Act II
Vocabulary
Adder (16)
The common venomous viper
Augmented (30)
Made one half step greater than major or perfect
Whet (61)
To make sharper or stronger
Interim (64)
Period of time between events
Phantasma (65)
Hallucinations or nightmare
Insurrection (69)
Violent attempt to take control of a government
Affability (82)
Friendly, easy to talk to
Erebus (84)
Place of darkness on the way to Hades
Interpose (98)
To place between two or more things or people
Palter (125)
Act insincerely or deceitfully
Cautelous (128)
Crafty, deceitful
Carrions (129)
Flesh of dead animals
Portents (80.2)
Sign or warning that something bad or unpleasant is going to happen
Manipulation
Letters believed to be from Roman citizens to Brutus
Written by Cassius
Persuade Brutus to help redress Rome
• “O Rome, I make thee promise, if the redress will follow, thou receivest thy full petition at the hand of Brutus.” (56-58)
Flattery
• “No man here but honors you… wish you had that opinion of yourself which every noble Roman bears of you.” (90-93)
• “Your statue spouting blood…dream is signified.” (85.2-90.2)
• Decius appeals to Caesar’s idealized image
Metellus plans to use Cicero as a scapegoat if it goes wrong
“It will be said his judgment ruled our hands.” (146)
Brutus against this
Guilt trip
“If it be no more, Portia is Brutus’ harlot, not his wife.” (285-286)
• Tries to make Brutus feel guilty for not opening up to her
“If Caesar hide himself, shall they not whisper ‘Lo, Caesar is afraid’?” (100.2-101.2)
• Displays Caesar’s despised image
Superstitions
Calpurnia dreams of Caesar’s death
When a royal dies, the heavens tremble
“When beggars die there are no comets seen; the heavens themselves blaze forth the death of princes.” (30.2-31.2)
• Caesar → royalty → comets mean Caesar is in danger → death
Omen → Gods would not take sacrifice to dismiss...