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Honor and power is what drives the conspirators to assassinate Julius Caesar in William Shakespeare's play Julius Caesar. Caesar is now the single leader of Rome, and members of the Senate have concerns that he will abuse his sole power. Therefore, they plot and accomplish the assassination of Caesar in an attempt to rebuild the balance of Rome. Rome falls into chaos with an unknown future with no central leader for the people to follow. In Act I, Scene 2, Cassius, a member of the Senate, explains to his friend, Brutus, that Caesar is not the god he makes himself out to be. Instead, he argues both he and Brutus are equal to Caesar and are just as deserving of the throne. Cassius’ speech to Brutus diminishes Caesar’s godly demeanor through …show more content…
irony, emphasizes his bravery, and utilizes vivid description in order to illustrate that Caesar is not fit to rule. Cassius demonstrates Caesar’s ungodly nature in his story about Caesar’s deficiencies.
Much of Rome perceives Caesar as a superior being and immortal, but Cassius holds a contrasting perspective of Caesar. There is a point in his story where Caesar is crying for help, “Help me, Cassius, or I sink!” (111). Cassius also reveals a time when Caesar fell ill in Spain and how Caesar was completely taken over by this sudden sickness, “And when the fit was on him, I did mark/ How he did shake-’tis true, this god did shake,” (120-121). Cassius tells of Caesar’s weakest points, exposing moments in which Caesar does not seem godly at all. By illustrating the time in which Caesar fell ill Cassius proves that Caesar is not a celestial because become gods do not become ill, only normal citizens do. Cassius diminishes Caesar’s godly nature by illustrating how this great immortal being, cannot swim or can become terribly ill, just as any other commoner. Cassius, by exposing these moments in Caesar’s life, demonstrates to Brutus that Caesar is not fit to be a leader and is not the god Romans perceive him to be; his actions create a different person than his words. This supports Cassius’ point that Caesar is not fit to be a leader because Caesar is deceiving the people of Rome. Cassius continues to elaborate on his episode when he informs Brutus that he was crying for others to bring him water, “Ay, and that tongue of his that bade the Romans/Mark him, and write his speeches in their books,/Alas it cried, ‘Give me some drink, Titinius” (125-127). The great Caesar, whom others admire and document his words, is now begging for a drink to help him recover from the sudden illness. Cassius emphasizes how Caesar is not divine since he cannot manage sudden, challenging events. He reveals how Caesar whose words can persuade the citizens of Rome is now begging for someone to help him. This diminishes his godly nature because it demonstrates how weak Caesar can become in an instant.
Therefore, to Cassius, Caesar is an inadequate leader since he cannot handle abrupt circumstances. Cassius gives examples of a few of Caesar’s weak moments in order to emphasize the moments in which Caesar is being ungodly, and the fact that he is unsuitable to be a good leader. Cassius proves to Brutus his bravery in his speech by illustrating him facing grave dangers. There is a point in the story where Cassius explains he is the first one to jump into the river, “Accoutred as I was, I plunged in/ And bade him follow; so indeed he did,” (105-106). Cassius portrays he is braver than Caesar because he is the first one to jump into the dangerous river. Additionally, Cassius compares himself to the greek Hero Aeneas in order to demonstrate he is just as brave, “Ay, as Aeneas, our great ancestor,/ Did from the flames of Troy upon his shoulder,” (112-113). By Cassius comparing himself to a Greek hero is emphasizing how fearless he is, and how his actions compare to those of a Aeneas. This comparison establishes to Brutus just how brave Cassius is because it puts into Brutus’ head the kind of danger Cassius puts himself into in order to save someone else. Therefore, this comparison not only illustrates how courageous Cassius is but how he is more brave than Caesar since he put Caesar’s life before his own. Furthermore, Cassius goes on to explain how both he and Brutus are equal to Caesar, “I was born free as Caesar, so were you;/ We both have fed as well, and we can both/ Endure the winter’s cold as well as he,” (97-99). Cassius is explaining how they are both equal to Caesar since that have faced the same situations. Cassius justifies that both he and Brutus are both able to handle various situations just as well as Caesar, and thus emphasizing they are equal to Caesar and they can also be leaders. In his speech Cassius highlights points in his story where he was braver than Caesar in order to demonstrate that Caesar is not fit to be leader. By emphasizing how Cassius is more courageous than Caesar it persuades Brutus to believe that Caesar should not be the leader of Rome. Cassius’ use of imagery accentuates the challenges he faces to further expose he is a better leader than Caesar. Cassius goes into a vivid description about the river he jumps in to save Caesar from drowning. He uses phrases such as “chafing with her shores” (101), “angry flood” (103), and “The torrent roared” (107). These negatively connotated phrases portray to Brutus that Cassius put himself in grave danger in order to save Caesar. Cassius is painting a horrible scene for Brutus to imagine in order to persuade him to see that Caesar is not fit to be a ruler. By painting such a harsh setting Brutus can see the risks Cassius had to take, and how he is able to overcome them, whereas Caesar was unable too. Cassius’ imagery highlights the difficulties Cassius faces and thus further proves that Cassius is a better fit to be the ruler of Rome than is Caesar. For the betterment of Rome is the reason most of the conspirators decided to assassinate Julius Caesar in William Shakespeare's play Julius Caesar. In order to support his reasons for wanting to assassinate Caesar, Cassius shares a story with Brutus that diminishes Caesar’s godly appearance, highlights his brave character, and paints a harsh picture that illustrates to Brutus that Caesar is not fit to be in power. This speech, or story, that Cassius tells is part of the many elements that drives Brutus to join the conspirators. The speech helps Brutus to realize it is necessary to kill Caesar, it is one of the pushing points that helps Brutus to decide to join the plot against Caesar. Without Cassius bringing into light that Caesar is not the god Rome makes him out to be than Brutus quite possibly wouldn’t have joined the conspirators. Therefore, this speech is essential in persuading Brutus to join the conspirators, and the fall of Caesar. Cassius’ speech to Brutus is a key element in the assassination of Caesar because it is what helped push Brutus to join the side of the conspirators and put their plan into action.
