artemidorus
D. Cassius
Ans. C. Artemidorus
Q3. What does Artemidorus have in his hand?
A. A scroll
B. A letter
C. A sword
D. A book
Ans. B. A letter
Q4. What is the purpose of Artemidorus’s letter?
A. To praise Caesar
B. To warn Caesar of the conspiracy
C. To ask Caesar for a favor
D. To announce the conspirators’ plan to the public
Ans. B. To warn Caesar of the conspiracy
Q5. Which of the following conspirators is NOT mentioned by name in the letter?
A. Brutus
B. Cassius
C. Cicero
D. Casca
Ans. C. Cicero
Q6. What does Artemidorus plan to do with the letter?
A. Deliver it to the Senate
B. Read it aloud to the public
C. Give it to Caesar as he passes by
D. Burn it
Ans. C. Give it to Caesar as he passes by
Q7. What does Artemidorus lament in his final lines?
A. The loss of a friend
B. That virtue cannot live without being envied
C. Caesar’s ambition
D. The decline of Rome
Ans. B. That virtue cannot live without being envied
Q8. What does “Security gives way to conspiracy” mean?
A. Guards are no longer on duty
B. Overconfidence leads to vulnerability
C. Conspiracies are easy to uncover
D. Caesar’s safety is guaranteed
Ans. B. Overconfidence leads to vulnerability
Q9. Artemidorus refers to himself as Caesar’s __________.
A. Servant
B. Friend
C. Lover
D. Follower
Ans. C. Lover
Q10. What does Artemidorus believe will happen if Caesar does not read the letter?
A. The conspirators will change their minds.
B. The Fates will align with the traitors.
C. He will get another chance to deliver it.
D. The plan will be exposed anyway.
Ans. B. The Fates will align with the traitors.
Extract Based Questions
Answer the following extract based questions.
A.
Caesar, beware of Brutus. Take heed of Cassius. Come not near Casca… If thou beest not immortal, look about you. Security gives way to conspiracy.
Q1. What is the central message of Artemidorus’s letter?
Ans. The central message is an urgent and direct warning to Caesar about the conspiracy against him. Artemidorus names the key conspirators and highlights their unified purpose. He advises Caesar to be vigilant and reminds him that his overconfidence, or ‘security’, has made him vulnerable to their plot.
Q2. What does the phrase ‘There is but one mind in all these men’ imply?
Ans. This phrase implies that despite their different personal reasons, all the conspirators are unified in their single-minded goal to harm Caesar. It shows the widespread nature of the threat and underscores that Caesar’s life is in danger from a coordinated and determined group, not just a single individual.
Q3. What does ‘security gives way to conspiracy’ mean in the context of the play?
Ans. This phrase means that Caesar’s feeling of being safe and untouchable has left him exposed to a secret plot. His trust in those around him, combined with his high position, has blinded him to the danger. This overconfidence allows the conspiracy to move forward without being detected, putting his life at risk.
Q4. Why does Artemidorus list the names of the conspirators?
Ans. Artemidorus lists the names to provide concrete proof of the danger and to help Caesar identify the specific threats. By naming Brutus, Cassius, and others, he gives Caesar a precise and actionable warning, hoping that this detail will persuade him to take the threat seriously and protect himself from the men he believes are loyal.
Q5. How does this scene create dramatic irony and suspense for the audience?
Ans. This scene creates dramatic irony because the audience knows the contents of the letter and the full scale of the conspiracy, while Caesar remains completely unaware of the precise plot against him. The suspense is built by Artemidorus’s desperate attempt to warn Caesar and the uncertainty of whether his message will be delivered in time. The audience knows that tragedy is imminent and watches anxiously as this final chance to save Caesar’s life unfolds. The brief scene, set on the street just before the Senate, heightens the tension by showing how close Caesar is to both his fate and his last chance at survival.
B.
My heart laments that virtue cannot live Out of the teeth of emulation. If thou read this, O Caesar, thou mayst live. If not, the Fates with traitors do contrive.
Q1. What does ‘my heart laments’ reveal about Artemidorus’s character?
Ans. This phrase reveals that Artemidorus is not just a messenger, but a genuinely concerned supporter of Caesar. His lament shows that his actions are driven by sincere sorrow and loyalty, not just a political agenda. He feels personal grief that a virtuous person like Caesar is threatened by envy.
Q2. What is meant by ‘virtue cannot live out of the teeth of emulation’?
Ans. This phrase means that a good or virtuous person, like Caesar, cannot escape the destructive effects of envy and rivalry. ‘Emulation’ here has a negative connotation, meaning a jealous desire to equal or surpass another, and its ‘teeth’ represent the biting, destructive nature of that jealousy.
Q3. How does the word ‘suitor’ help Artemidorus’s plan to deliver the letter?
Ans. Artemidorus plans to approach Caesar as a ‘suitor’, or a petitioner seeking an audience for a personal request. This strategy allows him to get close to Caesar in a public setting without raising suspicion. By blending in with the other citizens who want to speak to Caesar, he hopes to deliver the letter before it’s too late.
Q4. What is the significance of the last two lines of the extract?
Ans. The last two lines highlight the role of fate in the play. Artemidorus places Caesar’s survival in the hands of destiny: if he reads the letter, he might live; if not, fate is already working with the traitors to ensure his death. This reinforces the idea that Caesar’s final moments are a battle between free will and an unchangeable destiny.
Q5. Explain the theme of fate versus free will as presented in this scene, using the provided lines as evidence.
Ans. This scene powerfully explores the theme of fate versus free will. Artemidorus acts on his own free will by writing the letter and trying to warn Caesar, believing that his actions could change the course of events, as he says, ‘If thou read this, O Caesar, thou mayst live’. However, he also acknowledges the power of fate. The line ‘If not, the Fates with traitors do contrive’ suggests that if his warning fails, it’s not simply an accident but a sign that destiny has already aligned with the conspirators. This dual perspective creates tension, suggesting that while humans can try to alter their paths, some events are predetermined. The final outcome of the scene will show whether Caesar’s choices or an unchangeable fate ultimately determine his destiny.