Group+28


 * 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.


 * Post Prosecution Closing Statement Here:**

Marcus Brutus, Senator of the Roman Republic, is guilty of the murder of Gaius Julius Caesar on 15 March 44 b.c. Based on the claims of the “honorable” Brutus, Caesar was “cold-hearted” and “no good” as an authority figure for Rome, but judging the way Caesar was passionate about making Rome a better place, gaining a strong and respectable army, and a sturdy economic future. Brutus murdered the noble Caesar because he believed that no one as “ambitious” as Caesar should have power and the political standing as he did. Brutus, all in all, was jealous and angry about it. Caesar’s death was part of a conspiracy of murder, not an honorable act for the good of Rome. The deceitful Brutus is guilty of murdering the noble Caesar. Brutus claimed to have been Caesar’s friend, but what kind of friend could you be when you go behind their backs and plan a conspiracy about them? Obviously Brutus was not a very good one. Between Caesar and Brutus it was a friendship, but something even deeper than that….Possibly blood. In history, Caesar had had a long affair with Brutus’ mother back right around the time that Brutus was born. Historical records have shown that it’s possible that Caesar might have been Brutus’ biological father. All through Brutus’ life, he had questioned Caesar’s part in his life. Caesar was Brutus’ fellow Senator, partner, and loyal friend. But it has been said that Brutus had been touchy about Caesar’s relationship with his mother. In Michael Grant’s book, //Julius Caesar//, it says, “Perhaps Portia, Brutus’ wife, helped to change her husband’s mind about Caesar, pointing out Caesar’s longstanding affair with Brutus’ mother as a disgrace.” (254) This could explain the hard feelings toward Caesar during the time before the murder of Caesar took place. Brutus had thought that the affair was a disgrace to the country and to him. The shame Brutus felt about the affair could well be a perfect motive for Brutus to kill Caesar. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">The affair was definitely not the only thing that gave Brutus motive to kill the noble Caesar. In Michael Grant’s book, //Julius Caesar//, it says, “Brutus was obsessed with his ancestors.” (254). This was not hard to understand because as it also says in //Julius Caesar,// “Aristocratic Romans had long been brought up to regard it as their duty to kill tyrants. Brutus’ relatives Lucius Brutus and Servillious Ahala were ones to kill tyrants” this quote says that is their duty to follow in the path of their ancestors and to do what they had done in their life time. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Brutus had seen in his eyes what would happen to Rome if Caesar would have taken the crown. But it wasn’t right to kill Caesar. Brutus claimed that Caesar was too ambitious and power hungry, but Brutus obviously didn’t look at Caesar’s ambition in a way that was positive like so many other Senator’s and citizens of Rome did. Ambition is not just about taking power by force and doing whatever you want because you want all the power. Ambition is also about working to make your efforts known and to achieve goals that are out of your reach and goals that no one could see you achieving. And that’s what Caesar did. He achieved greatness for himself because he had come from nothing when he was young and he was determined to do what he could to make a better life for himself and Rome. And Caesar was right to have ambition. His ambition led him to do amazing things for Rome and everyone who lived there. Caesar was a great leader and he had tried hard to make Rome a better place for his citizens. It is proven in the play, Act III Scene ii, line 240-242, “Here is the will, and under Caesar’s seal. To every Roman citizen, he gives to every several man, seventy-five drachmas.” In this, Caesar gave every citizen in Rome a substantial amount of money to insure that they had a great future and that Rome as a whole had a better economy. Brutus and the conspirators often than not, said that Caesar didn’t care about his citizens or treat them with the respect they deserve. But he did. Not all the time, but he did do what he could for them. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Caesar also contributed to the economy of Rome as much as he could. As it says in the play, Act III Scene ii, “He hath brought many captives to Rome whose ransoms did the general coffers fill.” This means that Caesar brought captives from many lands and held them for ransom. And with those ransoms, he put the money into things that benefited Rome and everything to do with it. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Brutus and the conspirator simply wanted to kill Caesar because he was going to rule the country, and he definitely would have ruled it well. But what kind of so called “friend” would kill someone because he was going to become king? If they didn’t want him to the king, the Senate, if majority ruled, could simply kick Caesar out of the Senate. And he would have taken that punishment like a man and a well composed leader. This is true because in the book, //Roman Republic: The rulers of Ancient Rome from Romulus to Augustus,// “Caesar accepted his punishment from the Senate when he was suspended from office.” This fully means that when Caesar was arrested for becoming a praetor, he accepted his punishment without complaint or a struggle to remain in power. This shows that Caesar could very accept his punishment if he was kicked out of the Senate a second time. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">So, all in all, Brutus must not have taken into full consideration what Caesar did for Rome and even for him, because if he had he would not have been drawn into the conspiracy and he would not have murdered one of the loyalist friends in his life. If Brutus had been an even more honorable and loyal person, maybe he would have seen what Caesar was really all about. Brutus was not honorable in the murder of Caesar and he does not deserve to go unpunished. Marcus Brutus is guilty of the murder of Gaius Julius Caesar.

