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Brutus, Julius Caesar and a Series of Bad Decisions

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Throughout the play Julius Caesar, there are many defining moments that impact the play. The tragic tale of Marcus Brutus is told. Brutus' decisions throughout Julius Caesar illustrate his naive perspective. The following choices such as not taking the oath, or refusing to kill Mark Antony prove to be ill decisions. Eventually, Brutus makes the final decision of going to Philippi, which put the nail in his coffin. There were many advisors, and many decisions made throughout the play. However, Brutus was calling the shots and this led to his tragic end. The first bad decision that Caesar makes is not taking the oath. In Act II Cassius suggests that the conspiracy take an oath; an oath that will keep anyone from telling of the conspiracy. Brutus does not want to take an oath. He says "If these motives be weak, break off betimes,/ And every man hence to his idle bed" (II.i.116-7). He believed that all of the conspirators wanted to kill Caesar for the same reason as Brutus, for the possibility of him becoming a tyrant. He is trying to say that if that reason alone is not strong enough then leave the conspiracy, and they will give up. Brutus was the only one that was killing Caesar with good intentions and everyone but him knew it. This is the first of many times that Brutus will disagree with what Cassius suggests. This shows Brutus' naive perspective on life. Not only did Brutus disagree with Cassius about taking an oath but also about killing Mark Antony. Mark Antony is Caesar's closest friend, and Cassius was afraid that if they killed Caesar that Mark Antony could come after the conspiracy. Brutus being naive says "For Antony is but a limb of Caesar" (II.i.165). He believes that Antony will cause no harm, and that he will be powerless without Caesar. He also wants to look like a sacrificer, and thinks that if they kill Antony as well that they will look like butchers. It is naive for Brutus to think that if Caesar is killed that M

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