ICSE Class 10 English Drama Julius Caesar Act 5, Scene 3 Summary, Theme, Explanation along with difficult word meanings
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ICSE Class 10 Julius Caesar Act 5, Scene 3
By William Shakespeare
In Act 5, Scene 3 of Julius Caesar, Cassius mistakenly believes that his side is losing and that his friend Titinius has been captured. Feeling hopeless, he asks Pindarus to kill him with the sword that killed Caesar. Shortly after, Titinius returns with a laurel wreath and finds Cassius dead. Overwhelmed with grief, he also takes his own life with the same sword.
- Julius Caesar Act 5, Scene 3 Summary
- Julius Caesar Act 5, Scene 3 Summary in Hindi
- Julius Caesar Act 5, Scene 3 Theme
- Julius Caesar Act 5, Scene 3 Explanation
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- ICSE Class 10 English Lesson Notes
Julius Caesar Act 5 Scene 3 Summary
The scene opens with Cassius and Titinius on the battlefield, where Cassius is distraught because his own soldiers are running away. He even kills one of his standard-bearers for retreating. Titinius explains that Brutus attacked Octavius too soon, and now Brutus’s men are distracted by looting, which has allowed Antony’s forces to surround Cassius’s legions.
Pindarus, Cassius’s servant, rushes in to warn them that Antony is in their tents and urges them to flee. Cassius, unwilling to go farther, stops on a nearby hill. To assess whether the approaching troops are friends or enemies, Cassius sends Titinius on his horse to ride over to them and return with a report.
Alone with Pindarus, Cassius, whose eyesight is poor, tells Pindarus to climb higher on the hill and report on Titinius’s progress. Cassius reflects that the day is his birthday and that his life has come ‘full circle’, predicting his own end.
From the high vantage point, Pindarus reports what he sees: horsemen have surrounded Titinius. They close in on him, and Titinius dismounts. Pindarus cries out that Titinius has been captured, and they hear a shout of joy from the approaching soldiers.
Believing his best friend is captured, Cassius orders Pindarus to kill him with the very sword that was used to stab Caesar. Cassius reminds Pindarus of his oath of loyalty, which he took when Cassius captured him in Parthia. He tells Pindarus that doing this will make him a free man. After Pindarus covers his master’s face and guides the sword, Cassius dies, proclaiming that Caesar is now revenged. Pindarus, free but unwillingly so, runs away so that no Roman will ever find him.
Soon after, Titinius returns with Messala. Messala reveals that while Cassius’s men were defeated by Antony, Brutus was successful in conquering Octavius’s legions; it was a mixed battle. Titinius is sure this good news will cheer up Cassius, but they find his dead body instead.
Messala calls Cassius’s death a terrible mistake caused by ‘melancholy’s child’, or a despairing error, as Cassius mistakenly thought the battle was completely lost and Titinius captured.
Titinius reveals the truth: the horsemen were his friends, Brutus’s soldiers, who gave him a wreath of victory to take back to Cassius. Titinius mourns that Cassius ‘misconstrued everything’. He places the wreath on Cassius’s head. As a final act of Roman honor, Titinius uses Cassius’s sword to kill himself, lying down next to his friend.
Brutus arrives with his followers and is heartbroken to find the bodies of Cassius and Titinius. He recognizes Caesar’s power in this tragedy, exclaiming, ‘O Julius Caesar, thou art mighty yet; / Thy spirit walks abroad and turns our swords / In our own proper entrails’.
Calling Cassius ‘The last of all the Romans’, Brutus bids him a tearful farewell. He decides they must not hold the funerals in the camp, as it would lower the soldiers’ morale. Instead, he orders Cassius’s body to be sent to the island of Thasos. Though it is late afternoon, Brutus orders his remaining forces to prepare to fight Antony and Octavius a second time before nightfall.
