Monday, September 15, 2014

What is the significance of line 130 of Act 3, Scene 1, of "Julius Caesar"?

The context of these words of Cassius in "Julius Caesar" is after the assassination of Caesar.  Brutus suggests that all the assassins "bathe" their hands in the blood of Caesar up the the elbow and besmear their swords; then, they should walk out "even to the market place," waving their arms over their heads crying, "Peace, freedom, and liberty!"


As they stoop to wipe the blood of the fallen ruler upon their arms, Brutus asks them to imagine how many times this act will be recreated in plays, and Cassius responds that the act will be replayed as long as he and the other assassins are lauded as the men who freed Rome from tyranny ("The mean that gave their country liberty").


Ironically, their hopes of being considered the men who freed Rome from tyranny is extremely short-lived as Antony in beautiful rhetoric sways the crowd against the conspirators in his oration.  For, Antony turns and berates them and their "liberating gesture":



Who else must be let blood, who else is rank/If I myself, there is no hour so fit/As Caesar's death's hour, nor no instrument/Of half that worth as those your swords, made rich/With the most noble blood of all this world


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