Brutus' Harmartias

Essay by StrykerHigh School, 11th gradeB+, December 1996

download word file, 2 pages 3.9

Downloaded 34 times

Brutus' Harmartias

Throughout the play of "Julius Caesar" Brutus makes many mistakes or

harmartias, which eventually lead to his tragic downfall. Although Brutus makes many

harmartias I feel that these three are the most important. The largest harmartia that

Brutus makes is listening to Cassius, in the beginning. Another harmartia Brutus makes is

deciding not to kill Antony. Brutus also makes the mistake of meeting Antony's army in

Philippi instead of waiting at the camp. These three harmartias of Brutus will be greater

explained in the next three paragraphs.

Brutus made a large harmartia listening to Cassius' speak about assassinating

Caesar. Brutus is very naive and because Cassius is clever he can make Brutus agree with

him. Cassius himself even says, "If I were Brutus now, and he were Cassius, He should

not humour me." (Shakespeare Act 1, Scene 2, Lines 314-315). If Brutus did not listen to

Cassius, he wouldn't have joined the conspiracy, and Brutus' tragedy would have never

happened. This is why Brutus should have never listened to Cassius' conspiracy plan.

A large harmartia that Brutus made was not killing Antony. Brutus says, "For

Antony is but a limb of Caesar." (Shakespeare Act 2, Scene 1, Line 165). . Brutus feels

that Antony would not be able to do anything without Caesar, and would probably

commit suicide. Cassius thinks that Antony should be killed, but does not argue with

Brutus. Antony ends up being even stronger without Caesar and is a tyrant ruler in a

triumvirate. Antony and his army are the reason why Brutus kills himself. If Brutus did

kill Antony he would probably of lived and been a ruler Rome.

Another harmartia that Brutus made was meeting the armies of Antony and

Octavius in Philippi instead of having them come...