Metellus Cimber
Also known as: Metellus · Family: Roman conspirators · Role: conspirator · First appears: Julius Caesar · Act I, Scene III
In Act I, Scene III, Metellus Cimber is counted among the conspirators opposing Julius Caesar, having gone to seek Caius Cassius. By Act II, Scene II, Julius Caesar still treats Metellus as a patron, asking him to call on him and remain near him.
In Act II, Scene I, Metellus joins Marcus Brutus, Caius Cassius, Casca, Decius Brutus, Cinna, and Trebonius in deciding that Julius Caesar must die, while Mark Antony is to be spared. At the Capitol, he pleads for the repeal of Publius Cimber’s banishment, but Julius Caesar refuses, saying, “I was constant Cimber should be banish’d, And constant do remain to keep him so.” Metellus and Mark Antony are enemies by the scene’s close, when Mark Antony calls the conspirators Julius Caesar’s foes.
Relationship record
Life events
- The conspirators decide Caesar must die but reject killing Mark Antony.(Julius Caesar · Act II, Scene I · 📍 Rome)
- With: Marcus Brutus Caius Cassius Casca Decius Brutus Cinna Trebonius Julius Caesar Mark Antony
- “And for Mark Antony, think not of him; For he can do no more than Caesar’s arm When Caesar’s head is off.”
- Artemidorus presents Caesar a warning naming the conspirators’ plot against him.(Julius Caesar · Act II, Scene III · 📍 Capitol)
- With: Artemidorus Julius Caesar Marcus Brutus Caius Cassius Casca Cinna Trebonius Decius Brutus Caius Ligarius
- “ARTEMIDORUS. O Caesar, read mine first; for mine’s a suit That touches Caesar nearer. Read it, great Caesar.”
- Caesar refuses Metellus Cimber’s plea and upholds Publius Cimber’s banishment.(Julius Caesar · Act II, Scene III · 📍 Capitol)
- With: Julius Caesar Publius Cimber
- “I was constant Cimber should be banish’d, And constant do remain to keep him so.”
Julius Caesar · Act I, Scene III
- enemies with Julius Caesar “CASSIUS. Is Decius Brutus and Trebonius there? CINNA. All but Metellus Cimber, and he’s gone To seek you at your house.”
Julius Caesar · Act II, Scene I
- enemies with Julius Caesar “We all stand up against the spirit of Caesar, And in the spirit of men there is no blood.”
Julius Caesar · Act II, Scene II
- patron: Julius Caesar “Now, Cinna; now, Metellus; what, Trebonius! I have an hour’s talk in store for you: Remember that you call on me today; Be near me, that I may remember you.”
Julius Caesar · Act II, Scene III
- enemies with Julius Caesar “Caesar, beware of Brutus; take heed of Cassius; come not near Casca; have an eye to Cinna; trust not Trebonius; mark well Metellus Cimber; Decius Brutus loves thee not; thou hast wrong’d Caius Ligarius. There is but one mind in all these men, and it is bent against Caesar.”
- siblings with Publius Cimber “Thy brother by decree is banished: If thou dost bend, and pray, and fawn for him, I spurn thee like a cur out of my way. Know, Caesar dost not wrong, nor without cause Will he be satisfied. METELLUS. Is there no voice more worthy than my own, To sound more sweetly in great Caesar’s ear For the repealing of my banish’d brother? BRUTUS. I kiss thy hand, but not in flattery, Caesar; Desiring thee that Publius Cimber may Have an immediate freedom of repeal.”
- enemies with Mark Antony “First, Marcus Brutus, will I shake with you; Next, Caius Cassius, do I take your hand. Now, Decius Brutus, yours; now yours, Metellus; Yours, Cinna; and, my valiant Casca, yours; Though last, not least in love, yours, good Trebonius. Gentlemen all—alas, what shall I say? My credit now stands on such slippery ground, That one of two bad ways you must conceit me, Either a coward or a flatterer. That I did love thee, Caesar, O, ’tis true: If then thy spirit look upon us now, Shall it not grieve thee dearer than thy death, To see thy Antony making his peace, Shaking the bloody fingers of thy foes, Most noble, in the presence of thy corse?”
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Extracted from the original text of Shakespeare's Roman Plays. Made with Rho MD.