English LiteratureICSE Class 10 · Chapter 2

Julius Caesar Act IV ICSE Class 10: Summary, Quarrel Scene and Extract Questions

Updated 14 October 2026 · Fact-checked

Act IV of Julius Caesar shows the aftermath of the murder. Antony, Octavius and Lepidus coldly mark enemies for death, while Brutus and Cassius quarrel bitterly at Sardis, make up, and decide to march to Philippi. That night Caesar's ghost appears to Brutus. ICSE asks MCQs and 16-mark extract questions on it.

What Julius Caesar Act IV is about

Act IV of Julius Caesar is the quieter, darker middle of the Class X portion. Rome is now ruled by the Second Triumvirate (Antony, Octavius and Lepidus), and the conspirators are gathering armies in the east. The Act has three scenes: the triumvirs' cold-blooded list of victims in Rome (Scene 1), the arrival of Cassius at Brutus's camp near Sardis (Scene 2), and the long tent scene (Scene 3): the famous quarrel between Brutus and Cassius, their reconciliation, the news of Portia's death, the decision to fight at Philippi, and the Ghost of Caesar.

The 2025 paper and 2027 specimen set Section A MCQs from this Act (Antony's contempt for Lepidus as 'a barren-spirited fellow'; Brutus's hypocrisy in the quarrel; the members of the Second Triumvirate). Act IV has not yet supplied a Section B extract in either of these papers, so prepare the quarrel scene and the tide speech as possible 16-mark extracts.

Weightage: CISCE publishes no weightage by text. Section A has 16 one-mark MCQs (about 6 on Julius Caesar), and Section B offers two 16-mark drama extract questions from Acts III-V; at least one must be attempted.Source: CISCE ICSE 2027 Specimen Question Paper, Literature in English (T27 012)

Julius Caesar Act IV: summary

In our own words, in the order of the text. Read the NCERT text itself too: the board quotes from it.

Scene 1: The triumvirs (Antony's house in Rome). Antony, Octavius and Lepidus sit with a list of names, deciding which of their enemies must die. They bargain coldly: Lepidus agrees that his own brother shall die on condition that Antony's nephew, Publius, also dies, and Antony agrees. Antony sends Lepidus to fetch Caesar's will so that they can find ways to cut down the legacies promised to the people. As soon as Lepidus leaves, Antony scorns him as an unworthy man, fit only to run errands; he compares him to a horse that must be taught, trained and told when to go, and to an ass that carries gold and is then turned loose. Octavius defends Lepidus as a tried and valiant soldier. Antony says they must now plan against Brutus and Cassius, who are raising armies.

Scene 2: Brutus's camp near Sardis. Brutus learns from Lucilius that Cassius received him politely but without the old warmth. Brutus remarks that when love begins to cool it turns to forced ceremony; he calls Cassius a hot friend cooling. Cassius arrives with his army and at once accuses Brutus of wronging him. Brutus, not wanting their armies to see them quarrel, insists they speak inside his tent.

Scene 3: The quarrel and the Ghost (Brutus's tent). Cassius complains that Brutus has publicly condemned Lucius Pella for taking bribes from the Sardians, ignoring Cassius's letters on his behalf. Brutus retorts that Cassius himself is accused of having an itching palm, selling offices for gold to undeserving men. He reminds Cassius that they killed Caesar for justice, and asks whether they should now soil their fingers with bribes. The quarrel grows heated: Cassius claims to be the older and abler soldier; Brutus says he is not afraid of Cassius's threats. Brutus then complains that Cassius refused to send him gold to pay his legions, since Brutus himself cannot raise money by vile means. Cassius says he did not refuse; the messenger was a fool. Hurt, Cassius offers Brutus his dagger and bares his breast, telling him to strike as he struck Caesar. Brutus relents, admitting he too was ill-tempered, and they embrace. A poet bursts in to urge them to be friends and is sent away.

Brutus then tells Cassius that his wife Portia is dead: grieving at his absence and at the growing strength of Octavius and Antony, she became distracted and swallowed fire. Titinius and Messala arrive with news that the triumvirs have put many senators to death, Cicero among them, and that their armies are marching towards Philippi. When Messala tells Brutus of Portia's death, Brutus receives it calmly, as if hearing it for the first time; Messala admires his endurance.