Summary of Julius Caesar Act 5 Scene 3 in Hindi
दृश्य कैसियस और टिटिनियस के साथ युद्ध के मैदान में शुरू होता है, जहाँ कैसियस परेशान होता है क्योंकि उसके अपने सैनिक भाग रहे होते हैं। वह पीछे हटने के लिए अपने एक मानक-वाहक को भी मार देता है। टिटिनियस बताते हैं कि ब्रूटस ने ऑक्टेवियस पर बहुत जल्दी हमला कर दिया, और अब ब्रूटस के लोग लूटपाट से विचलित हो गए हैं, जिसने एंटनी की सेना को कैसियस की सेना को घेरने की अनुमति दी है।
कैसियस का नौकर पिंडारस उन्हें चेतावनी देने के लिए दौड़ता है कि एंटनी उनके तंबू में है और उन्हें भागने का आग्रह करता है। कैसियस, जो आगे जाने के लिए तैयार नहीं है, पास की एक पहाड़ी पर रुकता है। यह आकलन करने के लिए कि आने वाले सैनिक दोस्त हैं या दुश्मन, कैसियस टिटिनियस को अपने घोड़े पर सवार करके उनके पास सवारी करने और एक रिपोर्ट के साथ लौटने के लिए भेजता है।
पिंडारस के साथ अकेला, कैसियस, जिसकी दृष्टि कम है, पिंडारस को पहाड़ी पर चढ़ने और टिटिनियस की प्रगति पर रिपोर्ट करने के लिए कहता है। कैसियस दर्शाता है कि वह दिन उसका जन्मदिन है और उसका जीवन अपने अंत की भविष्यवाणी करते हुए ‘पूर्ण चक्र’ में आ गया है।
उच्च सुविधाजनक स्थान से, पिंडारस बताता है कि वह क्या देखता हैः घुड़सवारों ने टिटिनियस को घेर लिया है। वे उसके करीब आते हैं, और टिटिनियस उतर जाता है। पिंडारस रोता है कि टिटिनियस को पकड़ लिया गया है, और वे आने वाले सैनिकों से खुशी की आवाज सुनते हैं।
यह मानते हुए कि उसका सबसे अच्छा दोस्त पकड़ा गया है, कैसियस पिंडारस को उसी तलवार से मारने का आदेश देता है जिसका उपयोग सीज़र को चाकू मारने के लिए किया गया था। कैसियस पिंडारस को अपनी निष्ठा की शपथ की याद दिलाता है, जो उसने तब ली थी जब कैसियस ने उसे पार्थिया में पकड़ लिया था। वह पिंडारस से कहता है कि ऐसा करने से वह एक स्वतंत्र व्यक्ति बन जाएगा। पिंडारस द्वारा अपने स्वामी के चेहरे को ढकने और तलवार का मार्गदर्शन करने के बाद, कैसियस की मृत्यु हो जाती है, यह घोषणा करते हुए कि सीज़र अब बदला ले रहा है। पिंडारस, स्वतंत्र लेकिन अनिच्छुक रूप से, भाग जाता है ताकि कोई भी रोमन उसे कभी न ढूंढ सके।
इसके तुरंत बाद, टिटिनियस मेसाला के साथ लौटता है। मेसाला बताता है कि जबकि कैसियस के लोग एंटनी से हार गए थे, ब्रूटस ऑक्टेवियस की सेना पर विजय प्राप्त करने में सफल रहा था; यह एक मिश्रित लड़ाई थी। टिटिनियस को यकीन है कि यह अच्छी खबर कैसियस को खुश कर देगी, लेकिन वे इसके बजाय उसके मृत शरीर को ढूंढ लेते हैं।
मेसाला कैसियस की मृत्यु को ‘उदासी के बच्चे’ के कारण हुई एक भयानक गलती, या एक निराशाजनक त्रुटि कहते हैं, क्योंकि कैसियस ने गलती से सोचा था कि लड़ाई पूरी तरह से हार गई थी और टिटिनियस ने कब्जा कर लिया था।
टिटिनियस सच्चाई का खुलासा करता हैः घुड़सवार उसके दोस्त थे, ब्रूटस के सैनिक, जिन्होंने उसे कैसियस को वापस ले जाने के लिए जीत की माला दी। टिटिनियस शोक व्यक्त करता है कि कैसियस ने ‘सब कुछ गलत समझा’। वह कैसियस के सिर पर माल्यार्पण करता है। रोमन सम्मान के अंतिम कार्य के रूप में, टिटिनियस अपने दोस्त के बगल में लेटकर खुद को मारने के लिए कैसियस की तलवार का उपयोग करता है।
ब्रूटस अपने अनुयायियों के साथ आता है और कैसियस और टिटिनियस के शवों को पाकर उसका दिल टूट जाता है। वह इस त्रासदी में कैसर की शक्ति को पहचानता है, यह कहते हुए, ‘हे जूलियस कैसर, तुम अभी भी शक्तिशाली हो;/तुम्हारी आत्मा विदेश में चलती है और हमारी तलवारों को बदल देती है/हमारी अपनी सही आंतों में’।
कैसियस को ‘सभी रोमनों में अंतिम’ कहते हुए, ब्रूटस ने उन्हें अश्रुपूर्ण विदाई दी। वह फैसला करता है कि उन्हें शिविर में अंतिम संस्कार नहीं करना चाहिए, क्योंकि इससे सैनिकों का मनोबल कम होगा। इसके बजाय, वह कैसियस के शरीर को थसोस द्वीप पर भेजने का आदेश देता है। हालाँकि दोपहर का समय हो गया है, ब्रूटस अपनी शेष सेनाओं को रात होने से पहले दूसरी बार एंटनी और ऑक्टेवियस से लड़ने के लिए तैयार रहने का आदेश देता है।
Theme of Julius Caesar Act 5 Scene 3
Error and Misinterpretation
