Book Description
Julius Caesar, the Shakespearean drama that is in the curriculum of virtually every high school in the country, is the latest offering in Barron’s “Picture This! Shakespeare” series. This manual supplements Barron’s “Picture This: Julius Caesar,” a book presented in graphic novel style for students’ use. The manual offers teachers suggestions for classroom discussions, quizzes, and activities related to the play. ... Read more

Book Description
Shakespeare Made Very Easy!
Introduce students to the wonderful works of Shakespeare with these ready-to-go folders that help make his plays very accessible. Each folder features a short, well-known scene accompanied by pop-out notes that explain his old English and make it easy for kids to understand. Also includes a reproducible page that explores literary devices, plus quick and easy activities that extend the scene and help kids comprehend and enjoy the rest of the play. ... Read more

Book Description

Book Description
William Shakespeare's Julius Caesar is remarkable for its structural clarity and is frequently used to introduce students to Shakespearean tragedy. Bloom calls it a very satisfying play universally regarded as a work of considerable aesthetic dignity.

The title, William Shakespeare's Julius Caesar, part of Chelsea House Publishers' Modern Critical Interpretations series, presents the most important 20th-century criticism on William Shakespeare's Julius Caesar through extracts of critical essays by well-known literary critics.This collection of criticism also features a short biography on William Shakespeare, a chronology of the author's life, and an introductory essay written by Harold Bloom, Sterling Professor of the Humanities, Yale University. ... Read more

Book Description
The Cambridge Student Guide to Julius Caesar provides explanatory notes and guidance to help form the basis for the understanding of the play.It is part of a new series aimed at students from 16 years upwards in schools and colleges throughout the English-speaking world.Background information provides support and prompts inquiry for advanced level study by drawing out issues and themes related to the text.The content of each book in the series follows the pattern of an introduction; detailed running commentary on the text; insight into historical, social and cultural contexts; analysis of the lan guage; an overview of critical approaches and different interpretations; essay-writing tips and lists of recommended resources. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

unequivocably one of the best pieces of literature!
This book is essential for anyone studying the Roman Republic and the impact of Julius Caesar.The writings in this book are very well thought out and the depth of the history comes to life in each and every sentence.Anyone wanting to learn about Julius Caesar can take away a sense of knowing a legend and feel that this book doesn't just repeat all of the others that are similar in topic -it teaches you someone else's point of view on the history and cause.
Very much enjoyable.I can't wait to read it again!

A revisionist view and not very interesting.
Fuller's account of the Career of Julius Caesar can also be found in Caesar's own commentaries. Some of his insights into Caesar's personality are interesting, but most can be found in classical works by Appian and Dio. His thesis that Caesar was not the great general and statesman that history dipicts him can be disputed. Caesar was the first ancient general to incorporate siegeworks as a tactical tool. Fuller's claim that the roman army was "lucky" that it did not encounter stronger cavalry arms is unfounded. Cavalry in anceint times was not much more than a skirmishing force, not in the same league as the legionares.

I was displeased with the dry, accounts of caesar's campaigns, surprising for a military man like Fuller. Also, he does not go into great detail about Caesar's personality, other than to quote the classical historians.

Overall, a very average work.

War as written by a warrior
This book is a classic.Not only is it a classic, it is written by one of the most innovative generals in the 20th Century: JFC Fuller.Mr. Fuller is credited with developing the armored division of the British army, and is therefore an innovator.Almost a kindred spirit, Julius Caeser is described not in terms of how his life was led, but how it was affected by military and political aspects.This book is a must read for any ancient history or military history buff.

resale of public domain
I am amazed at how much this book is just a copy/paste from Caesar's own _The Gallic War_ written before Christ! It is actually a more dynamic read than this version, and without the distracting *spin.*

A most informative book with a good insight into Caesar.
I found this book most informative and interesting. It has an amazing insight into not only the life of this amazing man but also the times in which he lived. The book effectivly depicts Caesar not only as man but alsoa good tactitioner and leader. This book has been well researched andwriten in an easy to follow way. Although I already know a fair bit aboutJulius I found that this book informed me on alot of things I previouslyhad no knowledge of. I emensly enjoyed this book and would recomend thisbook to anyone with a interest in the Ancient Roman Republic and Empire. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Got me through Freshman and Sophomore English
OK...for reading Romeo & Juliet and Julius Caesar...definetely get these. With the fact that it has the modern english translation handy, it also points out the writing elements and weird history stuff that was on all of my study guides and test from my english teachers. It's the best. FOR REAL. So yeah. get this.