Cassius wants to wait and let the enemy wear itself out seeking them. Brutus argues that the people between Sardis and Philippi support them only by force and would join the enemy, and that their own forces are at their height, so they must take the tide when it serves. Cassius gives way. Alone at night, Brutus asks his servant Lucius to play music; the boy falls asleep. As Brutus reads, the Ghost of Caesar appears, calls itself Brutus's evil spirit and says he will see Brutus at Philippi. When it vanishes, Brutus wakes Lucius, Varro and Claudius, who saw nothing, and sends word to Cassius to set out early with his army.

Themes and message

The corruption of power

Scene 1 shows the new rulers bargaining over lives, even those of their own relatives, and planning to cheat the people out of Caesar's legacies. Antony, who moved the crowd with Caesar's generosity in Act III, now wants to reduce it. Those who claimed to avenge a tyrant behave tyrannically themselves.

From the text: The 'pricked' list of victims; the plan to cut the legacies; Antony's contempt for Lepidus.

Idealism versus practicality

In the quarrel, Brutus clings to the ideal of justice for which they killed Caesar and condemns bribery, yet he needs Cassius's money to pay his soldiers. Cassius is practical: in wartime small offences should be overlooked. The scene shows the conflict between ideals and the realities of running a war, and exposes a streak of self-righteousness in Brutus.

From the text: Brutus condemns Lucius Pella and Cassius's 'itching palm', then complains that Cassius did not send him gold.

Friendship tested

The conspirators' friendship, strained by suspicion, nearly breaks. Cassius's emotional appeal (his offer of his dagger) and Brutus's admission of his own temper show that real affection remains. The reconciliation is genuine, but it leads Cassius to yield on strategy against his better judgement.

From the text: The embrace after the quarrel; Cassius gives way over Philippi.

Stoicism and private grief

Brutus, a Stoic, hides his grief over Portia's death. His quick temper in the quarrel is partly explained by this hidden sorrow. When Messala breaks the news, Brutus shows calm endurance in public.

From the text: Brutus tells Cassius of Portia's death, then receives Messala's news as if for the first time.

Fate and the supernatural

Caesar's ghost, calling itself Brutus's evil spirit, foreshadows the defeat at Philippi and suggests that Caesar's spirit is still powerful. Brutus's tide speech, by contrast, claims that men can seize the right moment and shape their fortune. The Act sets human choice against fate.

From the text: The Ghost's promise to meet Brutus at Philippi; the tide speech.

Characters

Brutus

Leader of the conspirators' army; the centre of the tent scene.

Principled but self-righteous: he condemns bribery while asking for money raised by others.
Hot-tempered under strain (hidden grief for Portia).
Stoic: he controls his grief in public.
Decisive but over-confident in strategy: he overrules Cassius on Philippi.
Gentle and considerate: he lets the sleepy Lucius rest and moves his instrument so it will not break.

The quarrel, Portia's news, the tide speech, his care for Lucius.

Cassius

Brutus's fellow general, whom he calls 'brother'.

Practical: small offences must be overlooked in wartime.
Emotional and hurt: he offers his dagger and asks Brutus to kill him.
Affectionate: he values Brutus's love above the argument.
Yields to Brutus even when his military judgement is better.

His defence of Lucius Pella, the dagger offer, his agreement to march to Philippi.

Mark Antony

Member of the Second Triumvirate.

Ruthless: he agrees to his own nephew's death.
Scheming: he plans to reduce Caesar's legacies to the people.
Contemptuous and manipulative: he uses Lepidus as a tool and despises him.

Scene 1.

Octavius Caesar

Caesar's adopted heir and fellow triumvir.

Cool and reserved
Fair-minded enough to defend Lepidus
Watchful of Antony

He defends Lepidus as a valiant soldier.

Lepidus

The third triumvir.

Weak and compliant
Used by Antony as an errand-runner

He agrees to his brother's death and is sent to fetch the will.

