IntroductionThe tragedy of Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare describes the 44 BC plot against the Roman dictator Caesar, his assassination and the fall of the conspirators at the Battle of Philippi.PlotIt is divided into five acts. In the opening act, two tribunes, Marullus and Flavius, disturb a crowd of Roman citizens who were celebrating Caesar's victorious return from the war. Triumph occurs through public games. Mark Antony, Caesar's general, takes an active part in these games. On the way to the celebration Caesar is stopped by a soothsayer who warns him by saying: "Beware of the Ides (15) of March".1 Gaius Cassius and Marcus Brutus are senators of Rome, who deliberate on the use of power by Caesar who now holds in the Republic. They fear that Caesar may decide to become monarch. Cassius, also a popular general, is envious, while Brutus has a more balanced opinion of the political situation. Cassius and his friends visit Brutus at nightfall to convince him of their views and plan to assassinate Caesar. Brutus is anxious but does not want to reveal this to his wife Portia. On the Ides of March, Calpurnia, Caesar's wife urges him not to go to the Council. He had dreamed that he would be murdered. He fears the omens of the storms that occurred during the night. However he is influenced by the conspirators to leave. In the Capitol he is surrounded by the conspirators. Cesare is stabbed and dies. Despite Cassius' apprehensions, Brutus allows Mark Antony to give a funeral speech in the market place after addressing the citizens of Rome. Brutus lays out the reasons the conspirators had for killing Caesar and their fears about his ambition. Brutus is able to influence and calm them. But A......middle of paper......ce had no right to oppose their masters.7Kamm in his book states that the Romans were superstitious. Their sense of superstitions prevailed over philosophical and logical understandings. They believed that Caesar's suffering from epilepsy was an act of God.8 Kamm did not explain in detail the kind of superstitious or supernatural sense prevalent at that time.---------------- -----------------------------------4. Goldsworthy, Adrian Keith. Caesar: Life of a Colossus. pp. 355 New Haven: Yale UP, 2006. Print.5. ibid. pp. 696. ibid. pp. 5087. Kamm, Antonio. Julius Caesar: A Life.pp.21 London: Routledge, 2006. Print.8. ibid. pp.141Goldsworthy in his work states that Caesar's Rome was a superstitious society. Caesar himself was not very superstitious. He was shocked by his wife Calpurnia's superstitions. He himself ignored the bad omens.