posted
Okay, I have yet to read Julius Caesar by Shakespeare. Right now I am reading a new series called "Emperor". The first book in the series is "Emperor : The Gates of Rome" by Conn Iggulden. It is a four-book series and only the first two are written right now, so that is where I am getting my history on Julius Caesar, and he is still young in the book.
Ok, that was just me giving the information on the book. Now for my question. I am about to go check out the movie Julius Caesar (1970 version) and I need a little background help. I know Julius and Marcus Brutus were best friends (my knowledge, or lack there of, is coming from a factual fiction book, and I know he changed some stuff around, so correct me if i'm wrong, please). My question is what were the political positions of Julius Caesar, Marcus Brutus, and Marc Antony. Marc Antony is played by Charleton Heston and I figured he has to be the most powerful character in the movie, so someone please explain to me his role in the movie.
I don't really know how to answer your question briefly, besides to recommend you either happily enjoy the view of events as presented in the 4 volume work or read up in an encyclopedia of some kind.
P.S. I haven't seen the movie, and I would be disinclined to expect that it's contents would be very reliable.
posted
Julius Caesar was a dictator of some kind, if I recall. Brutus was a nobleman/guy in the senate. Marc Anthony was a soldier of some kind, General perhaps.
Someone else will be able to correct me, I'm sure.
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posted
Julius Caesar was many things. Ditto the other two
More relevantly, Julius Caesar was a patrician, populist, political leader, and finally dictator of Rome (dictator does not mean the same thing we think of it as meaning today, exactly).
Marc Antony was a guy who first fought with Octavius against the murderers of Caesar for the right to rule Rome, and then against Octavius (Antony holding the eastern empire, consorting with cleopatra, Octavius the west), who won and became Augustus Caesar.
Brutus was one of Caesar's longest friends and political associates who had a long history of upholding ideals over practicality. The depth of confliction he felt over murdering his dear friend is uncertain, while shakespeare envisions a noble, selfless Brutus, it is possible brutus was swayed to jealousy (by Cassius, iirc).
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To Romans, a dictator normally held office for only 6 months a term. It was for times of great emergency when the normal machinery of government was too long. During that time, he was not accountable for the things he did (though there were always ways around that. If a special law was enacted making YOU libel for those actions, it might hold). It wasn't until Lucius Cornelius Sulla returned from the wars against Mithradates of Pontus and marched on Rome that one man became a dictator for longer. He ruled, rebuilding Rome after the umpteenth civil war (some of which he directly instigated), proscribing and killing many knight-business men and confiscating their money to rebuild the republic. He also shored up the patriciate power and stripped the Tribunes of the Plebs of all but one power (especially the Veto.) He stepped down after 2 years.
When Caesar wanted to return to Rome and celebrate his triumphs after 10 years in Gaul and numerous military victories, the Senate, ruled by the old-school conservative Boni, refused. They recruited Caesar's ex-son in law, Pompey, then a sort-of-dictator (Consul without a collegue) to their side in their effort to strip Caesar of his office and his protection, and then prosecute him for Treason (illegal wars, etc).
Marc Antony, his cousin (related by his mother Aurelia), was his Tribune at the time. Previously, Antony had been one of his legates, I believe- in command of a legion, and had learned war from a master. When the Senate tried to do act against Caesar, he vetoed. After which he was summarily beaten, though his person was supposedly inviolate. Antony went to Caesar in northern Italy where Caesar displayed him to the troops as proof of how far the Boni would go to take what was THEIRS (notice, not his, he said.) With one (legion?cohort?) he marched across the Rubicon to Rome. He had himself elected Dictator for a period of time and undertook to straighten out Rome's affairs.
Pompey took the "legitimate" government and fled to Greece. After numerous battles, Pompey was defeated and later killed. The Boni, too, were defeated. During all this Antony was at his right hand helping him.
Brutus (a few decades Caesar's junior), who had been engaged to Caesar's daughter, Julia, which engagement was broken off to marry her to Pompey years earlier, had been in the Boni camp of his uncle Marcus Porcius Cato. I can't say how close they were, but I don't think they were that close. Caesar's 'friends' (such that he had) were his own age. Caesar also had an affair with Brutus' mother, Servilia. Primarily he was a business man, not a patriot. After the final battle against the Boni (at Pharsalus?) Caesar pardoned him and he returned to Rome with Cassius, who no doubt had a powerful influence.
While Caesar hounded the rest of the Boni (Cato's troops in North Africa in particular) he left Antony in charge of Rome as his Master of the Horse (the 2nd in command after the dictator). When Caesar returned in success and took over, it seems that Antony tried to foment rebellion among Caesar's troops.
Nobody was noble in these things. Caesar, of course, quelled it and put Antony in his place, after which he continued to rule as he planned a campaign against Parthia. He also instructed is grand-nephew Octavius, in the ways of ruling and war.