A central theme is the fatal error of misinterpretation. Cassius, whose ‘sight was ever thick’, relies on Pindarus’s report. Pindarus mistakenly believes that Titinius has been captured by the enemy, when in reality, Titinius was greeted by friendly forces and given a wreath of victory. This misunderstanding leads directly to Cassius’s decision to kill himself. Titinius and Messala later lament this ‘hateful error, melancholy’s child’, highlighting how a simple mistake, born of battlefield anxiety and fear, irrevocably changes the course of the battle and ends two noble lives.
Suicide and Honor
The theme of suicide as a noble act or an expression of honor in Roman society is powerfully present. Cassius chooses to die by the same sword that killed Caesar, believing the battle is lost and that he can’t bear to see his ‘best friend ta’en’. He views this death as both Caesar’s revenge and his only honorable escape from anticipated capture and humiliation. Titinius, upon finding Cassius dead, feels immense guilt for Cassius’s mistake and chooses to kill himself as a sign of his loyalty and despair, stating, ‘this is a Roman’s part’, thereby reinforcing the Roman ideal of choosing death over dishonor.
Fate and Caesar’s Vengeance
The overarching theme of fate and the supernatural power of Caesar’s spirit permeates the scene. Cassius notes, ‘Time is come round, / And where I did begin, there shall I end’, suggesting his life has completed its destined path on his birthday. Brutus, when discovering the bodies, explicitly names Julius Caesar’s spirit as the force behind their tragedy, exclaiming, ‘O Julius Caesar, thou art mighty yet; / Thy spirit walks abroad and turns our swords / In our own proper entrails’. This suggests that the conspiracy was doomed from the start and that Caesar’s murder has brought an inevitable, bloody revenge upon the perpetrators, using their own weapons against them.
Loyalty and Friendship
The deep bonds of loyalty and friendship among the conspirators are highlighted by their tragic deaths. Cassius’s motivation for suicide stems from his perceived failure to protect his friend Titinius. Titinius’s subsequent suicide is a profound demonstration of his devotion to Cassius, as he crowns his dead friend with the wreath of victory before taking his own life. Brutus’s reaction solidifies this theme; he calls Cassius ‘The last of all the Romans’, mourning that he owes ‘more tears / To this dead man than you shall see me pay’, underscoring the sincerity and depth of their relationship despite their political turmoil.
Setting of the Scene
The immediate action takes place on a small hill overlooking the main battlefield. This elevated position is where Cassius and his slave, Pindarus, retreat to observe the fighting. They are near Cassius’s tents, which are visible enough for them to see fire, indicating Antony’s forces have breached the camp.
The scene’s atmosphere is dictated by the ongoing battle. Throughout the scene, there are references to ‘alarums’ (stage directions indicating sounds of a battle), flying troops, horsemen, and the clamor of conflict. It’s a place of retreat and observation, but also one of immediate danger and desperation.
The setting is thick with a sense of despair and looming defeat. The day is drawing to a close, which is reflected in the famous line Titinius speaks about Cassius’s death: ‘O setting sun, / As in thy red rays thou dost sink to night, / So in his red blood Cassius’ day is set’. The ‘setting sun’ acts as a powerful symbol, mirroring the end of Cassius’s life and the seemingly inevitable failure of the conspirators’ cause.
