Julius Caesar.He increased Rome's Power and territory. But his rule helped end the Roman Republic. When America's Founding Fathers wrote the Constitution, they created a republic--a government whose leaders are elected by the people. But the Founding Fathers were not at all sure that the new government would last. When the Constitutional Convention ended in Philadelphia Philadelphia, ancient cities Philadelphia, name of several ancient cities. One was in Lydia, W Asia Minor (now W Turkey). At the foot of Mt. Tmolus and near the location of modern Alaşehir, it was founded in the 2d cent. B.C. in 1787, a woman asked Benjamin Franklin what kind of government we would have. "A republic" he answered, "if you can keep it." Franklin and the other Founding Fathers were students of history. They knew that most republics had ended with a king or emperor taking power. They only had to look at ancient Rome Ancient Rome was a civilization that grew from a small agricultural community founded on the Italian Peninsula circa the 9th century BC to a massive empire straddling the Mediterranean Sea. . The Roman Republic was established in 509 B.C. After years of power struggles between the rich and the poor, it became a model of balanced government. It had strong leaders, a Senate controlled by rich and powerful men, and an assembly where the common people could speak their views. But as Rome conquered more and more territory, discontent grew at home. Wealthy Romans profited from the taxes and slaves that came from conquered lands. The gap between rich and poor grew larger. In 100 B.C., Julius Caesar Julius Caesar: see Caesar, Julius. was born into an aristocratic family. He had big ideas about how Rome should change. And he knew just the man to make that happen--himself. CHARACTERS: Julius Caesar Pirates This is a list of known pirates, buccaneers, corsairs, privateers, and others involved in piracy. This list includes both captains and prominent crew members. See also: pirates, wokou, buccaneers, corsairs, and privateers Ancient World Marcus, Caesar's assistant Antistius Vetius, governor of Roman Spain Marc Antony Marc Antony: see Antony. , a Roman senator and friend of Caesar Caesar (sē`zər), ancient Roman patrician family of the Julian gens. There are separate articles on its two most distinguished members, Julius Caesar and Augustus. Crowd Brutus, a Roman senator Cassius, a Roman senator Casca, a Roman senator Calpurnia, Julius Caesar's wife Decimus Brutus, a Roman senator Crowd members 1-3 Narrators A-E A-E, AE above-elbow; see under amputation. SCENE ONE Narrator NARRATOR. A pleader who draws narrs serviens narrator, a sergeant at law. Fleta, 1. 2, c. 37. Obsolete. A: Julius Caesar, 25, on his way to Rhodes, has been kidnapped Kidnapped caught in the intrigues of Scottish factions, David Balfour and Alan Breck are shipwrecked, escape from the king’s soldiers, and undergo great dangers. [Br. Lit.: R. L. Stevenson Kidnapped] See : Adventurousness by pirates who are holding him for ransom ransom, price of redemption demanded by the captor of a person, vessel, or city. In ancient times cities frequently paid ransom to prevent their plundering by captors. The custom of ransoming was formerly sanctioned by law. . Late one night, the pirates play knucklebones, a game like dice. Julius Caesar: Keep it down! I'm trying to sleep. Pirate 1: Hey, we kidnapped you. You don't tell us what to do. Caesar: Don't you know who I am? Pirate 2: We know that you'd better have some rich friends who will pay a ransom, or your days are numbered. Caesar: How much money do you want? Pirate 3: Twenty talents. Caesar: Hah! I'm worth at least 50. But you won't enjoy it for long. Once I'm free, I'll come back to get you. Pirate 1: What a mouth this one has. Caesar: The world will be hearing plenty of this mouth, I guarantee you. Because one day, I will rule Rome. Pirate 2: Great. He's not only bossy bossy 1. in dog conformation, used to describe overdevelopment of the shoulder muscles. 