Love for Honor, Honor for Love

      “Into what dangers would you lead me, Cassius, that you would have me seek into myself for that which is not in me?” Captivated by Cassius’ words, Brutus begins to wonder if he could assassinate Caesar. Being an honorable man, he does what he can do to make everything better for Rome. Allowing Cassius’ words to flood his brain, he’s becoming convinced that Rome would be better off without Caesar. Brutus wants to maintain the Roman Republic, and to do so, he must kill all those in the monarch. The beginning of the conspiracy to Caesar’s death starts here; where Brutus decides to even consider murdering Caesar. For honor, anything can be done, and for love, anything will be done, a principle Brutus lives by to convince himself he’s always doing the right thing. When he wants to maintain the Roman Republic, it’s for the good of Rome, and his love for his honor.
    To be capable of doing anything for your country is valiant and honorable. Brutus, surely enough, is an honorable man. He does the things that he does for the good of Rome; the murder of Caesar. If Brutus had done what he did without his honor as a Roman, he’d only be envious, and animals like the rest of the conspirators. Though his behavior may be a bit arrogant, by always referring to everything he does as ‘honorable’, he only does it for the respect from his people. “All the conspirators save only he did that they did in envy of great Caesar; he only, in a general honest thought and common good to all, made one of them,” Even when he is dead, for his foul deed, he’s still honored, because the duty he’d attended to, was for honor, and not envy. Being the only conspirator who didn’t envy Caesar, he earned what he wished for: a happier place for the Romans to live. “Set honour in one eye, and death in the other, and I will look on both indifferently; for let the gods so speed me as I love the name of honour more than I fear death,” Saying this, Brutus is willing to do anything, just to be sure Rome is a safe place to live, without the power of the monarch. Honor is his number one priority, and without it, he wouldn’t be able to be happy for his people, nor would he be able to gain the respect he deserves. With honor, he is able to make decisions he normally couldn’t make, for example, the murder of Caesar, and with honor, he will be remembered as an honorable man.
    Born with noble blood, Brutus grows up to learn to love his honor. Through the people’s eyes, he is honorable, loved and trustworthy. To love his honor, he was motivated to do so by having honor. Brutus is overprotective of the Roman Republic, and with his love for his honor, he will do anything to keep it. Allowing Caesar to live the way he does was unfair to Brutus, for the Roman Republic has been the way it was for so long, and to suddenly switch over to monarchy would, surely, make Rome fall in pieces. “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,” Being an honorable man took its toll, and the love for his country overpowered his love for a dear friend. Though it may seem crude and gruesome as to why Brutus would murder someone because they loved their country more, it was only because someone like Caesar was so powerful, that everything that was ‘home’ before, was now becoming a whole new place. “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 ambitious, I slew him,” A statement so emotional, yet effective. Without the love for his honor, he wouldn’t be able to assassinate Caesar for envy. He wasn’t envious at all, like the other conspirators. Brutus’ love for his honor motivated him to do the right thing, and in this case; provide a safer home for the people. Even if there would be people who’d be against him, at least they could know that whatever he did, was for his love for his honor, and he intended on keeping the honor. Love for his honor, was the same as love for Rome; they are both for the good of others. If he didn’t love his honor, he most certainly wouldn’t love Rome. All his good and foul deeds were decided by his love.
    Debating with himself was certainly something Brutus had been doing for quite some time, if he’d been thinking about assassinating Caesar. Honor and love, two motivators to help him make his decision, lead him to the path he wanted to go to. Honor may cause him to react to everything arrogantly, as if he were the leader, but his love for that honor, proves to others he’s considering other peoples’ lives, too. He might have been a little gullible while Cassius was trying to convince him into the conspiracy, because he figured he wasn’t a leader, but when Cassius told him he could be one, Brutus believed him. The end results might have been a little better for Brutus, because at least Rome wouldn’t have a monarch. It would stay as the Roman Republic, with no single man as a king. He may not be loved by everyone, but for his honor, they forgave him, at some point. In a way, his goal was reached, even if he didn’t live to see. The deed he delivered was more worthy than noble, because though he was protecting the people of Rome, he had brutally assassinated Caesar, being the last man to stab him, after all those knives going through his skin. At some point, it could’ve been noble, but it starts out as worthy, for his love and his honor guided him to the path he wanted. 

Evoking an Emotion

Think Creatively
Throughout the collage project, I scattered images across the page, not really making a shape, but it just looked messy, just like the civil war of Sudan. When I arranged the collage, it looked kind of neat, but kind of messy. It was messy enough to be a collage, but not good enough to be a good collage. Thinking Creatively, I checked different angles of the paper/collage so I could determine which looks best. 

Reason Critically

When I was working on my collage, I had to make sure the history and the six-word memoir matched the story I was trying to tell. The history of Sudan could be described as brutal and unfortunate. They all left. I kept going. This six-word memoir suggests that though some were abandoned, they kept going because they knew there was hope. Reasoning Critically helped me piece everything together so that it made sense.

