A friendship consists of trust and support for one another. When someone breaks the bond of trust and support, they betray their friend. The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, written by William Shakespeare, demonstrates how even the closest of friends can be driven to the extreme of betray each other. Caius Cassius displays putrid betrayal towards Caesar throughout Caesar’s monarchy. Cassius is one of Caesar’s most loyal friends along with Brutus. At the beginning of the play Cassius hints to Brutus about a possible overthrow of their good friend Caesar. As Cassius discusses in secret with Brutus he portrays Caesar as a not fit ruler. He tells Brutus of a time in their past when Cassius and Caesar were children. “Help me Cassius, or I sink” (Shakespeare …show more content…
Cassius only talks to Brutus about times he had seemed superior to Caesar. Cassius puts himself above his “friend” to prove his power to Brutus. He is trying to win over Brutus’s trust and leaving Caesar behind. Continuing on in his conversation, Cassius shows signs of betrayal towards Caesar: “and this man is now become a god, and Cassius is a wretched creature and must bend his body if Caesar carelessly but nod on him” (21). Cassius is jealous of Caesar because he grew to power and he had not. He sees Caesar as weak from his previous childhood memories and overly cocky for what Cassius has seen from when he was young. Knowing that Caesar is overly cocky, Cassius’s jealously and pre-cons. Lastly, Cassius reveals his plans to Brutus with one last stab at Caesar: “his coward lips lost their color, and his eyes lost its luster. I heard his groan. As a sick girl he yelled, ‘give me some drink, Titinius,’ as a sick girl” (21). Cassius speaks of his friend as if a …show more content…
Your angel betrays you. Last breath. Looking Caesar in the eyes and then stabbing him in the chest is betrayal because it is not honorable and massacre. No friend would be good with watching people stab his friend 32 times, and then for good measure stab him one more time. Only someone that felt hate towards the other could do such massacre. After the massacre, Brutus speaks to the people of Rome and reveals to them his motive of the execution:“Brutus rose against Caesar, this is my answer: not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more” (117). Brutus isn’t a true friend and betrays Caesar because a true friend wouldn’t kill their friend for other people. Brutus didn’t believe in Caesar’s capability and doesn’t think he is good enough. Only someone that thinks they’re better would kill their own friend. Continuing on with his speech to the people, he stabs Caesar again proclaiming: “Had you rather Caesar were living, and die all slaves, than that Caesar were dead, to live all freemen?” (117). Brutus talks bad about Caesar after he killed him. He also says “rather Caesar live, and die all slaves” meaning that Brutus felt in a trapped, slave relationship with Caesar. By betraying Caesar, Brutus can finally be the only love in Rome, leaving Brutus with the interior motive of commanding more
In addition to this characteristic of Cassius, he also has a devious nature. This attribute allows him to invent informed manipulative plans to eliminate his opponents. For instance, after saying his farewells to Brutus, he gives a soliloquy that reveals his idea of throwing writings of different handwritings in Brutus’ windows “as if they came from several citizens” all of which “tending to the great opinion that Rome holds of his name, wherein obscurely Caesar’s ambition shall be glancéd at” (Shakespeare I. ii. 306-309). Since Brutus and Cassius have been friends for a long period of time, Cassius holds an abundance of knowledge pertaining to his values--in this case being his honor and desire to please Rome’s citizens. This undermining plot Cassius has devised is based on an informed opinion of the most effective way to subvert Caesar’s authority, and because of the valid observations made of Brutus by Cassius, the likelihood that this clever scheme will be carried out successfully should make Caesar concerned about the intentions of his judicial
Betraying someone’s trust isn’t always the best thing to do, but Brutus knew that what he was doing was right, so he had to do things like forsake Caesar and his trust. People also say that Brutus was a betrayer because he gave a speech with the intent to turn Rome against Caesar. Brutus loved Rome and its people, and didn’t want to be viewed as a killer.
