Group+10


 * Minimum Project Requirements: **
 * 5 **//__IN__//** __DEPTH __ discussions with opposing counsel via class network. These discussions must present not only relevant and specific facts from the play, but also from your historical research.
 * Preliminary Draft of Closing Statement entered in your class network. Draft must contain **//__at least 5 detailed paragraphs__//**: 1) Introductory paragraph outlining the overall theme of your case - thesis statement; 2) //at least// 3 paragraphs which include **//__detailed__//** supporting evidence for your case - 1 piece of evidence with explanation per paragraph; and 3) a closing paragraph which ties all the evidence together and solidifies your case.
 * Peer editing of opposing counsel's statement following guidelines to be provided; plus an additional peer revision of your choice.
 * Works Cited page containing **//__at__//** **//__least three __//****//__(3) sources __//**: 2 book sources for each electronic source.
 * Final Draft of Closing Statement, typed, double-spaced at a 12-point font with 1-inch margins. Please no decorative fonts – use something easy to read.
 * Oral recitation of your Closing Statement before the court. Be sure to use your voice as a persuasive tool to effectively deliver your statement. Suggestions for oral interpretation to be provided.


 * Remember that the above represent the minimum requirements for this project, the completion of which will earn you a minimum average grade of 70%. You can improve this grade by going above and beyond these minimum expectations. **

One way to increase your points will be to complete more than five discussion posts with your opposing counsel. To post a discussion, click the DISCUSSION tab above; click NEW POST, label the subject with a specific name, and then type and post your comment. To reply to a comment, simply click on the post heading, scroll to the bottom of the page, and then type and post your reply. Ideally, discussion topics will reflect either specific research sources or ideas learned from your research. You must cite all sources within your discussions so that your opposing counsel can verify your information.

Ellie Bath
 * Post Prosecution Closing Statement Here:**

Jeff Nienaber

English 10 CP: Bell 5

November 17, 2011

Prosecution of Marcus Brutus

Ambitious Brutus murdered honorable Caesar because of personal motives. Brutus was a very ambitious man who wanted Caesar's power and had held many things against Caesar since he was a young boy. Caesar was an honorable man who did many great things for Rome. He did not deserve to die. Historical writings show us that Brutus was a traitor to Rome and that Caesar was an honorable man.

Brutus was very ambitious. Only ambitious men would kill an honorable man such as Caesar. Brutus was not honorable. If he were honorable he would not have broken the Roman law. One of the laws from the Twelve Tables states that putting to death any man, whosoever he might be, unconvicted is forbidden. Charlotte Bennard shows us in her book Caesar and Rome that Brutus was highly against Caesar. "Not one to show much gratitude, it is Brutus who hatches the plot to rid Rome of the man who would be king-Caesar." This historical quote shows us that Brutus did not respect Caesar. Brutus was clearly jealous of Caesar's superiority so he murdured him..

Caesar was a very honorable man who cared a lot about Rome. He did many great things for Rome such as getting rid of a corrupted taxing system and leading the Roman army to many victories. He also appointed new senators and reconstituted courts. Caesar was very connected to the Roman citizens. He was very good to them and friendly when he walked throughout the city. In William Shakespeare's play The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, Caesar deeply cares for the people and in Act 3, scene 2, line 91 he says, "When the poor have cried, Caesar had wept also." Caesar felt emotionally what the Romans felt. He cared for them as if they were all his children.

Brutus murdered Caesar out of personal motives. Caesar cared deeply for Brutus. Before Brutus was born Caesar had an affair with Brutus' mom so Brutus was thought to be Caesar's son. Caesar always had a strange liking for Brutus. It was because Caesar thought that Brutus was his son so he kept a close eye on him and treated him very well. In Michael Parenti's book The Assassination of Julius Caesar: A People's History of Ancient Rome, it says that, "A long-standing legend has it that Caesar harbored a special fordness for Brutus because he was born at the time Caesar was having a protracted love affair with his mother, Servilia, and may have been Caesar's own son." This is another reason as to why Brutus murdered Caesar. He was angry with Caesar for not being a father that was always there with him and Servilia all the time when he was a child. When Caesar saw Brutus coming at him with the other conspirators he just gave up trying to defend himself. Caesar

Ambitious Brutus is guilty of murduring the honorable Caesar out of personal motives. Caesar did all good things for Rome but still had his life taken by a dishonorable man. Julius Caesar didn't deserve to die. Caesar was even good to Brutus but Brutus was too power hungry to even notice. Ambitious Brutus murdered honorable Caesar because of personal motives.