The hill, initially a vantage point, becomes a place of suicide and tragedy. Both Cassius and Titinius choose to die here, believing they have failed. When Brutus arrives, he explicitly refuses to let Cassius’s body remain there, stating that the funerals must be held at Thasos to avoid “discomfort” in the camp. This choice highlights the urgent need to separate the living soldiers from the demoralizing sight of their dead leader. Ultimately, this isolated, fatal hill on the edge of the battlefield becomes the site where the main figures of the rebellion begin to fall.
Julius Caesar Act 5 Scene 3 Explanation
Play
Another part of the field.
Alarums. Enter CASSIUS and TITINIUS
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.
TITINIUS
O Cassius, Brutus gave the word too early;
Who, having some advantage on Octavius,
Took it too eagerly: his soldiers fell to spoil,
Whilst we by Antony are all enclosed.
Enter PINDARUS
Word Meanings
Alarums: A stage direction for the sound of trumpets or drums signaling the noise and action of a battle.
Villains: Here, used by Cassius to refer to his own soldiers who are disgracefully fleeing.
Fly: To flee or run away quickly.
Ensign: The standard-bearer; the soldier carrying the military flag or standard.
Slew: Killed.
Coward: One who shows dishonorable fear and flees danger.
Word too early: Gave the command to attack prematurely.
Took it too eagerly: Seized the advantage too quickly, without caution or discipline.
Fell to spoil: Began to plunder or loot the enemy camp, leading to disorganization.
Enclosed: Surrounded or trapped by the enemy.
Explanation of the above dialogues— The scene shifts to another part of the battlefield, amidst the sounds of battle alarms. Cassius and Titinius entered, with Cassius exclaiming that the villains were in flight. He immediately confessed that he had been forced to turn against his own men, stating that his standard-bearer had been retreating. Consequently, he had slain the coward and taken the standard from him. Titinius responded with dismay, telling Cassius that Brutus had given the order to attack too early. He explained that Brutus, upon gaining a slight advantage over Octavius’s forces, had pursued it too eagerly. The unfortunate result was that Brutus’s soldiers had begun looting while Antony’s army completely surrounded Cassius’s forces. Pindarus then entered the scene. This short extract serves as a brutally efficient opening to the scene of Cassius’s downfall. Cassius’s act of killing his own standard-bearer underscores the extreme disarray and panic in his camp. His desperate measure highlights the collapse of discipline and his own emotional volatility, demonstrating that his army is already defeated. Titinius’s lines deliver the strategic truth that will lead directly to the tragedy. Brutus’s idealistic impatience caused his victorious soldiers to become disorganized by looting. This lapse in discipline, driven by Brutus’s failure as a military strategist, created the window for Antony to encircle and trap Cassius’s forces.The fact that the conspirators are now losing because of their own errors i.e. Brutus’s overeagerness and Cassius’s lack of control emphasizes the play’s theme that their failure is self-inflicted, guided by the unseen vengeance of Caesar’s spirit.
Play
PINDARUS
Fly further off, my lord, fly further off;
Mark Antony is in your tents, my lord
Fly, therefore, noble Cassius, fly far off.
CASSIUS
This hill is far enough. Look, look, Titinius;
Are those my tents where I perceive the fire?
TITINIUS
They are, my lord.
CASSIUS
Titinius, if thou lovest me,
Mount thou my horse, and hide thy spurs in him,
Till he have brought thee up to yonder troops,
And here again; that I may rest assured
Whether yond troops are friend or enemy.
Word Meanings
Fly: To flee or escape.
Perceive: To observe or become aware of something.
Spurs: Metal devices worn on a rider’s heel, used to urge a horse forward quickly.
Yonder: At some distance away; over there.
Assured: Certain; having no doubt.
