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Glossary for Act I of Julius Caesar (1599)

In order of appearance in the script

I. “Idle” (I. 1. 1). – Adjective. “2. A. Of actions, feelings, thoughts, words, etc.: Void of any real
worth, usefulness, or significance; leading to no solid result; hence, in effective, worthless, of no
value, vain, frivolous, trifling. Also, said of persons in respect of their actions, etc.”
“4. A. Of persons: Not engage in work, doing nothing, unemployed. Frequently in phr.”
(Oxfrod English Dictionary).
II. “Mechanical” (I. 1. 3). – “B. 1. - MECHANIC n. 1. Now arch (used chiefly as an echo of
Shakespeare in quot. 1600.” In Midsummer, the acting troupe, are called “rude Mechanicals,”
referring to their laborious jobs. Mechanicals are often what working men, those that make,
create, fix, etc., are referred to as (Oxford English Dictionary).
III. “Rule” (I. 1. 7). – Noun. “13. A. A straight-edged rectangle, square, or (formerly) cylinder of
metal, wood, plastic, or some other material, typically marked at regular intervals and used to
draw straight lines or measure distances; a ruler. Also a mass noun” (Oxford English
Dictionary).
IV. “Cobbler” (I. 1. 11). – Noun. “1. A. One who business it is to mend shoes.” (Oxford English
Dictionary).
V. “Knave” (I. 1. 14). – Noun. “2. A. A male attendant, page, or other servants; (also more
generally) a man of low rank or status; a commoner, a peasant…” (Oxford English Dictionary).
VI. “Rejoice in his triumph” (I. 1. 32). – “Pharsalus, in eastern Greece, was the site of a decisive
battle in 48 BCE between two of Rome’s greatest ever generals: Pompey the Great and Julius
Caesar.” This was the largest and ultimate battle of the Roman Civil War. Despite, being
“[o]utnumbered in infantry and cavalry, Caesar employed daring strategies which won him a
resounding victory.” Though Shakespeare is condensing time, it is from this crucial, deciding
battle in which “triump” is alluded to (Cartwright, “The Battle of Pharsalus”).
VII. “Pompey” (I. 1. 38). – “Pompey the Great, Latin in full Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus, (born
September 29, 106 BCE, Rome – died September 28, 48 BCE, Pelusium Egypt), one of the
greatest statesmen and generals of the late Roman Republic…was an associated and later
opponent of Julius Ceasar.”
In terms of the Civil War, Pompey had refused offers from “Caesar of a marriage alliance.”
There was much talk of making Pompey dictator for years, but “street violence made it impossible
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to hold elections.” Factions grew divided in Rome; the “senate house was burned down by the
mob.” Pompey was asked, in this time of anarchy, to restore order. As their political opposition
deepened, “Pompey, for all his growing fear and suspicion of Caesar’s ambitions, did not come out
openly against Caesar until late in 51 BCE, when he suddenly made clear his intentions.” After the
consul Gaius Marcellus declared “Caesar a public enemy…Pompey accepted [the consular]
invitation to raise an army and defend the state.” Finally, on January 7, 49 BCE, the Senate managed
to officially declare a state of war, of Civil War. “Four days later Caesar cross the Rubicon,” a
monumental action. Inevitably, as the war faded out of his favor, Pompey “decided to land at
Pelusium,” seeking aid. He was struck down before he was able to step ashore (Gray, “Pompey the
Great”).
In remembrance, his legacy holds him as a “militant champion, that fell short just before real
greatness…His down fall besides Caesar of course, was his own poor judgement and desires”
(Elkadi, etc.).

VIII. “Tiber” (I. 1. 46). – The “Tiber River, Italian Fiume Tevere, historic river of Europe and the
second longest Italian river after the Po…It is 252 miles (405km) long…[T]he Tiber flows
through the city of Rome and enters the Tyrrhenian Sea of the Mediterranean near Ostia Antica”
(Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica, “Tiber River”).
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IX. “Concave” (I. 1. 48). – Adjective. “1. Having an internal hole or cavity; hollow.”
