Group+16


 * 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:**

Ambitious Brutus murdered the honorable Caesar because of personal motive.

Brutus is ambitious. Hildinger, Erik. Swords against the senate: the rise of the roman army and the fall of the republic. Cambridge. Da Capo Press, 2002. Print. (p.12) " The power of the imperium that had reposed in the king's was invested in two annually elected officers, at first called praetors and then soon afterward consules." This is about Brutus's great great great grandfather, Lucius Junius Brutus. This means that Brutus' grandfather had power, so that means Brutus would want power too, but since Caesar had the power Brutus then had another personal reason to kill Caesar with no justified reason. He was just ambitious and wanted to get Caesar out of the way so he could get power.

Caesar is honorable. (The play, Act 3, scene 2, line 89) " Whose ransom did fill the general fund." that means Caesar did no harm, and help the public by contributing money to the people and helping them out. Caesar was a nice guy and just wanted to help the people”. Which means Caesar was looking out for the people in his will. He really did care about the people and was a nice guy. (in the book) (The Sons Of Caesar: Imperial Romes First Dynasty. New York. Thames and Hudson inc. 2006 Print) " Caesar was a soldier, a politician and a orator. As an orator he roused the roman populace with speeches so emotive and lucid that Cicero, the greatest orator of day commented 'There are those that cannot even match him, even if they were given a lifetime to the study of this subject'" (p.36) means he was well respected an you can infer that people of Rome liked him because he was such a good orator, and he was a great man. No one would have a good reason to kill Caesar because he was famous I guess you could say. If he were a famous orator then no one would have a reason to kill him, and the same book and same page. " As a soldier Caesar campaigned in Africa, Europe and Asia minor, winning victory after victory." He was a successful general and again the people would like how successful he was. So therefore Brutus had no good reason to kill Brutus. He was a respected man and a good one, and meant no harm. He was an honorable general, orator, and as a person.

Brutus has personal motive. (The play, act 2, scene 1, lines 31-34) Brutus says " Therefore think him as a serpents egg which hatched, would as his kind grow mischievous, and kill him in the shell." that means he wants to kill Caesar, not let him get power. Brutus thinks Caesar does not deserve power and that Brutus is better than Cae sar. ( Parenti, Michael. The assassination of Julius Caesar: A people history of ancient Rome. New York, the new press, 2003, print) (p.168) "A long standing legend has it that Caesar harbored a special fondness for Marcus 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." that means that Brutus could have a hate for him because Caesar had a affair with his mother and may be his dad. He could want to get back at Caesar for doing that to his mother. That is a personal reason to kill Caesar, which would mean that his intentions are out of revenge for Brutus's mother.Brutus says in (act 5, scene 5, lines 50 and 51) " Farewell good Strato-Caesar, now be still; I killed not thee with half so good a will." that means Brutus regrets killing Caesar because he is basically saying the he would rather kill himself than kill Caesar again.

So using this information, Marcus Brutus is guilty of murdering Gauis Julius Caesar. The Ambitious Brutus murdered honorable Caesar because of personal motive. Brutus did not like him and has no justified reasoning of killing Caesar.


 * Post Defense Closing Statement Here:**

The Defence of Marcus Julius Brutus

By: Ben Watson

Marcus Julius Brutus should not have been portrayed a traitor when he and his fellow conspirators killed Gaius Julius Caesar. Brutus is honorable so he would never have killed Caesar without good reasons. The quote from the book “RVBICON The Last Years Of The Roman Republic” “Earnest, dutiful, and deep-thinking, yet heavily committed to both sides.” describes Brutus as being honorable and yet does not hate Caesar. Brutus does not want to tip the scale in anyone’s favor. Caesar is ambitious because for example from the book “The Tragedy of Julius Caesar” “ Ay, marry, wasn’t, and he put it by thrice, every time gentler than the other; and at every putting-by mine honest neighbors shouted” which means Caesar had a harder time giving back the crown each time. Caesar was trying to make a dictatorship, he had the support of the poor and there were more poor people then of rich people. Brutus was only trying to protect Rome for the dictatorship the was likely to come if Caesar was still living. The quote in the book “The Tragedy of Julius Caesar” “Not that I loved Caesar less but that I loved Rome more. Had you rather Caesar be living and die all slaves, then that Caesar were dead, to live all free men” ( Brutus, Act3, Scene 2, Lines 21-24). Which means that Brutus did not love Caesar less but that he loved Rome more, and that if Caesar were living that they would be slaves. So the honorable Brutus killed the ambitious Caesar to protect Rome from a dictatorship. Brutus is a very honorable man. The quote from the book “RVBICON The Last Years Of The Roman Republic” “Earnest, dutiful, and deep-thinking, yet heavily committed to both sides.” describes Brutus as being honorable and yet does not hate Caesar. Brutus does not want to tip the scale in anyone’s favor. Another quote from the website website www.studyworld.com states that “ An important statesman of Rome, he values above all else honor and stoicism, the belief that one should remain unaffected by circumstances beyond his control” (studyworld), means that with honor and hard work that one should not be changed by things he cannot control. You could compare that to someone with everything saved on a computer, and then a blackout erases everything on it, it should not affect who that person is. Not to be confused when Antony said in “The Tragedy of Julius Caesar” “Brutus is an honorable man” (Act3, Scene 2, Line 94). Antony used wordplay to trick the citizens of Rome into thinking that Brutus is a traitor. Caesar is ambitious and wanted to create a dictatorship. In the quote on the website [|www.livius.org] Johna Lendering stated “ Caesar showed clearly that he would never restore the republic that he had overthrown. He received the senators as a king (not rising from his seat when they entered the room), wanted himself to be crowned and had himself proclaimed a dictatorship.” (Johna Lendering). This clearly shows that Caesar was going to become king and that he was going to form a dictatorship. The quote in the book “The Tragedy of Julius Caesar” “Liberty! Freedom! Tyranny is dead! Run hence, proclaim, cry it about the streets.” (Cinna, Act 3, Scene 1, Lines 78-79). This means that since Caesar is dead so is tyranny so they are trying to spread the news. Brutus was only trying to protect Rome from the dictatorship that was sure to come if Caesar was still living. The quote from the book “The Tragedy of Julius Caesar” “Not that I loved Caesar less but that I loved Rome more. Had you rather Caesar be living and die all slaves, then that Caesar were dead, to live all free men.” ( Brutus, Act3, Scene 2, Lines 21-24). Which means that Brutus did not love Caesar less but that he loved Rome more, and that if Caesar were living that they would be slaves. Another quote on the website __[|www.livius.org]__ Johna Lendering stated “We happen to know that Brutus managed to help the town of Salamis, which desperately needed help.”. If Brutus was able to help the town of Salamis then he could definetly help the city of Rome. He would know what could benefit Rome and what could hurt Rome and Brutus saw that Caesar was something that could defenitely hurt Rome. In conclusion, the honorable Brutus is innocent from the killing of the ambitious Caesar because he was protecting Rome. Brutus is a very honorable man and very loyal to Rome. Brutus was only acting in self-defense on behalf of Rome. Caesar was extremely ambistious and was intending to create a dictatorship. This dictatorship would make them all to be slaves. Brutus cared for Caesar, but loved Rome more. These are the reasons why Brutus should be considered innocent from the killing of Caesar.