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20 Questions: Julius Caesar Multiple Choice Quiz | Literature

A quiz on the play Julius Caesar and the movies about it.

A multiple-choice quiz by dafyduk. Estimated time: 5 mins.

Author
dafyduk

Time
5 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
9,136

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
20

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
12 / 20

Plays
3727

Last 3 plays: Guest 139 (9/20), Guest 152 (10/20), Guest 157 (1/20).

This quiz has 2 formats: you can play it as a or as shown below.
Scroll down to the bottom for the answer key.

1. What type of play is Julius Caesar? Hint

Farce

Tragedy

Musical

Comedy

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2. In what year is the play set? Hint

39 B.C.

46 B.C.

44 B.C.

40 B.C.

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3. What is Caesar's first word in the play? Hint

Antony!

Calpurnia!

Brutus!

Halt!

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4. Caesar tells Antony he is not capable of fear. But if he was capable of fear, who would he be afraid of? Hint

Cassius

Casca

Brutus

Calpurnia

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5. During the games at the first of the play Cicero makes a speech (even though the reader never knows what the speech is about). In what language is the speech described as being delivered? Hint

Greek

Latin

Italian

English

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6. What is Brutus' wife's name? Hint

He's not married

Calpurnia

Portia

The play never says

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7. How did Brutus' wife die? Hint

He had no wife

Killed by an angry citizen

Swallowed a hot coal

Stabs herself

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8. Brutus is believed to make four major mistakes in the play. Which is NOT one of the mistakes ? Hint

He decides to help kill Caesar

He lets Antony speak at Caesar's funeral

He does not make the conspirators take an oath

He tells the conspirators not to kill Antony

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9. Aside from possibly Caesar himself, who could be considered the main character of the play? Hint

Cassius

Casca

Brutus

Antony

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10. Who portrayed Cassius in one movie version of the play and Caesar in another? Hint

John Gielgud

Burt Lancaster

Lawrence Olivier

Rex Harrison

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11. What two actors portrayed Brutus in the two movie versions (in 1953 and 1970)? Hint

Marlon Brando and Charlton Heston

James Mason and Jason Robards

Lawrence Olivier and Burt Lancaster

Richard Burton and Rex Harrison

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12. What comedian can be seen in the crowd in the 1953 version of the movie? Hint

Rodney Dangerfield

Oliver Hardy

Jack Benny

Henny Youngman

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13. What were Caesar's last three words before he died? Hint

Et tu Brute

Long live Caesar

Long live Rome

Then fall Caesar

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14. At the base of whose statue did Caesar die? Hint

His Own

Pompey

Zeus

Romulus and Remus

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15. Most people know Caesar was killed on the ides of March. According to the Roman Calendar, what day of the month is that? Hint

March 13

March 15

March 7

March 1

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16. Most people know that Antony's speech begins 'Friends, Romans, countrymen, ... . How does Brutus' speech begin? Hint

Friends, Romans, countrymen

Good countrymen, let me depart alone

Hear me gentle Romans

Romans, countrymen and lovers

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17. Where did Caesar's Ghost tell Brutus he would see him again? Hint

Heaven

Philippi

Rome

Hastings

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18. What does Antony keep calling Brutus during his speech? Hint

Great

Murderer

Honourable

Roman

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19. Why is Cinna the poet killed by the mob of citizens? Hint

Because he is a conspirator

He wrote a poem putting down Caesar

Because he killed a citizen

Because he has the same name as a conspirator

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20. Now an easy one. Who wrote Julius Caesar?

Answer: (Two Words)

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Most Recent Scores

Sep 30 2023 : Guest 139: 9/20
Sep 28 2023 : Guest 152: 10/20
Sep 28 2023 : Guest 157: 1/20
Sep 27 2023 : Guest 49: 9/20
Sep 25 2023 : Guest 106: 10/20
Sep 25 2023 : Guest 103: 11/20
Sep 25 2023 : Guest 117: 4/20
Sep 25 2023 : Guest 152: 6/20
Sep 22 2023 : Guest 128: 15/20

Score Distribution

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. What type of play is Julius Caesar?

Answer: Tragedy

Julius Caesar is considered one of Shakespeare's tragedies. The complete title is 'The Tragedy Of Julius Caesar'.

2. In what year is the play set?

Answer: 44 B.C.

It is set in 44 B.C., the year of Caesar's death.

3. What is Caesar's first word in the play?

Answer: Calpurnia!