2. vernacular pet name for a cow. , but crazy too. Narrator A: The pirates get their money and release Caesar. Later, he makes good on his threat, captures the pirates, and kills them all. SCENE TWO Narrator B: In 69 B.C., Caesar becomes a quaester, a financial officer in Roman Spain. One day, while talking with the governor of Roman Spain, he sees a statue “Statues” redirects here. For other uses, see Statues (disambiguation). A statue is a sculpture depicting a specific entity, usually a person, event, animal or object. Its primary concern is representational. A small statue is called statuette. of Alexander the Great. Caesar begins to sob SOB shortness of breath. SOB abbr. shortness of breath sob, n a short, convulsive inspiration, attended by contraction of the diaphragm and spasmodic closure of the glottis. . Antistius Vetius: What is wrong? Caesar: By the time Alexander was my age, he had conquered many countries. I have done nothing worth remembering. Vertius: you're still a young man. Caesar: But I have a vision for Rome! So many Roman aristocrats want to keep the republic just as it was hundreds of years ago. We've outgrown our past, but we don't have a vision for the future. Rome needs a strong hand to guide it. Vetius: Well, give yourself time, Caesar. Narrator B: Caesar rises higher and higher in politics. In 60 B.C., he shares Rome's top government job, that of consul, with two other men--a famous general named Pompey and a rich politician named Crassus. SCENE THREE Narrator C: At first, the three consuls Public officials stationed in a foreign country who are responsible for developing and securing the economic interests of their government and safeguarding the welfare of their government's citizens who might be traveling or residing within their jurisdiction. get along. Caesar and Pompey Caesar and Pompey is a Jacobean era stage play, a classical tragedy written by George Chapman. Arguably Chapman's most obscure play, it is also one of the more problematic works of English Renaissance drama. each gain command of their own armies. Caesar knows he needs conquests to gain power and prestige. Between 58 and 51 B.C. he conquers Gaul (France). Caesar is a brilliant general, and his victory brings wealth and land to Rome. But after Crassus dies in 53 B.C., Pompey begins to fear Caesar's growing popularity. Pompey allies himself with a conservative group of senators who hate Caesar. In 49 B.C., the Senate sends Caesar a letter. Caesar: Unbelievable! Marcus: What is it, sir? Caesar: First, the Senate passes a law saying Pompey and I should lay down our weapons at exactly the same time. Now the Senate insists that I alone give up my army--and if I don't, I'm an enemy of the state! Marcus: What will you do? Caesar: I will go to Rome--with my army! Marcus: But, sir, it is illegal for you to cross the Rubicon with your men. It could start a war--with other Romans! Caesar: I have tried compromising with them. Now I have no choice. Let the die be cast. Narrator C: Caesar marches his men across the Rubicon, a small stream separating Italy from Gaul, and invades Italy. In the civil war that follows, Caesar defeats Pompey and his followers followers see dairy herd. . In 45 B.C., Caesar becomes Rome's only ruler. He begins making changes immediately. Marc Antony: What are you up to, my friend? Caesar: Well, I have a new plan for Rome's government. I'm going to cut back on the number of Romans who get free grain--but I'm going to start more colonies around the empire so people can farm and have a good life for themselves. I have some other ideas, too. Like building a huge public library and- Marc Antony: Oh, is that all? Caesar: And I'm changing the calendar. My new calendar divides the year into 365 days. Marc Antony: You really are something. Caesar: The only thing I worry about is the Senate. The people love me, but the Senate doesn't. Still, I hope to win it over one day. SCENE FOUR Narrator D: At a festival in February 44 B.C., a huge crowd follows Caesar. Brutus listens and shakes his head. Crowd: Hail Hail, city, Saudi Arabia Hail (hä`ēl, hīl), city (1993 pop. 176,757), N central Saudi Arabia. The city grew because of its location on a pilgrimage route from Iraq to Mecca. Caesar! Hail Caesar! Cassius: