BRUTUS
The only way is to kill Caesar. I have no personal reason to strike at him-only the best interest of the people. He wants to be crowned. The question is, how would being king change him? Evil can come from good, just as poisonous snakes tend to come out into the open on bright sunny days-which means we have to walk carefully. If we crown him, I have to admit we’d be giving him the power to do damage. Rulers abuse their power when they separate it from compassion. To be honest, I’ve never known Caesar to let his emotions get the better of his reason. But everyone knows that an ambitious young man uses humility to advance himself, but when he reaches the top, he turns his back on his supporters and reaches for the skies while scorning those who helped him get where he is. Caesar might act like that. Therefore, in case he does, we must hold him back. And since our quarrel is with his future behavior, not what he does now, I must frame the argument like this: if his position is furthered, his character will fulfill these predictions. And therefore we should liken him to a serpent’s egg-once it has hatched, it becomes dangerous, like all serpents. Thus we must kill him while he’s still in the shell.
from Spark notes, no fear shakespeare.
The only way is to kill Caesar. I have no personal reason to strike at him-only the best interest of the people. He wants to be crowned. The question is, how would being king change him? Evil can come from good, just as poisonous snakes tend to come out into the open on bright sunny days-which means we have to walk carefully. If we crown him, I have to admit we’d be giving him the power to do damage. Rulers abuse their power when they separate it from compassion. To be honest, I’ve never known Caesar to let his emotions get the better of his reason. But everyone knows that an ambitious young man uses humility to advance himself, but when he reaches the top, he turns his back on his supporters and reaches for the skies while scorning those who helped him get where he is. Caesar might act like that. Therefore, in case he does, we must hold him back. And since our quarrel is with his future behavior, not what he does now, I must frame the argument like this: if his position is furthered, his character will fulfill these predictions. And therefore we should liken him to a serpent’s egg-once it has hatched, it becomes dangerous, like all serpents. Thus we must kill him while he’s still in the shell.
from Spark notes, no fear shakespeare.