Brutus turned on his best friend and stabbed him in the back. In Julius Caesar’s final moments he noticed his best friend as a traitor. “Et tu, Brute! Then fall, Caesar”, these are Caesars last words as he is stabbed in the back by his friend. Since Brutus thought what he did was for Rome, he did not kill his best friend out of spite or hate he killed his best friend Julius Caesar so that Rome could live. Brutus was tricked into believing that Caesar would not be fit to be king, and would destroy the place Brutus loves, Brutus killed Caesar to protect Rome. Despite what Brutus did, he did only what he thought was the only thing he could do to save Rome. He thought not about his position he thought about the people. Yet he killed Caesar off
At the beginning, Brutus is tricked by Cassius into believing that killing Julius Caesar would be for the better of Rome (1, 2, ll. 32-321). Cassius is able to deviously influence Brutus into thinking that Caesar is no different from Brutus. He says, “Brutus and Caesar: what should be in that Caesar?/ Why should that name be sounded more than yours?” (1, 2, ll. 142-143) Cassius also uses many other examples to manipulate Brutus.
Brutus put his trust in Antony to not turn on him at the funeral. He was lead to believe that Antony would only speak good of the conspirators and defend them for the actions they have made. He trusted Antony when he told him he would not express such hate and talk of the bad they did and then later turned against them for the vengeance of Caesar. Brutus told Antony, “You shall not in your funeral speech blame us, But speak all good you can devise of Caesar” (III.i.245-246). He told him that the only way he is going to be able to speak at Caesar’s funeral is if he speaks good of the conspirators. After Antony said his speech, the whole crowd immediately switched and sided with him against them. They wanted nothing more than for Brutus, Cassius and the other contributors to be dead. This reveals that Brutus is shameful for putting his trust in someone who was so close to Caesar. Brutus trusted that Antony wouldn't do anything and just imagined he would be to scared to step up and speak out. This leads to Brutus losing the trust he had for Antony and starting a war between the people and the conspirators. As the war was about to proceed, they all prepped for what was about to happen. Antony and his army completely dominated Brutus’ and lead to many of them fleeing for their lives. Many people died by genocide while other committed suicide. Brutus was among the ones of suicide. He no longer wanted to be alive and felt that he had lived and fulfill what he had wanted. People were dead and he knew he was going to be one of them. Brutus’ last words were, “Caesar, now be still; I killed not thee with half so good a will” (V.v.50-51). He wanted Caesar to know that he can now be at rest because the vengeance he was looking for has been given. Because of all the trust he put in the people that were taking advantage of him, he ended up finishing his life. This reveals that Brutus really did
Cassius, a very suspicious character throughout the play tells Brutus to “be not jealous on me” (827), in the quote he tells Brutus to not be suspicious of him because he is just a friend who genuinely cares. Cassius does this to put himself on Brutus’ side and not seem like a distant person, this allows him to criticize Caesar and suggest that he is a bad influence on Rome which appeals to Brutus’ desire to keep Rome safe. After setting himself up as a friend to Brutus, Cassius uses harsh anecdotes on the weakness of Caesar to show that he isn’t fit to rule Rome. Cassius recollects a time when he and Caesar went swimming in the river Tiber and Caesar screamed “Help me, Cassius or I sink” (828) to depict Caesar as a little baby compared to the colossus he is said to be.... ... middle of paper ...
Brutus’ ignorance creates an expectation that develops a path which leads him awry. When Brutus mentions,“ I would not Cassius; yet I love him well” (1.2.81-88 ), he portrays his internal conflict. Brutus depicts the rendering struggle between Cassius’ acquisitions and Caesar’s actions. His oblivion toward the truth and goodwill concerning the greater health of Rome prompt him astray. He acts with the innocence of a child, deceive and swindle by Cassius, Brutus is an
Shakespeare introduces Cassius as one who is not fond of Julius Caesar. This is due to the fact that he is a higher rank and acts high and mighty. Brutus talks with Cassius about Caesar at the beginning of the play and Cassius says that Caesar is just like everyone else
Initially, Brutus was wary of Cassius when Brutus said, “Into what dangers would you lead me, Cassius?” (1.2.69). Subsequently, Brutus is persuaded as he states, “.what you have said / I will consider” (1.2.176-177). Cassius is willing to control any person who stands in his way. Cassius successfully turned Brutus against his best friend in order to achieve what Cassius believes to be best for Rome.
