Julius Ceasar

Julius Caesar, a Roman general, dictator, and leader, is considered to be one of history 's most influential and powerful rulers to this day, in which his rise to power, conquest of Europe, and controversial downfall all remain to be told during modern days. The play Julius Caesar written by William Shakespeare, portrays the events leading up to Julius Caesar’s assassination, and how those who conspired against him banded together and plotted Caesar’s demise. Many of those conspirators assassinated Caesar due to his quick rise to absolute power, his “acts” of disrespect against the senate such as his failing to stand to receive the title of becoming a “god,” and pure jealousy and anger towards Caesar’s success and rule over the Roman empire. Caesar, an ambitious man, was able to conquer many lands and peoples for Rome through successful military campaigns in which he became one Rome’s best generals due to the amount of successful battles he had won and the amount of blood he had shed for Rome’s expansion. However, Caesar’s trait of ambitiousness would prove to be a double edged sword.

Cassius is a talented general, and does not like the fact that Caesar has become `god-like' in the Roman people's minds (see above quote Act I, Scene ii). Cassius can be seen as a

Cassius contrasts Brutus by being power hungry. It shows just how trustworthy Brutus is. The text states, “You yourself are much condemned to have an itching palm to sell and mart your offices for gold to under servers.” This shows how Cassius was taking bribes. The text also states, “That struck the foremost man of all this world but for supporting robbers.” This shows how Brutus is upset with Cassius taking bribes.

Cassius’s jealousy caused all the events in the play to be set in motion, and thus led to his downfall. A prominent example of this would be when Brutus and Cassius are speaking and Cassius is trying to convince Brutus to join his plot by telling a story of how Caesar had to ask for Cassius’s help because he was too weak and tired to continue swimming. This leads Cassius to say, “Did I the tired Caesar. And this a man / Is now become a god, and Cassius / A wretched creature and must bend his body / If Caesar carelessly but nod on him” (I.ii.115-118). This quote in modern times would say, “Caesar was tired. And this man is supposed to be a god, and I am a wretched creature who has to kneel to Caesar.” Cassius is implying that Caesar is supposed to be this strong god and Cassius a wretched creature, yet Cassius had to save Caesar from drowning. This quote leads to Cassius’s downfall because it shows his jealousy through what he is feeling towards Caesar. His downfall is also shown because this scene is Cassius trying to convince Brutus to join his plot. Another quote that proves Cassius’s tragic flaw occurs after Brutus has died. Messala is asking

Unlike the common view of leaders, the potential leaders of Julius Caesar are not necessarily nice or giving. However, sometimes that is necessary. In the play Julius Caesar, a long tale of leadership shows the true qualities of the greatest leaders. Where the reader finds themselves started is at the point which Antony and Caesar, the overconfident leader of Rome, are discussing people around them. This discussion boils to a point in which Antony and Caesar discuss the possibility of Cassius being a threat to Caesar. Later, readers find Cassius is indeed a threat, as he and multiple others, including Brutus, stab Caesar to death. Antony then brings Caesar’s body to the multitude, and with a great speech inspires a hatred for those who wrongfully stabbed him. At the next point Antony is seen, he and Octavius are the new rulers of Rome. These two comrades go and finally eliminate the last of the traitors, Cassius and Brutus, in a battle that cements the two as the new leaders of Rome. Throughout all these actions, one man particularly showed that he should control the Roman Empire. Antony was created to be Rome’s leader in Julius Caesar, where William Shakespeare gave him inspirational abilities, persuasiveness, and fearlessness which are unparalleled.

Cassius is a senator in Shakespeare's “Julius Caesar.” He is jealous of Julius Caesar because of all the power and love he gets, as shown in the quote "Why man, he doth bestride the narrow world Like a Colossus and we petty men Walk under his huge legs and peep about."(Shakespeare 7) This quote basically states that Cassius is tired of Julius being better and that he thinks they should not be beneath him. Cassius also seeks to get his own power. To achieve this he manipulates Brutus as shown by this quote, “Well, Brutus, thou art noble I see, thy honourable metal may be wrought From that it is disposed: therefore it is meet That noble minds keep ever with their likes For who so firm that cannot be seduced?” (Shakespeare 12) This

The following questions will help you to prepare for your eventual test over “Julius Caesar”. While I will not be collecting this, it is on you to make sure that you are answering the questions as we go. Your test will be taken directly from this study guide.

In particular, Cassius was never a very trustworthy person. In the play Cassius was jealous of Julius because he was more loved than Cassius ever was. On the contrary, he had some somewhat good times. At the same time one could never trust him. Notwithstanding that he never bothered to consider anyone in his life.

