“Et tu, Brute?” Many people recognize this pithy question as Julius Caesar’s last words upon seeing Roman senator Marcus Julius Brutus, with whom he had a relationship akin to that of a father and son, among his murderers on March 15, 44 BC. The phrase roughly translates to, “You too, Brutus?”. However, there is no historical evidence these were Caesar’s last words; more likely; they were popularized by William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar in the sixteenth century.
Known as the Ides of March, Caesar’s death is one of the most famous political overthrows in all of history. It is not regarded as a coup d’état, as the intent was not to overthrow the government, but as tyrannicide, the murder of a tyrant. And indeed, first a popular military hero, Caesar had become a dictator, signaling the definitive end of the Roman Republic. The Senate, having grown tired of Caesar’s thirst for ever-increasing power, hatched the conspiracy that resulted in Caesar’s assassination.
The numerous events and characters surrounding Caesar’s death provide a fascinating narrative, but make it less clear who was ultimately responsible for Caesar’s death. Out of the many actors in the narrative rise three main potential culprits: Caesar himself, Brutus, and Gaius Cassius Longinus. The latter of these three referred to from here on as Cassius, was Brutus’ brother-in-law, a former military commander, Roman senator. Cassius, more importantly, is regarded as a leading instigator of Caesar’s death.
Below, are the cases for Caesar, Brutus, and Gaius respectively being the main man responsible for Caesar’s death. Before we go into each of those cases, a bit of historical background is necessary.
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
Born to a poor but aristocratic family on July 12 (or 13; the exact date is disputed), 100 BC, Julius Caesar grew up in an unstable and waning Roman Republic. To escape the Republic’s discrediting of the nobility, and the loss of his marriage and land should that happen, Caesar joined the military. He returned to Rome a few years later to begin a career in politics, and early on, showed skill in negotiation, diplomacy, and strategy.
His distinguished military career supplemented his political life. After winning several smaller wars against invaders, and serving in low-level political positions, Caesar served a governor of the Roman province of Spain, and was later, through a personal connection to Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus, or Pompey, elected to the powerful position of consul in 59 BC.
However, rising in popularity, and backed by the political support of Roman general and politician Marcus Licinius Crassus, Caesar began to post a threat to the initially more powerful Pompey. He cemented his status as a hero and leader with his conquest and ultimate governorship of all of Gaul (current-day France and Belgium). Eventually, preempting Pompey’s strike against him, Caesar went to war against Pompey. A civil war resulted between Pompey and the nobility, and Caesar and his troops. Driving his enemies out of current-day Italy, Caesar followed Pompey into Egypt, where he killed him.
Caesar assumed power, and during his rule, founded many new colonies, opened Roman citizenship to people living in the provinces, and reforming the Senate so it better represented the people. He had the Senate declare him “dictator in perpetuity.” Fearing irreversible changes to the Roman Republic, the senators banded together and hatched a plan to dispose of Caesar. On the Ides of March, as Caesar entered the Senate chambers, he was attacked by numerous senators yielding daggers.
THE CASE FOR CAESAR
There are several reasons why people may consider Caesar to hold the most responsibility for his assassination. While he enacted several reforms that reflected good governance, Caesar’s strategic thinking on the battlefield did not translate as well to the political arena. His enfranchisement of large swaths of the non-noble population and populist reforms made him a dangerous figure for senators who preferred the old status quo. A lack of foresight on how to win over senators unhappy with his changes, as well as an insistence on total power, may have been the nail in Caesar’s coffin. He was arrogant, refusing to rise respectfully to any person that approached him.
Also, some of Caesar’s true friends and allies either knew about the senators’ conspiracy or had their suspicions. They alerted him to certain rumors and tried to persuade him not to go to the Senate chambers, as did his wife Calpurnia, who had disturbing visions in her dreams. On top of these unsettling advisors, Caesar’s doctors had warned him to stay home due to his dizzy spells. Despite numerous warnings, Caesar went ahead and traveled to the Senate chambers, where he met his death.
THE CASE FOR CASSIUS
Cassius is considered to have instigated the plot against Caesar, winning over numerous senators, included Brutus, to his plan. Also, in the Senate chambers, he was one of the senators who lead the charge, striking some of the initial blows. It could be argued that Cassius drove the energy and action in the plan.
THE CASE FOR BRUTUS
Despite sharing a close personal relationship with Caesar – Brutus’ mother had once had an affair with Caesar – Brutus was convinced by Cassius that Caesar would ruin the Roman Republic and was persuaded by Caesar’s king-like behaviors. Though Cassius is considered the originator of the conspiracy, it was Brutus who lead it.
It was Brutus’ betrayal, as a close friend to Caesar, that may have clinched the conspirators’ plan. Caesar was prepared to listen to his friends, doctors, and wife, and not go to the Senate chambers that day, but it was Brutus who convinced him otherwise. When the first senator attacked Caesar, Caesar blocked the blow. However, it is said that upon seeing Brutus among the conspirators, Caesar resigned himself to his fate.
Ironically, however, in trying to preserve the Roman Republic by killing Caesar, Brutus may have done the opposite: Caesar’s death is widely regarded as the death of the Roman Republic.
CONCLUSION
In finding which of the three – Caesar, Cassius, or Brutus – was ultimately the primary person responsible for Caesar’s death, the answer, like most answers, falls into a gray area. All three played separate, but major roles, in the downfall of Caesar. Caesar’s arrogance, Cassius’ scheming, and Brutus’ betrayal came together to make the Ides of March what it was. However, in reviewing the information, it cannot be denied that Brutus’ role in the assassination is slightly greater than either Caesar’s or Cassius'. If Brutus had not been persuaded by Cassius, taken up a leadership role in the conspiracy, or convinced Caesar to go to the senate chambers, Caesar might have survived the Ides of March, and Roman history would be very different.
Works Cited
“Julius Caesar.” Bio.com. A&E Networks Television, n.d. Web. 25, June 2016.
“Julius Caesar.” Ushistory.org. Independence Hall Association, n.d. Web. 25 June 2016.
