Cassius2

=CASSIUS **LONGINUS**(//JULIUS CAESAR//)=

A brilliant military mind, Cassius took control of and governed the province of Syria for a time. During the Roman civil war, Cassius sided with Gnaeus Magnus, opposing Julius Caesar. Throughout the war, Cassius harrassed Caesar's navy (and succeded in burning a large percentage of Caesar's ships). Cassius was eventually caught and forced to surrender unconditionally. Caesar eventually made Cassius a legate (general) in the Alexandrian War. Cassius later retired to Rome. After two years, Cassius was given the title of p raetor peregrinus (one who distributes justice among foreigners). A staunch republican, the fear that Julius Caesar was going to convert the Roman republic into a monarchy prompted Cassius to instigate the successful assasintion of Julius Caesar.

In the Shakespearian play, //Julius Caesar,// Cassius spreads belief through the senate that Julius Caesar planed to turn the republic of Rome, into a monarchy. Several politicians fall in with Cassius's plan to assasinate Caesar, mainly motivated by ambition and greed. Cassius is often seen trying to win over Caesar's closest ally ,Brutus, using many forms of trickery to manipulate Brutus's fears of a totilatarian ruled Rome under Caesar. Eventually Cassius wins Brutus and a small group of politicians ambush Caesar in the capital and stabbed him to death.

In the light of the //Julius Caesar// play, The Character Cassius is drawn as a duplicit, manipulative person. Cassius once fought Julius Caesar in the Roman Civil War, yet Caesar forgave him and made him a general. Cassius rejected this forgiveness and turned Caesar's closest friend against him and assainated him. This shows how deep Cassiu's fear of Caesar's possible take over was; he was prepared to take all steps to prevent Caesar from coming to power.

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