Group+21


 * 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:**

Proving Brutus’ innocence

Julie Kleiner Bell 5

<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16px;">The honorable Brutus killed the ambitious Caesar, in order to protect Rome. Caesar killed millions of people, including those of Rome, and acted with little respect towards those he associated with. As a result, an honorable man killed an ambitious man to protect what he loved and fought for.

<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16px;">Brutus was honorable, for he said, “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.” (Act 1, scene 2, line 86-89) Brutus was so honorable that he saw honor and death equally, and will risk his own, and others lives, for what is right. He believed in doing good for what he loved and thought was important. Furthermore, Brutus says “Not that I loved Caesar less, but that I love Rome more.” (Act 3, scene 2, line 2) He is admitting that he loved Rome so much that he would take a person’s life, not necessarily loving them any less, to help Rome. He had a deep heart for Rome, and was willing to risk people’s lives to keep Rome in good hands. Brutus did not intentionally cause death to Romans. He was not even positive about going through with the plan to kill Caesar. In Act 3 scene 2 line 23 Brutus says "Had you rather Caesar were living and die all slaves, that Caesar were dead to live all free men." He is just saying that if Caesar would have stayed in power they would have ended up feeling like slaves, but that he died, they could be free. He impacted Rome in a big and good way by going through with the plan.

<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16px;">“Caesar’s first priority was to make sure that no one would stand in his way.” (Galford, Ellen. Julius Caesar The Boy who Conquered an Empire. North America: National Geographic Society, 2007. Print. Page 54) Caesar cares so much about getting power that he made sure that no one could stop him or hold him back. Caesar was determined and power hungry that he did not care if he killed people or not and just wanted to be in power. He was not going to let anyone keep him from it. This reflects how selfish this man could really be. He did whatever he could to make himself appear larger than he was. Infact, “His statues were placed in Rome’s holiest temples, right next to images of the gods themselves.”(Galford, Ellen. Julius Caesar The Boy who Conquered an Empire. North America: National Geographic Society, 2007. Print. Page 56) This act suggested that he was as high and as important as they were. He was inferring that he was as good as the gods. Many people did not think of him as important that he made himself out to be. Caesar caused a lot of damage to Rome and killed millions, yet he thought he had the authority to be seen as a god. He thought this way because he was selfish. “<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16px;">Caesar replaced an elected constitutional government -however imperfect- with a military dictatorship. Over a million Gauls died to further his ambitions, and about another million were enslaved.” Caesar cause a lot of commotion and chaos, not to mention death and slavery. He was not fit to be a leader. (Matyszak, Philip. Chronicle of the Roman Republic. United States: Thames and Hudson Inc., 2003. Print. Page 208.) "A century after Caesar's death, his biographer, Suetonius, delivered his verdict: 'He deserved assassination.'" He was not the only one to believe this was true. Caesar's death was the only option. (Matyszak, Philip. Chronicle of the Roman Republic. United States: Thames and Hudson Inc., 2003. Print. Page 208.)

<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16px;">Brutus was only protecting Rome when he killed Caesar. Brutus says in Act 3, scene 2, line 23, “Had you rather Caesar were living and die all slaves, that Caesar were dead to live all free men.” If Caesar would have lived, everyone would die as slaves to him. But if Caesar were to die, everyone would live freely. Caesar was putting Rome in danger for their lives and how they lived. But Brutus was acting in honor by killing him. In Act 5 scene 5 lines 68-72, Antony says "This was the noblest Roman of them all. All the conspirators save only he did that they did in envy of great Caesar; he only in a general honest thought and common good to all, made one of them." Many Romans probably agreed with this statement that he was the noblest Roman. He was the only member in the conspiracy who did not kill Caesar out of envy. In Act 3 scene 2 lines 24, Brutus says "As Caesar loved me I weep for him; as he was fortunate, I rejoice at it; as he was valiant, I honor him; but as he was ambitious, I slew him." This is saying that when Caesar loved him, Brutus cried for him. When he was lucky, Brutus got excited for him. When he was brave, Brutus honored him. But when he was power hungry, Brutus killed him. Brutus acted with every bit of respect towards Caesar. He gave Caesar credit for the good things he did, but when he seemed like a threat to Rome, he knew he needed to kill him. If Caesar would have been kept alive, who knows what would have happened to Rome.

