ICSE Class 10 English Drama Julius Caesar Act 5, Scene 3 Important Question Answers
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Related:
- Julius Caesar Act 5, Scene 3 Summary, Explanation
- Julius Caesar Act 5, Scene 3 Character Sketch
- ICSE Class 10 English Lesson Notes
ICSE Class 10 English Drama Julius Caesar Act 5, Scene 3 Textbook Questions
ASSIGNMENTS
Multiple Choice Questions
1. In what condition were Cassius’ troops in this scene?
(a) Defeated by Antony’s forces they surrendered
(b) They were celebrating their victory over Antony’s forces
(c) Defeated by Antony’s forces they were retreating
(d) None of the above.
Ans. (c) Defeated by Antony’s forces they were retreating
2. What were Brutus’ troops doing after their victory over Octavius?
(a) They became indisciplined and started looting
(b) They got too engrossed in celebration
(c) They ran to help Cassius’ troops
(d) None of the above.
Ans. (a) They became indisciplined and started looting
3. Who says that he has to act as enemy to his own soldiers?
(a) Brutus
(b) Cassius
(c) Mark Antony
(d) Octavius Caesar
Ans. (b) Cassius
4. Cassius tells Pindarus to observe Titinius from a hill because of which deformity of his (Cassius’)?
(a) Weak eyesight
(b) Weak legs
(c) Weak heart
(d) None of the above
Ans. (a) Weak eyesight
5. According to Cassius, his birthday would also be a day of his____________.
(a) victory over the enemy
(b) death
(c) retreat
(d) surrender
Ans. (b) death
6. To whom does Cassius refer to in this scene as his “best friend”?
(a) Brutus
(b) Pindarus
(c) Lepidus
(d) Titinius
Ans. (d) Titinius
7. Who says the following sentence: “Caesar thou art revenged?”
(a) Cassius
(b) Brutus
(c) Antony
(d) Ocatvius
Ans. (a) Cassius
8. Who has been referred to in this scene as, “The sun of Rome is set”?
(a) Ocatvius
(b) Cassius
(c) Brutus
(d) Pindarus
Ans. (b) Cassius
9. How does Titinius decide to prove himself as a brave Roman?
(a) By fighting Octavius and Antony
(b) By killing Antony
(c) By killing himself with Cassius sword
(d) None of the above
Ans. (c) By killing himself with Cassius sword
10. Who, is the “last of the brave Romans who have ever lived” as described by Brutus?
(a) Cassius
(b) Titinius
(c) Pindarus
(d) All of the above
Ans. (a) Cassius
11. Which of the following made Cassius commit sucide?
(a) Error of Judgement
(b) Cowardice
(c) Overconfidence
(d) Pride and Arrogance
Ans. (a) Error of Judgement
12. Cassius’ suicide is in keeping with his desire to__________.
(a) achieve victory over his enemies
(b) live or die as a free man
(c) die for his friend Titinius
(d) None of the above
Ans. (b) live or die as a free man
CONTEXTUAL QUESTIONS
Read the extracts given below and answer the questions that follow:
1. Cassius
O look, Titinius, look, the villains fly!
Myself have to mine own turn’d enemy;
This ensign here of mine was turning back;
I slew the coward, and did take it from him.
(i) Where does this scene take place? Who was the coward? Why did Cassius slay the coward?
Ans. This scene takes place on a hill near the battlefield at Philippi. The ‘coward’ was one of Cassius’s own standard-bearers. Cassius slew him because the man was fleeing the battle, which meant deserting his post and betraying the cause. Cassius took the standard i.e. flag from the dead man to prevent the troops from seeing the symbol of their legion abandoned, which would have further demoralized them.
(ii) What did Titinius say about the error committed by Brutus? What were the immediate consequences of the error?
Ans. Titinius states that Brutus gave the order to attack ‘too early’. Brutus, having an advantage over Octavius’s forces, acted too eagerly. The immediate consequences were that Brutus’s soldiers, instead of pressing their advantage, became indisciplined and began looting. This distraction allowed Antony’s forces to encircle Cassius’s legions, putting them in immediate danger of defeat.
(iii) On what errand does Cassius now send Titinius? What does Cassius tell Pindarus to do for him?