Best book out there for understanding Shakespeare
This book is the best book I have ever read so far. It has the original Shakespearean text on the left pages of the book, and on the right page it has exactly the same, but in a modern translation so it is pretty easy for you to look anything you don't understand from the original text. I really recommend it to anyone who is interested in reading Shakespeare for the first time because it will help you not to misinterpret anything.
... Read more

Book Description

Customer Reviews (9)

Outstanding and Definitive
I've read every biography of Caesar I can find, but Gelzer's is by far the best.Gelzer is careful in his scholarship and restrained in his writing style, but the book is nevertheless an utterly fascinating account of a multi-faceted genius of inexhaustable energy, who was clearly one of the most formidible men of all time.

Definitive Biography On Julius Caesar
I read this book for a graduate course in Roman history.

Pompey's apex of power and glory was in 61 BCE, when he returned to Rome to receive his third triumph after his victories in the Middle East, brought new territory and treasure to Rome.With his sterling military reputation and great personal wealth, one would have thought that Pompey could dictate terms to the senate.However, Marcus Porcius Cato 95-46 BCE and his optimate party associates in the Senate, fearful of Pompey's power and ambition and wanting to protect their own political oligarchy, were successful in keeping political power out of his hands.Not only did Cato force Pompey to disband his legions as a condition of his receiving his triumph in Rome, he also embarrassed Pompey by insuring that the Senate did not make any land grants to Pompey's veterans.These actions weakened Pompey's political strength.It kept him from giving out positions of patronage to his supporters and it also lost him favor in the eyes of his veterans.As a result, it also had the effect of making him look like a political weakling when he would later try to stop the ambitious Julius Caesar.Once again, Plutarch observed that although Pompey may have been a great military general, he was no match for others as a political leader."And well had it been for him had he terminated his life at this date, while he still enjoyed Alexander's fortune, since all his aftertime served only either to bring him prosperity that made him odious, or calamities too great to be retrieved."

While Cato and the Senate were going out of their way to quench Pompey's fiery ambitions, Julius Caesar started to make his grab for power over Rome.Matthias Gelzer's biography of Julius Caesar is an excellent in-depth analysis of Caesar's life.Caesar hailed from one of the minor and less politically active patrician families.Although a senator's son, Caesar's standing in society was first improved by the fact that Marius became his uncle by marriage.Secondly, to further his own political career he married Cornelia, the daughter of the Roman consul Cinna.In 80 BCE Julius Caesar embarked on a military career and made his mark quickly as an able military commander.Gelzer observed that early in Caesar's life he already mastered "how to exploit his talents to the full...he was already a respected orator and, a dashing officer that had shown bravery."Gelzer pointed out that there were two dominant political parties in Rome at the time.The optimates were dominated by the conservatives who worked to protect the prestige of the senate, the rich, and the status quo of Rome.The populares party that Caesar belonged to, played to the lower class multitudes of Rome in deed and word.