Ancient Rome was in need of a new leader in government. The people of Ancient Rome saw Julius Caesar come into the spotlight. Julius Caesar promised better living for Roman people. My client Marcus Brutus is not guilty for killing his ambition friend Julius Caesar because of Brutus’s pride to protect Rome at all cost.
 * Post Defense Closing Statement Here:**

Caesar was to ambition when it came to power or riches. Ambition can be a good thing, it is how things get do in life but too much ambition can lead to power hungry. Caesar started to get power hungry because he wanted to be at the top. In Steve Forbes’s and John Prevas’s book Power Ambition Glory: The stunning parallels Between Great Leaders Of The Ancient World And Today… And The Lessons You Can Learn page 211, “Military success was that fast track to the top, and the desire for it produced a class of ambitions men who undertook quasi-private wars to gain wealth, popularity, and political influence.” This quote says that military people saw all the power and wealth of being in the military. Caesar was in the military; he saw all the power that comes with being in the Military. Caesar loved every moment of coming home from victory at battle and the Roman people were cheering Caesar’s name. Caesar loved to feel powerful and the Roman people gave Caesar this power. Caesar wanted more and Caesar could not stop him self. Caesar became to ambition and had to be stop or face losing the democracy of Rome.

Caesar lost the thought to help the Rome people because of Caesars Ambition to obtain as much power as possible. In Steve Forbes’s and John Prevas’s book Power Ambition Glory: The stunning parallels Between Great Leaders Of The Ancient World And Today… And The Lessons You Can Learn page 213, “Ambition is among the strongest and most creative forces in the arsenal of human psychology and frequently the reason things get done. It also is one of the most dangerous.” This quote says ambition can be a good thing but could become a bad thing. Caesar turned his good ambition into bad ambition because Caesar was power hungry. Caesar becoming power hungry caused Brutus to kill Caesar, for the good of Rome.

Brutus and Caesar were very good friends. Brutus would never do anything to Caesar unless Caesar was hurting Rome. In the play The Tragedy Of Julius Caesar act 11 scene 1 lines 10-12 Brutus says, “It must be by his death; and for my part, I know no personal cause to spurn at him, But for the general. He would be crowned.” This quote says Brutus would not want to kill Caesar but had to for the good of Rome. Brutus was an honorable man and would never backstab his friend Caesar. Brutus was not going to let his friend Caesar destroy the democracy of Rome. Brutus would do anything in his power to stop his friend Caesar from destroying the democracy of Rome.

Caesar gave Brutus a job in the Rome government. Brutus was so thankful for this that he never let him down in this job. Brutus did this job with his full capability. In The play The Tragedy Of Julius Caesar act 111 scene 11 lines 17- 19 Brutus says, “If there be any in assembly, any dear friend of Caesar’s, to him I say that Brutus’ love to Caesar was no less than his.” This quote say Brutus loved Caesar as much as Brutus loves him self. Brutus did not want to kill his best friend Caesar but had no choice when it was bad for Rome. The only reason Brutus killed Caesar was for the good of Rome. Brutus loved Caesar so deeply as a friend.

Brutus’s pride for Rome was so massive and caring. Brutus would give his own life for the good of Rome. In the play The Tragedy Of Julius Caesar act 111 scene 1 lines 103- 105 Brutus says, “Grant that, and then is death a benefit. So are we Caesar’s friends, that have abridged His time of fearing death.” This quote says Brutus killing Caesar was a benefit to Rome. Rome did not have to worry about a dictatorship anymore. Caesar was the threat to Rome and Brutus had to kill the threat. If Brutus did not kill Caesar Rome would have become a dictatorship.

Brutus wanted to help Rome become better. Brutus wanted to help the Roman people have better lives in Rome. In Philip Matyszalk’s book The Sons of Caesar: Imperial Rome’s First Dynasty page 280, “Yet the direct contribution of the Caesar to Rome was massively out-weighed by their benefit to the Empire as a whole. Since their conquest by Rome, most of the provinces had previously known only war, corruption and ruinous taxation.” This quote says Caesar did some good things but he did more bad things to Rome. Brutus saw all the bad things Caesar was doing to Rome and had to act. Brutus’s pride for Rome took over and had to kill Caesar. Brutus saved the Rome Empire from dictatorship because of Brutus’s pride for Rome.

Brutus did the right thing to kill Caesar. If Brutus acted later it would have been to late. Brutus saved the Rome Empire from the dictatorship of Caesar. The Roman people chased out the other dictators centuries ago and Brutus did the same thing. Brutus did this because of his honor to protect Rome. My client Marcus Brutus is not guilty for killing his ambition friend Julius Caesar because of Brutus’s pride to protect Rome at all cost.