Explanation of the above dialogues— Pindarus urged Cassius, his lord, to fly further off because he reported that Mark Antony was in his tents. He repeated his plea for noble Cassius to fly far off. Cassius replied that that hill was far enough. He then asked Titinius to look at the view, questioning if the place where he saw fire was his tents. Titinius confirmed that they were his tents. Cassius then requested that if Titinius loved him, he should mount his horse and ride hard to the distant troops and return immediately. He explained that he needed Titinius to do this so he could rest assured whether those distant troops were friend or enemy. Pindarus’s urgent warning confirms that the Antony/Octavius forces have successfully broken the lines and infiltrated Cassius’s camp, making the situation desperate. This directly fulfills the fears expressed by Cassius earlier and shows the consequence of Brutus’s premature attack. By sending Titinius to perform a dangerous scouting mission, Cassius shows his reliance on his friend but also sets the stage for the miscommunication and tragic error that follows, as he is unable to witness the events clearly himself. The fear of imminent defeat and the inability to distinguish friend from foe create the tension and ambiguity that are the immediate catalysts for Cassius’s suicide.
Play
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 notest about the field.
PINDARUS ascends the hill
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
[Above] O my lord!
CASSIUS
What news?
PINDARUS
[Above] 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.
He’s ta’en.
Shout
And, hark! they shout for joy.
Word Meanings
Thick: poor, dim, or blurry
Regard: observe closely; pay attention to.
Notest: do notice or observe.
Breathed first: was born.
Time is come round: the cycle of time (from birth) has completed itself; destiny is fulfilled.
My life is run his compass: my life has completed its full course or circle.
Sirrah: a familiar and somewhat condescending form of address used toward social inferiors Enclosed round about: surrounded completely.
Make to him on the spur: ride quickly toward him, urging their horses on with spurs
He lights too: he dismounts from his horse
He’s ta’en: he is captured
Explanation of the above dialogues— Titinius swore to Cassius that he would return instantly, with the speed of a thought. As Titinius exited, Cassius ordered Pindarus to climb higher on the hill because Cassius’s eyesight had always been poor. He instructed Pindarus to watch Titinius carefully and report everything he observed about the field. While Pindarus ascended, Cassius reflected that that very day was his birthday; since time had completed its cycle, he believed his life would also end where it began, concluding that his life’s journey was run. He then called out to Pindarus for news. From his elevated position, Pindarus cried out in alarm, reporting that Titinius was completely surrounded by horsemen riding fast toward him. Pindarus noted that Titinius continued to spur his horse on, but the enemy was almost upon him. Then, Pindarus saw some of the men dismount and saw Titinius dismount as well. Pindarus immediately concluded that Titinius was captured, confirming this by reporting that he could hear the enemy shouting for joy.Cassius’s soliloquy is steeped in Stoic pessimism. His declaration that his life has ‘run his compass’ establishes a sense of inevitable doom, making him psychologically ready for suicide before any final news arrives. The dialogue foreshadows the theme of Caesar’s revenge. The immediate, irreversible consequence of Cassius’s error, his suicide, is framed as a choice of honor over capture, but is ultimately an avoidable tragedy caused by self-inflicted error. This moment secures Cassius’s fate and sets the domino effect for Titinius’s subsequent suicide, effectively marking the beginning of the end for Brutus and the Republic.
Play
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!
PINDARUS descends
Come hither, sirrah:
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;
Now be a freeman: and with this good sword,
That ran through Caesar’s bowels, search this bosom.
Stand not to answer: here, take thou the hilts;
And, when my face is cover’d, as ’tis now,
Guide thou the sword.
PINDARUS stabs him
Caesar, thou art revenged,
Even with the sword that kill’d thee.
Dies
Word Meanings
Sirrah: A term of address used for an inferior (such as a servant or a slave), often implying slight contempt or familiarity.
Parthia: An ancient empire located southeast of the Caspian Sea; where Cassius took Pindarus as a prisoner of war.
Swore thee: Made you swear an oath
Saving of thy life: As a condition for sparing your life.
Attempt it: To undertake or perform the command
Now be a freeman: The act of killing Cassius automatically frees Pindarus, a condition of the oath of service for a Roman bondman.
Caesar’s bowels: Refers to Caesar’s body or vital organs; the path the sword took when Cassius helped assassinate him.
Search this bosom: A euphemism meaning to stab or plunge the sword into Cassius’s chest.
Stand not to answer: Do not pause to argue or reply; obey instantly.
Hilts: The handle of a sword.
