Group+19


 * 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.

There was a time in Rome, following the death of pompey and the end of the civil war, were the people were in chaos and looking for a leader. That leader was the honorable Caesar. Caesar cared about everybody in the country and made some ambitious people jelous. One of the jelous people was Brutus, one of the people Caesar trusted and thought he was friends with. This so called friendship turned out to be fatal for Caesar. Caesar's so called friend back stabbed him because he couldn't stand someone else having power. So I guess what i am saying is the honorable Caesar was assassinated by the ambitious Brutus out of personal motives.

Caesar was a very honorable man and his actions show he put Rome before himself. In the //Tragedy of Julious Caesar// written by William Shakespeare, Mark Anthony was giving Caesars funeral speach and said " He hath brought many captives home to Rome, whoses ransoms did fill the general coffers fill,... when that the poor have cried, Caesar hath wept." This means Caesar took money intended for the goverment and put it in the public funds, Caesar truely cared about the poor and when they struggled he struggled. That just shows you how Caesar put Rome before himself. If that doesnt show honor then what does? Another quote by Anthony from the same play as above stated " You all did love him once, not without cause." This pretty much means the Rome people all did love Caesar once, and for a reason too, maybe because of his honor and care for Rome. Everybody in Rome did love Caesar for his honor and care for his country.

The ambitious Brutus murdered Caesar by stabbing him in the back in a unrespectful way. In Shakesspeare's play the //Tragedy of Julious Caesar,// Brutus says " Think of him as a serpents egg which hatched, would as his kind grow mischeivios and kill him in the shell." If Brutus truely cared about his country he would have seen how Caesar was as a leader. Not try to kill him before the people love him. In Charlotte Bernard's book //Caesar and Rome//"Then one of the conspirators grabs Caesar's toga exposing his neck. That is the signal. Caesar is stabbed 23 times at the foot of Pompeys statue." Brutus shows he really isn't honorable by stabbing his "friend" in the back. Brutus always talks about how he is honorable but stabbing someone 23 times is not honorable. Brutus was so ambitious he killed Caesar before he had power in a disrespectful way because he couldn't stand Caesar having power.

Brutus didn't really kill Caesar for the good of Rome but for his own personal motives. In Michael Parenti's book //The Assassination of Julious Caesar it is stated "//They wished to make him envied and disliked as quickly as possible... so they strove to embitter his best friend by calling him "king." Brutus was easily persuaded into killing Caesar. That shows a lot about Brutus' personality. Going from his friend one day to stabbing him in the back the next. Also there may have been another reason Brutus wanted to get back at Caear, it was rumored that Caesar was having multiple affairs with Brutus' mom. It is also rumored that Caesar may have even been Brutus' dad. In the same book by Parenti "It is reported that Caesar was much concerned for Marcus Brutus's safety at Pharsalus, issuing orders to his commanders that on no account must he be slain in the fighting. If Brutus surrendered, he was to be taken alive. If he resited capture, they were to let him go without violence." Brutus was mad abouthis mom's lover and found a way to get back at Caesar was to kill him. If that is not a personal motive then what is?

Ceasar was a admirably man who was murdered by a self-centered Brutus for his own motives. Most of the people in Rome loved Caesar except for the small group of selfish people. The so called honorable Brutus stabbed an innocent man 23 times in the back, if that is honorable then this world is in big trouble. Brutus should be punished to the maximum penalty for this crime. Caesar did not deserve to be assassinated by Brutus, he cared more about his country than him self. It is ashame that he was killed by his "friend." Caesar will be missed by many and now the country is in another civil war because of his death.

Brutus is honorable and is being wrongfully tried for the murder of Caesar. Brutus would not kill Caesar for a personal reason as he states on (Act I Scene 2 lines 82-89)" 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 aught be toward the general good, set honor in one eye and death i'the'other, And I will look on both indifferently; For let the gods speed me, as I love the name of honor more than I fear death." Brutus views death in one eye and honor in the other, if it means giving his life for an honorable act he will die for it and which he eventually did. Brutus is all about honor he would not ill somebody out of spite he killed Caesar because he was doing wrong. ( Act II Scene I lines 175-183) "And let our hearts, as subtle masters do, stir up their servants to an act of rage, And after seem to chide'em. This shall make Our purpose necessary, and not envious; which so appearing to the common eyes, we shall be called purgerers, not murderers, And for Mark Antony, think not of him; For he can do no more than Caesar's arm when Caesar's head is off." This shows that Brutus is honorable, because if he wasn't he would have killed Antony also just for following the corrupt ruler Caesar. They shall be called purgerers because they did the right thing and freed the people of a corrupt rule and even more corrupt to come.
 * Post Defense Closing Statement Here:**

Caesar being over ambitious was his downfall he knows that he did wrong he even says it himself " When then gods wish to take vengeance on a man for his crimes they usually grant him considerable success and a period of impunity so that when his fortune is reversed he will feel it all the more bitterly." He says that he has commited crimes and now his period of impunity is over, and now he is getting punished for it. Hes had great success and now its all getting taken away, and he feels it all the more bitterly.

Brutus fears Caesar may become king and he doesnt want Rome going down, and he knows thats what will happen if Caesar becomes king. ( Act I Scene 2 lines 78-79) " What means this shouting? I do fear the people that choose Caesar for their king." He fears the people that may want Caesar to be king because Caesar is corrupt.

Brutus's killing of Caesar is justified because he did it for the good of Rome. Throughout the play he makes it real clear that he is all about honor he killed Caesar for the good of Rome and thats all, not for jealousy, not for power, he did it for the good of Rome. He is clearly honorable. The honorable Brutus is innocent because he killed the over ambitious Caesar for the good of Rome........