X. “Capitol” (I. 1 64). – Shakespeare likely included this in attempt to add a further sense of
location in ancient Rome. The Temple of Jupiter of Opitimus Maximus “was the great temple of
the Capitolium, one of the two peaks of the Capitoline Hill” (“Rome Reborn,” University of
Virginia). So when he says “Capitol,” we can infer that he is alluding the temple on the
Capitoline Hill.
XI. “Lupercal” (I. 1. 68). – More often referred to as Lupercalia, the “ancient Roman festival that
was conducted annually on February 15 under the superintendence of a corporation of priests
called Luperci.” Festivals began with a sacrifice, followed by a feast. The main festivity was,
though, a marathon of sorts in which the Luperci “ran in two bands around the Palatine hill,
striking with the thongs at any woman who came near them. A blow from the thong was
supposed to render a woman fertile” (Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica, “Lupercalia”).
XII. “The barren touched in this holy chase Shake off their sterile curse” (I. 2. 8-9). – This is
further allusion to the festival of Lupercalia. Please read above, under “Lupercal,” for futher information.
XIII. “Ides of March” (I. 2. 17). – “The Roman calendar operated through the use of three main days
(The Kalends, the Nones, and the Ides), in reference to which all dates were given.” The
Kalends being the first day of the month, the Nones “falling on either the fifth or seventh day,”
and the Ideas “either on the thirteenth of fifteenth day of the month” (Novaroma.org). It is
widely thought that, in terms of Julius Caesar, he was assassinated on the fifteenth of March, 44
BCE.
XIV. “Soothsayer” (I. 2. 19). – Noun. “1. One who speaks the truth; a truthful or veracious person.
Obsolete.”
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“2. One who claims or pretends to the power of foretelling future events; a predictor,
prognosticator” (Oxford English Dictionary).
XV. “Gamesome” (I. 2. 28). – Adjective. “Full of the spirit of game or play; frolicsome, playful,
portive” (Oxfrod English Dictionary). In terms of Brutus’ line, he seems to be saying that he is not enjoying
Cassius’ game.
XVI. “Cogitations” (I. 2. 50). – Noun. “1. A. The action of thinking or reflecting; attentive
consideration, reflection, meditation.
B. The faculty of thinking or thought” (Oxford English Dictionary).
XVII. “Yoke” (I. 2. 61). – “2. B. Roman History. A yoke lifted up in the air, or an arrangement of two
spears fixed upright in the ground with another on top of them representing this, under which a
conquered army was made to pass a symbol of subjugation. Frequently in to pass under the yoke.
Also fig.” (Oxford English Dictionary).
XVIII. “Lief” (I. 2. 95). – “3. Antithetically to loath...Obsolete exc. arch.” (Oxford English Dictionary).
This becomes a play-on the word ‘love’ for Cassius.
XIX. “Accoutred” (I. 2. 105). – Adjective. “Provided with accoutrements; attired, dressed, equipped,
arrayed. Frequently with modifying word, indicating special or sumptuous attire” (Oxford
English Dictionary).
XX. “Torrent” (I. 2. 107). – Noun. “A stream of water flowing with great swiftness and impetuosity,
whether from the steepness of its course, or from being temporarily flooded” (Oxford English
Dictionary).
XXI. “Buffet it” (I. 2. 107). – Verb. “1. A. transitive. To beat, strike, esp. with the hand; to hump, cuff,
knock about” (Oxford English Dictionary).
XXII. “Sinews” (I. 2. 108). – Noun. “1. A. Anatomy. A strong fibrous cord serving to connect a muscle
with a bone or other part; a tendon. Also in a figurative context” (Oxford English Dictionary).
XXIII. “Aenas” (I. 2. 112). – Aenas is the “mythical hero of Troy and Rome, son of the goddess
Aphrodite and Anchises. Aenas was a member of the royal line of Troy and cousin of Hector.
He played a prominent part in defending the city against the Greeks during the Trojan War”
(Encyclopedia Britannica, Anderson, “Aenas”).
XXIV. “Troy” (I. 2. 113). – Troy is the “ancient city in Northwestern Anatolia…The legend of the
Trojan War is the most notable theme from ancient Greek literature.” It was “fought between
the Greeks and Troy originated in the following manner. King Priam of Troy was wealthy and
powerful…But his son Paris was invited to judge which of the goddesses Aphrodite, Hera, and
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Athena was entitled to receive the golden apple marked by the goddesses Eris…Aphrodite
promised Paris the most beautiful woman in the world; he therefore awarded her the apple and
went to Greece, where he won the love of, and eloped with, Helen, wife of Menelaus, the king
of Sparta.” In attempt to regain his wife, for the Greeks to have Helen return to them, a large
expedition that inevitably lead to this massive war ensued.
