Question

He had a fever when he was in Spain, And when the fit was on him, I did mark How he did shake: 'tis true, this god did shake; His coward lips did from their colour fly, And that same eye whose bend doth awe the world Did lose his luster: I did hear him groan: Ay, and that tongue of his that bade the Romans Mark him and write his speeches in their books, Alas, it cried 'Give me some drink, Titinius,' As a sick girl. Ye gods, it doth amaze me A man of such a feeble temper should So get the start of the majestic world And bear the palm alone. According to this speech, what is Caesar? (10 points)

Answer 1

Answer:

A fearful person.

Explanation:

William Shakespeare's "The Tragedy of Julius Caesar" revolves around the death of the Roman leader Julius Caesar and the fight for power that ensues hereafter. The play delves into the themes of loyalty and patriotism, leadership, and the need to have power for oneself.

The given excerpt from Act I scene ii of the play is from the speech of Cassius about his idea of who Caesar and the real person he is. Cassius admits he finds it hard to accept or see that Caesar, whose "eye ... awe the world" and "that tongue of his that bade the Romans Mark him and write his speeches in their books" can be so frail and even weak. He reveals he had seen Caesar suffer from fever, which makes him appear weak and fragile, astounding Cassius with the idea that such a weak man could be the ruler of the whole world and rule. He admits, "it doth amaze me A man of such a feeble temper should So get the start of the majestic world And bear the palm alone." This admission reveals how Caesar was presented as a fearful person despite his apparent weakness as a human himself and how everyone seemed to be afraid of this ruler, one who is weak but could also become the ruler of a whole empire.