Taylor Downs
The comparison of Brutus and Cassius is that of the comparison of
Tragedy of Julius Caesar, and in putting their words and actions alongside
each other, the dissimilarities in their motivation, decisions, and morals are
evident. Including even their suicides, Marcus Brutus reveals bravery in each
One can prove bravery by their honesty, for one cannot be honest
without also being brave. One of Brutus’ morals is honesty, he would much
false pretense. This is shown by his unwillingness to make an oath with the
other conspirators, “And what other oath / Than honesty to honesty engaged
/ That this shall be or we will fall for it?” (Act 2, Sc. 1, 137-139) In
comparison, Cassius proves his wish of secrecy and manipulation over the
given honesty on many occasions; one of which his expectancy for the
conspirators to take the oath, “And let us swear our resolution.” (Act 2, Sc. 1,
124) The instance of deciding how to attack the Roman Republic reveals both
Brutus
Cassius
Your reason?
To hold one’s trust in another’s hands, one’s wellbeing and life, takes
others; often, laying more confidence in them than they deserve. He expects
every man to act as he would, and this fact alone shows not only idealism,
but nativity. Cassius has a more accurate and clearer grasp on humanity, and
as his expectations are lesser, his trust in man is far lesser as well. The
Brutus
Brutus is fixed on believing that Antony believes what they did was the right
thing, that he would put his love for his friend aside for the greater good of
Rome – like he, himself did. The only problem is one that Cassius sees well,
that most do not do what is right, per say, but what their emotions
communicate to their minds; and most would want revenge for those that
amount of bravery of all. Both Brutus and Cassius commit suicide nearing the
end of the tragedy, but they do so in very different manners. Cassius did not
have the courage to kill himself, but made his slave Pindarus stab him with
the sword that he had used to killed Caesar, “Now be a freeman, and with
this good sword, / That ran through Caesar’s bowels, search this bosom. /
Stand not to answer. Here, take thou the hilts, / And, when my face is
covered, as ‘tis now, / Guide though the sword. / Caesar, though art
revenged / Even with the sword that killed thee.” (Act 5, Sc. 3, 44-51) Brutus,
on the other hand ran upon his own sword, using his own courage to take his
life, not that of an oath taken by a slave, “I free form the bondage you are in,
Messala. / The conquerors can but make a fire of him, / For Brutus only
overcame himself, / And no man else hath honor by his death.” (Act 5, Sc. 5,
60-63)
path to take, for both meet their ends in death, both Octavius and Antony
reward Brutus’s courage in the end, remarking upon how Brutus was the
“noblest Roman of them all.” As opposing are bravery and cowardice, are