Ans. Cassius, unable to see clearly due to his poor eyesight, sends Titinius on an errand to ride his horse toward a group of approaching troops to determine whether they are friends or enemies. Cassius then instructs his slave, Pindarus, to climb higher on the hill to get a better view and act as his eyes, reporting back on what he observes concerning Titinius’s safety and the troops’ identity.
(iv) Pindarus, Cassius’ slave enters. What does he say? How does his information
seem to confirm Cassius’ fears?
Ans. Pindarus enters with a warning, urging Cassius to ‘Fly further off’, because Mark Antony has penetrated their tents. Cassius is already filled with fear and uncertainty about Titinius. When Pindarus reports back from the hill, he sees Titinius surrounded by horsemen, concluding that he’s captured. This information seems to confirm Cassius’s deepest fears that the battle is completely lost and his best friend is now a prisoner.
(v) What does Cassius think aloud while Pindarus is away? Why is the day significant to Cassius, in more ways than one?
Ans. While Pindarus is climbing the hill, Cassius muses on the cyclical nature of time, stating that his life has ‘run his compass’. The day is significant because it is Cassius’s birthday. Paradoxically, he realizes that the very day he was born will also be the day he dies, marking the tragic completion of his life’s circle.
2. Titinius
I will be here again, even with a thought. [Exit
Cassius
Go, Pindarus, get higher on that hill;
My sight was ever thick; regard Titinius,
And tell me what thou not’st about the field.
(i) Who are Titinius and Pindarus? Where are they at the moment? Why?
Ans. Titinius is a friend and officer in Cassius’s army. Pindarus is Cassius’s bondman. They are currently located on a hill near Cassius’s camp on the battlefield at Philippi. They have retreated there because Cassius’s forces are being defeated and encircled by Antony’s army, and Cassius needs a vantage point to observe the course of the battle and determine the identity of the troops nearby.
(ii) Explain the meaning of “even with a thought”. Why has Titinius to go?
Ans. The phrase ‘even with a thought’ means ‘as quickly as a thought’ or instantly. Titinius is assuring Cassius he will return with the necessary information with the utmost speed. Titinius has to go because Cassius, whose sight was poor, needs someone to ride out to a group of approaching troops to identify whether they are friends or enemies, thus verifying the safety of their immediate position.
(iii) What report did Pindarus now give about Titinius? How did Cassius interpret this report?
Ans. Pindarus reported that Titinius was surrounded by horsemen who quickly reached him. Pindarus then saw Titinius dismount, followed by the horsemen dismounting as well, and concluded, He’s captured, especially after hearing shouts of joy. Cassius interpreted this report as confirmation that the battle was lost and his best friend, Titinius, had been taken prisoner by the enemy, leading to deep despair and a fear of being captured himself.
(iv) What action did Cassius now take? How did the outcome of this action affect Pindarus? How did (a) Titinius and (b) Brutus react to what Cassius did?
Ans. Cassius, believing Titinius captured, took his own life. He ordered Pindarus to stab him with the very sword that killed Caesar, in fulfillment of an oath Pindarus had sworn when Cassius took him prisoner. The outcome of this action was that Pindarus was immediately set free, as Cassius’s final command liberated him from slavery.
(a) Titinius’s reaction: When Titinius returned, he was heartbroken. Realizing Cassius killed himself based on a ‘hateful error’, the approaching troops were actually friends, he placed the wreath of victory meant for Cassius on his head, called his action ‘a Roman’s part’, and killed himself with Cassius’s sword out of loyalty and grief.
(b) Brutus’s reaction: Brutus was devastated upon finding the bodies. He called Cassius ‘The last of all the Romans’, acknowledging the end of their heroic era. He grieved briefly, seeing the deaths as Caesar’s spirit turning their swords against themselves, before moving the body away to prevent demoralizing his troops and ordering a second attack.
(v) Refer to, or quote, what Cassius said to Brutus earlier in the play to prove that this tragedy could have been avoided. What had Brutus replied to him then? Refer to another occasion when a somewhat similar mistake had been made by Brutus. What is your opinion of Brutus and Cassius in this connection?
