Julius Caesar - Theme Of Friendship

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Friendship is a wonderful part of life, but unfortunately, it can be used to deceive. It is easy to manipulate, but true friendship cannot be defeated, even after death. This element could well be the very thing that sealed the fate of Julius Caesar. Brutus, Cassius, and all the other conspirators knew that they could use friendship to their advantage and Caesar's disadvantage. The conspirators used friendship as a cover to blind Caesar from the truth, just as a hunter uses camouflage to keep the animals from seeing what he is up to. They also used flattery and manipulation to soothe any feelings of doubt that Caesar may have had about their sincerity. These tactics would gain trust, which is the key to all friendships. This trust was lost and transformed into betrayal with the murder of Caesar. Although Brutus and Cassius plotted against and murdered Caesar, the theme of friendship remained strong as it falsified the conspirators' intentions. Caesar was susceptible to the power of friendship, just like any normal person, and his friendship with the conspirators unfortunately blinded him until Brutus's final blow, by which time it was too late for him. An example of how the conspirators used their friendship with Caesar against him was when Decius, one of the conspirators, visited Caesar's house on the Ides of March. The first thing Decius said when he walked in was, "Caesar, all hail! Good morrow, worthy Caesar." (2.2. 58-59) Decius also referred to Caesar as "most mighty." This only made Caesar more comfortable with Decius and trust him even more. The conspirators had already decided how and when to kill Caesar.

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