Robert Master Strategist

“Anjou had been more than ready to make concessions; she could have loved him, she told herself, yea, and make a success of the match. But Robert had made it his business to suborn many who would have been in favor of it…” (341)

This quote seemed important to me because it shows the “games” being played by Robert. He is already married, but disapproves of Elizabeth’s future marriage. You don’t see this type of strategy every day.

Brutus' Takeover

"Caesar's better parts

Shall be crown'd in Brutus."

Julius Caesar (3.2.1587)





Although its small, I found this quote interesting. Right before, someone says basically that Brutus should be Caesar, but then someone corrects him to say only the good parts about Caesar. This shows the people didn't completely not care for Caesar, only some parts of him. It shows they still want a good leader, they just need some different qualities. Their society isn't mad over Caesars death, but they're at the same time not celebrating it. They desire a good leader. Right after, someone says "Peace silence, Brutus speaks!" just like they used to say when Caesar spoke, it shows how Brutus was so quickly transformed into Caesars place, and how it didn't really phase the people.

Ubi non errabis? (Where did I go wrong?)

Marble bust of Brutus, at the Palazzo Massimo alle Terme in the National Museum of Rome
(Wikipedia)

"...and having slightly reproved them for having fallen upon the enemy in disorder without the word of battle or command,he promised them, that if they behaved themselves bravely in the next engagement, he would give them up two cities to spoil and plunder, Thessalonica and Lacedaemon. This is the one indefensible thing of all that is found fault with in the life of Brutus; though true it may be that Anthony and Caesar were much more cruel in the rewards soldiers after victory;..."
(Plutarch 604)

This passage displays the difference between a "good" man and a "great" man. Plutarch is not particularly interested in the moral capacity of his subjects, but thir ability to lead. even though he notes the destruction caused by Caesar and Anthony, Plutarch considers Brutus to have this major flaw, because he had to make the reward of plunder an incentive for good behavior from his troops, rather than a reward for a job well done.

Caesar, The GOAT

“there was no danger to which he did not willingly expose himself, no labour from which he pleaded an exemption.” (Plutarch 210)

I believe this quote is important because it shows Caesar as a fearless, and brave leader. It goes along with a general theme of the text that Caesar was a leader, and not just some guy who bossed everyone around without getting his hands dirty.

Plutarch. Plutarch's Lives of Illustrious Men. The J.C. Winston Co., 1908.

In Your Weakness You Find Your Strength

"But he did not make the weakness of his constitution a pretext for his ease, but rather used war as the best physic against his indispositions "( Plutarch, 210).

Plutarch, et al. Plutarch's Lives of Illustrious Men. The J.C. Winston Co., 1908

I chose this quote because it shows that Caesar did not let any shortcomings stand in the way of his quest for power. He used his weaknesses as a drive to fight harder, rather than have them hold him back and limit him.