Explanation of the above dialogues— Cassius commanded Pindarus to descend from the hill and look no further. He lamented that he was a coward for having lived so long only to see his best friend, Titinius, captured right before his eyes. Upon Pindarus’s descent, Cassius called him closer and reminded him that he had taken him prisoner in Parthia, at which time he had sworn Pindarus, in exchange for sparing his life, to attempt whatever Cassius commanded. Cassius then ordered Pindarus to now keep that oath and become a free man by taking the sword, the very one that ran through Caesar’s body and plunging it into his own chest. Cassius strictly told Pindarus not to hesitate or answer, but to take the hilt and guide the sword once his face was covered. After Pindarus stabbed him, Cassius declared that Caesar was revenged, effected by the same sword that had killed him, and then he died. The exchange is drenched in dramatic and situational irony. Cassius chooses to die based on the mistaken belief (the “O hateful error” mentioned later by Messala) that Titinius is captured, proving his life-long pessimism is his ultimate downfall. The greatest irony lies in the instrument of his death: the same sword that was used to free Rome from Caesar’s potential tyranny is now turned inward, fulfilling Caesar’s revenge. Cassius’s dying words explicitly acknowledge Caesar’s vindication and the pervasive power of his spirit, which Brutus later recognizes. His act also serves as a moment of redemption for Pindarus, who gains his freedom by fulfilling his sworn duty. However, Cassius’s decision is ultimately shown to be rash and impulsive, marking him as the emotional foil to the more restrained, yet equally doomed, Brutus. His death, born of desperation rather than calm Stoicism, sets the stage for the final collapse of the Republican cause.
Play
PINDARUS
So, I am free; yet would not so have been,
Durst I have done my will. O Cassius,
Far from this country Pindarus shall run,
Where never Roman shall take note of him.
Exit
Re-enter TITINIUS with MESSALA
MESSALA
It is but change, Titinius; for Octavius
Is overthrown by noble Brutus’ power,
As Cassius’ legions are by Antony.
TITINIUS
These tidings will well comfort Cassius.
MESSALA
Where did you leave him?
TITINIUS
All disconsolate,
With Pindarus his bondman, on this hill.
MESSALA
Is not that he t hat lies upon the ground?
TITINIUS
He lies not like the living. O my heart!
MESSALA
Is not that he?
Word Meanings
Durst: (archaic) Dared; had the courage or boldness to.
Bondman: A slave or serf; a person bound to service without wages.
Disconsolate: Deeply unhappy or dejected; without comfort or consolation.
Change: Used here to mean an exchange or trade-off; a balanced result where success on one side is matched by failure on
the other.
Tidings: News; information.
Note of him: To observe, recognize, or take notice of him.
Explanation of the above dialogues— Pindarus lamented that although he was now free, he would not have chosen that path if he had been allowed to follow his own desire. He cried out in sorrow for Cassius and declared that he would run far away from that country to a place where no Roman would ever notice him, and then he exited. Immediately after, Titinius re-entered with Messala. Messala explained to Titinius that the battle was merely a trade-off, because while Brutus’s forces had overthrown Octavius’s power, Cassius’s legions had, in turn, been overthrown by Antony’s. Titinius replied that those tidings would greatly comfort Cassius. Messala then asked Titinius where he had left Cassius. Titinius answered that Cassius was completely disconsolate with Pindarus, his slave, on that very hill. Messala then pointed out a body on the ground and asked if that was Cassius. Titinius responded with a heavy heart that the figure did not lie like a living person, suggesting it was dead. Messala repeated his question, still seeking confirmation. Pindarus’s flight is an act of self-preservation mingled with genuine sorrow, ‘Durst I have done my will’, emphasizing that his act was compelled, not desired.
Play
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; our deeds are done!
Mistrust of my success hath done this deed.
MESSALA
Mistrust of good success hath done this deed.
O hateful error, melancholy’s child,
Why dost thou show to the apt thoughts of men
The things that are not? O error, soon conceived,
Thou never comest unto a happy birth,
But kill’st the mother that engender’d thee!
TITINIUS
What, Pindarus! where art thou, Pindarus?
Word Meanings
Set: Ended; finished; descended
Mistrust: Doubt, suspicion, or lack of confidence.
Hath done this deed: Has caused this death or tragic action.
Melancholy’s child: A poetic reference meaning the product or result of deep sadness, gloom, or pessimism
Apt thoughts: Thoughts that are easily influenced, ready, or prone to accepting suggestions Comest: (Archaic) Comes.
