Julius Caesar Selfish Quotes

In Shakespeare’s play, the conspirators are not justified because of their selfish motives. During the beginning of the play, Cassius is depicted as covetous when he tries to convince Casca to join the conspirators by speaking poorly of Caesar. “What trash is Rome, what rubbish and what offal, when it serves for the base matter to illuminate so vile a thing as Caesar” (I.II.108-110). Using a disgusted pattern of diction, Shakespeare helps to convey a bitter tone when Cassius states, “trash”, “rubbish” and “offal” to express his belief that Rome will become a terrible place when Caesar rules. Also, the fact that Cassius says, “a thing”, to describe Caesar shows how disrespectful he is, portraying his revolting attitude as a bad motive. This language characterizes Cassius as jealous and greedy of Caesar’s power,

characterizing him as immoral. Shakespeare included this moment to express that the conspirator Cassius wanted to kill Caesar for his own benefit, revealing them as not justified.
Shakespeare also characterizes Cassius as resentful when he complains about Caesar’s social rank.

“He doth bestride the narrow world like a Colossus, and we petty men walk under his huge legs and peep about to find ourselves in dishonourable graves” ( I.II.135-138). Cassius is angry because Caesar receives a lot of attention as ruler, and Cassius is supposed to honor him. Shakespeare uses a simile to compare Caesar to a Colossus - which is a giant statue that spanned the harbour entrance, and is tall enough to allow ships to pass between it’s legs. Cassius exaggerates into saying that as long as Caesar is in power, men like himself are considered insignificant, shown in the phrases “we petty men” and “find ourselves in dishonourable graves”. The words “petty” and “dishonourable” create a callous pattern of diction to describe everyone besides Caesar. This opposes with the fact that Caesar left many pleasures for the Romans in his will, expressing Cassius as a liar. Shakespeare included this moment in the text to convey to the reader that the conspirators are not justified- especially Cassius, by using characterization and tone to depict his bad

motives.
Another idea presented in the text is when Shakespeare characterizes Cassius  as manipulative. Cassius believes that Brutus will join the conspirators after he manages to persuade him one last time so he indirectly forges letters into Brutus’s window. Brutus believes that the Romans have said, “Brutus, thou sleep’st. Awake, and see thyself. Shall Rome, etc. Speak, strike, redress! Brutus, thou sleep’st. Awake” (II.i.47-50). He interprets this letter as a protest against Caesar. Shakespeare includes repetition to emphasize how urgent Cassius wants the public to seem, so that Brutus would be more willing to join the conspirators. This also characterizes Cassius as cunning because he hides the truth from Brutus, showing him to have bad motives. Brutus also believes that  the people of Rome are telling him their desires through this single letter. The phrase, “thou sleep’st. Awake, and see thyself” expresses the demand from the Romans, and how Brutus is portrayed as unaware of his surroundings. Additionally, the phrase “Speak, strike, redress!”, helps us understand the kind of action Cassius wants from Brutus for the benefit of his own desire. Shakespeare included these parts of the text to emphasize how manipulative Cassius can get when he wants something.