Ans. This tragedy could have been avoided had Brutus listened to Cassius earlier about Antony. In Act 2, Scene 1, after the assassination, Cassius wisely advised Brutus: ‘Let Antony and Caesar fall together’. Cassius knew that Antony was a dangerous threat, but Brutus insisted they should not be seen as ‘butchers’ and replied: ‘Our course will seem too bloody… Let us be sacrificers, but not butchers, Caius’. Brutus’s fatal mistake was letting Antony live and speak at Caesar’s funeral. A somewhat similar mistake was made in the very planning of this final battle when Brutus insisted on fighting at Philippi (Act 4, Scene 3) instead of letting their enemies march to them, overruling Cassius who had the more prudent military strategy. In my opinion, Cassius is the better strategist, possessing crucial political and military foresight, but he is undermined by his own pessimistic and hot-tempered nature. Brutus is driven by noble idealism and honor but is a poor politician and strategist, whose moral judgments repeatedly override tactical necessity, leading directly to his and Cassius’s defeat.
3. Cassius
Come hither.
In Parthia did I take thee prisoner;
And then I swore thee, saving of thy life,
That whatsoever I did bid thee do
Thou shouldst attempt it. Come now, keep thine oath;
(i) What had Pindarus been looking at? What did he report on what he thought he saw?
Ans. Pindarus had been looking at Titinius riding out on the plain and the movements of the troops that surrounded him. He reported that Titinius was encircled by horsemen who were almost upon him. Pindarus then saw Titinius dismount and immediately heard a shout of joy from the soldiers, leading him to conclude that Titinius had been captured by the enemy.
(ii) What is meant by “I swore thee”? What had Pindarus promised to do? What is he asked to do now?
Ans. The phrase ‘I swore thee’ means ‘I made you swear an oath’. Cassius had taken Pindarus prisoner in Parthia but spared his life on the condition that Pindarus would promise to attempt anything Cassius ever commanded him to do. Cassius now asks Pindarus to stab him to death with the same sword that killed Caesar, thus fulfilling his oath and simultaneously making Pindarus a free man.
(iii) Narrate what has happened a few minutes earlier which makes Cassius desperate. Was Cassius noble in taking the final decision about himself? Give a reason to justify your answer.
Ans. A few minutes earlier, Cassius’s legions were defeated and put to flight by Antony. Brutus’s initial success against Octavius had led to indiscipline and looting, leaving Cassius vulnerable and encircled. Then, Pindarus mistakenly reported that Titinius had been captured. This series of events convinced Cassius that the entire cause was lost and that he would soon be captured by the enemy. Whether Cassius was noble is debatable. From a Roman perspective, his decision was noble; suicide was seen as an honorable action to avoid the shame of capture and subsequent public humiliation or execution by a foe. By Roman standards, he died as a ‘freeman’. However, from a modern or Stoic perspective (which Brutus favored), it was an act of cowardice driven by despair and an error in judgment, causing the death of his friend Titinius as well.
(iv) What makes it difficult for Pindarus to keep his oath now?
Ans. It is difficult for Pindarus to keep his oath now because the command is to kill his master, Cassius. Despite being a slave who will gain his freedom, Pindarus clearly has a strong bond of loyalty and affection for Cassius. He expresses his reluctance after the act, saying: ‘So I am free, yet would not so have been, / Durst I have done my will’. He is morally distraught to kill the man who gave him his life and his freedom.
(v) What is the evil influence which drives Cassius towards self-destruction? Should one believe in such influences? Why?
Ans. The primary evil influence driving Cassius is his own pessimism, melancholy, and reliance on ill omens like the ravens and kites he mentioned earlier. In the immediate context, the influence is error or mistrust, the mistaken belief that Titinius was captured and that the battle was utterly lost, which is later called ‘O hateful error, melancholy’s child’. One should not believe in such superstitious influences as fate or omens as the sole drivers of action. While the play uses such elements to build tragedy, the real cause of Cassius’s self-destruction is a failure of judgment and strategy, allowing himself to be overruled by Brutus combined with his own psychological weakness i.e. his inability to endure misfortune and his tendency toward despair. Believing in pure fatalism absolves the character of responsibility for his poor decisions.
4. Titinius
What, Pindarus! Where art thou, Pindarus?
Messala
Seek him, Titinius, whilst I go to meet
The noble Brutus, thrusting this report
Into his ears: I may say, thrusting it;
For piercing steel and darts envenomed
Shall be as welcome to the ears of Brutus
As tidings of this sight.
(i) Where does this scene take place? Who are Titinius and Messala? Why have they come to the scene?