Engender’d: (Archaic) Gave birth to; produced; created.
Explanation of the above dialogues— Titinius affirmed to Messala that the man lying there was indeed Cassius, but Cassius was no more. Titinius then lamented the death using a celestial comparison, stating that just as the setting sun sank into night in its red rays, so too had Cassius’s day set in his red blood. He proclaimed that the sun of Rome had set, their day was finished, and now only clouds, dews, and dangers approached, concluding that all their deeds were done. Titinius blamed the suicide on Cassius’s mistrust of the success Titinius had actually achieved. Messala concurred that mistrust of good success had caused the death. Messala then cried out against ‘hateful error’, personifying it as the child of melancholy, questioning why it showed to the susceptible minds of men things that were not real. He concluded that error is quickly conceived but never brings about a positive outcome, instead destroying the very ‘mother’ that gave birth to it. Titinius then called out desperately, asking where Pindarus had gone. The setting sun symbolizes the end, not just of Cassius’s life, but of the Roman Republican ideal itself. The ‘red blood’ links the physical act of suicide to the cosmic downturn, suggesting that darkness is now inevitable for Rome. Messala provides a profound analysis of the tragedy by personifying Error as ‘melancholy’s child’. This is a critical psychological insight, suggesting that Cassius’s pessimistic and brooding temperament i.e. melancholy was the true parent of the fatal misjudgment i.e. error. Messala condemns this error, noting its cruel irony: it ‘kill’st the mother that engender’d thee’, meaning the emotional state that gave rise to the false belief ultimately destroyed Cassius himself.
Play
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.
TITINIUS
Hie you, Messala,
And I will seek for Pindarus the while.
Exit MESSALA
Why didst thou send me forth, brave Cassius?
Did I not meet thy friends? and did not they
Put on my brows this wreath of victory,
And bid me give it thee? Didst thou not hear their shouts?
Alas, thou hast misconstrued 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.
By your leave, gods:–this is a Roman’s part
Come, Cassius’ sword, and find Titinius’ heart.
Kills himself
Word Meanings
Hie you: Hurry or hasten; a command to move quickly.
The while: During that time; meanwhile.
Misconstrued: Misinterpreted or understood wrongly; mistook the meaning of an event or statement.
Garland: A wreath of flowers or leaves, traditionally worn on the head; here, it symbolizes victory.
Apace: Quickly or swiftly.
Regarded: In this context, it means honored, respected, or showed loyalty to.
By your leave, gods: An expression asking for the gods’ permission before undertaking a grave action, specifically suicide.
This is a Roman’s part: Refers to the honorable duty (or role) of a high-ranking Roman to choose death by his own hand rather than suffer capture or shame.
Envenomed: Poisoned.
Explanation of the above dialogues— Messala instructed Titinius to seek Pindarus while he went to meet the noble Brutus, saying he would be thrusting the tragic news into his ears. Messala explained that he used the word “thrusting” because news of such a terrible sight would be as unwelcome to Brutus as piercing steel and poisoned darts. Titinius told Messala to hurry, and he would search for Pindarus in the meantime. After Messala departed, Titinius lamented to the dead Cassius, asking why he had been sent forth. He confirmed that he had met Cassius’s friends, who had placed a wreath of victory on his brow and instructed him to give it to Cassius, and asked if Cassius had not heard their shouts. Titinius cried that Cassius had tragically misinterpreted everything. He then took the garland and placed it on Cassius’s brow, saying that Brutus had bid him to give it, and he would perform that duty. Titinius urged Brutus to come quickly and see how highly he regarded Cassius. He finally called upon the gods for permission, declared that suicide was a Roman’s honorable duty, and commanded Cassius’s sword to find his own heart, whereupon he killed himself. The central theme is error, personified by Titinius’s anguished cry, ‘thou hast misconstrued every thing!’ The revelation that the sounds were of victory, not capture, makes Cassius’s suicide devastatingly pointless. This error is immediately compounded by Titinius’s subsequent action. His suicide is a profound demonstration of Roman honor and devotion, he cannot bear to live after having unintentionally contributed to his friend’s death and seeing the collapse of their cause. The act, declared a ‘Roman’s part’, transforms the site of defeat into a place of supreme, albeit tragic, virtue, echoing the Republican sentiment that death is preferable to subjugation.