Victoria Jenkins Bell 4 Defending Brutus and Caesar were very close friends. Caesar was a power hungry tyrant and Brutus was a caring and honorable man who only did what he thought was right. Brutus had no personal reason to kill Caesar, only to keep Rome safe. The honorable Brutus killed Caesar for the protection of the humanity of Rome and to uphold the republic his ancestors fought to put into place. Brutus’ ancestors had very much honor, and that same honor was passed down to him. Brutus was trying to uphold the honor and do what he thought was necessary. In Shakespear's play //The Tragedy of Julius Caesar// it says, “As Caesar loved me, I weep for him; as he was fortunate, I rejoice at it; as he was a valiant, I honor him; but as he was ambitious, I slew him.”(III, ii, 23-38) Brutus loved Caesar but he saw that Caesars ambition was too powerful. Brutus saw Caesar as a threat to the good of Rome and he wanted to do the honorable thing, and protect the people. Shakespeare goes on to say, “Any dear friend of Caesars, to him I say that Brutus’ love for Caesar was no less than his.”(III, ii, 18-19) Brutus loved Caesar just as much as Caesar loved Brutus. He wasn’t trying to be a savage when he killed Caesar; he killed Caesar because he loved him and knew that the only way to bring him down was to kill him. Brutus loved Rome and its people just as much as Caesar loved power, and would do anything necessary to protect it, just as Caesar would protect his power. Brutus saw Caesar as a threat to humanity as shown in the //The Tragedy of Julius Caesar//, “Not that I loved Caesar less, but I loved Rome more. Had you rather Caesar were living and die all slaves, than that Caesar were dead, to love all free men?” (III, ii, 21-24) Brutus didn’t want to see his fellow people be turned into slaves just because someone was on a power trip. He cared about the people of Rome and didn’t want anything to harm them. Brutus saw Caesar become more and more powerful. This is shown in the book //Julius Caesar: Dictator for Life// by Denis Rinalda, “Never in to history of Rome had one man held so much power, and Caesar didn’t seem willing to give it up. (106)” Caesar was a tyrant that would do harm with all his accumulated power and Brutus knew it. Caesar loved his abundance of power; in fact he wanted more and would do anything to get it. Brutus’ ancestors fought to put a republic into place for Rome and Brutus wasn’t going to stand by and watch it fall. In Erik Hildinger’s book //Swords Against the// Senate it says, “The last of the semi- legendary kings of Rome, Tanquinius Superbus, whose men had murdered Servious, was driven out by the nobility led by Lucius Junius Brutus, and a republic was established in 509.” (12) Brutus’ ancestors worked hard to make a republic for the better of Rome and its people. Brutus saw the republic slipping away and wanted to save it out of respect to his ancestors. Caesar was trying to take away the republic which is shown Adrian Goldsworthy’s book // Caesar: Life of a Colossus, // “He was now made dictator for 10 years and all magistrates were formally subordinate to him.” (486) Dictators were meant to be used in emergencies and last only 6 months, but Caesar made himself dictator. Caesar wanted to rid Rome of its republic and make himself king and Brutus wasn’t going to let that happen. All of this can be summed up into one simple sentence: Caesar was out of control and Brutus wanted to keep everyone safe. This is shown perfectly in the play //The Tragedy of Julius Caesar,// “Why, man, he doth bestride the narrow world like a colossus, and we petty men walk under his huge legs and peep about to find ourselves dishonorable graves?”( I, ii, 135-137) What Cassius is saying about Caesar is that he walks, talks, and acts like a god while everyone else tries not to get in his way. If people are already felt this way //before// Caesar became king, how would they feel when he actually becomes king?
 * Post Defense Closing Statement Here:**