Trebonius

Family: Roman conspirators · Role: conspirator · First appears: Julius Caesar · Act I, Scene III

In Act I, Scene III, Trebonius is identified as an enemy of Julius Caesar. By Act II, Scene I, he joins Marcus Brutus, Caius Cassius, Casca, Decius Brutus, Cinna, and Metellus Cimber in deciding that Caesar must die, while rejecting the killing of Mark Antony.

At Caesar’s palace in Act II, Scene II, Trebonius is treated as a patron by Julius Caesar, who asks him to remain near him. Trebonius secretly resolves to stay close while anticipating Caesar’s downfall: “and so near will I be, That your best friends shall wish I had been further.” In Act II, Scene III, Artemidorus presents Caesar with a warning naming the conspirators’ plot, while Trebonius draws Mark Antony away from Caesar and the conspirators before the attack. Afterward, Mark Antony identifies Trebonius as an enemy among 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 Metellus Cimber 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.”
• Trebonius secretly resolves to remain close to Julius Caesar while anticipating his downfall.(Julius Caesar · Act II, Scene II · 📍 Caesar’s palace)
  • With: Julius Caesar
  • “and so near will I be, That your best friends shall wish I had been further.”
• 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 Metellus Cimber Decius Brutus Caius Ligarius
  • “ARTEMIDORUS. O Caesar, read mine first; for mine’s a suit That touches Caesar nearer. Read it, great Caesar.”
• Trebonius draws Antony away from Caesar and the conspirators before the attack.(Julius Caesar · Act II, Scene III · 📍 Capitol)
  • With: Mark Antony
  • “Trebonius knows his time, for look you, Brutus, He draws Mark Antony out of the way.”

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.”
• enemies with Julius Caesar “Caesar, I will. [Aside.] and so near will I be, That your best friends shall wish I had been further.”

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.”
• 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.