77) The haunting words of Julius Caesar on his last breathe, when he saw Brutus among his murderers. But why was Caesar slain? What could have made a butcher of a dignified, loving and honorable friend of Caesars"? Caesar's assassination was illogical. He simply did not deserve to die. Brutus" actions were far too much influenced by the conniving Caius Cassius, a Roman general who seemingly had some personal problems with Caesar. .
Act I, Scene 1 begins with the Feast of Lupercal, a parade in honor of the great Caesar who has defeated his enemies in battle. Two townspeople enjoying the feast are interrupted and scolded by Marullus and Flavius, two tribunes who still remember Pompey, who was a Roman general whom Caesar had defeated. While Caesar is paraded through the streets, a soothsayer warns him, "Beware the Ides of March!" The soothsayer does not elaborate, he is foreshadowing of Caesar's downfall. Meanwhile, Marc Antony, also a general and loyal friend to Caesar, offers Caesar a coronet. Caesar refuses to accept this nomination three times to the applause of the people. This refusal to accept the coronet shows that Caesar is not ambitious at all.
In Act I, Scene 2, Cassius approaches Brutus cautiously and urges him to share his feelings toward Caesar's rise. Cassius does this to gain Brutus" trust. He does not want to be too forward with Brutus as to reveal his plans. They agree to meet later and discuss the matter further. Cassius is a conniving character. He starts the conspiracy to kill Caesar. Unlike Brutus" however, he does not have noble incentives, Cassius" motive for killing Caesar is jealousy. He explains how he saved Caesar from the river and then he says, "And this man Is now become god? And Cassius is A wretched creature"(1.2.123-125) Showing his true jealousy. On the night of March 14, the day before The Ides of March, a terrible storm hits Rome. Cassius believes that these signs mean that Caesar must be stopped.