What's the matter, Brutus? Brutus: I know Julius Caesar is a great man, but ... Cassius: But he is getting too powerful. I agree. It seems as if Caesar wants to become a king. Brutus: Imagine! We haven't been ruled by kings in hundreds of years. It's against the Roman way. Narrator D: Casca, a senator, runs up. Casca: You won't believe what I just saw. Marc Antony offered a crown to Julius Caesar in front of the crowd. Caesar refused it, and the crowd cheered. Marc Antony offered it again--and the crowd cheered when Caesar refused it again. The third time, he refused it again. But I could tell he really wanted to keep it. Brutus: If Caesar keeps this up, he will undermine our whole way of life! SCENE FIVE Narrator E: Julius Caesar's wife speaks to him on the morning of March 15, 44 B.C. Calpurnia: My love, promise me that you won't leave the house today., Caesar: Why?. What's wrong? Calpurnia: I had a dream of terrible things happening to you--unspeakable things! Narrator E: A senator, Decimus Brutus, arrives. Decimus Brutus: We have a special surprise for you today at the Senate, Caesar. Caesar: But I promised my wife I would stay at home--she had a bad dream about me. Decimus Brutus: You want me to tell the Senate that you can't leave your house because your wife is scared? Caesar: Well, since you put it that way, I can put aside a little foolish superstition superstition, an irrational belief or practice resulting from ignorance or fear of the unknown. The validity of superstitions is based on belief in the power of magic and witchcraft and in such invisible forces as spirits and demons. . I'm going! SCENE SIX Narrator F: At the Senate... Caesar: Hello, my friends. Casca: Get him! Narrator F: The senators pull out knives knives n. Plural of knife. knives Noun the plural of knife knives knife and start stabbing stab v. stabbed, stab·bing, stabs v.tr. 1. To pierce or wound with or as if with a pointed weapon. 2. To plunge (a pointed weapon or instrument) into something. 3. Caesar. Caesar: No! Stop! Narrator F: Caesar falls as Brutus stabs stabs (sometimes written STABS) is a debugging data format for storing information about computer programs for use by symbolic and source-level debuggers. It "was apparently invented by Peter Kessler at the University of California, Berkeley" [1] him. Caesar: You too, Brutus? Narrator F: Caesar dies. Marc Antony rushes in. Marc Antony: What have you done? Brutus: We've ended the threat to our republic. Narrator F: The senators wash their hands in Caesar's blood and walk out to the Forum shouting, "Peace, freedom, and liberty!" Brutus speaks to the crowd. Brutus: My fellow Romans, I loved Caesar, but we had to kill him. Why? Because we love Rome more. Would you rather have Caesar live and make you all slaves--or have Caesar die and let you all live free? Right now you are Roman citizens--not subjects of a king. I don't think you want to be ruled by one man. Am I right? Crowd: Long live Brutus! Narrator F: Marc Antony speaks. Marc Antony: Friends, Romans, and countrymen. Brutus may be right about Caesar. But who filled the treasury with money? Caesar. And who refused the crown three times when I tried to give it to him? Caesar. And who was it that you all claimed to love such a short time ago, cheering his name in the streets? Aren't you sad that Caesar is dead? Is there anyone who can take the place of Caesar? Who brought us so much territory? Who was so brave a leader? He was a great Roman--and now he's gone. Crowd member 1: Kill the senators! Crowd member 2: They have murdered our Caesar! Crowd member 3: Burn them! EPILOGUE ep·i·logue also ep·i·log n. 1. a. A short poem or speech spoken directly to the audience following the conclusion of a play. b. The performer who delivers such a short poem or speech. 2. War breaks out between Caesar's enemies and friends, a war which Marc Antony and other friends of Caesar's win. Caesar's great-nephew, Octavian--who is renamed Augustus Caesar--becomes Rome's first emperor in 27 B.C. The Roman Republic comes to an end--and the Roman Empire is born. |
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