An Essay On Caesar S Ambition

Laura Arose
Mrs. Opalla

Caesar’s Ambition

“Did Julius Caesar have it coming? Was he on his way out already? Was Caesar too

Ambition? No, I do not believe that Caesar was ambition or did he want to be crowned

king. People like Mark Antony and I did not believe that Caesar was ambitious but

“Markus Brutus was an honorable man” (Act 2 scene 2). I agree with Mark Antony’s

speech concluding that Caesar was not ambitious and that even thou Markus Brutus was

an honorable man that we was gullible towards these doubts about Julius. I believe this

sums up the fact that Julius Caesar was not ambitious. “Friends, Romans, countrymen,

lend me your ears. I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him. The evil that men do lives

after them; The good is oft interrèd with their bones. So let it be with Caesar. The noble

Brutus. Hath told you Caesar was ambitious. Grievously hath Caesar answered it. Here,

under leave of Brutus and the rest—For Brutus is an honorable man; So are they all, all

honorable men—Come I to 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. He hath

brought many captives home to Rome, Whose ransoms did the general coffers fill. Did this

in Caesar seem ambitious?When that the poor have cried, Caesar hath wept. Ambition

should be made of sterner stuff. Yet Brutus says he was ambitious, And Brutus is an

honorable man. You all did see that on the LupercalI thrice presented him a kingly

crown, Which he did thrice refuse. Was this ambition? Yet Brutus says he was

ambitious, and, sure, he is an honorable man. I speak not to disprove what Brutus spoke,

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But here I am to speak what I do know. You all did love him once, not without cause.

What cause withholds you then to mourn for him? O judgment! Thou art fled to brutish

beasts, And men have lost their reason. Bear with me. My heart is in the coffin there

with Caesar, and I must pause till it come back to me. But yesterday the word of Caesar

might have stood against the world. Now lies he there, and none so poor to do him

reverence. O masters, if I were disposed to stir your hearts and minds to mutiny and rage,

I should do Brutus wrong, and Cassius wrong—Who, you all know, are honorable men. I

will not do them wrong. I rather choose to wrong the dead, to wrong myself and you,

Than I will wrong such honorable men. But here’s a parchment with the seal of Caesar.

I found it in his closet. 'Tis his will. Let but the commons hear this testament—Which,

pardon me, I do not mean to read—And they would go and kiss dead Caesar’s wounds

And dip their napkins in his sacred blood, Yea, beg a hair of him for memory, And,

dying, mention it within their wills, Bequeathing it as a rich legacy Unto their issue.” (Act 3 scene 3 pages 3-5)

This speech led to dislike the conspirators and agree that what they did was unjust.

Along with this speech and the fact that Cassius was the “mastermind” behind this

operation was one of many of the reasons why I believe that Julius Caesar was not

ambitious. Cassius was one of Caesar’s soldiers when confronting Pompey and Cassius

was jealous that Caesar got all of the credit for something that was a group effort. Cassius

was also mad that such a weak person( Julius Caesar) was being praised like a god.

Cassius explains his jealousy in this monologue, “Therefore, good Brutus, be prepared to

hear. And since you know you cannot see yourself So well as by reflection, I, your glass,

Will modestly discover to yourself That of yourself which you yet know not of. And be

Page 3 not jealous on me, gentle Brutus. Were I a common laugher, or did use To stale with

ordinary oaths my love To every new protester, if you know That I do faw non men and

hug them hard And, after, scandal them, or if you.” This explains how Cassius was

jealous of Caesars popularity over him even thought that due to Caesars seizers or

“falling sickness” as it was called made Cassius the stronger man. Cassius believed that

he should be as praised as much as Caesar was and that Cassius was better than him. He

tried to convince Markus Brutus to join his conspirator side and to take down Caesar.

Some say that Caesar was already weak from his constant seizers. Although Caesar was a

strong leader and his sickness did not stop him from leading a democracy. Although

Caesar was weak and many wanted him dead, with the crown in his hand he denied the

crown and was not ambitious.