How it is written

Device	Example	Effect
Extended metaphor	The tide speech: a tide 'taken at the flood' leads to fortune; if missed, life is stuck 'in shallows and in miseries'.	Presents timing as everything and makes Brutus's decision sound inspired, though the audience senses it may be a mistake.
Simile and animal imagery	Antony compares Lepidus to a horse to be trained and an ass carrying gold.	Reveals Antony's contempt and his view of Lepidus as a tool.
Dramatic irony	Brutus tells Cassius of Portia's death privately, then pretends ignorance when Messala tells him.	The audience knows what Messala does not, which highlights Brutus's Stoic self-control (or his wish to appear Stoic).
The supernatural	Caesar's ghost appears in Brutus's tent as the candle burns low.	Creates suspense and foreshadows Brutus's death at Philippi.

Key quotations

Short lines worth knowing by heart: who says them, when, and why they matter.

Remember March, the ides of March remember:
Brutus: During the quarrel, reminding Cassius why they killed Caesar.
Brutus measures their present conduct against the ideal of justice that justified the murder.
There is a tide in the affairs of men,
Brutus: Arguing for an immediate march to Philippi.
Introduces his belief that success depends on seizing the right moment.
Thy evil spirit, Brutus.
Ghost of Caesar: Answering Brutus's question 'What art thou?' in the tent.
Suggests that Caesar's spirit, and Brutus's guilt, will bring about his downfall.
Thou shalt see me at Philippi.
Ghost of Caesar: The Ghost's warning before it vanishes.
Foreshadows Brutus's defeat and death.

Julius Caesar Act IV in real life

Each concept, met in an everyday situation. Read the situation, answer the question in your own words, then compare with the model answer. The one-line hook is what to remember.

Ideals versus practical needs

Suppose your class committee refuses donations from a shop that sells junk food, but then asks another committee member to collect money from that same shop for the class trip.

How is this like Brutus in the quarrel scene, and what is the fair position?

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Identify the contradiction: rejecting a source of money but using it indirectly.
Link: Brutus condemns bribe-taking but wants Cassius's money.
Fair position: either accept the money openly or refuse it altogether.

Answer: It is Brutus's hypocrisy: keeping one's own hands clean while benefiting from methods one condemns. Consistency means living by the principle oneself or admitting that circumstances require a compromise.

Memory hook: Clean hands, borrowed gold: Brutus's contradiction.

Seizing the right moment

Imagine you have prepared well for an inter-school quiz, and your team must decide whether to compete this year or wait one more year to be even better.

Use the tide speech to argue one side, and show the risk Brutus ignored.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Tide argument: your preparation is at its peak now; waiting may mean losing momentum.
Risk: rushing in when the other side is stronger or better placed.

Answer: Brutus would say 'take the current when it serves'. The lesson from Philippi is that timing matters, but so does a cool assessment of the opponent; enthusiasm alone is not strategy.

Memory hook: High tide is good only if the ship is ready.

Hidden grief and short temper

Suppose a friend snaps at you over a small mistake, and later you learn that a grandparent of theirs had died that morning.

How does this help you understand Brutus in the quarrel?

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Unspoken grief makes people irritable.
Brutus has just learnt of Portia's death but has told no one.

Answer: Brutus's harshness to Cassius is partly the strain of hidden sorrow. Understanding the cause helps us forgive, as Cassius does once he knows.

Memory hook: Anger on top, grief underneath.

Topics in this chapter

The Quarrel Scene and the Decision to March (Julius Caesar, Act IV, Scene 3)

How the board asks Julius Caesar Act IV

The question patterns to expect, and the method that works for each.