Ans. This scene takes place on a hill near the battlefield at Philippi. Titinius is an officer and close friend of Cassius, and Messala is an officer in Brutus’s army. Titinius has just returned from an errand to identify troops, accompanied by Messala. They have come to the scene because they were looking for Cassius to deliver the good news that Titinius’s mission was successful and that Brutus had defeated Octavius.
(ii) Where has Pindarus gone? What has made him go away?
Ans. Pindarus has fled from the battlefield and from the presence of all Romans. He was forced to kill his own master, Cassius, under the terms of an oath, which simultaneously granted him his freedom. Immediately after Cassius died, Pindarus declared his intent to run ‘Far from this country… Where never Roman shall take note of him’, because he was distressed by his action and feared the consequences.
(iii) What report is Messala going to give to Brutus? Why would the report be like “thrusting” something into Brutus’ ear?
Ans. Messala is going to report the death of Cassius and the subsequent suicide of Titinius to Brutus. He says the report will be like ‘thrusting’ it into Brutus’s ear because the news is so terrible and painful that it will be received as violently and unwelcome as a ‘piercing steel and darts envenomed’. The shock and grief of losing his co-leader, Cassius, will be an unbearable assault on Brutus.
(iv) Titinius recollects that Brutus has sent a wreath of victory to be given to Cassius. What victory is referred to? What does Titinius do with the wreath? How did Cassius misinterpret the signs of victory?
Ans. The victory referred to is Brutus’s triumph over Octavius’s legions on the other side of the battlefield. The troops Titinius rode out to meet were Brutus’s victorious friends, who placed the wreath of victory on Titinius’s own brow and told him to give it to Cassius. Titinius now places the wreath on Cassius’s dead brow. Cassius misinterpreted the signs of victory because his slave, Pindarus, misidentified the cheering, approaching soldiers as enemies and the dismounting Titinius as a captive.
(v) State briefly how Titinius pays his respects to Cassius, his dead friend.
Ans. Titinius pays his respects by first clarifying the tragic error to the dead Cassius and honoring him with the wreath of victory that was meant for him. He then gives a final farewell, calling it a ‘Roman’s part’, and commits suicide by falling upon Cassius’s sword. By dying on the spot, Titinius demonstrates profound grief and loyalty, refusing to live without his friend and proving his own Roman bravery.
5. Titinius
Alas, thou hast miscounstru’d every thing!
But, hold thee, take this garland on thy brow;
Thy Brutus bid me give it thee, and
I Will do his bidding. Brutus, come apace,
And see how I regarded Caius Cassius.
(i) Where is Titinius at this moment? Whom is he talking to? Why?
Ans. Titinius is on the hill near the battlefield at Philippi. He is talking to the dead body of Cassius. He speaks because he has just returned from his errand only to find Cassius dead, having taken his own life based on a fatal misunderstanding. Titinius is expressing his grief and regret to his departed friend.
(ii) Explain the meaning of “misconstrued.” What are the things that had been misconstrued? For what reason?
Ans. To ‘misconstrue’ means to misinterpret or understand something wrongly. The main thing that was misconstrued was the mission of the approaching troops and Titinius’s safety. Cassius, relying on Pindarus’s poor report and blinded by his own pessimism and thick sight, believed the troops were enemies and that Titinius had been captured. In reality, they were friends bringing news of Brutus’s success against Octavius.
(iii) What was the “garland” a sign of? Why did Brutus send it?
Ans. The ‘garland’ (wreath) was a traditional Roman sign of victory. Brutus did not send it personally; rather, it was given to Titinius by Brutus’s victorious soldiers as a token of their success over Octavius’s legions, with the instruction that Titinius should present it to Cassius as a sign of joint triumph.
(iv) Explain the meaning of “regarded.” How did Titinius now show his regard? What did Brutus say about Titinius and Cassius when he arrived?
Ans. To ‘regarded’ means to show respect, honor, or devotion to someone. Titinius shows his regard by first placing the wreath of victory on Cassius’s head and then immediately killing himself with Cassius’s sword. By this act, he proves his profound loyalty and honor, refusing to outlive his best friend. When Brutus arrived and saw the scene, he mourned Cassius as ‘The last of all the Romans’ and referred to both men as ‘Brave Titinius!’ and as Romans unlike whom Rome would never breed again, recognizing their immense honor.
(v) This scene shows the beginning of the end for the conspirators. What reason does Brutus give for what he saw? Explain how his reason is proved to be true in his own case later.