Play
Alarum. Re-enter MESSALA, with BRUTUS, CATO, STRATO, VOLUMNIUS, and LUCILIUS
BRUTUS
Where, where, Messala, doth his body lie?
MESSALA
Lo, yonder, and Titinius mourning it.
BRUTUS
Titinius’ face is upward.
CATO
He is slain.
BRUTUS
O Julius Caesar, thou art mighty yet!
Thy spirit walks abroad and turns our swords
In our own proper entrails.
Low alarums
CATO
Brave Titinius!
Look, whether he have not crown’d dead Cassius!
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 more tears
To this dead man than you shall see me pay.
I shall find time, Cassius, I shall find time.
Come, therefore, and to Thasos send his body:
His funerals shall not be in our camp,
Lest it discomfort us. Lucilius, come;
And come, young Cato; let us to the field.
Labeo and Flavius, set our battles on:
Tis three o’clock; and, Romans, yet ere night
We shall try fortune in a second fight.
Exeunt
Word Meanings
Alarum: A stage direction indicating the sound of trumpets or drums signaling the noise of battle.
Yonder: Over there, at some distance
Slain: Killed, murdered (past participle of slay).
Mighty yet: Still powerful or influential, even though dead.
Walks abroad: Is actively present or circulating in the world.
Turns our swords / In our own proper entrails: A metaphor meaning that Caesar’s spirit is causing the conspirators to use their own weapons to kill themselves
entrails: inner parts/guts/body
Whether: An older spelling for “whether” or here, “look whether,” meaning “see if” or “see whether.”
Breed thy fellow: Produce another person of equal quality or character as you.
Moe tears: More tears.
Thasos: An island in the Aegean Sea, used here as a distant, safe location for the burial.
His funerals shall not be in our camp: The formal rites and ceremony for his burial should not take place here.
Lest it discomfort us: In order to prevent it from causing us distress, discouragement, or demoralization.
Set our battles on: Command our troops to begin fighting.
Try fortune: Take a chance, gamble on fate, or attempt to succeed against the odds.
Explanation of the above dialogues— The scene was disrupted by battle alarms as Messala re-entered, accompanied by Brutus, Cato, Strato, Volumnius, and Lucilius. Brutus immediately asked Messala where Cassius’s body lay. Messala pointed to the spot and reported that Titinius was mourning over it. Brutus observed that Titinius’s face was turned upward, and Cato confirmed that Titinius was also slain. Brutus cried out that Julius Caesar was still mighty, asserting that Caesar’s spirit was actively turning their own swords into their proper bodies. With low battle sounds continuing, Cato exclaimed that brave Titinius had crowned the dead Cassius. Brutus then questioned whether any two Romans comparable to them remained alive, bidding farewell to Cassius and declaring him ‘The last of all the Romans’. He proclaimed that Rome would never produce another person equal to him. Brutus then told his friends that he owed more tears to Cassius than they would see him pay, stating that he would find time for grief later. He commanded them to send Cassius’s body to Thasos, forbidding the funeral to be held in their camp lest it should discourage them. Brutus called for Lucilius and young Cato, ordering Labeo and Flavius to set their battles in motion, noting that it was three o’clock and they must ‘try fortune in a second fight’ before nightfall. The group then exited. The emotional climax of the play’s thematic conflict occurs here when Brutus acknowledges the supernatural power of his victim. Brutus recognizes that his moral mission is doomed, not by military failure alone, but by the relentless, avenging force of Caesar’s ghost. His instruction to move the body to Thasos is a calculated, pragmatic act of leadership, preventing the sight of their fallen commander from breaking the army’s morale. This shows his consistent prioritizing of the greater good and discipline over personal feeling, even as he prepares for a likely final, losing fight.
Conclusion
In Act 5, Scene 3 of Julius Caesar, Cassius mistakenly believes that his side is losing and that his friend Titinius has been captured. Feeling hopeless, he asks Pindarus to kill him with the sword that killed Caesar. Shortly after, Titinius returns with a laurel wreath and finds Cassius dead. Overwhelmed with grief, he also takes his own life with the same sword. Students can take help from this post to understand Act 5, Scene 3 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.