Question type	How it is asked	Method
Section A MCQ (1 mark)	Who is referred to ('A barren-spirited fellow' → Lepidus), the members of the Second Triumvirate, or a trait shown in the quarrel (Brutus scolds Cassius for bribes and then wants his money → 'hypocritical').	Recall who says what to whom; for trait questions, match the action to the exact word (hypocritical, not jealous or miserly).
Extract on the quarrel (16 marks)	Context of the quarrel, meaning of 'itching palm', Lucius Pella, Brutus's complaint about gold, the reconciliation, Portia's death.	Know the sequence: Lucius Pella → itching palm → Ides of March → threats → gold → dagger → reconciliation → poet → Portia → Messala's news → strategy → Ghost.
Extract on the tide speech or the Ghost	The decision to march to Philippi, Cassius's counter-plan, the meaning of the metaphor, foreshadowing.	Give both generals' arguments, explain the metaphor plainly, and link it to the outcome in Act V.
Character evaluation	'What does this reveal about Antony/Brutus?'; 'Do you agree with Cassius?'	Name a trait, support it with one action from the Act, and, for opinion parts, give a clear stand with a reason.

Tricks to remember Julius Caesar Act IV

Short memory aids. Say each one aloud once, then use it on a question the same day.

Quarrel in order: P-P-I-G-D-P
Pella (Lucius Pella's bribes), Palm (itching palm), Ides (remember March), Gold (Brutus's complaint), Dagger (Cassius's offer), Portia (the news).
Use it when: Sequencing the tent scene for extract questions.
Three triumvirs: A-O-L
Antony, Octavius, Lepidus: the three who 'prick' the list of victims; only Lepidus is sent away.
Use it when: Second Triumvirate MCQs.
Ghost's two messages
'Who?' → 'Thy evil spirit.' 'Why?' → 'Thou shalt see me at Philippi.'
Use it when: Ghost questions.

Julius Caesar Act IV: extract-based questions

Read the extract, answer every part on paper, then open the answers.

Extract 1: The quarrel begins (Act IV, Scene 3)

Cassius: That you have wrong'd me doth appear in this:
You have condemn'd and noted Lucius Pella
For taking bribes here of the Sardians;
Wherein my letters, praying on his side,
Because I knew the man, were slighted off.
Brutus: You wronged yourself to write in such a case.
Cassius: In such a time as this it is not meet
That every nice offence should bear his comment.
Brutus: Let me tell you, Cassius, you yourself
Are much condemn'd to have an itching palm;

(1) · 3 marks · Short answer
(i) Where are Brutus and Cassius, and why have they moved into the tent? What is Cassius's complaint in the first speech?
(2) · 3 marks · Short answer
(ii) Explain 'In such a time as this it is not meet / That every nice offence should bear his comment.' Do you agree with Cassius? Give a reason.
(3) · 3 marks · Short answer
(iii) What does 'an itching palm' mean? What exactly does Brutus accuse Cassius of?
(4) · 3 marks · Short answer
(iv) Later in the quarrel Brutus complains that Cassius refused to send him gold. Why is this complaint ironic, and what does it reveal about Brutus?
(5) · 4 marks · Long answer
(v) How is the quarrel resolved? What news does Brutus then reveal, and how does it help explain his behaviour?

Show the answersAnswers

They are in Brutus's tent in the camp near Sardis. Brutus insisted on talking inside so that their armies would not see their leaders quarrel. Cassius complains that Brutus publicly condemned Lucius Pella for taking bribes from the Sardians and ignored Cassius's letters pleading for him.
Cassius means that in wartime it is not proper to criticise every small offence. A reasoned view either way is accepted: e.g. agree, because the leaders need unity and their officers' loyalty; or disagree, because they killed Caesar for justice and must not tolerate corruption.
An itching palm is a greed for money. Brutus accuses Cassius of selling offices (positions) for gold to people who do not deserve them.
Brutus has just condemned Cassius for raising money dishonestly, yet he needs Cassius's money to pay his own legions, since he will not raise it himself by vile means. It reveals a hypocritical, self-righteous streak: he wants to keep his hands clean while benefiting from others' methods.
Cassius, hurt, offers his dagger and bares his breast, asking Brutus to strike him; Brutus relents, admits his own ill temper, and they embrace. Brutus then reveals that Portia is dead: distracted by grief, she swallowed fire. His hidden sorrow helps explain why he was so harsh and short-tempered in the quarrel.