By 59 BCE Caesar had made several moves in his life which furthered his political career and gained him his first consulship of Rome.Caesar worked hard at getting the two most powerful men in Rome, Pompey and Marcus Licinius Crassus 115-53 BCE, to reconcile their differences.Crassus was a businessman and the richest man in Rome.Caesar further allied himself politically with Pompey by giving his daughter, Julia, some thirty years Pompey's junior, in marriage to him.All three men banded together in a triumvirate to wrest power from the optimates in the senate.Their vehicle for doing this was to bring about a new agrarian law over the strenuous opposition of the optimate senators.The agrarian law that Caesar introduced as counsel served several purposes.It was helpful in relieving the overcrowded conditions in Rome by allowing landless people the ability to settle on uncultivated land in Italy.In addition, some of this land would also be used to finally reward Pompey's veterans that had been loyal to him.Of course, it would be extremely popular with the multitude of Roman citizens who owned little if any property.In order to insure the passage of the bill, Pompey put the word out to his veterans to come to Rome where they made their presence known by running off the opposition senators out of the forum while Caesar was advocating for the passage of the bill in a speech to the people.Gelzer astutely points out "Caesar's...agrarian laws show him as a politician with an outstanding talent for dealing with social problems."The nasty political fight between Caesar and the optimates earned him some serious political enemies.However, with the help in the Senate from his political allies the populares and from Pompey, Caesar was appointed a proconsul of the province of Cisalpine Gaul.This province was a part of northern Italy, which he was to rule for five years.Soon there after, the governor of Gaul, a territory beyond the Alps, died and this territory was added to Caesar's territory.Though the future looked bright for Rome in 59 BCE, the greed and distrust between the two strongest military leaders of the triumvirate would eventually cause Pompey and Caesar to become enemies and turn on each other in their quest for ultimate power in Rome.

Most historians observed that Caesar's new appointments gave him command of four legions, the ability to win prestige in battle, and to acquire much booty during his conquest of Gaul.Few in Rome, most importantly Pompey, could have imagined that "by the brilliance of his generalship, and the swiftness and totality of his conquests...this loquacious and unprincipled politician could achieve so much."Caesar spent nine years in Gaul, and by 50 BCE, his army grew in number to twelve legions.Caesar's army was made up of many battle hardened professionals.In addition, Caesar's successes made it easy for him to gain new volunteers to swell his ranks.Caesar's soldiers and many of his officers were undoubtedly motivated by money and pride, which kept them loyal to Caesar.These accomplishments served to secure Caesar's unrivaled political standing.It was Caesar's loyalty from the army coupled with the treasure necessary to buy favor of the Roman citizenry that gave him the political power necessary to conquer Rome.One can also see from Caesar's actions that he learned well from his uncle Marius on how to raise an army and keep its loyalty.These lessons were also learned by his successor Octavian.However, Caesar's success in conquering Rome would not happen without fighting a bitter Civil War against the optimates in the Senate who were allied with Pompey.

Gelzer meticulously wrote about the events which led to the ensuing Civil War.In 51 BCE, the optimates now allied with Pompey in the Senate, tried to have Caesar recalled to Rome so that they could put him on trial for misconduct.Caesar knew that he needed to hold onto his position in Gaul and run in abstentia for consul in 49 BCE, so that he could have a political office to protect him from prosecution by his enemies.Though much political bargaining went on between Caesar, Pompey and the Senate, by 49 BCE the Senate voted to deliver Caesar an ultimatum."Caesar was to dismiss his army by a fixed date on pain of being regarded a public enemy."If Caesar followed the dictates of the Senate, he would have been a private citizen for six months and open to his enemies for reprisal.Thus on January 10, 49 BCE, Caesar and his army crossed the Rubicon River, even though it was against ancient Roman law.This action automatically made Julius Caesar an enemy of the state and precipitated a bloody Civil War that changed the course of Roman history.Upon hearing the news of Caesar's crossing of the Rubicon, Pompey ordered all senators and citizens who considered themselves patriots of Rome to flee the city.Pompey was overconfident that Caesar would not enter Rome and told his followers he would easily raise the legions necessary to stop Caesar.Pompey was wrong on both counts.Caesar felt he had no choice in his actions, and throughout the Civil War he went out of his way to protect both the property and the honor of all the people who he captured.In addition, Caesar pled his case, explaining the untenable circumstances in which Pompey and the Senate placed him, and implored all of his former enemies to join his side in the Civil War.Caesar was quite successful in this endeavor.While Caesar was chasing Pompey to Brundisium, he spent over a week in Rome setting up a government and instituting legislation that restored economic security to the country.In the mean time, Pompey took his army to Brundisium and narrowly escaped Caesar's advancing army by ship to the Greek peninsula.By 48 BCE, the deciding battle was fought in Pharsalus, with Pompey's army outnumbering Caesar's by two to one.However, Pompey's mainly inexperienced soldiers were no match for Caesar's battle tested soldiers.Pompey lost the battle and fled by sea to Egypt where he was later murdered, much to Caesar's chagrin.Caesar went on to conquer Egypt and installed Cleopatra as his regent on the throne, and then returned to Rome in triumph.The Senate showered Caesar with all manner of honors heretofore never bestowed on any other man of Rome.In addition, the Senate made him Dictator for ten years.He accepted the honors and new powers while repeatedly remarking that he would work towards reconciliation with his former enemies and would not become a despot."He had only fought the Civil War to save himself from dishonour.His victorious army had done battle to protect its rights and Caesar's dignity."

