DeconstructingtheHistoricBrutusofPlutarchandShakespeare

1.)InPlutarch'sMakersofRome

PlutarchdeconstructsBrutusdemonstratingBrutus'ssocio
economicstatus,Brutus'sfamilyhistory,andwhatBrutus'snamesaysabouthisfamily.Accordingto
Plutarch,Brutuscomesfromahighlyregardedsocialeconomicstatus.BrutuswasthesonofMarcus
JuniusBrutusMaiorandServiliaCaepionis.HisfatherwaskilledbyPompeytheGreatindubious
circumstancesafterhehadtakenpartintherebellionofLepidushismotherwasthehalfsisterofCato
theYounger.Brutussnameshowsthatbrutuswasmostlikelydescendedfromaplebeianwhohadonly
recentlyrisentoofficeaccordingtothisquotefromMakersofRome

Plutarchwrote...MarcusBrutus
wasdescendedfromaplebeian,whowasthesonofastewardofthename,andhehadonlyrecentlyrisen
tooffice.(224)ToconcludeBrutuscamefromahighlyregardedsocioeconomicstatus,hisfamily
historyisquiteanintriguingone,andhisfamilynameseemstosayalotabouthimandhowhedeveloped
asanoverallperson.

5.)
InPlutarch's MakersofRomePlutarchdiscussesthesplitoftheRomanEmpirewhichwas
around60BCwhenthetwoterritoriessplitbetweenPompeyandCaesar.SurprisinglyenoughBrutus
alliedwithPompeyratherthanCaesarthiswasquitestrangeduetotheirmorethanlacklusterpast
PompeyhashadwithBrutusandhisfamily.AccordingtoPlutarchThewholeempirewasthrowninto
confusion,itwasgenerallyexpectedthatBrutuswouldchooseCaesarsside,especiallyashisfatherhad
beenputtodeathatPompeysorderssomeyearsbefore(226)SowhyexactlydidBrutuschosetoside
withamanwhoputhisfathertodeath?WellthisisfurtherexplainedinPlutarch's

MakersofRomeby
stating...Brutusbelievedthatheoughttoputthepublicgoodbeforehisprivateloyalties,andashewas
convincedthatPompeyhadthebetterreasonsforgoingtowar,heattachedhimselftotheparty.(226)As
onecanseeBrutustendedtogowiththecrowdmoreandlookoutforthepublic'swellbeingratherthan
hiswellbeingorevenhisfriendsorfamilyforthatmatter.Thiscouldconjugatewithhisstoicteachings
andselfdeprecatingnaturethathehasbeentaughtatayoungageorperhapsthisallrevolvesaroundhis
overallpersonathathemanifestsintohimself.NeverthelessonecanassumethatBrutuswasnotsomuch
abrutewhothoughtofhimselfonly,andwaysofadvancinghimselfintothesocietalpyramidthatis
humanity,butratherheassumedtheviewsofthecommonmanandrecollectionoftheromansocietyand
structureasawholemaintainingtheequilibrationofpowerinrome.

7.)
InaccordancetoPlutarch's

MakersofRomehediscusstheverynatureofCaesarandServilia
passionatelustfueledaffair,whichcouldhaveleadtoBrutusorsoisspeculated.Thisisduetothefact
thatCaesartendedtointrustedBrutusquiteprofusely.OneexampleofsuchentrustmenttowardBrutus
canbefoundonPg226227ofPlutarch's

MakersofRomewherehestatesJuliusCaesarwassomuch
concernedforhissafetyastoissueorderstohiscommandersthatBrutusmustonnoaccountbekilledin
thefighting,buthislifemustbespared.Ifhegavehimselfup,hewastobetakenprisoner,butifhe
resistedcapture,theywerenottoofferhimviolencebutlethimgo.Allthis,itisbelieved,hedidforthe
sakeofBrutussmother.ItseemsthatinCaesarsyouthhehadanaffairwithServilia,whowasmadlyin
lovewithhim,andasbrutushadbeenbornataboutthetimewhenherpassionwasatitsheight,hehad
alwayscherishedthesuspicionthatBrutuswashisownsonAsonecanclearlyseeCaesarlovedand
intrustedBrutusfortheveryreasonthathethoughtBrutuswashisson,andthefactthathedeeplycared