Ans. Brutus attributes the tragedy to the powerful and vengeful spirit of Julius Caesar. He says: ‘O Julius Caesar, thou art mighty yet! / Thy spirit walks abroad and turns our swords / In our own proper entrails’. Brutus believes that Caesar’s ghost is subtly manipulating events and causing the conspirators to destroy themselves. This reason is proved true in Brutus’s own case later in the final scene. When faced with total defeat, Brutus chooses to fall on his own sword rather than be captured. His last words acknowledge Caesar: ‘Caesar, now be still: / I kill’d not thee with half so good a will’. Just as Cassius and Titinius’s swords turned into their own bodies, Brutus’s does the same, completing the revenge exacted by Caesar’s spirit.
6. Brutus
Are yet two Romans living such as these?
The last of all the Romans, fare thee well!
It is impossible that ever Rome
Should breed thy fellow.
(i) Where is Brutus? About whom is he speaking?
Ans. Brutus is on a hill near the battlefield at Philippi. He has arrived at the spot where Cassius and Titinius lie dead. He is speaking about these two men, expressing his immense grief and admiration for their honor and bravery, which led them to commit suicide rather than face capture.
(ii) To whom does he refer to as “The last of all the Romans”? Why?
Ans. Brutus is referring to Cassius as ‘The last of all the Romans’, though the phrase encompasses both Cassius and Titinius. He uses this powerful title because, in his mind, these men possessed a degree of honor, noble spirit, and commitment to the ideal of the Roman Republic that no one left alive, including himself, can match. Their willingness to die as freemen, upholding their principles, marks the end of an ancient, honorable Roman era.
(iii) Give a brief but clear account of the events which immediately precede this speech and give rise to it.
Ans. Immediately preceding this speech, Cassius’s legions were defeated by Antony’s forces. Cassius, with poor eyesight, sent Titinius on an errand. His slave, Pindarus, mistakenly reported that Titinius had been captured, leading Cassius to believe the cause was completely lost. Out of despair and to avoid capture, Cassius ordered Pindarus to kill him. When Titinius returned, finding Cassius dead and realizing the tragic mistake, as he had been crowned with a wreath of victory from Brutus’s side, he was overcome with grief and killed himself with Cassius’s sword. Messala then brought this devastating news to Brutus, who arrived to see the two bodies.
(iv) This event combined with another factor caused the death of Brutus a little
later. Explain briefly.
Ans. The death of Cassius and Titinius dealt a severe psychological blow to Brutus, deepening his sense of despair and defeat. This event, combined with the earlier appearance of the Ghost of Caesar who promised to meet Brutus at Philippi, created an overwhelming sense of fatalism for Brutus. He believed that the gods and Caesar’s spirit were irrevocably against them. Consequently, when Brutus’s forces were finally defeated in the second battle, he refused to flee and instead ordered his servant, Strato, to hold his sword so he could run upon it, choosing suicide over being taken prisoner, thus completing the tragic course set in this scene.
(v) What instructions does Brutus now give his friends?
Ans. Brutus instructs his friends to send Cassius’s body to Thasos. He emphasizes that the funeral must not be held in their camp, because the sight of Cassius’s body would demoralize and discourage the remaining soldiers. Despite his grief, Brutus maintains his focus on military necessity and immediately gives the command to regroup and prepare for a second battle before nightfall, determined to ‘try fortune’ one last time.
TESTS AND EVALUATION
Read the extracts given below and answer the questions that follow:
1. Cassius
This day I breathed first; time is come round,
And where I did begin, there shall I end;
My life is run his compass. Sirrah, what news?
Pindarus
O my lord!
Cassius
What news?
Pindarus
Titinius is enclosed round about
With horsemen, that make to him on the spur;
Yet he spurs on. Now they are almost on him.
Now, Titinius! Now some light: O, he lights too:
(i) What attitude of mind do you think Cassius shows in his first speech? (3)
Ans. Cassius shows an attitude of fatalism, melancholy, and despair. He is resigned to his fate, viewing the present moment as the inevitable end of his life’s cycle. By stating, ‘time is come round’, and ‘My life is run his compass’, he implies that he believes his destiny is predetermined. This is compounded by his general pessimistic nature, which leads him to interpret every event in the most negative light.
