In William Shakespeare’s play Julius Caesar, the conspirators give several reasons why it is just to assassinate Caesar who is gaining more and more power that he is starting to become a dictator of democratic Rome. Now ordinarily one would be wary of taking part in murdering someone especially when they consider the consequences but the conspirators thought this was the just thing to do for the sake of Rome. While this seems like a very noble reason, however, Shakespeare seems to suggest that the conspirators planned Caesar’s death in order to replace one ruler with another which in this particular case would be Brutus so perhaps their conspiracy was not so noble after all.
For example while the conspirators constantly claim that this is the honorable thing to do for the sake of Rome, there are those who do it out of jealousy. Casisus is one such conspirator who admits to Brutus how he envies Caesar’s position which is more favorable than his own, “And this man/Is now become a god, and Cassius is/ A wretched creature and must bend his body/If Caesar carelessly but nod on him” (Shakespeare I.II.115-118). Through this bit of dialogue the reader is given insight into Cassius’s mind and how bitter he is that he has to obey Caesar’s every whim no matter how ridiculous it is.
Cassius goes on to proclaim that not only is he Caesar’s servant but all of Rome as well who were taking part in the emperor’s extravagant games while he was confiding in Brutus. He even refers to Caesar as the great statue of Colossus with its wide sweeping legs which boats have to pass through, “Why, man, he doth bestride the narrow world/Like a Colossus, and we petty men/Walk under his huge legs and peep out/To find ourselves dishonourable graves” (Shakespeare I.II.135-138). Clearly Cassius feels that Caesar is a horrible ruler who should not be followed because it is the dishonorable thing to do when they should instead get rid of the Roman emperor before he gains even more power and alters their city even further. Cassius accomplishes this by making Caesar seem like a God while the people are his pathetic underlings which is always a sound tactic for no one wants to be an underling.
In conclusion this conversation between Cassius and Brutus demonstrates how the conspirators believed Caesar was gaining too much power and influence unbefitting of an emperor and how they were afraid he would assume the role of king. Furthermore it proves how they felt that this act, no matter how horrible, was the right and honorable thing to do because it was for the sake of the people of Rome. Honestly they could have accomplished deposing of Caesar in a number of different ways that did not involve murder but clearly they were sick of him and wanted to replace him with someone else like Brutus.
Work Cited
Shakespeare, William, and Lawrence Mason. The Tragedy of Julius Caesar. New Haven: Yale UP, 1919. Print.
