Julius Caesar
This page is under construction.
Historical Records
Biographia Dramatica (1812), 3:437 Google Books:
Julius Caesar. Trag. by Thomas May. The original MS. of this play, which is in five short acts, is in the possession of Mr. Stephen Jones. The author has affixed his name at the conclusion of the piece.
Theatrical Provenance
Probable Genre(s)
Latin tragedy (Harbage).
Possible Narrative and Dramatic Sources or Analogues
Although May's passion for Lucan makes the latter's Civil War appear as the most probable source of the play, Caesar's legacy had reached the Renaissance through many other texts, such as such as Appian's Civil Wars, Plutarch's Lives, Lucan's Civil War, Suetonius's Lives of the Twelve Caesars, Cassius Dio's Roman History and Caesar's own works. The use of these as sources can in no way be ruled out.
For a summary of Catiline's conspiracy, in which Caesar was rumoured to have taken part, see "Catiline's Conspiracy"; for the main events of Caesar's life from the so-called First Triumvirate, see "Caesar and Pompey".
References to the Play
None known.
Critical Commentary
Norbrook argues that this play may have shared the political concerns of May's tragedy of Julia Agrippina (1628), which "drew on Lucan in a stark portrayal of imperial corruption."
For What It's Worth
Will the manuscript containing the tragedy ever be recovered? As early as 1909, Ayres queried: "Can any one tell me where the MS. of Thomas May's tragedy on Julius Caesar is to be found?" Over 200 years after the manuscript was said to be in Stephen Jones's possession, the hopes of recovering it appear exceedingly faint.
A few reflections can also be made regarding the relation between this play and May's Continuation (1627) and Supplementum Lucani (1640).
Works Cited
Site created and maintained by Domenico Lovascio, University of Genoa; updated 25 July 2015.