(ii) Why did Cassius send Pindarus up the hill to watch the happenings, instead of going himself? (3)
Ans. Cassius sent Pindarus up the hill because Cassius himself suffered from poor eyesight, which he admits by saying, ‘My sight was ever thick’. He needed someone with clear vision to act as his eyes and observe the action on the plain, specifically to determine whether the approaching troops were friendly or hostile and to report on the safety of Titinius.
(iii) Explain clearly and fully what exactly has happened to Titinius. (3)
Ans. Titinius was actually successful in his mission. The horsemen who encircled him were not enemies but Brutus’s victorious troops, who had defeated Octavius’s forces. They were greeting Titinius as a friend and placing a wreath of victory on his head. However, Pindarus misidentified them as hostile forces and interpreted the celebratory shouts as the enemy cheering for a capture, leading to the tragic error.
(iv) Explain the meaning of “Now some light” in the last line of the extract? (3)
Ans. The phrase ‘Now some light’ means that some of the horsemen dismount from their horses. Pindarus is describing the action he sees on the field in real-time. He then sees Titinius dismount immediately afterward ‘O, he lights too’. Cassius and Pindarus tragically interpret this dismounting as the act of a captive being surrounded and pulled from his horse by the enemy.
(v) What does Pindarus do after descending? Why does he do it? (4)
Ans. After descending from the hill, Pindarus kills Cassius. He does this because Cassius, believing Titinius was captured and that the battle was lost, ordered Pindarus to stab him with the same sword used to kill Caesar. Pindarus was bound to obey this command because he was Cassius’s bondman (slave) who had sworn an oath to do whatever Cassius commanded in exchange for his life being spared when he was captured in Parthia. By killing his master, Pindarus gains his freedom.
2. Brutus
Are yet two Romans living such as these?
The last of all the Romans, fare thee well!
It is impossible that ever Rome
Should breed thy fellow. Friends, I owe moe tears
To this dead man than you shall see me pay-
I shall find time, Cassius, I shall find time.
(i) Name the two Romans who have recently been dead. Give the meaning of “The Last of all the Romans.” (3)
Ans. The two Romans who have recently died are Cassius and Titinius. The phrase ‘The Last of all the Romans’ means that Brutus believes Cassius and by extension Titinius, represents the final embodiment of true Roman honor, nobility, and commitment to the Republican ideals. Brutus feels that with Cassius’s death, the ancient Roman virtue and spirit, for which they fought, have vanished forever, and Rome will never produce such men again.
(ii) Mention the most eloquent tribute paid by Brutus to Cassius at his death. Do you think it to be correct. Justify your answer. (3)
Ans. The most eloquent tribute is the line, ‘The last of all the Romans, fare thee well! It is impossible that ever Rome should breed thy fellow’. This is a high and subjective compliment. It can be seen as correct in the context of the play’s themes because Cassius, though often driven by envy, was the main political force, the head of the conspiracy, and fiercely devoted to the Republic. However, it can also be seen as an overstatement driven by grief, as Brutus himself is arguably a more purely idealistic Roman. Ultimately, the phrase is correct in expressing Brutus’s personal belief that the great age of principled, fighting men is over.
(iii) Show, in spite of his sorrow, Brutus gives instructions for the burial and for the battle. What light does this throw on the character of Brutus? (3)
Ans. In spite of his deep sorrow indicated by his promise, ‘I shall find time, Cassius, I shall find time’, to weep later, Brutus immediately gives practical instructions to send Cassius’s body to Thasos and to prepare the legions for a second battle before nightfall. This throws light on Brutus’s Stoic and duty-bound character. It shows that he is capable of suppressing personal emotion in favour of military discipline and leadership. He prioritizes the practical necessity of continuing the fight and maintaining the morale of the remaining troops over his own grief.
(iv) Where is Cassius’ body to be buried? Why couldn’t Brutus have his funeral in his army camp? (3)
Ans. Cassius’s body is to be sent to Thasos for burial. Brutus decided against having the funeral in the army camp because he feared it would discomfort the soldiers, meaning it would demoralize and discourage them. The sight of their defeated, dead leader would shatter their remaining resolve and ensure a loss in the upcoming second battle.