The book Julius Caesar is full of happiness, conspiracy, power, and betrayal. The people of Rome deeply loved julius Caesar and wished to make him their king. A group of senators however were not so fond of this idea and formed a conspiracy. The leader of this group was a man by the name of Cassius. In order to make sure that his scheme of killing Caesar would work and would look honorable he had to convince a senator by the name of Brutus to help. After being convinced that they had to kill Caesar to protect Rome from a tyrant Brutus joined the conspiracy and soon became the principal conspirator.On the day in which Caesar was to be crowned king he was on the way to the senate when he was stabbed by all the conspirators panic ensued and to convince Rome of their honorable intentions Brutus gave a funeral speech. Mark Antony, a very close friend of Caesar, gave his speech after Brutus had given his. Mark Antony’s speech is more persuasive to the Roman people because of his outstanding use of pathos, sarcasm, and logos.
Cassius truly believes Caesar has a frail state of mind and is unfit to have any form of authority in Rome. At first glance, his words and ideology seem to strive for the end of tyranny and become the savior of Romans, but it is clear he puts more emphasis on his rank rather than the well-being of others. When he states that their ranks were not their fault and should be taken into their own hands he intends to take his place by force with no regards for the Roman people or government. Additionally, Cassius shouldn’t be commended for saving Caesar from drowning because he remembrances on that deed to convince others that Caesar is feeble than most, yet he is treated like a god. Cassius’s greed for power motivates his murderous motivations but his ability to manipulate others to his will is also evident in his words. He refers to Caesar’s overwhelming power similar to a Colossus while he and the others “…walk under his huge legs… ” or are hidden in his glory. In reality though, the senators are more esteemed than despised. Another way Cassius misleads others is by faking Caesar’s fascist behaviors toward the commoners. He does so by forging negative letters about “Caesar’s Ambition” for Brutus to be pressured into joining his cause. Consumed by envy, he convinces Brutus to assassinate Caesar for the righteousness of the people but his incentive has
Exordium- “Power does not corrupt men; fools, however, if they get into a position of power, corrupt power” - George Bernard Shaw. Was the great Roman Emperor Julius Caesar a fool or power hungry? Today I would like to explain why I think he was truly power hungry.
In Julius Caesar corruption led to dangerous outcomes, such as death. "Et tu, Brute? Then fall Caesar!" (Shakespeare 3.1.77). The last words of noble Caesar could be heard, as Brutus, the last of the conspirators, took a plunge at Caesar with his knife. Caesar laying there on the senate floor, illustrated the murderous intentions of the senators. "Liberty! Freedom! Tyranny is dead!/Run hence, proclaim, cry it about the streets" (Shakespeare 3.1. 78-79). The sounds of the pompous conspirators could be heard about the streets. Caesar was dead and they were proud of it. Would this have taken place if the conspirators were not of high rank, such as senators? Probably not. Simple townspeople did not have the power, and could not even bare to think of murdering someone as noble as Caesar. Cassius and the other Senators had the power to, and did commit murder. Brutus though, did not think of it as murder. "People and senators, be affrighted./ Fly not; standstill’ ambition’s debt has been paid" (Shakespeare 3.1.82-83). Brutus announces this so he could convince the people as well a...