Caesar: Calpurnia! - Casca: Peace Ho! Caesar speaks. (Caesar is calling to his wife)

4. Caesar tells Antony he is not capable of fear. But if he was capable of fear, who would he be afraid of?

Answer: Cassius

Caesar: Let me have men about me that are fat; Sleek-headed men ... Yond Cassius has a lean and hungry look ... such men are dangerous.

5. During the games at the first of the play Cicero makes a speech (even though the reader never knows what the speech is about). In what language is the speech described as being delivered?

Answer: Greek

Cassius: Did Cicero say any thing? - Casca: Ay, he spoke Greek. - Cassius: To what effect? - Casca: Nay,an I tell you that, I'll ne'er look you i' the face again...for mine on part, it was Greek to me. (This is an early use of the phrase to describe a speech that is poorly understood by the listener - Cicero almost certainly spoke in Latin!)

6. What is Brutus' wife's name?

Answer: Portia

7. How did Brutus' wife die?

Answer: Swallowed a hot coal

Brutus: Impatient for my absence...swallow'd fire.

8. Brutus is believed to make four major mistakes in the play. Which is NOT one of the mistakes ?

Answer: He decides to help kill Caesar

The fourth mistake is rushing to meet Antony's army at Philippi instead of staying put, forcing Antony's army to find his. This allowed Antony's army to gain strength by picking up more soldiers on the way.

9. Aside from possibly Caesar himself, who could be considered the main character of the play?

Answer: Brutus

Many believe that even though the play is called Julius Caesar, Caesar is really a minor character. While Antony has the famous speech and is leader of the army, he is characterized better as an antagonist. The whole play revolves around Brutus. From the conspirators convincing him to turn on Caesar, to his inner-battle between his love for Caesar and his love for Rome. Antony puts it best in a speech at the end of the play. Antony: This was the noblest Roman of them all. All the conspirators save only he (Brutus) did what they did in envy of great Caesar; He only, in a general honest thought and common good to all. ...

This was a man. Even Antony puts Brutus above Caesar and himself in this speech.

10. Who portrayed Cassius in one movie version of the play and Caesar in another?

Answer: John Gielgud

Gielgud played Cassius in 1953 and Caesar in 1970.

11. What two actors portrayed Brutus in the two movie versions (in 1953 and 1970)?

Answer: James Mason and Jason Robards

Mason (1953), Robards(1970). Brando (1953) and Heston (1970) played Antony. Olivier, Lancaster, Burton and Harrison were not in either movie version of the play, although Burton did play Antony and Harrison, Caesar, in the movie Cleopatra.

12. What comedian can be seen in the crowd in the 1953 version of the movie?

Answer: Rodney Dangerfield

If you look closely at the crowd during Antony's speech you can see Rodney standing in front of a statue (he is visible several times). Much thinner and younger of course.

13. What were Caesar's last three words before he died?

Answer: Then fall Caesar

Sort of a trick question. Caesar does say "Et tu Brute" ("and you Brutus") but it is followed by "then fall Caesar".

14. At the base of whose statue did Caesar die?

Answer: Pompey

15. Most people know Caesar was killed on the ides of March. According to the Roman Calendar, what day of the month is that?

Answer: March 15

The Roman Calendar is based on 3 dates. The Kalends, Nones and Ides. The ides normally occurs on the 13th of the month except for March, May, July and October where it lies on the 15th. March 1 would be the Kalends (Kal.) of the month. Kalends is always the first day of the month. March 7 would be the Nones (Non.) of the month.

The Nones occurs 9 days before the Ides of the month, therefore it is the 5th except for March ,May, July and October when it is the 7th. (Romans would count both ends of the series of dates when counting whereas today we normally just count one end of the series. So to us the Nones would be 8 days before the Ides). March 13 would be pridie III Ides of March written pr. III Id. March or 3 days before the Ides of March (again counting both ends of the series of dates).

16. Most people know that Antony's speech begins 'Friends, Romans, countrymen, ... . How does Brutus' speech begin?

Answer: Romans, countrymen and lovers

After exhorting the crowd to be patient and let him speak, he begins his actual speech with these words.

17. Where did Caesar's Ghost tell Brutus he would see him again?

Answer: Philippi

Brutus: Why comest thou? - Ghost: To tell thee thou shalt see me at Philippi.

18. What does Antony keep calling Brutus during his speech?

Answer: Honourable

Antony: And Brutus is an honourable man. (He repeats this several times during the speech).

19. Why is Cinna the poet killed by the mob of citizens?

Answer: Because he has the same name as a conspirator

He was killed just for having the same name as a conspirator. This depicts the chaos caused by Antony's speech, thus confirming his role as an antagonist.

20. Now an easy one. Who wrote Julius Caesar?

Answer: William Shakespeare

Source: Author dafyduk

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