Gelzer wrote admiringly on how quickly Caesar went to work instituting new reforms in order to fix the decades of social and political problems of the Roman Empire that the Republic could not cope with while under the Senate.In addition, Caesar traveled to all of the provinces in the Empire, which showed the people that he cared about their welfare, and made them more loyal to him.Militarily Caesar discharged all of his veteran legions except one, making sure that each of the soldiers received land in Italy and southern France.This insured that they would stay loyal to Caesar personally.From his very able military staff, Caesar picked men to fill ministerial positions throughout the empire, which also strengthened his hand politically.It is a pity that Caesar had only two years to institute a Pax Romana before he was brutally assassinated.However, what social, political, and military reforms Caesar started would come to fruition under Caesar Augustus, his heir and Rome's ruler for forty-five years.

Recommended reading for those interested in Roman history, military history.

Greatness - in subject and in style
If Gelzer fails, it is in his unchecked adoration for Caesar - he will bring the issues to light but fail to pass judgment on them.Nevertheless, there is a reason why Gelzer's work has continued to amaze: his analysis, style and brevity make him a true delight for the interested student.The book follows a good outline, spending most of the book concerning his consulship, the proconsulship and the civil war.Gelzer tries to keep things as objective as possible, but cannot help from pronouncing judgments on Caesar's actions, in particular his command decisions and how he plays the senators in Rome.I have always been in awe of Caesar and the book doesn't fail to show his ugly side, following his victories over the rebels and his continual stockpiling of powers and privileges leading up to his death in 44.A well-reasoned, comprehensive and concise book on one of history's great politicians and generals.A must-read.

A great bio of history's greatest Roman
If you're looking for an unbiased, brilliant account of Gaius Julius Caesar's life then look no further; you've found it!

However, I do have a warning. This book is of the "old-school" variety. It is a mass of facts and is pretty dry reading for the most part. Its not like the more recent historybooks I'm used to reading (I'm 21). However, one can't help be sucked in to the saga of Caesar and the fall of the republic.

This is not only a dry book; it is a wise book as well. It is a book that should be read for the sake of the knowledge it contains even if it is not as polished as Rubicon or The Assassination of Julius Caesar.

Fascinating.... Republic scholars must read!
If you are interested in the final years of the Roman Republic
or Julius Caesar, this book is for you.I first read Anthony
Everitt's Cicero (which I liked) and it's brief discussions of
Caesar were enough to pique my interest in further study of Caesar.
After researching a bit, Gelzer's biography seemed to be the most
lauded- and having read it- rightly so.

The level of detail in this book is incredible.There are
hundreds of footnotes indicating sources and often containing
quotes in their original language which is as often Greek as it
is Latin.Gelzer really shows us the genius and abilities of
this most fascinating man- perhaps the boldest, most brilliant
military commander in history- not to mention an equally talented
politician!Caesar deserves our attention.

If you can handle great detail and really want to know Caesar and his times, you will like this book. ... Read more

Book Description
Visually engages readers by placing the original dialogue on the left-hand side of the page, and a modern prose interpretations on the right. As a result, it is easy for readers to cross reference as they move through the play and finally "get" Shakespeare. ... Read more

Book Description

Product Description
George Lyman Kittredge's insightful editions of Shakespeare have endured in part because of his eclecticism, his diversity of interests, and his wide-ranging accomplishments all of which are reflected in the valuable notes in each volume. The plays in the New Kittredge Shakespeare series retain the original Kittredge notes and introductions, changed or augmented only when some modernization seems necessary. These new editions also include introductory essays by contemporary editors, notes on the plays as they have been performed on stage and film, and additional student materials. ... Read more