Table of Contents
Friendship
CASSIUS: “Brutus, I do observe you now of late: I have not from your eyes that gentleness and show of love as I was wont to have: You bare too stubborn and too strange a hand over your friend that loves you. “
This is a scene in where Cassius speaks to Brutus on how he believes that Brutus might be angry at him and as a friend, wants to know why. This is a significant example to the development of the characters because Brutus then confirms that this is not because of Cassius that he is angry, but because of his own problems. Cassius then immediately proceeds to rant about Caesar, and how such a powerful man in the people of Rome’s eyes, is in fact, weak. Just like any other normal commoner. He then proceeds to tell Brutus about Caesar’s epilepsy, and a time in where Caesar had almost drowned if it weren’t for Cassius. This is a form of Cassius manipulating his friendship with Brutus by asking whether he was okay or not, to then casually bringing up Caesar to make him seem weak in Brutus’ eyes.
ANTONY: “Come I speak in Caesar’s funeral. He was my friend, faithful and just to me: But Brutus says he was ambitious; and Brutus is an honorable man.”
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This quotation comes from the scene in where Antony speaks last during Caesar’s funeral to the fickle people of Rome. Antony says how Caesar was his friend, and that his death was unjust. This friendship is very significant to the later events in the story because Antony speaks after Brutus on how Caesar did not deserve to die, and that he had a special will for all the people of Rome that would sadden them greatly over Caesars death. This causes the people to become angry towards the senators and become violent towards them, having the desire to kill them.
BRUTUS: “I would not, Cassius; yet I love him well. But wherefore do you hold me here so long? What is it that you would impart to me?”
This is a moment in a scene in where Trumpets begin to play offstage, which is then followed by shouting, Brutus asks Cassius what that could be, afraid that the people of Rome have accepted Caesar as their king, to which Cassius asks directly if Brutus does not wish for such events to occur. Brutus in all honesty does not wish for Caesar to become king but says that he loves him so either way. This shows that Brutus has very high respect and cares deeply for Caesar as his dear friend, but only wishes him the best since he believes that Caesar may become corrupt if he were to be king.
Betrayal
CAESAR: “Et tu, Brute?”
This is the infamous quotation from the scene in the play that shows the assassination of Julius Caesar committed by over 60 senators who stabbed Caesar a total of 23 times, the final stab being made by his dear friend who betrayed him, Brutus. Once Caesar sees Brutus, he is overwhelmed with shock and grief over the betrayal of his friend, which made him utter the words, “You too, Brutus?”
ANTONY: “Look, in this place ran Cassius’ dagger through. See what a rent the envious Casca made. Through this the well-beloved Brutus stabbed., and as he plucked his cursed steel away, Mark how the blood of Caesar followed it, as rushing out of doors, to be resolved If Brutus so unkindly knocked, or no. For Brutus, as you know, was Caesar’s angel. Judge, O you gods, how dearly Caesar loved him! This was the most unkindest cut of all. or when the noble Caesar saw him stab, Ingratitude, more strong than traitors’ arms, Quite vanquished him. Then burst his mighty heart.”
This is a quotation from Antony who requested to make a speech after Brutus during Caesar’s funeral. This is an example of betrayal between two people because Antony specifically requested to make a speech during the funeral after Brutus, to which Brutus then accepted, but said that on the contrary Antony does not speak ill of the senators whatsoever. Of course, Antony promised that he would not, but ended up speaking ill of them anyways during his speech which angered the people of Rome.
Honor
BRUTUS: “I would not, Cassius. Yet I love him well. But wherefore do you hold me here so long? What is it that you would impart to me? If it be aught toward the general good, set honor in one eye and death I’ th’ other, and I will look on both indifferently, for let the gods so speed me as I love the name of honor more than I fear death.”
This quotation is Brutus briefly telling Cassius on how he truly loves and cares deeply for Caesar, and then wonders as to why Cassius has kept him for so long, and that if it has something to do with the betterment of Rome, he would gladly listen, even if it meant his death. This quotation has to do with honor because Brutus is telling Cassius that he would readily sacrifice his life for the people of Rome at any time, if that is what Cassius wanted to talk with him about.
