What actions are justified when the fate of a nation hangs in the balance, and who can see the best path ahead? Julius Caesar has led Rome successfully in the war against Pompey and returns celebrated and beloved by the people. Yet in the senate fears intensify that his power may become supreme and threaten the welfare of the republic. A plot for his murder is hatched by Caius Cassius who persuades Marcus Brutus to support him. Though Brutus has doubts, he joins Cassius and helps organize a group of conspirators that assassinate Caesar on the Ides of March. But, what is the cost to a nation now erupting into civil war? A fascinating study of political power, the consequences of actions, the meaning of loyalty and the false motives that guide the actions of men, Julius Caesar is action packed theater at its finest.

Enter, in procession, with music, CAESAR; ANTONY, for the course; CALPHURNIA, PORTIA, DECIUS, CICERO, BRUTUS, CASSIUS and CASCA; a great crowd following, among them a SOOTHSAYER.CAESAR.Calphurnia.CASCA.Peace, ho! Caesar speaks.[Music ceases.]CAESAR.Calphurnia.CALPHURNIA.Here, my lord.CAESAR.Stand you directly in Antonius' way, When he doth run his course. Antonius.ANTONY.Caesar, my lord?CAESAR.Forget not in your speed, Antonius, To touch Calphurnia; for our elders say, The barren, touched in this holy chase, Shake off their sterile curse.ANTONY.I shall remember.When Caesar says "Do this," it is perform'd.CAESAR.Set on; and leave no ceremony out.[Music.]SOOTHSAYER.Caesar!CAESAR.Ha! Who c

Among the most enduring poetry of all time, William Shakespeare’s 154 sonnets address such eternal themes as love, beauty, honesty, and the passage of time. Written primarily in four-line stanzas and iambic pentameter, Shakespeare’s sonnets are now recognized as marking the beginning of modern love poetry. The sonnets have been translated into all major written languages and are frequently used at romantic celebrations. Known as “The Bard of Avon,” William Shakespeare is arguably the greatest English-language writer known. Enormously popular during his life, Shakespeare’s works continue to resonate more than three centuries after his death, as has his influence on theatre and literature. Shakespeare’s innovative use of character, language, and experimentation with romance as tragedy served as a foundation for later playwrights and dramatists, and some of his most famous lines of dialogue have become part of everyday speech. HarperPerennial Classics brings great works of literature to life in digital format, upholding the highest standards in ebook production and celebrating reading in all its forms. Look for more titles in the HarperPerennial Classics collection to build your digital library.

Julius Caesar is a key link between Shakespeare’s histories and his tragedies. Unlike the Caesar drawn by Plutarch in a source text, Shakespeare’s Caesar is surprisingly modern: vulnerable and imperfect, a powerful man who does not always know himself. The open-ended structure of the play insists that revealing events will continue after the play ends, making the significance of the history we have just witnessed impossible to determine in the play itself. John D. Cox’s introduction discusses issues of genre, characterization, and rhetoric, while also providing a detailed history of criticism of the play. Appendices provide excerpts from important related works by Lucretius, Plutarch, and Montaigne. A collaboration between Broadview Press and the Internet Shakespeare Editions project at the University of Victoria, the editions developed for this series have been comprehensively annotated and draw on the authoritative texts newly edited for the ISE. This innovative series allows readers to access extensive and reliable online resources linked to the print edition.

"The evil that men do lives after them;The good is oft interred with their bones..."How do you choose between the life of your friend and the future of your homeland? In Shakespeare's Julius Caesar, Brutus, "the noblest Roman of them all," has only his personal integrity to help him choose which is the greatest good and where he must place his allegiance. The wrong choice will result in certain personal and national devastation. With its stirring speeches and vivid images of men at both their noblest and most terrible, the play will leave the reader with a deeper understanding of what it means to be human. To make Julius Caesar more accessible to the modern reader, our Prestwick House Literary Touchstone Edition provides in-depth explanation, as well as historical background. Convenient sidebar notes and an extensive glossary help the reader navigate the complexities of the text and enjoy the beauty of Shakespeare's verse, the wisdom of his insights, and the impact of his drama.