We learn a lot about the ?evil, mischievous, deceptive? Cassius in one of his soliloquy. He reflects on the weakness of Brutus and how he is better than Brutus. He says that is he had been Brutus and Brutus him, he would not of joined the conspiracy. ?Well, Brutus, thou art noble; yet I see, / Thy honourable mettle may be wrought / ?If I were Brutus now, and he were Cassius, / he should not humour me.? (Act I Scene II, L. 308 ? 309, 314 ? 315). In the same soliloquy we learn that he is a very deceptive person. He decides that he will throw letters into Brutus?s house, chair that he as wrote. Brutus will think the letters are from citizens, who disagree with Caesar and the future of Rome. ?I will this night/ In several hands, in at his window throw, / As if they came from several citizens, / Writings, all tending the great opinion / That Rome holds of his name; wherein obscurely / Caesar?s ambition shall be glanced at:? (Act I, Scene II, L315 ? 320.) Deceptiveness is one of Cassius greatest strengths. A man who is as deceptive as Cassius is not fit to lead a battle, not to mention an Empire.

“What trash is Rome, / What rubbish and what offal, when It serves/ For the base matter to illuminate/ So vile a thing as Caesar?” (Shakespeare 1.3.107-110) Although this quote was mentioned twice, it describes how Cassius wants to kill Caesar. Cassius refers to Caesar as “a thing”, which shows how much disrespect he has for Caesar. Cassius calls Caesar “Vile” as if Caesar repulses him. The thought of Caesar ruling disgusts Cassius, he is saying that if Caesar rules Rome, it will be complete trash and a terrible place to live therefore Caesar does not deserve to rule. What also shows the envy in Cassius is this quote from the book; “And this man/ Is now become a god, and Cassius is/ A wrenched creature and must bend his body/ If Caesar carelessly but nod on him” (Shakespeare 1.2.115-119) This perfectly describes the envy and jealousy of Cassius. Cassius is telling Brutus about the time he saved Caesar from the waves of the Tiber because he could not save himself. Again the “man” Cassius is referring to Caesar. Cassius is referring to Caesar being a “man” not “a god” like other Romans treats him, because a god would have been able to save himself. Cassius thinks that Caesar should not be treated like a “god”. Cassius hates that he must “bend his body”, bow down to Caesar, which builds up more hate for Caesar and the power he holds that he does not deserve. Caesar could not even save himself from drowning, so why does he get to rule Rome? Why must Cassius bow to him? Cassius saved Caesar from the waves of the Tiber and yet Cassius must bow to Caesar if he “carelessly but nod”, Caesar should be treating Cassius like a god, not the other way around. This led to the conspiracy that Cassius wants to

Julius Ceasar was one of the greatest generals and politicians in Roman history. He had started off his life in the year of 100 B.C. It was assumed he was born around July 12 or July 13. Ceasar was born into a patrician family, making his family neither rich nor powerful in this period. Julius’s father had been a praetor, but passed away when Ceasar was 16.

This action is the seed planted in Cassius, which is causing him to start losing himself by falling in the grips of envy, spiteful, and vindictive behaviors, which will be his demise as he continue to slip in his own slide of treachery.

Brutus, a conflicted senator obsessed with his civic duty, convinces the people of Rome that his motives in killing Caesar were just and noble by rhetoric. Brutus is the only conspirator to have impersonal motives in killing Caesar. In fact, his motives are trying to find the best solution for Rome, and in the end, he must make the hard choice of killing his best friend for his homeland. As early as Brutus’ conversation with Cassius in Act I, Brutus exhibits this deep love and respect for Rome and how this love is conflicting with his love for his friend, Caesar: “[P]oor Brutus, with himself at war, / Forgets the shows of love to other men” (I.ii.51-52). Brutus brings up this internal conflict again when he tells the crowds that although he did love Caesar, he loved Rome and its people more. After Brutus’ murder of Caesar, he realizes that the issue of the public opinion of Rome is of the utmost importance. Because of this love for Rome, Brutus uses rhetoric to persuade these plebeians to approve of him and his cause. When Cassius warns Brutus about “how much the people will be moved / By that which [Marc Antony] will utter[!]” (III.i.252-253), Brutus tells Cassius that letting Marc Antony speak “shall advantage us more than do us wrong” (III.i.261). In these cases, Brutus demonstrates his awareness of

At the start of the timelessly classic play, Julius Caesar was in the final stages of parlaying his military prowess and growing cult of personality into enthronement as the long absent autocrat of Rome. His brother-in-arms, Marcus Brutus, after fighting at Caesar’s side for so long, was forced to weigh his loyalty to Caesar against his loyalty to Rome, setting the stage for the troubling events to come. As Caesar’s divine right to rule and infallibility were trumpeted throughout Rome, others were not so convinced of his purity and worthiness. Cassius, a dissident Senator, opened Brutus’ eyes to the circumstances unfolding before them and to what could be lost should Caesar take the throne. Cassius voiced his opposition strongly, saying:

Caius Cassius plays one of the most important roles in William Shakespeare’s play, “Julius Caesar”, which is centred round the assassination of the Roman dictator. The driving force behind the conspiracy is Cassius though there are others who are unhappy with the state of affairs under the prevailing system. Yet, they do not take an active part in the design to get rid of powerful Caesar. So, it is not incorrect to state that the chief protagonist of the assassination plot is no one but Caius Cassius.