Acts l & ll

9.Why does Brutus tell Cassius the story about Caesar and himself, swimming the Tiber River and fearing for their lives?

            Brutus shares this story with Cassius because he wanted to provide his own experiences with Caesar to show how much in common he has with Caesar. Before he shares this story, Cassius and Brutus were describing their opinions toward Caesar, and how his power creates inequality. They both feel that Caesar should not have as much power as he does, and that they feel they should have as much power as he does. Cassius states, “I was born as free as Caesar, so were you” (Act i Scene ii). Therefore, Brutus mentions the story so he can provide an experience to emphasize the fact that Caesar is no more of a man than they are.

3. What are Brutus’s deepest feelings about his plan to murder Caesar?

            It seems as if Brutus wants to kill Caesar, in a non-murderous way. He knows and explains to the others that Caesar must “bleed” in order for them to stop him. Brutus seems to be the only one with a real conscience in regards to other people’s feelings and life. He states, “Let’s be angry only long enough to do the deed, and then let’s act like we’re disgusted by what we had to do” (Act ii Scene i). This shows that Brutus wants to kill Caesar, as if it was his obligation, but afterwards, he wants to feel regret and disgust.