Mike's Defense of Brutus

Brutus is innocent in the cold blooded murder of Caesar. The honorable Brutus followed the model of his great ancestors and killed Caesar in order to help Rome. His actions were warranted because he felt that Rome did not deserve to waste away under a supreme dictator.

Brutus says, "I would not, Cassius, yet I love him well, but wherefore do you hold me here so long, what is it that you would impart to me? If it be aught toward the general good, set honor in one eye and death in the other, and I will look on both indifferently for let the Gods so speed me, as I love the name of honor more than I fear death." (I. ii. Lines 81-89) Brutus loves doing things that are honorable for the people of Rome. He wouldn't have declined the task of killing Caesar if it had been honorable. On the other hand, he would have declined the task if it had not been honorable. Brutus loves to feel honorable for what he has done for the Roman people. Brutus says, "No, Cassius, for the eye sees not itself, but by reflection by some other things. (I. ii. Lines 52-53) You don't see yourself, but you see yourself with the things around you. This line basically tells you that Brutus is viewed as an honorable man by the Romans. I found a line in an article that would tie into the subject about Brutus being honorable. It said that Brutus would not hold his peace, but defend his country, and die on the behalf of liberty. It says: "It would at once be my duty, not to hold my peace, but to defend my country and die in behalf of liberty." The article that I found this quote from was called: The Life of Brutus. This line came from another article called: Brutus's Reasons. It says: Millicent Bell, who is concerned with the deep vein of philosophical scepticism traversing the play, points out that the ambivalence of Brutus is a function of that of Caesar: If Caesar was a tyrant, Brutus was a lover of liberty, an idealist. Basically, this says that if Caesar was a tyrant, Brutus was an idealist, which would in turn, make Brutus look good, and Caesar look bad.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Cassius says, "Upon what meat doth this our Caesar feed, that he has grown so great, age thou art shamed Rome thou has lost the breed of noble bloods when went there by an age since the great flood, but it was famed with more than with one man." (I. ii. Lines 150-154) Brutus followed his family traditions by using the model of his ancestors, which were the noble bloods, to do what was right for Rome, which was to kill the ambitious Caesar.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Brutus says, "In therefore, think him as a serpent's egg which hatched, would as his kind grow mischievous, and kill him in the shell." (Ii. i. Lines 132-134) The honorable Brutus wanted to help Rome by killing the ambitious Caesar before he got ultra power hungry. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">I found a line from the Life of Brutus article that ties into Brutus helping Rome. It says: “When Caesar was about to cross over into Africa against Cato and Scipio, he put Brutus in charge of Cisalpine Gaul, to the great good-fortune of the province; for while the other provinces, owing to the insolence and rapacity of their governors, were plundered as though they had been conquered in war, to the people of his province Brutus meant relief and consolation even for their former misfortunes”. In other words, Brutus meant to redress the province of Cisalpine Gaul from its misfortunes. Caesar was going to cross into Africa and fight against Cato and Scipio.

Casca says: "Oh, he sits on high in all the people's hearts, and that which would appear offense in us is his countenance like richest alchemy will change to virtue and to worthiness. (I. iii. Lines 57-160) Brutus is popular in the people's hearts. The peope of Rome think that Brutus is honorable, because when he kills Caesar, the bad things, such as Caesar becoming power hungry, will turn into good, rather positive things, like not having to worry about Caesar becoming even more power hungry. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Based on the quotes that I listed above, Brutus killed Caesar because he felt he needed to follow the model of his great ancestors in order to help Rome.

Works Cited <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Act 1 Scene 2 Lines 52-53 - Brutus says, "No, Cassius, for the eye sees not itself, but by reflection by some other things. You don't see yourself, but you see yourself with the things around you. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Act 1 Scene 2 Lines 81-89 - Brutus says, "I would not, Cassius, yet I love him well, but wherefore do you hold me here so long, what is it that you would impart to me? If it be aught toward the general good set honor in one eye and death in the other, and I will look on both indifferently for let the Gods so speed me, as I love the name of honor more than I fear death." <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">He wouldn't have Caesar be King, although he loves him, but it would not be good for Rome. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Act 1 Scene 2 Lines 150-154 - Cassius says, "Upon what meat doth this our Caesar feed, that he has grown so great, age thou art shamed Rome thou has lost the breed of noble bloods when went there by an age since the great flood, but it was famed with more than with one man." Why did Caesar grow so great to be the only guy in charge of Rome.