XXV. “Lustre” (I. 2. 124). – Noun. “1. A. The quality or condition of shining by reflected light; sheen,
refulgence; gloss” (Oxford English Dictionary).
XXVI. “Ferret…eye” (I. 2. 185). – Adjective. C1. General attributive. A. Simple attributive,” meaning
qualities of a ferret (Oxford English Dictionary).
XXVII. “Coronets” (I. 2. 237). – Noun. “1. A. small or inferior crown; spec. a crown denoting a dignity
inferior to that of the sovereign, worn by the nobility, and varying in form according to rank,”
meaning Caesar excepted not the crown but a lower honor – i.e. potentially showing humility
(Oxford English Dictionary).
XXVIII. “Fain” (I. 2. 239). – Adjective/Adverb. “2.A…Glad under the circumstances; glad or content to
take a certain course in fault of opportunity for anything better, or as the lesser of two evils”
(Oxford English Dictionary).
XXIX. “Loth” (I. 2. 241). – Adjective. “1. Hostile, angry, spiteful. rare in Middle English. Obsolete”
(Oxford English Dictionary).
XXX. “Rabblement” (I. 2. 243). – Noun. “1. A group or collection.
A. Derogatory. A class or category of people conceived as forming a mob” (Oxford English
Dictionary).
XXXI. “Tag-rag” (I. 2. 257). – Adjective. “1. The rabble, the riff-raff; also (with plural) a member of the
rabble; a lower or despicable person. Now rare” (Oxford English Dictionary).
XXXII. “Ope” (I. 2. 265). – Adjective. “That is open, not closed” (Oxford English Dictionary).
XXXIII. “Doublet” (I. 2. 265). – Noun. “1.A. A close-fitting body-garment, with or without sleeves,
worn by men from the 14th to the 18th centuries” (Oxford English Dictionary). This would be an
example of an anachronism in the play, doublets being worn by men of Shakespeare’s age, not
that of Caesar’s.
XXXIV. “Mettle” (I. 2. 295). – Noun. “1. A. A person’s character, disposition, or temperament; the
‘stuff’ of which one is made, regarded as an indication of one’s character.
2. A. A person’s spirit; courage, strength of character; vigor, spiritedness, vivacity” (Oxford
English Dictionary).
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XXXV. “Tempests” (I. 3. 5). – Noun. “1. A. A violent storm of wind, usually accompanied by a
downfall of rain, hail, or snow, or by thunder” (Oxford English Dictionary). Caska is using this
term metaphorically.
XXXVI. “Rived” (I. 3. 6). – Verb. “1. A. To tear apart or in pieces by pulling or tugging; to rend or
lacerate. In early use also: to destroy” (Oxford English Dictionary).
XXXVII. “Portentous” (I. 3. 31). – Adjective. “1. Having the nature or quality of a portent; ominous,
threatening.
2. Prodigious (See below) , marvelous; monstrous, extraordinary. Now rare” (Oxford English
Dictionary).
XXXVIII. “Prodigious” (I. 3. 77). – Adjective. “1. Of the nature of an omen; portentous (See above). Now
rare” (Oxford English Dictionary).
XXXIX. “Offal” (I. 3. 109). – Noun. “3. Fig. Dregs, scum, offscourings, trash; something worthless”
(Oxford English Dictionary).
XL. “Pompey’s Porch” (I. 3. 125). / “Pompey’s Theatre” (I. 3. 152). – “Rome’s first stone theatre,
built by Pompey in 55 BC, was crowned by a temple” (UChicago). This is the next meeting place
of the conspirators. Shakespeare’s choosing this is likely for further association of the
conspirators and their support for the slain Pompey.
XLI. “Countenance” (I. 3. 159). – Noun. “1. A. Bearing, demeanor, comportment; behavior,
conduct.
2. A. Appearance, aspect, look…also, a show or semblance of anything” (Oxford English
Dictionary).