Group+04


 * 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.

Prosecuting Jake Troutwine Bell4
 * Post Prosecution Closing Statement Here:**

Well we are looking back at the time of Julius Caesar rising to power and declining after his murder committed by Brutus. First of all I am prosecuting against the trial of Brutus. The so called honorable Brutus murdered ambitious Caesar for the good ofRomeeven though there is proof that he had personal motive to murder him. If Brutus went to murder his friend behind his back does this show honor, or fear to face up and tell Caesar to back down. Main question I have is if he did it for the good ofRomethen why was there a need to run away and then later regret and feel that he made a mistake for killing him? Honorable Brutus murdered ambitious Caesar “for the good of Rome” even though we have proof that he would have had personal motive to murder him. Take this quote for instance “Despite Caesar’s indulgent treatment of him all his life, that the straight laced Brutus resented even more the man who used my mother for mistress” ( said Brutus in___). This is showing that even though Brutus says it was for good of Rome this shows that he had personal motive to kill him. Since Caesar used Brutus’s mother for a mistress and then bailed on Brutus as a child sounds like a liable reason to murder Caesar in cold blood. Honorable Brutus murdered Caesar and later showed regreat and knew he made a bad choice if you look at this quote I have found “ Set honor in one eye and death in the other and I will look on both indifferently”. This shows that Brutus clearly made the wrong choice because wouldn’t a honorable man such as Brutus take the honorable choice? He didn’t which is why Brutus isn’t as honorable as you think and he regretted the murder after it couldn’t be taken back. Everyone always names Caesar as being the ambitious, power hungry monster even though when it all comes down it shows that he was the opposite of ambitious. This quote here “I thrice presented him a crown, which he did thrice refuse.” Was this ambition? If he was so ambitious why would he deny the crown ofRome3 times! That is the opposite of ambitious. I think that Caesar wasn’t the ambitious one but Brutus was! The reason why I think this was because at the beginning of the whole “conspiracy thing” Brutus was just kind of laying low in it, well then as is got closer and closer he took charge and could not wait to kill him. Hmmm, isn’t that ambition? I think so. Caesar was a great friend of many but his best friend,Antony, says this and I quote “He was my friend, faithful and just to me; But Brutus says he was ambitious, and Brutus is an honorable man.” It just shows that Caesar can be a good friend and a good person and that Brutus isn’t honorable if he states lies? If you like at this whole story of Caesar it always mentions “Honorable Brutus”, “Honorable Cassius” but when its all said and done with these two people turn out to be that they are not honorable as you think. Take a look at this quote “Your minds to unitiny and Rage, I should do Brutus wrong and Cassius wrong who you all know are honorable men”. Are they really this honorable? No they are not no honorable person murders and then lies. Another quote is “ If there be any in this assembly and dear friend of Caesar’s, to him I say that brutus’ love to Caesar was no less than his.Then that friend demand why Brutus rose against Caesar this is my answer: not that he loved caeser less but he loves Rome more”. Brutus again claims for the good ofRomebut that was not why he murdered Caesar!

Defending Brutus
 * Post Defense Closing Statement Here:**

In Rome at the time of Caesar, many had to think about whether or not they wanted a new king and Gaius Julius Caesar was winning their votes, and while he did much that was creditable, many wondered if he deserved assassination. I believe that Marcus Brutus is innocent of murdering Gaius Julius Caesar. The Honorable Brutus Killed the Ambitious Caesar for the good of Rome.

Brutus is Honorable. In William Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of Julius Caesar (Act II, Scene I, Lines 10-11), Brutus says “It must be by his death, for I know no personal reason to spurn at him.” To me, this says that Brutus loves Caesar, but would not like to see him as leader of Rome. This also says that Brutus did not kill Caesar for any personal reason. In William Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of Julius Caesar (Act II, Scene I, Line 278), Brutus says “Kneel not gentle Portia.” This says that Brutus is very honorable and cares much about others and the city of Rome.

Caesar was Ambitious. In Stephen Collins’ The Ides (226), Suetonius says “That constant exercise of power gave Caesar a love of it, and after weighing the strength of his opponents against his own, he took this of fulfilling his youthful dreams by making a bid for the monarchy.” This says that Caesar only helped the roman people to get to the crown, he thought he had enough power to win the crown and the monarchy. I think that the roman people should have been more cautious and not give in to the “fake promises of change and good for the people” that he offered. In William Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of Julius Caesar (Act I, Scene II, Lines 228-230), Brutus says “Caesar wanted the crown, but he refused it gentler each time.” This Says that Caesar wanted the crown but refused it to fool the people. He also fainted after refusing the crown thrice.

He was doing it “for the good of Rome”. In Ellen Galford’s Julius Caesar : The Boy Who Conquered An Empire (56-57), it says ‘He presided over the Senate in a Golden Throne.” In my opinion, this is portraying Caesar as very greedy. He was showing off his power by sitting in a golden throne. In Ellen Galford’s Julius Caesar : The Boy Who Conquered An Empire (56-57), it says “In 45 B.C, the senate voted Caesar dictator for life, People were afraid to oppose him”. This says that the people were afraid to oppose him, so when he wanted the crown and the power, they had to give it to him even though they did not want to. Caesar was finally happy. He had all the power, all the votes, and all the control.

Caesar. . . In Ellen Galford’s Julius Caesar : The Boy Who Conquered An Empire (56-57), it says “ People were afraid to oppose him.” This is stating that the roman people did not love Caesar for what he did, and they really did not love him at all. The Romans were forced to vote and obey him. I will admit, some Romans really did love Caesar, but they did not see the real him. They saw the nice outside of his “fake” image. In Stephen Collins’ The Ides (226), Suetonius says “ While Caesar did much that was creditable, numerous were his words that “justified the conclusion that he deserved assassination.” This says that many people wondered if what he said was true and if he deserved assassination for what he was planning on doing.

And Concluding, I believe that Brutus killed Caesar because he knew that if Caesar was voted king, Rome would become a dictated country. Rome would lose its great reputation and Brutus’s ancestors would be unhappy since their successor allowed Caesar to become king and ruin Rome and all of it’s people. Brutus is innocent. He only killed Caesar to stop the chain of events that would occur if he lived and was the leader of the Holy Roman Empire. Brutus is Innocent not Guilty.