aboutServiliaevenwhentheywerenolongerineachother'spresence.ThisillustrateshowCaesar's
mentalityismostlydominatedbyemotionratherthanpurereasoningalone,whereasBrutusisdominated
bylogicandreasoning.Neverthelessbothmenhaveadownfallwhichcanbeattributedtotheirreasoning
whetheritbelogicaloremotionalbased,thisshowshowwehumansasawholewillhaveadownfallof
ournomatterhowwelive,howwethink,orevenoursocialstatus.

11.)InPlutarch'sMakersofromethefallofJuliusCaesarischaracterizedandsymbolizedbytheendof
thedictatorialrule,andabsolutepowerintheRomanRepublic.WhileCassiuswantedcomplete
totalitarianrule,Brutuswantedanequalfairandjustdemocracy.ThisisbestexpressedonPg230of
Plutarch'sMakersofRomeBrutus,itissaid,wasopposedtothedictatorship,butCassiushatedthe
dictator.ThesetwomindsthatcollidedandintertwinedwitheachotherultimatelyleadtoCaesar'sdeath
duetothefactthatbothmenwerenotparticularlyenthralledbyCaesar'sruleeitheroutofjealousyor
outoffear.Cassiusclearlyisquitefondofdictatorshiphisbloodthirstyunquenchabledesireandlustfor
powercausehimtoassistinthekillingofCaesar.ThelustforpowerthatCassiusfeltwassogreatthathe
entangledothersinhisplanforpower,especiallyBrutuswhokilledCaesaronecouldsayoutoffear,
BrutuswasfearfulofCaesarleadingRomeintoaDictatorshiponcemoreandallthathardworkputinto
makingademocracywouldallgotowaste.TheDeathofJuliusCaesarsymbolizesanendtothe
dictatorialruleandabsolutepower.

13.)InPlutarch'sMakersofRomePlutarchInfersthatCassiussmotivestowardCaesarsrulewereoutof
pureandutterresentment.ThesefeelingscanbeobservedparticularlywellinPg230Asaboy,when
hewenttothesameschoolasFaustus,thesonofSulla.WhenFaustusbegantothrowhisweightabout
amongtheotherboysandboastofhisfathersabsolutepower,Cassiusjumpedupandgavehima
thrashing.Faustussguardiansandrelativeswantedtotakethemattertocourt,butPompeyrefusedto
allowthis,broughtthetwoboystogether,andquestionedthemastowhathappened.ThereuponCassius
says,sothestorygoes,Comeonthen,Faustus,YoucantellPompey,ifyoudare,whatyousaidthat
mademesoangry,andIwillknockyourteethagainSuchwasCassiusscharacterThisshowsthateven
atayoungageCassiusheldresentmentforindividualswhoupheldmorepowerthanhedid.Thisinturn
couldhavetranslatedintohishatredforindividualswithlotsofcontrolandpowersuchasCaesar.

14.)InPlutarch'sMakersofRomePlutarchtellsofthereasonwhyCassiusrecruitedBrutusfortheplot
againstCaesar.Inpg231PlutarchclaimsWithouthimtheywouldactwithlessconvictionincarrying
outthemurder,andwouldattractmoresuspicionafterwards,sincemenwouldsaythatiftheircausehad
beenjustthenBrutuswouldnothaverefusedtosupportitEssentiallywithoutBrutusinontheplanthey
wouldhavecausedoutrageonthestreetsandpurechaosduetothefactthatBrutusisseenasaveryjust
manandamanwhoseeksthebestinterestforpeopleintheeyesofthecommonersofRome.Ipersonally
agreethatwithoutBrutustheirplanwouldnthavebeenassuccessfulandinalllikelihoodwouldhave
causedmassoutrage,becausethemenwhowerealsoinontheconspiracytheywerentaswelllikedby
thecommoners.ThecommonersadoredBrutusduetothesheerfactthattheyknewthatBrutushastheir
bestinterestsinmind.