Julius Caesar

Brutus, a brave hero or a traitor? BRUTUS killed his benefactor and friend, Cesar, because Cesar had usurped the sovereign power. Therefore, Brutus was a patriot, whose character is to be admired, and whose example should be imitated, as long as republican liberty shall have a friend or an enemy in the world. Brutus is a very cautious man. "Into what dangers are you leading me, Cassius, that you would have me lookinto myself for things that are not there?"(1.2.68-70) This quote is referring to act 1 where Cassius brings Brutus into the room and starts to talk about Caesar. When Cassius suggests to kill Mark Antony alone with Caesar, Brutus says, "Our plan will seem too bloody, Caius Cassius. We cut off the head and then hack the limbs, seem to kill Caesar in anger and then vent malice on his friends, for Antony is only a branch of Caesar."(2.1.169-172) Brutus doesn't want to just kill everyone, and be know as a killer, he just wants to do what he thinks is right for the people of Rome. Brutus was cautious, even near the end of the play when he was in his tent talking to Cassius,he told Lucilius and Titinius to go guard the door, until he had finished he conference.

Brutus was a devious man, even though what he thought he was doing was right. Brutus told his fellow conspirators to kill Caesar "boldly, but not angerly."(3.1.256-257) Brutus was one of Caesars right hand men, and yet Brutus kills his own friend. When Antony asks to speak at Caesars funeral, Cassius says no, but Brutus tell him that Antony will speak, but only what Brutus tells him to say. Brutus also embraces the fact that he just killed his friend, and also tells the senators who had just witnessed it to not be afraid, but to stay because ambition has paid its debt. Before the decisive battle of Philippi, Brutus seems, after the death of Cassius, to have sunk under the weight of the sole command. He still had many able officers left, and among them Messala, one of the first men of that age, so fruitful of great men; but Brutus no longer maintained that ascendant over his army, which talents of the first order maintain everywhere, and most signally in the camp and field of battle. It is fairly, then, to be presumed, that his troops had discovered, that
Brutus, whom they loved and esteemed, was destitute of those talents; for he was soon obliged by their clamors, much against his judgment, and against all prudence and good sense, to give battle. This ended the life of Brutus and the existence of the republic.