Extract 2: The tide speech (Act IV, Scene 3)

Brutus: There is a tide in the affairs of men,
Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune;
Omitted, all the voyage of their life
Is bound in shallows and in miseries.
On such a full sea are we now afloat;
And we must take the current when it serves,
Or lose our ventures.

(1) · 3 marks · Short answer
(i) What decision are Brutus and Cassius discussing? What does Cassius want to do?
(2) · 3 marks · Short answer
(ii) Give two of Brutus's reasons for marching to Philippi.
(3) · 3 marks · Short answer
(iii) Explain the tide image in your own words.
(4) · 3 marks · Short answer
(iv) Why does Cassius agree, even though his plan is militarily sounder?
(5) · 4 marks · Long answer
(v) What happens in the tent later that night? How does it foreshadow the outcome of Brutus's decision?

Show the answersAnswers

Whether to march at once to meet the enemy at Philippi. Cassius wants to stay where they are and let the enemy tire themselves out marching to find them, wasting their supplies, while their own men stay fresh.
The people between Sardis and Philippi support them only by force and would join the enemy, swelling its numbers; their own forces are at their height, while the enemy grows daily stronger.
Just as a ship sails out best at high tide, there is a right moment in human affairs; if it is used, it leads to success; if it is missed, life stays stuck in shallow water, in failure and misery. Brutus says their moment is now.
They have just been reconciled after a bitter quarrel, and Cassius values Brutus's friendship and respects his authority, so he gives way rather than start another argument. He repeatedly yields to Brutus, as he did over Antony.
Lucius falls asleep while playing music; as Brutus reads, the Ghost of Caesar appears, calls itself his evil spirit and says Brutus will see it at Philippi. It foreshadows that the march to Philippi, which Brutus believes is the flood tide of fortune, will lead to his defeat and death.

Julius Caesar Act IV: board-level solved questions

Ordered from board level to HOTS. Cover the solution, write your own, then compare step by step.

Example 1: MCQ: Brutus's hypocrisy · 1 mark · MCQBoard level

Brutus scolds Cassius for taking bribes and soon after complains that Cassius has not given him money. This shows that Brutus is:
(a) hypocritical
(b) jealous
(c) miserly
(d) vengeful

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

He condemns how money is raised but still wants the money.
That is saying one thing and doing another.

Answer: (a) hypocritical

Example 2: MCQ: 'A barren-spirited fellow' · 1 mark · MCQBoard level

When Antony says, 'He must be taught, and train'd, and bid go forth: / A barren-spirited fellow;' he refers to:
(a) Octavius
(b) Lucilius
(c) Lucius
(d) Lepidus

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Scene 1: Antony speaks to Octavius after Lepidus leaves.
He compares Lepidus to a horse to be trained.

Answer: (d) Lepidus

Example 3: Antony in Scene 1 · 3 marks · Short answerHOTS / competency

How does Scene 1 change your view of Antony after his funeral speech in Act III? Give two details.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

In Act III he seemed a loyal friend championing Caesar's generosity to the people.
Detail 1: he agrees to his nephew's death in a bargain over lives.
Detail 2: he plans to cut down Caesar's legacies to the people.
Detail 3: he despises Lepidus and means to use him.

Answer: Antony now appears ruthless and self-seeking. He bargains away his own nephew's life, plans to reduce the very legacies he used to win the crowd, and treats Lepidus as a beast of burden. His loyalty to Caesar seems mixed with ambition for power.

Example 4: The dagger offer · 3 marks · Short answerHarder board level

Why does Cassius offer Brutus his dagger? What does this show about him and about their friendship?

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Context: Brutus has accused him harshly and says he has lost his love.
Cassius feels unloved and hurt; he invites Brutus to strike him as he struck Caesar.
Shows: emotional, deeply attached to Brutus; their friendship matters more than the argument.

Answer: Hurt by Brutus's harsh words and believing he has lost Brutus's love, Cassius bares his breast and tells Brutus to kill him, as he killed Caesar. It shows Cassius is emotional and values Brutus's affection above everything, and it moves Brutus to reconcile.

