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How Does Julius Caesar Have Too Much Power

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Act I, scene ii, lines 135-161, of Julius Caesar shows the true colors of a character in the play. Cassius reveals his manipulative nature when he convinces Brutus that Caesar has too much power, and Brutus would be a better ruler than Caesar. Cassius knows Brutus wants to do what is best for Rome, so he uses this to his advantage. Before this scene, we see that the people like Caesar even though they once liked Pompey. Flavius and Marullus criticize the people for liking Caesar because Caesar killed Pompey. During the race, Cassius notices that Brutus hasn’t been acting as amiable as usual, and Brutus replies that he is troubled by an inner conflict. They hear people shouting, and Brutus reveals that even though he likes Caesar, he doesn’t …show more content…
For example, “Why, man, he doth bestride the narrow world/ Like a Colossus,” (I.ii.135-136) compares Caesar to the Colossus of Rhodes, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. The Colossus of Rhodes is a giant statue of the Greek god Apollo. Cassius portrays Caesar as a giant to demonstrate how he towers over everyone else and acts like a god. According to Cassius, everyone is small and insignificant compared to the colossal, commanding Caesar. Additionally, comparing Caesar to a powerful giant appeals to Brutus’s noble nature. Cassius uses Brutus’s honorable nature to manipulate him. Brutus wants to do what would benefit Rome the most, and Caesar’s growing power threatens the Roman Republic. Cassius uses allusion in his speech to beguile Brutus, unveiling his devious …show more content…
“There was a Brutus once that would have brooked/ Th' eternal devil to keep his state in Rome/ As easily as a king,” (I.ii.159-161) shows that Brutus’s ancestors didn’t want a king to rule Rome. Brutus’ ancestor, Lucius Junius Brutus, made Rome a republic by expelling the last king. Cassius mentions Brutus’s respectable ancestors to show him that he has to defend the Roman Republic and the people of Rome. Brutus’s ancestors created the Republic, therefore, Brutus has a responsibly to prevent Caesar from destroying it. Cassius once again uses Brutus’s honor to manipulate him by reminding him of the honor in his family. The hyperbole in Cassius’s speech entices Brutus by reminding him of his family’s

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