<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16px;">Brutus was a wise man to have taken Caesar out of power. He did it for the protection of Rome, and did it honorably. Caesar would have killed thousands more than he already did. Rome was lucky to have had Brutus there to help them out. Rome owes Brutus for changing their future lives.

Brutus Is a Traitor

Brutus is an unhonorable traitor and he killed the leader of Rome, Caesar. For his numerous crimes he should be imprisoned for the rest of his life.

Brutus is unhonorable. He is a Hypocrite and a traitor. In Chapter4 Scene3 Line 3Brutus called Cassius unhonorable for his connections to the bribes, but Brutus “He forced a brutal Forty-eight percent interest rate loan on the city of Salamis and killed and who resisted.”(Philip Matyzaks Chronicles of the Roman Republic: The rulers of ancient Rome form Romulus to Augustus Page 210) While Cassius may have bribed that was not a crime, unethical though many Romans did it, forcing a lone on a city at that rate was incredibly illegal. If bribing makes Cassius unoble then what does Brutus think of himself? The Loan broke a law among others. Was all Brutus’s acts crime against the Republic?

In Chapter3 Scene1 Line Seventy-seven Caesar said, “Et tu Brute.” Caesar was surprised that that Brutus one of his closest friends and supporters had stabbed him in the back literally. Caesar probably remembers.”(Philip Matyzaks Chronicles of the Roman Republic: The rulers of ancient Rome form Romulus to Augustus Page 210) “Caesar saved Brutus’s life in his war with Pompey. This meant he thought they were close allies. However When Brutus served in Caesars Civil War he fought against Caesar with Cato and Brutus may have had a deep seated feeling of revenge against Caesar. If Brutus murdered his best friend the no true Roman should expect mercy of any kind from Brutus.

Brutus should be punished, stripped of all money and property and even killed. At the very least he should be imprisoned for the rest of his life. In Chapter 4 Scene3 Line 200 “Brutus leads his troops” to fight against Rome in his second civil war. He is dangerous to Rome. If Brutus is banished he will not stop. He will reposition, gain power, seek allies, and become an even worse threat. In Chapter 3 Scene 1 Line 77 “Brutus kills Caesar”. Any other Raman who has committed murder then the punishment would be death. If he was a normal Roman we could lay our hands on him. He shouldn’t be let out of punishment. Either he is a Roman and he gets banished/ imprisoned, or he’s a traitor and he gets executed.

Caesar was just. He conquered land like few before him, He cared for the people, and not once did he try to take the crown. He was a true leader. When the senate exiled the tribunes for voting Caesar.”(Philip Matyzaks Chronicles of the Roman Republic: The rulers of ancient Rome form Romulus to Augustus Page 216) “Marched to Rome to restore the legal power of the tribune that was there’s by democracy “Caesar only marched to Rome when Rome‘s own democracy was threatened. Brutus had killed Caesar under the pretense that he was protecting the republic Caesar had tried to destroy. Though instead of restoring it he destroyed the one Caesar saved.

When Caesar marched to Rome he killed as few as possible (Philip Matyzaks Chronicles of the Roman Republic: The rulers of ancient Rome form Romulus to Augustus Page 207)” Under Caesar they’re would be no purges or proscriptions”. He was one of the very few recent Roman leaders to do so. Anthony, Octavian, and Brutus all did. If Caesar was the best leader of Rome than what does that make of Brutus?

It was Brutus who enacted the Civil War which coasted so many Romans they’re lives. It was a pointless waste of time, energy, and money. When Brutus tried to rebel he drained men from Rome that could have fought invaders and other nations. When Brutus rebelled he weakened Rome and Anthony/ Octavian only were sent when he tried to capture cities. Brutus fought the Roman army with Roman, Egyptian, and Parthian armies which had been enemies of Rome. It means that if Brutus had won the Parthian and Egyptians may have invaded a weakened Rome. If Rome had been invaded by a major power or rebellions spiked Rome would have lost a lot of land all blamed on Brutus.

Brutus is a traitor; he could have led to the destruction of Rome. “Who knows what would have happened to Rome if Brutus had won”. ([|www.Wikipedia.com/brutus]) If Brutus had won then Rome probably would have gotten invaded and we would be dead. Brutus should be punished.