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Julius Caesar: every role by lines, words, and stage time

William Shakespeare. 47 speaking roles, 19,083 words, about 136 minutes of speech.

The Offbook team

Oct 8, 2026

Brutus has the most to say in Julius Caesar: about 724 lines and 5,399 words, 28.3% of the play. Julius Caesar follows the conspiracy to kill Caesar and the civil war that follows. Brutus is the largest part, with more than a quarter of the words, and speaks in 12 of 18 sections. Caesar himself has only about 6% and speaks in just three sections, ending in Act 3, Scene 1, while Cassius and Antony carry much of the rest.

Speaking roles
47
Scenes
18
Words
19,083
Speech time
136 min

Every role, largest first

RoleLinesWordsShareMinutesScenes
Brutus7245,39928.3%38.612
Cassius5093,72119.5%26.68
Antony3292,53713.3%18.18
Caesar1511,1245.9%8.03
Casca1341,0555.5%7.54
Portia927203.8%5.12
Octavius473281.7%2.33
Decius443221.7%2.33
Messala382501.3%1.84
Marullus322381.2%1.71
Cinna322331.2%1.74
Titinius312331.2%1.71
Servant302121.1%1.53
Lucius332051.1%1.53
Calpurnia272021.1%1.42
Flavius261981%1.41
Lucilius261821%1.35
Second Commoner171460.8%1.01
Artemidorus171450.8%1.02
Fourth Citizen211340.7%1.02
Second Citizen221330.7%1.02
Soothsayer181310.7%0.93
Third Citizen221310.7%0.92
First Citizen221280.7%0.92
Metellus171210.6%0.92
Pindarus161200.6%0.92
Ligarius151110.6%0.81
Clitus10700.4%0.51
Cicero9620.3%0.41
Trebonius8600.3%0.43
Strato7590.3%0.41
Cato8540.3%0.42
Poet7540.3%0.41
First Soldier5270.1%0.22
Messenger4240.1%0.21
Lepidus4220.1%0.21
Varro4210.1%0.21
Volumnius3170.1%0.11
Ghost3160.1%0.11
Dardanius3150.1%0.11
Popilius2100.1%0.11
Second Soldier280%0.12
Several Citizens270%0.11
Claudius260%0.01
Publius260%0.02
First Commoner140%0.01
Third Soldier110%0.01

Who speaks in which scene

Darker cells mean more words in that scene. Use it to plan rehearsal calls, or to see how long an actor waits between entrances.

Role1.11.21.32.12.22.32.43.13.23.34.14.24.35.15.25.35.45.5
Brutus
Cassius
Antony
Caesar
Casca
Portia

The longest speeches

SpeechSceneWordsLines
Cassius: “I know that virtue to be in you, Brutus,”Act 1, Scene 235042
Antony: “Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears;”Act 3, Scene 226835
Brutus: “Be patient till the last. Romans, countrymen, …”Act 3, Scene 223424
Cassius: “Why, man, he doth bestride the narrow world”Act 1, Scene 223127
Antony: “If you have tears, prepare to shed them now.”Act 3, Scene 222929
Antony: “I doubt not of your wisdom.”Act 3, Scene 122228
Brutus: “No, not an oath: if not the face of men,”Act 2, Scene 121027
Brutus: “It must be by his death: and for my part,”Act 2, Scene 120625
Antony: “Good friends, sweet friends, let me not stir y…”Act 3, Scene 218321
Antony: “O, pardon me, thou bleeding piece of earth,”Act 3, Scene 118023

Small roles that can be doubled

These pairs of small roles never speak in the same scene, so one actor could play both. Check entrances and silent appearances in your script before you cast it this way.

  • Portia and Octavius
  • Portia and Messala
  • Portia and Marullus
  • Portia and Titinius
  • Portia and Servant
  • Portia and Calpurnia
  • Portia and Flavius
  • Portia and Lucilius
  • Portia and Second Commoner
  • Portia and Artemidorus
  • Portia and Fourth Citizen
  • Portia and Second Citizen

Roles and monologues in depth

Questions actors ask

Who has the most lines in Julius Caesar?

Brutus, with about 724 lines and 5,399 words, 28.3% of everything spoken in the play. Cassius is next, with about 509 lines (19.5%).

How long is Julius Caesar?

The full text has 19,083 spoken words, about 136 minutes at 140 words a minute before pauses, scene changes, and cuts. Most productions cut the text, so running times vary.

How many speaking roles are in Julius Caesar?

47 named roles speak in this edition, across 18 scenes. 41 of them have less than 2% of the words, which is why small parts are often doubled.

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