Little Caesars

The outbreak of the civil war in 49 BC, was effectively, caused by Julius Caesar. Due to his decision to cross the Rubicon, thus invading Italy. However, some scholars may argue that Caesar had no intention to start a civil war nor had a choice, but was goaded by Pompey and the Optimates into it. Therefore, does the responsibility lie with them? On one hand some scholars, and Julius himself, argue that it was not a predetermined intention to cause a civil war, but in fact was an act of…

The Importance of Omens and Supernatural Events in Julius Caesar Over 80% of people today are superstitious and hold many beliefs about supernatural causality and how the world works. In the play Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare, various superstitions, fate, bad and good omens, and supernatural events have a important purpose within the story, foreshadowing important upcoming events and progress the plot through their interpretations by different characters. They are shown all across the…

The senate in the Roman Republic had created a nice life for themselves with little to no opposition. The senate made their decisions based on what would make them wealthier and there for more powerful in the society of the Roman Republic. The rich got richer, the poor poorer and a few aspiring politicians saw the chance to make a name for themselves using that unfortunate fact in the Roman Republic’s history. This tactic was employed by the Gracchus brothers and that caused a tremor in the…

things thoroughly. The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, a play written by William Shakespeare, ironically focuses on Marcus Brutus, a loyal friend to Julius Caesar, who perfectly exemplifies this situation. Brutus fears that the public’s desire for a crowned Caesar will overturn the republic, making him more willing to accept the proposal of assassinating Caesar despite the beloved friendship they possess. Caius Cassius and other conspirators, who want to kill Caesar for their own personal gains,…

While reading Shakespeare’s The Life and Death of Julius Caesar and Plutarch’s Lives of the Noble Grecians and Romans, one would be surprised to learn of the interesting differences that separates the two stories that at first seem so similar. Plutarch was a historian who believed in the achievement of history that related to great men and rulers. Shakespeare followed Plutarch and emphasized how the Roman leaders carved the path for history, but took a more dramatic approach to Caesar’s life.…

Brutus, before the assassination of Caesar. Brutus was the son of a great military general, and a great military general himself. He was always seen as loyal to Caesar and a good friend to him as well. He would always bring in many people that Caesar requested to bring him from war and they have had no conflicts in their work, so why would Brutus all of a sudden turn on Caesar like he did? There is context that shows what happens and tells how it happened. Brutus was not the one who had the…

With Antony and Cleopatra, William Shakespeare engages in a story centered on power—the control and authority to command nations. In the story, many of the main characters, such as Octavius Caesar and Mark Anthony, struggle to gain and maintain their grasp of authority. Yet, unlike in past texts we have read where control and influence are gained through acts of honor and ethical means, these characters attempt to gain their power by any way possible. These “Triple-turn’d whore[s]” (Shakespeare…

At a glance, the play Julius Caesar, by William Shakespeare, portrays power changing people into autocratic leaders. But, if one ventured a closer look at the motives and the background of some of the main characters, the evidence simply does not support this theory. Corruption has little to no relation to power, as displayed by the motives of Marcus Brutus, Cassius, and Julius Caesar himself. Marcus Brutus is referred to as “The noblest Roman of them all” because his higher status never wavers…

Vercingetorix seemed ready to wipe out Caesar’s army all the while holed up in the town of Alesia. Yet with Caesar’s ingenuity, ruthlessness, and military genius, the siege ended with Vercingetorix’s surrender at Caesar’s feet. The ingenuity of Caesar shines through in the construction of two consecutive walls surrounding the town of Alesia, after Vercingetorix sought a defensive position inside the town. The quick construction of the first wall only took around three weeks and consisted…

Cleopatra was just his little collaborator. Sneaky as a mouse, her brother had his own advisors that went against Cleopatra and forced her out of Egypt in 49 BC. Soon after he abandoned her out of Egypt, Ptolemy XIII drowned in the Nile River and departed.…