Vanessa L.

Choosing the best leader suitable to be the ruler of Rome has been difficult for me. Even though I had my mind set on none of them being suitable for the position but each one of them opened my eyes to look deeper into the context and what the words meant and looking at them in different ways I wouldn't even think of.

At first my thoughts on Anthony were of a loving and caring friend towards Caesar, he obeyed and respected Caesar doing exactly what Caesar ordered. Antony even said it himself “when Caesar says “do this,” it is performed(Act 1, Scene 2,line 13). But the mood dramatically changed when Antony found out Caesar had been murdered by the people who Caesar would have considered his friends. He changed into someone who was angry and craving vengeance for the murder of his beloved Caesar, “a curse shall light upon the limbs of men; Domestic fury and fierce civil strife shall cumber all parts of Italy.. That this foul deed shall smell above the earth with carrion men groaning from burial”(Act 3, Scene 1, lines 288-301). I found these words disturbing and frightening but during the advertisement presentation Antony admitted that he did in fact say all these things but it only means that he's human and as humans we regret what we sometimes say. I found this statement to appeal to Nomos making me feel that Antony is just like all the rest of us, human and persuading me into thinking that we are the same and have the same intentions for Rome. I found their arguments eye opening but Anthony would still not be my choice.

I never liked Cassius since the very beginning. He is a manipulating weasel who plants his own ideas into others mind making them do Cassius own dirty work while he watches from the shadows. Cassius did exactly that with Brutus sending him an anonymous letter convincing Brutus that killing Caesar is the best thing to do for the greater good for Rome. Brutus believes he is doing the best thing for Rome, “O Rome, I make thee promise, If the redress will follow, thou receivest thy full petition at the hand of Brutus”(Act 2, Scene 1, lines 59-61). The people that represented Cassius tried to make Cassius look like the actions he took were all for the people of Rome appealing to Pathos but it didn't fit right. Cassius does nothing for the people, he only looks out for himself and his own best interests.

The best choice for Rome would be Brutus. Most would say that Brutus is very easily manipulated and weak to say the least but Brutus just wants the best for Rome even if it meant killing Caesar. He always had good intentions. Cassius was the one who sent Brutus over the edge, planting ideas in his head which weren't entirely his own, and leaving Brutus to take the fall when things got bad. Nonetheless, Caesars murder was inevitable, the only question was who was going to do it. Brutus honored and loved Caesar but as he said in his funeral “not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more”(Act 3, Scene 2, lines 23-24). Brutus always had the people and Romes best interest at heart and that is why Brutus is the best choice.