Julius Caesar, Power

Absolute power and power end with corruption as a result of ambition. In the play Julius Caesar by author William Shakespeare absolute power has a grasp on Julius Caesar as he strives on ambition. Brutus as a close friend of Julius uses his power to fight for Rome in a way to get rid of such a rule Julius Caesar, with the help of Cassius whom he himself has his own power. Caesar’s power was abused by him, as absolute power led to his death and the death of important others.

Julius Caesar as the great ruler of Rome has the possibility of ambition with commitment to strive for absolute power. I could be well moved, if I were as you if I could pray to move, prayers would move me but I am constant as the Northern Star of whose true-fixed and resting quality there is no fellow in the firmament. (Caesar Act 3 Scene 1 Lines 58-62). Julius Caesar being above all of Rome shows how he cannot be moved from power and untouchable, showing the arrogance and the idea of absolute power that he withholds because with absolute power there is the idea of being divine, in this case the Northern star which no one can get to. Julius Caesar’s arrogance towards his absolute power is shown when he doesn’t even listen to those who have influence towards his opinions and actions. As his wife advises him to not leave the house due to her perception of omens and nightmares Julius completely ignores her for his thought that he is divine and untouchable by others even though his wife as a great influence towards him. ”En Tu, Brute?” (Caesar Act 3 Scene 1 Line 77). You too, Brutus? Is what this famous quote translates too. Close to the end of the play this quote shows how a divine ruler, compared with the Northern Star faces his downfall at the hands of his so-called friend Brutus. With the Absolute power that Caesar holds it brings him closer to the idea of corruption and possibility of tyranny creating conspirators against him and his own friend and trusted advisor.

Brutus as a senate and friend of Julius Caesar has the power to bring him to his knees as he does in the mere future during act 3. “But ’tis a common proof that lowliness is young ambition’s ladder, whereto the climber-upward turns his face; but when he once attains the utmost round, he then unto the ladder turns his back” (Brutus Act 2 Scene 1, Lines 21-25). As Brutus argues with himself on the morning of March he concludes that Caesar as a human if continues with his power it will result into him becoming an unworthy tyrant giving Brutus more of a reason to take down his friend. Not only does this show where Julius Caesar’s power will lead him but the power that Brutus himself beholds as he is confident that the job of taking down such a ruler can be done by him and also the help of the conspirators.

As Brutus is brought into this idea of getting rid of a future tyrant the idea of power that Brutus holds increases when it comes to being part of the conspirators because of his status with the King himself Julius Caesar as Brutus is part of the Senate and a close friend of the ruler of Rome. “Swear priests and cowards and men cautelous, old feeble carrions and such suffering souls that welcome wrongs; unto bad causes swear such creatures as men doubt; but do not stain the even virtue of our enterprise.”(Brutus Act 2 Scene 1 Lines 135-139). Brutus truly feels that it’s a must to get rid of the possible future tyrant Julius Caesar who also happens to be his close friend. As part of the senate and a close friend of Caesar Brutus has a power that would help the conspirators accomplish the mission of killing Julius Caesar because of the idea that Brutus is loyal and nothing more than just a friend or so Caesar thought. This started with the thought that Brutus would be the one to fight for Rome against a man with Absolute power but with the help of the Cassius whom talked Brutus into getting in on the job at the first place.

Cassius had great power towards the assassination of Julius Caesar in the play of the author William Shakespeare. The most affective of the conspirators would be Cassius who could be interpreted as the one leading the way. Cassius knows the possibility of Caesar growing into power but also the possibility of Brutus himself growing into power himself therefore he conspired against their King and tricked Brutus into conspiring against
Caesar. “Why, man, he doth bestride the narrow world like a Colossus, and we petty men walk under his huge legs and peep about to find ourselves dishonorable graves” (Cassius Scene 1 Act 3 135-138). Cassius is worried about the power that Caesar beholds and as long as he posses that power over Rome an dishonorable death is his true destiny. “Let me have men about me that are fat, Sleek-headed men, and such as sleep o’ nights. Yond Cassius has a lean and hungry look; He thinks too much, such men are dangerous” (Caesar Act 1 Scene 3 Lines 192-195). Caesar himself admits to the threat that Cassius can be as he is characterized as ‘lean & hungry’ which is ironic because of Marc Antony himself showing this characteristic after the assassination of Caesar.