Example 5: Portia's death and Brutus's Stoicism · 3 marks · Short answerHarder board level

How does Brutus react when Messala tells him about Portia's death? Why does he react this way?

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

He has already told Cassius privately.
With Messala, he receives the news calmly, saying everyone must die once.
Reason: his Stoic philosophy and his wish to set an example of endurance before his officers.

Answer: He receives the news calmly, as though hearing it for the first time, and reflects that everyone must die some day. As a Stoic he believes in enduring suffering without show, and as a leader he wants to appear strong; Messala admires his patience.

Example 6: Evaluating the strategy · 4 marks · Long answerHOTS / competency

Whose military plan, Brutus's or Cassius's, do you think was better? Give two reasons, using what happens in Act V.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

State a clear view.
Reason 1 from Act IV's arguments.
Reason 2 from the outcome in Act V.

Answer: Cassius's plan was better: (1) waiting would have made the enemy march, tire and waste supplies while their own men rested; (2) at the start of Act V Octavius says their hopes are answered because the enemy has come down from the hills, which shows the move helped the enemy, and the battle is lost partly through haste (Brutus gives the word too early). (Accept a reasoned defence of Brutus's view about the unreliable local people.)

Where the marks are

How a typical answer is marked: the value points the examiner looks for and the marks each earns.

Extract part (v), 4 marks: How is the quarrel resolved? What news does Brutus reveal, and how does it explain his behaviour? (4 marks)

Step	Marks
Cassius offers his dagger and asks Brutus to strike him	1
Brutus relents, admits his temper; they embrace	1
News: Portia is dead (swallowed fire)	1
Hidden grief explains Brutus's harshness	1

Where students lose marks in Julius Caesar Act IV

The slips examiners see most often, and what to write instead.

Mistake: Mixing up Lucius Pella, Lucilius and Lucius
Three similar names appear in the same Act.
Wrong working
Lucius was condemned for taking bribes.
Right working
Lucius Pella was condemned for taking bribes; Lucilius is Brutus's officer; Lucius is Brutus's servant boy who plays music.
Do this: Pella = Penalised; Lucilius = Lieutenant; Lucius = Lute.
Usually costs: A wrong name can cancel the point.
Mistake: Choosing a near-synonym in trait MCQs
The 2025 examiners noted candidates 'influenced by the distractors' in mood and trait questions.
Do this: Test each option against the exact action: is he jealous? miserly? Or does he condemn in others what he wants himself (hypocritical)?
Usually costs: 1 mark each.
Mistake: Explaining the tide speech only literally
Students describe sea tides and forget the decision it supports.
Do this: Explain the metaphor and apply it: now is the moment to march to Philippi.
Usually costs: The application part of the mark.
Mistake: Forgetting that Brutus already knew of Portia's death
Students say Brutus first hears it from Messala.
Do this: Brutus tells Cassius first; with Messala he only appears to hear it for the first time.
Usually costs: Content marks in a Portia question.
Mistake: Writing generalities about friendship instead of the scene's events
Students give a moral essay rather than evidence.
Do this: Use at least two specific actions from the quarrel in any friendship answer.
Usually costs: Content marks.

Practice questions on Julius Caesar Act IV

Write each answer on paper first. Open the hint only if you are stuck, and the answer only when you have finished.