(v) With reference to this scene show in what way the spirit of Caesar walks around and turns republican swords in their own “proper entrails”? (4)
Ans. The spirit of Caesar walks around and turns republican swords in their own ‘proper entrails’ through psychological influence and tragic error. In this scene, Caesar’s spirit works by blinding Cassius to the truth through poor visibility and Pindarus’s misreport and driving him to despair. The result is that Cassius uses the very sword that killed Caesar to kill himself. Titinius then uses the same sword to kill himself. Brutus attributes these suicides to Caesar’s mighty spirit manipulating the conspirators’ minds to make them kill themselves with their own weapons, thus causing the conspirators to enact Caesar’s revenge upon themselves.
ICSE Class 10 English Drama Julius Caesar Act 5, Scene 3 Extra Questions and Answers
Multiple Choice Questions
Q1. Why does Cassius order Pindarus to kill him?
A. He fears being captured and publicly executed by Antony’s forces.
B. He mistakenly believes that the battle is lost and his friend, Titinius, has been captured.
C. He wants to save his own life by making Pindarus take the blame for the battle’s loss.
D. He is fulfilling an ancient Roman ritual for defeated generals.
Ans. B. He mistakenly believes that the battle is lost and his friend, Titinius, has been captured.
Q2. What error in judgment primarily leads to Cassius’s death?
A. His failure to coordinate his attack with Brutus.
B. His distrust of Brutus’s loyalties.
C. His mistaken belief (based on Pindarus’s report) that Titinius was taken prisoner by enemy troops.
D. His refusal to retreat when Antony’s army attacked his camp.
Ans. C. His mistaken belief based on Pindarus’s report that Titinius was taken prisoner by enemy troops.
Q3. What does Titinius place on Cassius’s dead body upon his return?
A. Cassius’s own sword.
B. A letter from Brutus.
C. A wreath of victory from Brutus’s successful troops.
D. His own armour.
Ans. C. A wreath of victory from Brutus’s successful troops.
Q4. What is the immediate consequence of Titinius’s return and discovery of Cassius’s body?
A. He runs to Brutus for reinforcements.
B. He attempts to find Pindarus to punish him.
C. He celebrates the news that Brutus has defeated Octavius.
D. He kills himself using Cassius’s sword.
Ans. D. He kills himself using Cassius’s sword.
Q5. Who is Pindarus?
A. A loyal general who serves under Cassius.
B. A slave who gains his freedom by killing his master.
C. A messenger sent by Octavius.
D. Cassius’s younger brother.
Ans. B. A slave who gains his freedom by killing his master.
Q6. Cassius’s dying words, ‘Caesar, thou art revenged, / Even with the sword that killed thee’, refer to the fact that:
A. Caesar’s ghost is currently on the battlefield.
B. The sword used to kill Cassius is the same one he used to stab Caesar.
C. Cassius knows Brutus is responsible for his death.
D. Antony has finally captured and punished the conspirators.
Ans. B. The sword used to kill Cassius is the same one he used to stab Caesar.
Q7. What is the significance of the ‘setting sun’ imagery in this scene?
A. It highlights that the fight will continue into the night.
B. It symbolizes the end of Cassius’s life and the decline of the conspirators’ cause.
C. It shows the passage of time on the battlefield.
D. It represents the hope that Brutus can win the fight before morning.
Ans. B. It symbolizes the end of Cassius’s life and the decline of the conspirators’ cause.
Q8. Messala calls the error that leads to the suicides of Cassius and Titinius:
A. “The last of all the Romans.”
B. “O hateful error, melancholy’s child.”
C. “The villain that doth bear a standard.”
D. “Mistrust of good success.”
Ans. B. “O hateful error, melancholy’s child.”
Q9. Upon finding the bodies, what does Brutus proclaim Cassius to be?
A. A traitor to the Roman people.
B. “The most unfortunate man in all of Rome.”
C. “The last of all the Romans.”
D. “A coward that I am to live so long.”
Ans. C. “The last of all the Romans.”
Q10. Where does Brutus decide to send Cassius’s body for burial?
A. Back to Rome with Messala.
B. To the funeral pyre immediately.
C. To Thasos, so that the funeral will not demoralize the troops in the camp.
D. He leaves it on the hill for the enemy to bury.
Ans. C. To Thasos, so that the funeral will not demoralize the troops in the camp.
Extract Based Questions
Answer the following extract-based questions.
A.
PINDARUS:
Titinius is enclosèd round about
With horsemen that make to him on the spur,
Yet he spurs on. Now they are almost on him.
