Closeness In Julius Caesar

Before the play begins, Julius Caesar wins a very important battle against his rival Pompey. This leads to a celebratory parade in Rome signifying the end of a long fight and Caesar’s emergence from battle. Not everyone sees Caesar as an ideal ruler for Rome though. In the first scene, two men express their distaste for Caesar by berating citizens and stripping statues that honor Caesar of their decorations. While they’re doing this Caesar enters Rome a hero. Through the parade a Soothsayer warns to “beware the Ides of March,” but his cautions are ignored and the celebration continues (I.i.21). The play then diverts from the public scene and introduces us to Cassius’s and Brutus’s personal life. Their closeness is noted in how Cassius
sees the war taking place inside his friend without the mention of any troubles from him. Cassius tries to encourage Brutus by explaining how noble he is in the eyes of others but he won’t hear it. Their conversation then veers towards the topic of Caesar. Cassius wonders if it is their fault that Caesar is now treated like a god despite being a man just like them. Brutus doesn’t have such a strong opinion about the subject. A flashback is then implemented into the play through the words of the politician Casca. He tells Brutus and Cassius that the crown was offered to Caesar three times during the festivity, but he denied it every time despite the plebeians’ cheers. Casca then explains Caesar’s public display of weakness, recalling how he seized before the crowd. Casca’s report of the day sends Brutus home harboring thoughts regarding Caesar’s ability to be the sole ruler of Rome. Cassius’s mind, however, is in the future and is plotting a conspiracy against Caesar. His scheme starts with getting Brutus on board with the plan to assassinate Caesar. He does this by planting letters in his house that are from citizens concerned about how much power now lies in Caesar’s hands. In truth, Cassius himself wrote the letters as a ruse knowing Brutus would act on the people’s fears. Cassius and another handful of men arrive at Brutus’s house in very early morning hours after Brutus would’ve read the letters.
Already having decided what to do, Brutus quickly becomes the leader of the assassination plans. The men decide how and when to execute their plan and to spare Caesar’s right hand man, Antony, in the process. Not everyone was in agreement with the latter, but Brutus said that if they were to take both lives their “course would seem too bloody” (II.i.169). The men had enough trust in Brutus’s judgment to coincide. With everything set, the conspirators depart to their separate residences for the evening. Meanwhile, Brutus’s wife is pleading for him to confide in her whatever seems to be bothering him. He simply brushes off her concerns, promising to speak to her at a later time. The next morning Caesar is readying himself for the Senate when his wife makes a fuss about him going. Having had a nightmare about men grinning at the sight of her husband’s blood, she fears the dream was a bad omen. But Caesar wouldn’t be one to be subdued by fear, and he states very blatantly so (II.ii.43-50). However, Calpurnia convinces him to stay home not out of his fear, but to ease hers. Plans change again though when Decius, the conspirator in charge of getting Caesar to the Senate, arrives and explains how Calpurnia misinterpreted her dream. Caesar decides in favor of Decius’s interpretation and decides to go, unknowingly falling right into a
trap. As Caesar makes his way to the Senate twice citizens try to warn him of the conspiracy, by word and by letter, but to no avail. Once he arrives at the Senate, the conspirators appear to be showing respect by bowing while in truth they trapped him all around. They take turns stabbing him to death. Caesar fights the inevitable outcome until he sees Brutus as one of the conspirators. He then gives up and lets death take him. Calpurnia’s omens are brought to reality. Caesar’s closest intimate is in despair, but he leads the conspirators to believe he’s on their side. He’s granted permission to speak at Caesar’s funeral after Brutus explains the purpose of the murder although Cassius isn’t sure it’s such a great idea. Cassius’s suspicions are confirmed to the reader when Antony is alone and swears to avenge Caesar’s death. At the funeral Brutus and Cassius separate to inform the masses of the reason behind killing Caesar, which was for the good of Rome. The crowd, full of plebeians, accepts their words easily. Antony then moves to take the crowd’s attention and Brutus insists they listen and not leave as he departs. Antony’s speech is powerful. He makes remarks about Brutus being an honorable man at first, but his speech gradually takes a turn towards Caesar. He points out how Brutus’s claims were wrong with examples of the good Caesar did for Rome. He then speaks of Caesar’s will but announces he will not read it for the sake of the crowd. The people wish to hear the will anyways, so Antony conforms.
He first describes the death of Caesar in detail, then opens the casket for the crowd. Once he reads the will, which makes generous promises to the people of Rome, the crowd becomes furious with the murderers of Caesar. They curse death upon them and set out to fulfill the curse themselves. Upon Caesar’s death, Octavius, his son and successor, arrives in Rome and becomes part of the new republic alongside of Antony and Lepidus. Their first order of business is to deal with Brutus and Cassius, who after exile decided to raise armies and fight. Meanwhile in the conspirators’ camp Brutus and Cassius go back and forth at each other. The two eventually settle and Brutus confesses that his absence has drove Portia to suicide. Later while alone, Caesar’s ghost makes an appearance and tells Brutus he’ll meet him again. Before the big battle problems arise on both sides. The republic struggles with attack patterns because both Octavius and Antony want to give their orders. The conspirators face abandonment and
fear. An unexpected series of events takes place henceforth. On Cassius’s side of the field a man, Pindarus, is sent to check on the troops ahead. He distantly glances a leader surrounded and falsely reports back that he has been captured. Upon hearing this, Cassius is grief stricken and orders Pindarus to kill him while declaring that Caesar has been avenged. However the leader, Titinius, returns back to camp. Pindarus had reported then men were enemies when in fact they were comrades. Seeing the corpse of his friend, Titinius quickly follows suit and commits suicide. The story comes to a close with the death of one who would be known as “the noblest Roman of all” (V.v.73). After hearing of his dearest friend’s death Brutus attempts to prevail in battle once more. When he fails he requests the same from his soldiers as Cassius did. Many refuse. However when realizing how truly depressed Brutus must be, one agrees. Brutus’s last words were also in regards to Caesar. When Octavius and Antony arrive they do not boast but praise Brutus for his nobility and intentions. They leave their cheering for after they depart for regardless they still won the battle.