BRUTUS: “Not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more”
Another infamous quotation from the play spoken by Brutus. Brutus makes a speech to the Roman citizens during Caesars funeral, to which he says that he loved Caesar, but his love for Rome was even greater. When Brutus says this line, he is trying to tell the citizens that because his love for Rome was so great, he felt it was necessary and the right thing to do to assassinate Caesar in order to protect the Roman Republic. Brutus also wanted to guarantee the safety of the citizens to prevent them from being ruled under some sort of, “tyrant” as he believed Caesar to be.
BRUTUS: “Th’ abuse of greatness is when it disjoins remorse from power. And, to speak truth of Caesar, I have not known when his affections swayed more than his reason. But ’tis a common proof that lowliness is young ambition’s ladder, Whereto the climber upward turns his face. But when he once attains the upmost round, he then unto the ladder turns his back, looks in the clouds, scorning the base degree”
In this quotation, Brutus briefly speaks to himself after Lucius leaves the room momentarily on what he believes Caesar might do once he reaches full power in the city of Rome. Brutus begins by saying that a typical ruler would normally let their emotions get the better of them, abuse their own power and separate it from compassion. Brutus knows well that Caesar is not like this, but Brutus believes that there may come a day in where Caesar would rise the ranks, turn his back on the supporters, and look down on those who helped him get to where he was. Brutus then concludes that he would surely not allow Caesar to become like that and continue to protect the city of Rome. This is very honorable of Brutus because he fears that his close friend might become some sort of oppressive ruler, which would not be helpful towards the betterment of Rome and the Roman citizens, to which he loves and cares for dearly.
Judgement
BRUTUS: “Our course will seem too bloody, Caius Cassius, to cut the head off and then hack the limbs, like wrath in death and envy afterwards, for Antony is but a limb of Caesar. Let us be sacrificers but not butchers, Caius. We all stand up against the spirit of Caesar, and in the spirit of men there is no blood.”
The first poor decision that Brutus makes in when conversating with Cassius, Decius, Casca, and many other conspirators in their plot to assassinate Caesar. Decius brings up the question on what they should do with Antony, since he is too close with Caesar, to which Cassius replies that they indeed should kill him as well. The bad judgement comes when Brutus tells Cassius that it would not be a good idea to kill Antony, because then it would like they had killed Caesar out of anger, and Antony out of envy. Of course, Brutus had in some way’s good intentions, as he did not want the conspirators and him to look like merciless butcherers. But this judgement of his leads him to his downfall due to Antony’s speech during Caesars funeral.
BRUTUS: “By your pardon. I will myself into the pulpit first and show the reason of our Caesar’s death what Antony shall speak, I will protest, he speaks by leave and by permission, and that we are contented Caesar shall have all true rites and lawful ceremonies. It shall advantage more than do us wrong”
The second poor decision made by Brutus that had a tremendous influence on his and the other conspirators’ downfalls, was when he permitted Mark Antony to make a speech during Caesars funeral. Antony specifically asked to make his speech after Brutus had made his, because he kept a very important point in mind that the people of Rome were very fickle and would easily believe the last thing they heard. Cassius keeps this in mind and tries to tell Brutus that it would not be a good idea to let Antony make a speech at all, but Brutus brushes Cassius off and tells him to leave Antony, as nothing he says would harm him or the other conspirators. This is a very bad decision for the conspirators because Brutus did not keep the important point in mind about the people of Rome, and once Antony had made his speech after Brutus had made his, the people of Rome became very angry over the loss of Caesar.
BRUTUS: “Our legions are brimful, our cause is ripe: The enemy increaseth every day; we, at the height, are ready to decline. There is a tide in the affairs of men, which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune; omitted, all the voyage of their life is bound in shallows and in miseries. On such a full sea are we now afloat; and we must take the current when it serves or lose our ventures.”
This is Brutus’ final, and most terrible mistake he made which eventually led to his and Cassius’ death. Brutus told Cassius that instead of the enemy (Antony and Octavius) to come after them, wasting their provisions and tiring out the soldiers, weakening their capacities while Brutus and Cassius’ army stay rested and energetic for the time being, they should instead march to and meet the enemy at Philippi. This is such a bad mistake because Brutus does not consider that travelling all the way up the hills to meet the enemy would tire out his own troops. Brutus also believes that even if many of his troops do end up too tired to battle, reinforcements would soon arrive to replace them. Therefore, they do end up travelling all the way up the hills to Philippi and end up losing.
