Examples Of Calpurnia In Julius Caesar

To the ancient Romans, their leaders were the men to which they gave their utmost respect and trust. One leader in particular, Julius Caesar, left a true Roman legacy; he came, he saw, and he conquered. Caesar may have been like a god to many--but, in reality, his life was just like everyone else’s. People tried to persuade him to do one thing or the other; however, Caesar, being the self-obsessed person he was, needed a fairly compelling argument. In Shakespeare’s re-enactment of the ruler’s downfall, readers see precisely this. By using various rhetorical devices, Calpurnia tries to convince Caesar to stay home, and Decius attempts to persuade Caesar to come to the Capitol.
Calpurnia begins to persuade Caesar to stay home by telling him

about omens that she has seen, all in an effort to scare Caesar. Before she can share the omens with Caesar, she enlightens Caesar as to why he should listen to what she has to say; she claims that she “never stood on ceremonies.” By using this selection of detail, she indicates that the omens are severe enough for her to be afraid of them, as she has never been wary of omens up to this point. Furthermore, Calpurnia selects the specific detail of there being “one within [the Capitol]” who has also seen these omens. This appeals to Calpurnia’s credibility and proves to Caesar that she is not about to repeat a series of lies. As she begins to tell Caesar about the omens, she claims that “graves have yawned” and “[a] lioness hath whelpèd.” This bizarre imagery allows Calpurnia to do one thing: attempt to scare Caesar with the frightening occurrences of graves opening to release the dead, and lions giving birth in the streets of Rome. In addition, Calpurnia uses the words “fierce” and “fiery” to describe her vision of warriors fighting; they imply the direness and intensity of the situation--a further attempt to frighten Caesar. As her narrative comes to a close, Calpurnia uses haunting aural imagery to make a final appeal to Caesar’s resistant fear. She tells Caesar that “dying men did groan,” and there were “ghosts [that] did shriek and squeal.”
In order to further convince Caesar, Calpurnia resorts to a more logical approach--she offers him a solution.

She prefaces her plan by reminding Caesar of something: “[w]hen beggars die, there are no comets seen.” This aphorism allows Calpurnia to seem certain in the omens and their abnormality. Calpurnia also uses an aphoristic detail in that “[t]he heavens themselves blaze forth the death of princes.” Again, her prophetic statement acts as a method of ensuring her evidence is veritable. After Caesar refutes, Calpurnia is straightforward with him and truthfully says his knowledge is “consumed in confidence.” With her selection of detail, she angers Caesar while also making her seem stronger and more like someone to which Caesar should listen. As she concludes her argument, Calpurnia says she will send Antony to the Capitol and shall “prevail” in doing so. By using the word “prevail,” Calpurnia proves how strongly she wishes for Caesar to stay home; it indicates her desire to overcome Caesar’s

stubbornness.
After Calpurnia speaks, Decius comes to argue against what Calpurnia has told Caesar.

Decius takes what Caesar tells him and reinterprets it; he first eliminates the simile: Caesar’s “statue [is] like a fountain.” As a result of doing so, Decius implies that Caesar is quixotic because fountains are the epitome of artistic expression in landscaping. Furthermore, Decius decides to remove the word “lusty” from Caesar’s retelling; thus, he subtly tells Caesar that the Roman people are not as sinful and desire-filled as he may perceive them to be. However, Decius does use the word “smiling” to describe the Romans’ view of Caesar’s death, and--therefore--he tells Caesar that the Roman people still happily support him. As Decius supports his counter argument with a final piece of evidence, he uses a compelling juxtaposition: “great Rome shall suck / Reviving blood” and many “great men shall press / For tinctures, stains, relics, and cognizance.” Essentially, Decius uses the juxtaposition of the Romans’ behavior toward Caesar to remind him that the Roman people find him to be sustenant and honorable; that Caesar is key to success, celebration, and renewal to Rome. Within the juxtaposition, Decius also includes the word “reviving.” This choice of a strong adjective appeals to Caesar’s arrogance, as it implies that--while Caesar is ruler--his blood has the power to save

lives.
To finally convince Caesar to go to the Capitol with him, Decius appeals to Caesar’s tyrannical personality and shares many consequences. He starts off by calling Caesar “mighty” in an effort to flatter Caesar and make him more likely to listen to Decius. In addition to the word choice, Decius tells Caesar that the Senate’s “minds may change”: an appropriate selection of detail that appeals to Caesar’s greed. If Caesar truly wants this crown, he will definitely come to the Capitol. Decius also tells Caesar that there is likely to be “mock” if he does not come. The word implies less of a playful attitude and more of a sense of judgment--a way for Decius to target Caesar’s weakness to disapproval. As Decius continues, he begins to use imagery by claiming what members of the Senate might say, such as “[b]reak up the Senate till...Caesar’s wife shall meet with better dreams.” This appeals to Caesar’s arrogance, as Caesar is generally more concerned with himself than his wife. Additionally, Decius asks, “[i]f Caesar hide himself, shall they not whisper…‘Caesar is afraid’?” The use of a rhetorical question allows Decius to indirectly query Caesar’s bravery, making Caesar appear paltry and gutless. Decius finishes his input by reminding Caesar of his “dear dear love” for him; this repetition of word choice allows Decius to cement his argument in Caesar via a supposed emotional connection.
With the help of various rhetorical devices, Decius’ argument is ultimately found to be more persuasive by Caesar. Calpurnia’s argument was simply too whimsical and imaginative for Caesar; her feminine pleas were nothing more than a revelation of weakness. Decius, on the other hand, appeals to Caesar’s semblant leadership and targets the fragility of Caesar’s masculinity: a very threatening argument in a society centered on the robustness of manhood.