Cassius and Brutus, two partners in crime, literally. They were successful in killing Julius Caesar, however, were they justified? In the eyes of many, they were not, yet, their reasoning was substantial. The reason Cassius and Brutus were justified in the killing of Julius Caesar is the fact that they did to benefit the Roman Republic. It may not make sense at first, but think about it. They did it for the better of the people. They saw it as not harming the people but helping them.
Being instigated by Cassius against Caesar, Brutus passes his time restlessly. It is past midnight but Brutus cannot sleep. He is torn with a bitter conflict. He is moving about in his orchard with great tension, because the period between- the conception of a dreadful plan and its execution into practice is like a terrible nightmare.
In his soliloquy, beginning with "it must be by his death" in Act Il, Scene I, Brutus tries to justify the murder of Caesar by a chain Of abstract reasoning. He admits that he has no personal grudge against Caesar but his motive is one of general welfare of Rome. He argues that if Caesar were made the king, the power and honour would change his nature. By crowning him, people are simply giving him a to sting and in this lies the danger. Power without morality has a tendency to abuse itself. Of course, Brutus admits that Caesar has never been swayed by emotion, and that he always acts reasonably. But the real danger lies else where. It is a truth of human nature that ambitious men make a show of modesty at first in order to rise to power, and position, and once they reach their goal, they cast off the cloak of humility.
Brutus is sure that Caesar will follow the same process and assume absolute power. This has to be prevented from the beginning. As it is, Caesar gives no warrant of proving dangerous. They have no justifiable grounds of complaint against Caesar. But the addition of power may so transform his nature that he will commit excesses. The egg of a serpent is not dangerous but when hatched it brings out the serpent that bites. Caesar at present is like the egg but when promoted to power he will be like the serpent. Therefore he has got to be killed in the shell.
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The chain of arguments that Brutus gives here is highly confusing. Brutus concludes on purely hypothetical data. Caesar's past is blameless, and perhaps Brutus would not grudge him his kingship if Caesar were as good a monarch as he now seems disposed to be. Brutus's thinking is confused. He resolves on murder by the hypothetical threat to the cause of democracy. In fact, Brutus does not know his own mind. He is guided by self-deception in his decision about the murder of Caesar.
Being instigated by Cassius against Caesar, Brutus passes his time restlessly. It is past midnight but Brutus cannot sleep. He is torn with a bitter conflict. He is moving about in his orchard with great tension, because the period between- the conception of a dreadful plan and its execution into practice is like a terrible nightmare.
In his soliloquy, beginning with "it must be by his death" in Act Il, Scene I, Brutus tries to justify the murder of Caesar by a chain Of abstract reasoning. He admits that he has no personal grudge against Caesar but his motive is one of general welfare of Rome. He argues that if Caesar were made the king, the power and honour would change his nature. By crowning him, people are simply giving him a to sting and in this lies the danger. Power without morality has a tendency to abuse itself. Of course, Brutus admits that Caesar has never been swayed by emotion, and that he always acts reasonably. But the real danger lies else where. It is a truth of human nature that ambitious men make a show of modesty at first in order to rise to power, and position, and once they reach their goal, they cast off the cloak of humility.
Brutus is sure that Caesar will follow the same process and assume absolute power. This has to be prevented from the beginning. As it is, Caesar gives no warrant of proving dangerous. They have no justifiable grounds of complaint against Caesar. But the addition of power may so transform his nature that he will commit excesses. The egg of a serpent is not dangerous but when hatched it brings out the serpent that bites. Caesar at present is like the egg but when promoted to power he will be like the serpent. Therefore he has got to be killed in the shell.
>
The chain of arguments that Brutus gives here is highly confusing. Brutus concludes on purely hypothetical data. Caesar's past is blameless, and perhaps Brutus would not grudge him his kingship if Caesar were as good a monarch as he now seems disposed to be. Brutus's thinking is confused. He resolves on murder by the hypothetical threat to the cause of democracy. In fact, Brutus does not know his own mind. He is guided by self-deception in his decision about the murder of Caesar.
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