Twisted Truths - Julius Caesar

...

plan is carried out, and they have successfully murdered Caesar, they attempt to console the townspeople using the same logic they used to convince themselves of their own truth. Brutus goes out to the townspeople to explain to them what has just occurred. He justifies his actions by saying

“...If there be any in this assembly, any dear friend of Caesar’s, to him I say that Brutus’ love to Caesar was no less than his. If then that friend demand why Brutus rose against Caesar, this is my answer: not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more. Had you rather Caesar were living, and die all slaves, than that Caesar were dead, to live all freemen? As Caesar loved me, I weep for him; as he was fortunate, I rejoice at it; as he was valiant, I honour him; but as he was ambitions, I slew him.” (III.2)

Using that reasoning in his head Brutus used to convince himself of his “truth”, that Caesar was not good for Rome. He persuades the townspeople into thinking as he did, and because Brutus does hold power in Rome, they are persuaded by him. The truth about Caesar’s rule was never made clear throughout the story, it focused mainly on how the conspirators saw the truth, what they thought was true, and how they used that to reason with themselves and eventually come into power. However Caesar could have been seen as a good or bad ruler, it depends on opinion, since it was made clear the people of Rome did like him, but the conspirators obviously did not. Marc Antony comes out later and speaks during Caesar’s service and, without blatantly saying so, tells the unfortunate truth about Caesar’s death.

Brutus manipulated the truth using his and others’ opinions in order to justify his inappropriate actions and have the end result bring him more power in Rome. When someone wants something badly enough, or is very passionate about a topic, their brains may allow them to think that what they want to be true is actually true, and will run with that in their actions. With assistance from Cassius, who was much more devious, Brutus easily rethought what was true and did not allow his conscience to take heed to what he was doing. In the end, Brutus’s manipulated truth, which was not true at all, led him not to his goals, but to utter sorrow and death.