Cassius and Brutus, together with numerous other Senators planned Caesar's death. It is possible Antony knew and was going to take advantage of it.
After Caesar was killed Antony took control of part of Caesar's armies. Octavius, though only 18 or 19, also took control of a few others. He was Caesar's legitimate heir and was very savvy. He promoted the deification of Caesar, which certainly bolstered his standing with the armies. Together with a friend (can't remember his name, but a brilliant leader of troops) they all fought each other, Antony, Octavius, and Lepidus (another of Caesar's men who had taken part of the army), until they came to the agreement to form a triumverate.
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posted
Brutus was actually one of Julius Caesar's main officers. He met Xena on the field of battle, and they came to have a grudging respect for each other. Xena tried to warn him that Caesar betrayed everyone in the end--bear in mind that he crucified Xena when they partnered up years before. Brutus simply would not believe her, however, and in the end played into Callisto's and Caesar's plot to capture Xena and Gabrielle. Xena's spine was injured by her own chakrum, and she and Gabrielle were crucified and killed (temporarily). It was after this that Brutus killed Caesar, but Xena had nothing to do with this, except to plant the seeds of doubt in Brutus's mind about Caesar's intention to become emperor.
Now, Anthony does not come in to the story until after Xena is resurrected by Eli, with the help of Callisto, and travels to Egypt to help protect Cleopatra from assassins. As it happens, Cleopatra is already dead by the time Xena gets there, but Xena takes her place. Brutus, Anthony, and Octavius are all trying to bring Egypt's navy to their side, and Xena plays them off against each other, seducing Anthony while Gabrielle helps Octavius. In the end, she kills Anthony in the sea battle which brings Octavius to power.
As I recall, the Shakespeare version pretty much follows these events.
That is brilliant, Icarus! I was thinking, "Xena? What is he talking about?" Actually, I remember the Xena episode where Xena was the pirate who captured Caesar (the same actor who played Cupid or Eros- I forget what he was called on the show) and was executed by him. Funny how that show had her jumping around to all different time periods- the Ark of the Covenant, the Trojan War, Caesar )
posted
I checked out that book (Emperor : The Gates of Rome) on Amazon and from what I saw, both the reviews and synopsis, his history is quite a bit off. Of course it's historical fiction, but some are more accurate than others.
I really don't think Caesar and Brutus were even close in age. And Brutus was not a prostitute's son. He was a Marcus Junius Brutus, son of Marcus Junius Brutus, of the Junii gens. The founder of the Brutus branch of that family was the very Brutus who killed the last king of Rome, which abolished the Monarchy and led to the (initially Patrician ruled) Republic. He was called "Brutus" because, according to legend, he pretended to be a stupid brute and this made him less of a target for the king. Brutus' (of Caesar's day) mother was Servilia, the daughter of Quintus Servilius Caepio, the son of the Caepio who, it was rumored, stole the Gold of Tolosa by betraying the troops under him and was was hounded out of Rome. Caesar and Servilia (now married to Decemus Junius Selanus) were lovers for many years, which came out during a crucial meeting, when Servilia sent Caesar a note, which all the senators saw. Servilia's half brother was that Marcus Porcius Cato (later Uticenses) who spent his entire life (along with Marcus Bibulus) fighting Caesar. After Caesar broke off the engagement of his daughter to Brutus, he seems to have drifted to his uncle Cato's side. He married Cato's daughter Porcia (who, it was rumored, was killed by Servilia when she was forced to swallow live coals). Brutus was in the Boni camp at Pharsalus, where the Boni (under Pompey) were defeated. After that, he returned to Rome pardoned, along with Cassius, to take up his own place in Roman government.
Uncle Gaius Marius died of a (3rd) stroke in office 10 days after his "election" for a 7th term as Consul. Thus, he cannot show up in Africa fighting later.
I'm not saying the book is not a good read. Many historically questionable books and movies are still great- Spartacus, Ben Hur, the afforementioned Julius Caesar, by the bard. But if you want to know what happened (as far as can be told), in a fictional format, I would recommend the Masters of Rome series by Colleen McCullough. Her commentaries at the end, as well as glossary, all indicate that her books are very well researched (from all extant sources and historical treatises) and are very accurate. That, together with a few history books make the period come alive and easy to rememeber.
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posted
Ian, your posts in this thread have been fantastic. Well written, informative, and interesting (and you even managed to recommend a series of books that sound really good). Thanks!
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posted
About three years ago I actually slogged all the way through my copy of Suetonius' Twelve Caesars. It took me about three months, maybe four, which really irks me now because I remember next to none of it.
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posted
Thanks. "I, Claudius", and it's sequel ("Claudius the Divine"?), by Robert Graves are also very well done. Or, go the library and check-out the PBS version of them. Really good stuff about the time period of Augustus to Nero.
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