The Tragedy of Julius Caesar Act Five – “Caesar, thou art revenged, Even with the sword that kill'd thee.”

The Tragedy of Julius Caesar Act Five – “Caesar, thou art revenged,

Even with the sword that kill'd thee.”

The play ends on the battlefields of Philippi. Octavius and Antony hear that the enemy is ready. However, we will see that Anthony and Octavius are not unified at this point. Anthony, being experienced in battle says that he will attack from the right and Octavius should attack from the left. Octavius refuses and replies that he will attack from the right and Antony can come from the left. Antony feels slighted by this but Octavius will not budge so Anthony grants him his wish even though he knows that places them in a weaker position.

The face-off before the battle begins. Brutus, Cassius, Titinius, Lucillius, and Messala enter. Octavius, so self-assured a few moments before, now asks Antony if they should attack the enemy first. Calling Octavius “Caesar”, Antony declares that they should be patient and wait for the enemy to attack. Then Antony and Octavius meet Brutus and Cassius and exchange final words until Octavius gets impatient, takes out his sword and declares:

“Come, come, the cause: if arguing make us sweat,

The proof of it will turn to redder drops. Look;

I draw a sword against conspirators;

When think you that the sword goes up again?

Never, till Caesar's three and thirty wounds

Be well avenged; or till another Caesar

Have added slaughter to the sword of traitors.”

Antony and Octavius leave and Cassius talks privately to Messala informing him that although it is his own birthday today that he has seen ‘bad’ omens and fears for the worst. Cassius then talks to Brutus and questioning whether they shall meet again after this battle and asks Brutus that if things go badly today whether he would want to be led through the streets of Rome as a captive and a traitor. Brutus says that he would rather die that be a prisoner declaring that:

“… But this same day

Must end that work the ides of March begun;

And whether we shall meet again I know not.”

The pace of the play picks up as the battle rages and strategies and battle communications drive the action. Brutus sends a message to Cassius on Octavius’ battle weaknesses which he wants to utilize. We then move to Cassius who can see that Brutus’ attack came too quickly and that the tide is turning against Brutus and Cassius. News arrives that Cassius’ own camp has been attacked by Anthony. Cassius refuses to leave his position and then sends Pindarus up a hill to find out about the state of Titinius troops. Pindarus sees that Titinius, seems surrounded, and when he returns to Cassius, Cassius seeing that defeat seems inevitable, hands Pindarus his own sword, and asks Pindarus to do the noble thing and kill him. Cassius’ dying words show his resignation to his fate. “Caesar, thou art revenged,

Even with the sword that kill'd thee.”

In a cruel twist of fate, Titinius enters unharmed. He was not surrounded by enemy troops but jubilant allies. We hear that Brutus’ forces are having some success. Titinus and Messala then discover Cassius’ dead body. Titinius realizes that Cassius had seen  him greeting other allied troops and thought the cries of joy were cries of death and defeat. Messala leaves to tell Brutus of Cassius’ death and Titinius, anguished by causing Cassius’ death, stabs himself.

Messala brings back Brutus and seeing the ever-growing pile of dead bodies, Brutus feels that this is all caused by the dead Caesar finally getting his revenge and showing his immortality in death rather than life.

“O Julius Caesar, thou art mighty yet!

Thy spirit walks abroad and turns our swords

In our own proper entrails.”

Brutus proclaims the virtue of Cassius and asks for the bodies to be taken from away for proper burial. They then set off to face Anthony and Octavius and their troops once more.

Lucillius is captured and pretends that he is Brutus but the rouse is easily discovered when Lucillius is brought before Antony who then sends troops to find the real Brutus.

Meanwhile Brutus sitting with the last of his band of followers and servants realizes that he has been defeated. He reveals to these men that the ghost of Caesar had visited him and he asks that they hold his sword so that he may run against it and kill himself in good honorable Roman tradition. They urge him to flee and leave and he allows them to retreat but asks Strato to stay. Brutus then gets Strato to hold a sword up and Brutus impales himself to death crying:

“Caesar, now be still:

I kill'd not thee with half so good a will.”

Then Antony enters followed by Octavius and others. Lucillius sees his master Brutus’ body and is thankful that Brutus was not captured alive. Antony gives a noble tribute to Brutus declaring:

“This was the noblest Roman of them all:

All the conspirators save only he

Did that they did in envy of great Caesar;

He only, in a general honest thought

And common good to all, made one of them.

His life was gentle, and the elements

So mix'd in him that Nature might stand up

And say to all the world 'This was a man!'”

Octavius then reinforces this and adds that Brutus should be buried with full Roman rites and with the respect owed to him. He tells them to depart and be joyous in the “glories of this happy day”.