Q1 · 1 mark · MCQBoard level
Who were the members of the Second Triumvirate?
(a) Brutus, Cassius and Casca
(b) Antony, Octavius and Lepidus
(c) Antony, Brutus and Octavius
(d) Caesar, Antony and Lepidus
Hint
Scene 1.
Answer
(b) Antony, Octavius and Lepidus
Q2 · 3 marks · Short answerHarder board level
What does Brutus learn from Lucilius in Scene 2, and how does he interpret it?
Hint
A hot friend cooling.
Answer
Lucilius says Cassius received him with courtesy but not with the old familiarity and openness. Brutus interprets this as a sign that Cassius's affection is cooling, since failing love turns into forced politeness.
Q3 · 3 marks · Short answerBoard level
How did Portia die, and why?
Hint
Two causes of her grief.
Answer
She swallowed fire (burning coals). She was distracted with grief at Brutus's long absence and at news of the growing strength of Octavius and Antony, and took her own life while her attendants were away.
Q4 · 4 marks · Long answerHOTS / competency
'Brutus is at his best and at his worst in the quarrel scene.' Discuss with two examples of each.
Hint
Best: principles, forgiveness. Worst: harshness, hypocrisy.
Answer
Best: he insists on the justice for which they killed Caesar and refuses to raise money by vile means; he forgives quickly and admits his own temper. Worst: he is cruel and insulting to Cassius (mocking his threats); he condemns bribery yet demands money raised by others, which is hypocritical.
Q5 · 3 marks · Short answerHarder board level
Describe the appearance of Caesar's ghost. How do Lucius, Varro and Claudius respond when Brutus wakes them?
Hint
The candle; 'Didst thou see anything?'
Answer
As Brutus reads by a weak candle, a monstrous apparition enters; it says it is his evil spirit and that he will see it at Philippi, then vanishes. Lucius, Varro and Claudius are not aware of having cried out in their sleep, and all say they saw nothing. Brutus then sends word to Cassius to set out early.
Q6 · 3 marks · Short answerHarder board level
Why does a poet interrupt Brutus and Cassius, and how is he treated? What does this episode add to the scene?
Hint
Comic relief after tension.
Answer
He forces his way in to urge the generals to be friends, since they are quarrelling. Cassius laughs at his clumsy rhyme, but Brutus angrily sends him away. The episode briefly relieves the tension and shows that the reconciliation is real, while Brutus remains on edge.
Q7 · 3 marks · Short answerHOTS / competency
In Scene 1, Antony sends Lepidus to fetch Caesar's will. Why, and what irony does this create with Act III?
Hint
Compare with how Antony used the will at the funeral.
Answer
He wants to find ways to cut down the legacies Caesar left to the people. It is ironic because in Act III he used those very legacies to win the crowd; now, in power, he plans to take them back, which shows his cynicism.

Test your recall

Answer in your head or on paper first, then open the card. Pulling an answer out of memory makes it stick far better than re-reading.

1.Who was condemned for taking bribes from the Sardians?Show answer
Lucius Pella.
2.What does 'an itching palm' mean?Show answer
A greed for money (taking bribes, selling offices).
3.How did Portia die?Show answer
She swallowed fire, distracted by grief.
4.Where do Brutus and Cassius decide to fight?Show answer
At Philippi.
5.What does the Ghost call itself?Show answer
Brutus's evil spirit.
6.Whose nephew is condemned in Scene 1?Show answer
Antony's nephew, Publius (Antony's sister's son).

Quick revision checklist

The night before the exam: can you do each of these without looking?

Can you name the triumvirs and say what they do in Scene 1?
Can you explain why Brutus and Cassius move into the tent?
Can you give the stages of the quarrel in order?
Can you explain Brutus's hypocrisy over money?
Can you explain the tide metaphor and both generals' plans?
Can you describe the Ghost's appearance and words?

Julius Caesar Act IV: frequently asked questions

Why do Brutus and Cassius quarrel in Act IV?

Cassius is angry that Brutus condemned Lucius Pella for bribery despite his letters; Brutus accuses Cassius of an itching palm and of refusing him money to pay his legions. Hidden grief over Portia sharpens Brutus's temper.

What is the tide speech in Julius Caesar?

Brutus's argument that there is a right moment in human affairs which, if seized, leads to success. He uses it to persuade Cassius to march at once to Philippi.

What does Caesar's ghost say to Brutus?

It calls itself Brutus's evil spirit and says he will see it at Philippi, foreshadowing his defeat.

Who is described as 'a barren-spirited fellow'?

Lepidus, by Antony, in Act IV, Scene 1.

Based on: CISCE ICSE 2027 English syllabus (Paper 2: Literature in English); CISCE ICSE 2027 Appendix I: List of Prescribed Books; CISCE ICSE 2027 Specimen Question Paper and Draft Marking Scheme: Literature in English (English Paper 2); CISCE Analysis of Pupil Performance 2025: Literature in English (examiners' comments)