Brutus’ leadership and compassion for others make him a popular figure amongst the Roman people, and it is his reputation that establishes him as an influential individual. For example, despite the fact that Brutus loves Caesar like a brother, he warily joins the conspiracy to assassinate him. He does this because he believes that Caesar’s ambition would become tyranny and that Caesar’s death is a necessary evil in order to preserve the liberties of the Roman people. In his own words Brutus claims, “It must be by his death; and for my part, I know no personal cause to spurn at him, but for the general.”(Act 2, Scene 1, Page 1116). In addition, Brutus takes the reins of authority from Cassius and becomes the leader of the conspiracy. He gains this prerogative because of his convincing tongue and powerful influence. His leadership is evidenced when he begins to challenge Cassius’ ideas. When Cassius asks the conspirators to “swear our resolution”(Act 2...
power and wealth in early Rome. Caesar was born on July 12, 100 BC. His father
In the play Julius Caesar, written and preformed by William Shakespeare, there are many characters, but two, Brutus and Cassius, stood out. The play begins in Rome where a celebration of Julius Caesar's victory over the former ruler of Rome, Pompeii. The victory leads to Caesar's betrayal by his jealous companions. Senators and other high status figures are jealous of Caesar's new and growing power, while others, like Brutus, fear the tyrannical rule Caesar could enforce. The conspirators, Brutus and Cassius being the most important, assassinate Julius Caesar and Marcus Antonius, better known as Antony, and Octavius Caesar, Caesar's heir to the thrown, revenge Caesar's death. Antony convinces the Roman populous to destroy the conspirators and eventually begins a war with Cassius and Brutus' armies. Both Cassius and Brutus commit suicide to save their honor and Antony and Octavius win the war. The characterizations of Brutus and Cassius show a distinct contrast in their character traits and motives for the assassination of Julius Caesar.
Prior to Julius Caesar completely seizing control of the Roman Republic, various Consuls of Rome took advantage of their power and utilized it to be in sole control of the Republic. Two prominent examples include Marius and Sulla, who rose up the ranks of Roman politics to Consul and disheveled Rome. While these two men provide a sneak peak of what Julius Caesar would do, they did not come to close to matching Caesar’s influence on the Roman Republic. Caesar separated himself from these two men through political, social, and militaristic endeavors that led him to seize power. This process struck hard to the Roman political landscape because at the time of Caesar’s death the Republic was completely ended. Caesar intended for this to happen
“Veni, vidi, vici” (I came, I saw, I conquered) (Source1). This Julius Caesar quote can be used to describe his rise to power in the Roman Republic and destruction of it in the process. Caesar was an extremely influential, yet controversial figure in Rome’s history. He had all the power any Roman could dream of but he abused it. Julius Caesar was a destroyer of the Roman Republic because his arrogance made the government benefit only him, his ruthlessness endangered others, and he undermined the authority of the Roman Senate.
When looking at his importance and influence Roman history, few would argue Julius Caesar is one of the most powerful and successful leaders in the history of the world.
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
In this play, Cassius’ motivation is completely inspired by evil and hatred. His jealousy of Caesar and greed for power drives him to create the conspiracy and start plotting the death of Caesar. While talking to Casca, he says, “What trash is Rome, / What rubbish and what offal, when is serves / For the bas matter to illuminate / So vile a thing as Caesar!” (I.iii.109-112). This shows some of the true feelings Cassius has about Caesar. He believes that Caesar is not worthy of his power and does not want anyone to hold more power than him. Although he justifies the killing of Caesar as an act for freedom from tyranny, his motivation is full of bad intent. In an attempt to disguise his true motives, Cassius convinces Brutus, an honorable and well-respected man, to join the conspiracy. He tells Brutus, “Brutus and Caesar-what should be in that “Caesar”? / Why should that name be sounded more than yours? / Write them together, yours is as fair a name. / Sound them, it doth become the mouth as well. / ...
Some people just have a lust for control and power. That was the case for Julius Caesar, who’s ambition for power ultimately ended in his assassination. It’s always pretty clear in history books that those who gain too much power never holds on to it for a long time. The name Julius Caesar nowadays brings an image of a great leader who led Rome to glory. Julius Caesar’s rise to supreme leader was swift and quickly alarmed those in the Senate, fearing he had to much of it. All these worries of the Senate grew as he declared himself dictator. It wasn’t long before his comrades formed a plan to assassinate him. His assignation was the result of having too much power and a fearful Senate who couldn’t fathom one man having all the power. Though
Jealousy in Julius Caesar & nbsp; Jealousy causes many of the characters in The Tragedy of Julius Caesar to commit dangerous and foolish acts. Cassius' jealousy drives him to kill. Caesar. All the conspirators, except the noble Brutus, kill Caesar because they feel threatened by his power. Brutus is the only conspirator who murders Caesar. for more honorable reasons. Jealousy is a very important theme in this play. & nbsp; Cassius feels very threatened by Caesar's power. He remembers when he was an equal to Caesar, and doesn't think that Caesar deserves this much power. He comments to Brutus, "I was born free as Caesar; so were you." fed as well, and we can both endure the cold winter as well as he" (Act I, p. 1).
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 ...