Both Cassius and Brutus conspire against Caesar, yet Shakespeare depicts Brutus as doing a noble job compared to Cassius as doing a greedy and envious task. Cassius believes that he is stronger than Caesar. Therefore, Cassius does not understand why Caesar is in power and he is not. Cassius is also envious of Caesar. In Act I Scene II, Cassius describes to Brutus the time he had to save Caesar in a swimming race. Since then, Cassius feels superior to Caesar. In Cassius’ mind, kings’ right to rule should be based off of strength, not intelligence or virtue. On the other hand, Brutus knows that although a king should be strong, he must also be virtuous. Brutus always elaborates on the topic of honor. In fact, his first priority is to keep his own honor intact and Brutus fears that Caesar will change when he is crowned. Brutus says, “He would be crowned: How that might change his nature, there’s the question.” (Act II, Scene I, Page 49, lines 12-14) He senses Caesar’s greed for power, and ...
If then that friend demands why Brutus rose against Caesar, this is my answer: not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more." (3.2.19-24). His concentration on honor and nobility ends up being used against him by Cassius, who instigates him to kill his best friend. Cassius knows how naive and how moral Brutus is and he uses this information into making him help kill Caesar. Being naive and over trusting causes his first mistake and helps with his downfall when he refuses to listen to Cassius, who wants Antony to be also killed because he knows that he will seek revenge for Caesar. However, Brutus code of honor won 't let him approve the killing of Antony "Our plan will seem too bloody, Caius Cassius. We cut off the head and then hack the limbs, seem to kill Caesar in anger and then vent malice on his friends, for Antony is only a branch of Caesar."(2.1.169-172), he doesn 't want to be seen by the Roman people as a killer, but someone who 's doing what 's right for the people of
The story of the Tragedy of Julius Caesar unfolds the true meaning behind friendship, Most people can agree that friendship is a difficult relationship to attain to people who are boastful, or even scandalous. The friendships in Julius Caesar represent the attitudes, and emotions the carry on in a circle of friends. Julius Caesar was a temporary Roman dictator in the time of 44 B.C. He had perpetuous intentions during his rule of Rome, but his fellow conspirators believed otherwise. Julius Caesar’s life quickly turns into turmoil when he discovers his fate from an oracle, and then it resulted in his death; murdered by his best friend, and conspirators. Was this murder in the name of love, or jealousylove, ambition, and jealousy. Friendships
He is so motivated by ambition that he decides to kill Caesar, the leader of Rome. Although dedication can be a good quality, in Cassius, it blinds him to all other things and makes him ruthless in his quest to rule Rome. Cassius’s desire for power is evident when he states, "Men at some time are masters of their fates. The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, But in ourselves, that we are underlings" (1.2.146-148). Cassius’ ambition leads him to go as far as to convince a dear friend with manipulation and false notes to help him plot to kill Caesar. His ambition makes him power hungry and he lacks the honor to back up his overzealous behavior. Cassius envies Caesar and because of this he resorts to bribery, assassinations, and imposing taxes for personal
Friendship is a wonderful part of life, but unfortunately, it can be used to deceive. It is easy to manipulate, but true friendship cannot be defeated, even after death. This element could well be the very thing that sealed the fate of Julius Caesar. Brutus, Cassius, and all the other conspirators knew that they could use friendship to their advantage and Caesar's disadvantage. The conspirators used friendship as a cover to blind Caesar from the truth, just as a hunter uses camouflage to keep the animals from seeing what he is up to.
Throughout, William Shakespeare's play Julius Caesar, the theme of friendship would prove to be a very delicate and manipulative element. This element would be the very entity that would seal Julius Caesar's fate. Brutus, Decius, and all the other conspirators would use this to their power, and to Julius's weakness. Friendship was used as a cover to blind Julius from the truth, from the plots against him. Flattery along with manipulation was used as a way of persuasion to soothe any feelings of doubt or weariness. These essentials would gain trust, the key to all friendships. This trust would be lost and transform into betrayal. Even though Caesar was plotted against and murdered by the likes of Brutus and Cassius, friendship still proved a strong theme because it would cloke the conspirators intentions. Julius was vulnerable to the power of friendship and was blinded by the shrewd ways of Decius, Brutus, and all the other conspirators.