Now Titinius! Now some light. O, he lights too.
He’s ta’en. Shout.
And hark, they shout for joy.
CASSIUS:
Come down, behold no more.—
O, coward that I am to live so long
To see my best friend ta’en before my face!
Q1. Where is Pindarus at this moment, and what is the nature of his report?
Ans. Pindarus is positioned high on a hill overlooking the battle. His report is terrifying, detailing how Titinius is surrounded by fast-approaching horsemen and appears to have been captured, an event signaled by a joyful shout from the troops.
Q2. What is the factual error in Pindarus’s observation?
Ans. The factual error is that the approaching soldiers are not enemies, but Brutus’s victorious troops bringing news of success against Octavius. Pindarus misinterprets the joyful shouts as the enemy celebrating a major capture.
Q3. Why is Cassius particularly distressed by this news, and what decision does he immediately make?
Ans. Cassius is distressed because he believes his best friend, Titinius, has been taken prisoner before his very eyes. This news, combined with the earlier defeat of his own legions, leads him to decide to commit suicide to avoid capture.
Q4. Explain what Cassius means by calling himself a ‘coward’ in this context.
Ans. Cassius calls himself a ‘coward’ not for deciding to die, but for living long enough to witness the downfall and capture of his dear friend Titinius. He views seeing Titinius’s humiliation as a greater personal shame than death itself.
Q5. Analyze the immediate consequences of this misinterpretation on Cassius and Pindarus. What does Pindarus do after this exchange, and what is his state of mind?
Ans. The misinterpretation leads Cassius to complete despair, resulting in his immediate command to Pindarus to stab him to death. Pindarus, bound by an ancient oath he swore to Cassius, reluctantly obeys his master and becomes the instrument of Cassius’s suicide, killing him with the same sword used on Caesar. This act paradoxically grants Pindarus his freedom, but he is emotionally devastated. He instantly flees the country, expressing deep remorse that he had to gain his liberty by killing the man who gave him his life, demonstrating his inner conflict between duty and sorrow.
B.
TITINIUS:
He lies not like the living. O my heart!
MESSALA
Is not that he?
TITINIUS:
No, this was he, Messala,
But Cassius is no more. O setting sun,
As in thy red rays thou dost sink to night,
So in his red blood Cassius’ day is set.
The sun of Rome is set. Our day is gone;
Clouds, dews, and dangers come.
Q1. Where is Titinius when he speaks these lines, and what sight causes his emotional outburst?
Ans. Titinius is on the hill near Philippi where he discovers the lifeless body of his friend, Cassius. This shocking and devastating sight causes his immediate emotional outburst, as he confirms that Cassius is indeed dead.
Q2. What is Messala’s immediate reaction when he sees Cassius’s body?
Ans. Messala, upon seeing Cassius’s body, is grief-stricken and recognizes the truth of the disaster. He instantly declares that Cassius’s death was caused by ‘Mistrust of good success’, a tragic error or failure to believe in the possibility of victory.
Q3. Identify and explain the main figure of speech Titinius uses in his speech to mourn Cassius.
Ans. Titinius uses a powerful metaphor, comparing the death of Cassius to the setting sun sinking into the night. This signifies that the light and hope of the conspirators’ cause, embodied by Cassius, have been extinguished forever.
Q4. What does Titinius mean by declaring, ‘The sun of Rome is set’?
Ans. By saying ‘The sun of Rome is set’, Titinius means that the glory, leadership, and spirit of the Roman Republic, the ideal for which Cassius fought, have died with him. Their political day is over, and only darkness and danger remain.
Q5. Describe the symbolic effect of the setting and the imagery used by Titinius. How does he then prove his deep ‘regard’ for Cassius?
Ans. The setting sun, with its ‘red rays’, provides a stark and symbolic background, visually linking the blood spilled by Cassius to the end of the day and the end of the rebellion. The transition from day to ‘Clouds, dews, and dangers’ establishes a mood of tragic finality and approaching doom. Titinius proves his deep ‘regard’ for Cassius by taking the wreath of victory he was supposed to deliver and placing it on Cassius’s brow as a final act of honor. Having corrected the fatal error and paid his respects, he fulfills the ‘Roman’s part’ by taking Cassius’s sword and stabbing himself, choosing to die by his friend’s side rather than live without him.