Brutus Essay

William Costley

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Humanities Pink

Ms. Smith

Brutus

“And therefore think him as a serpent’s egg, Which hatch’d, as his kind, grow mischievous And kill him in his shell.” This quote tells us that Brutus has decided to kill his beloved friend Caesar because he sees Caesar becoming good side becoming ‘naughty’. Brutus was motivated to kill Caesar because he loved Rome and he wanted to keep Rome as a Republic.

Brutus is a character that poses extremely high love for Rome, which allows Brutus to overcome his personal relationship with Caesar. Brutus loves Rome and doesn’t want them to be slaves and loose all their freedom. We know Brutus loves Rome because when Brutus says, “Not that I loved Caesar less, but that I love Rome more”. Brutus says this straight after he has killed Caesar, which proves that he had overcome his relationship with Caesar because he admits that it was because of love and also tells the people too that he loves them more. This quote really shows that Brutus was motivated to kill Caesar over love because Brutus use’s it as his very own defense of why he killed Caesar and this quote tells ‘us’ why he killed Caesar. Another quote that shows Brutus killed Caesar because his love for Rome is when Brutus says, “Lets be sacrificers, not butchers, Caius. We all stand up against the spirit of Caesar, and in the spirit of men there is no blood.” This quote is when Brutus is with Cassius and the other conspirators, telling him that they should kill Caesar because they would look like murderers and that the whole thing would look like they were killing Caesar because they hated them. It tells us that Brutus has forgotten his personal issues with Brutus and is doing it for Rome and their freedom; not because he hates Caesar and wants him dead, which I think is what Cassius is doing. Brutus is clearly saying showing through his words that he is an extremely honourable man and he does things (like assassinating Caesar) for his people because he loves them and believes that if Caesar would become a tyrant then the people would loose all their freedom. Brutus loves them so much he would kill for them to be free. Brutus was unmistakably motivated by love to kill his friend Caesar.

Gaining honour from his ancestors, Brutus feels that it his responsibility to defend the democracy of Rome and attack the close coming dictatorship. He feels that it his responsibility because his ancestors also took out the dictatorship, so he wants to follow their footsteps, plus by having so much honour he is naturally motivated to keep the democracy. Just before Caesar was going to be crowned king of Rome he said, “Et tu Brute? Then fall Caesar!” This quote tells us that Brutus had killed Caesar finally and had killed him right before he became a tyrant. This quotation tells us that Brutus had killed Caesar just when was about to become King. I think that Brutus wouldn’t have killed Caesar so soon if Caesar wasn’t being crowned king so quickly. Like Brutus killed Caesar on the day he was going to become king, which shows that he was prepared to kill him whenever the time came. Also, as we think that Brutus was still overcoming his relationship with Caesar, but killed him without hesitation really signifies Brutus’s desperation and honour for a democracy. Brutus totally pushed his friendship with Caesar away and his responsibility of keeping the democracy kicked in a huge amount motivating him to kill Caesar. Here is another quote, which supports that Brutus was motivated because he wanted to keep a democracy. When Brutus says, “Another general shout? I do believe that these applauses are For some new honours are heap’d on Caesar.” Brutus has noticed the people cheering for Caesar and fears that Caesar is gaining new power and he could become a king. This quote tells us that he is thinking about the safety of the Roman Republic and this scene is also when Brutus tells us that he is at war with himself. This quote tells us that his desire of sustaining a democracy is motivating him to kill his friend, which I believe is probably a very frightening thought to be thinking. However, it clearly shows that Brutus is motivated to kill Caesar because of Caesar being a tyrant and losing the democracy. I think that Brutus is also doing this because he feels that if he doesn’t fulfill his responsibility then he would be bringing shame upon his ancestors. Brutus’s responsibility of having of maintaining a democracy motivates him to kill Caesar.

Brutus’s was in a cloud of emotions and thoughts, which gave him tough decisions to make. Brutus’s love for Rome and his responsibility of keeping the Roman Republic motivated him to kill one of his most loyal and loving friends. Brutus achieved his goal by successfully stabbing Caesar, however, when he thought the people of Rome would be on his side, they unfortunately were not. Instead they turned against his actions and reasons and wanted to brutally murder him. I do not know whether it was entirely worthy or not. Brutus and the other conspirators would predict that Caesar would be a mean, snake like man that would cast the Romans into slavery and look down upon them as if they were stupid. The unfairness of this is that the conspirators did not know what Caesar would have been like or what he would have done. They completely jumped to rash conclusions, which made them kill one of the most powerful men that have ever lived. Plus, I don’t think that Caesar would have captured so much of Italy and increase the population and then suddenly put them all in slavery. But I understand why Brutus wanted to kill him and respect that but I feel that they should have completely got the people on their side too. For example, if Caesar was snake like and horrible then I’m sure the people would have went with Brutus (including Antony) but the people are like sheep and change their mind so easily. Therefore I think the conspirators should have waited for a more appropriate time to kill Caesar.