Julius Caesar
There are three major deaths in Julius Caesar: Julius Caesar, Brutus and Portia.
Why did Caesar have to die?
Caesar was killed because he was gaining too much power, and the senate was not comfortable with him becoming the sole ruler of Rome. Many senators, including Caesar's close friend, Brutus, decided to put an end to Caesar before he became too powerful (Mabillard).
Why did Portia Kill herself?
Portia was worried that Octavious and Marc Antony had become too strong for Brutus to defeat, and thus killed herself (Shakespeare 4.3.174-9).
Why did Brutus run on his sword?
Brutus knows that he has lost the battle with Antony. Rather than be taken prisoner, he instructs a servant to help him to commit suicide (Shakespeare 5.5.57).
Background on Julius Caesar:
Julius Caesar's determination and political savvy allowed him to rise to the head of the crumbling Roman Republic. Caesar amassed a great deal of power and popular support, and single-handedly ruled Rome for years. However, some members of the Senate feared that Caesar's autocratic rule would destroy any possibility to restore the Republic. To stop him, they murdered Caesar in cold blood.
Born circa July 12, 100 BC, the young Caesar lived during a period of upheaval in Rome. Though it had became a great world power, Rome's Republican government was failing and order could not be maintained. Most elections were reduced to riots. Pirates roamed the Mediterranean, plundering and causing chaos. Dissatisfied peasants revolted against the governing nobility throughout the Republic.
When Caesar was a young man, real trouble began to brew in Rome. In the 80's BC, a powerful leader named Marius attacked Rome and took over the government. Caesar, who had political aspirations, allied with Marius by marrying the daughter of one of Maruis' men. In 82 BC, Marius' opponent, Sulla, drove Marius out of Rome. When Sulla threatened Caesar's fortune and his life, the young Casear escaped Rome by joining the army to serve abroad.
Sulla died in 78 BC, allowing Caesar to return to Rome. Still hoping to attain political power, he became a lawyer and prosecuted Sulla's supporters. He then headed to the Greek town of Rhodes to study oratory. However, on his way there, he was kidnapped by pirates and sold into slavery. Caesar was enraged by this turn of events. After buying his own freedom in 75 BC, Caesar assembled a small army, captured the pirates and crucified them.
Upon his return from captivity, Caesar obtained a series of political positions. In 69 BC, he became quaesator, or financial secretary, of Spain. In 65 BC he held the administrative position of aedile in Rome. In 63 BC, he became pontifex maximus, or chief priest, under the consul, Cicero. Caesar pushed for important reforms such as the new calendar created by Sosignes, much like the one used today.
After being elected to the high position of consul in 59 BC, Caesar formed a secret alliance called the first Triumvirate with two of the most powerful men in Rome. One of his partners was Pompey, leader of the military in the East, and the other was Crassus, the richest man in Rome. This alliance gave each man great military and economic power throughout the Roman territory.
While functioning under this alliance, Caesar gathered an army and left for Gaul in 58 BC. He spent the next seven years fighting the Gallic Wars and conquered various Gallic tribes. Through these wars, Caesar gained the army's loyalty and a reputation as a brilliant general. In 55 BC, Caesar led his men over the English Channel and spent a year in Britain exploring and conquering sections of the island.
In 53, Crassus died in Mesopotamia, spelling disaster for the Triumvirate. Without the third person, Pompey and Caesar's relationship began to crumble. By 49 BC, the struggle for sole control became so heated that Caesar cross the Rubicon River, thus declaring war against his former ally and causing a civil war that divided Italy.
Caesar chased his enemy eastward and defeated Pompey at the battle of Pharsala in 48 BC. Pompey escaped to Egypt, where he was later killed by an Egyptian king. Caesar followed him there and faced several Egyptian armies. After defeating them, he helped to establish his ally and lover, Cleopatra, as queen of Egypt.
For the next few years, Caesar consolidated his power and by 44 BC became dictator of Rome. Caesar often offended the Senate with the liberties he took, but remained popular among the people.
Two senators named Brutus and Longinus organized a 60-member conspiracy to stop Caesar from becoming king. On March 15, 44 BC, they stabbed Caesar in the Senate House and he died at the foot of Pompey's statue. The infamous date has become known as the "Ides of March," and successive Roman Emperors adopted the name "Caesar" for years after Julius Caesar's murder. The two leading plotters, Longinus and Brutus, were given amnesty by the Senate. The Senate also chose to keep all of Caesar's laws. However, the Roman people had their own reaction to Caesar's murder. When they were shown the dictator's body, rioting broke out throughout the city. The unrest continued until Augustus Caesar took power years later and established himself as Emperor. Hence, the beloved Republic died along with Caesar and a new era in Roman history began (McGill 1)
McGill, Sarah Ann. "Julius Caesar." Julius Caesar (2009): 1. MAS Ultra - School Edition. Web. 8 Apr. 2016.