Communicate Effectively

Working on my collage, I had to make sure that anyone who would see it, would understand what I'm trying to say about Sudan. The pictures had to make sense with the words; they had to match. I wanted to make the audience feel empathy, and want to help. To do that, I had to choose certain pictures that were appropriate for the collage, so it could evoke an emotion in the audience.

Live Ethically

Printing the pictures for my collage was already a lot of paper, so to decorate the rest of it, I re-used old color paper at my house. Red colored paper was used a lot, but not because I kept grabbing a new piece. I knew for a fact that there was plenty of red paper at home, so I used it most of the time for decorating. Living Ethically, I did not construct my collage the way I did because I wanted it to look good, but rather, I wanted to create an emotion in the audience.

Becoming Someone New

Growing up with the faces of war, I had been taught to be afraid of those who entered my village. Guns were shot, and people were bleeding; dying. As a kid, I had lost my parents, and I was abandoned. I didn't know how to live on my own, so I fled, to find shelter, to find education, and that's how I became a Lost Boy. They offered shelter and food, something that was rare back in my homeland Sudan. For ten years, I lived with other boys who were left in the war; whose parents died. Together, we created a bond that could be called a brotherhood. After being with them for so long, it was time to move on. Moving to America was one of the hugest events that had to happen to me; it was like living in another lifetime! Food was scattered everywhere on streets, there were electronics I didn't know how to use, and the Church group sung soft songs about God and their thankfulness to Him! All these new concepts were unfamiliar to me; it made me miss home, where everyone respected you. When it came to sports, watching the other kids play basketball with the right rules made me feel like an outcast. Like I didn't belong. I had no idea how to play the game right. 


I knew I had to move on from my homesickness, and fit into this new American culture, but how? Watching the other kids exceed in their classes gave me this burning sensation to do my best, too. I made new friends; they were all nice. I hunted for jobs so I could pay off rent, so that I could feel that moving to America really wasn't a regretful choice. I still became homesick on certain days, but I learned that moving from home was for the good of everyone else. Going to Church with my friends certainly helped; it made me feel like they wanted me there. Even if the songs were different, I was still with other people. Given this, the route I took to success was the correct one; I was given the opportunity to graduate, and to get into a great college. I was determined to survive in America, when I first migrated, and I have ended up here. Though I was exposed to the American culture, my Sudanese ways have never disappeared, even 'til today. From the day I was just another refugee, and to today, where I am a graduate, I have become someone completely new; someone that was educated. 

Solo/Duet Acting

Cassius and Brutus are at the Capitol, watching the Commoners cheer for Caesar, who has just recently killed Pompey. Brutus lets it slip that he fears Caesar to be king, and Cassius is extremely excited. To make Brutus be the leader of the conspiracy. 

I think that this passage is pretty significant because it's the beginning of Brutus' character change. This is where Brutus begins to go from being humble and loved, to something entirely different. It's significant because we find out that Brutus, whom Caesar loves so much, doesn't really want Caesar to be king, because he wants Rome to stay as a Republic.

Act 1 Scene 2 lines 78 - 175

Brutus     What means this shouting? I do fear the people 

Choose Caesar for their king.

Cassius                                    Ay, do you fear it?

Then must I think you would not have it so.

Brutus     I would not, Cassius; yet I love him well.

But wherefore do you hold me here so long?

What is it that you would impart to me?

If it be aught toward the general good,

Set honor in one eye, and death i' th' other,

And I will look on both indifferently;

For let the gods so speed me as I love

The name of honor more than I fear death.

Cassius     I know that virtue to be in you, Brutus,

As well as I do know your outward favor.

Well, honor is the subject of my story.

I cannot tell what you and other men

Think of this life; but for my single self,

I had as lief not be as live to be 

In awe of such a thing as I myself.

I was born free as Caesar; so were you;

We both have fed as well, and we can both

Endure the winter's cold as well as he:

For once, upon a raw and gusty day,

The troubled Tiber chafing with her shores,

Caesar said to me, 'Dar'st thou, Cassius, now

Leap in with me in this angry flood,

And swim to yonder point? Upon the word,

Accoutred as I was, I plunged in 

And bade him follow; so indeed he did.

The torrent roar'd, and we did buffet it

With lusty sinews, throwing it aside

And stemming it with hearts of controversy.

But ere we could arrive the point propos'd,

Caesar cried, 'Help me, Cassius, or I sink.'

I, as Aeneas, our great ancestor,

Did from the flames of Troy upon his shoulder

The old Anchises bear, so from the waves of Tiber

Did I the tired Caesar. And this man

Is now become a god, and Cassius is 

A wretched creature, and must bend his body

If Caesar carelessly but nod on him.

He had a fever when he was in Spain,

And when the fit was on him, I did mark How he did shake; 'tis true, this god did shake;

His coward lips from their color fly,

And that same eye whose bend doth awe the world

Did lose his lustre; I did hear him groan;

Ay, and that tongue of his, that bade the Romans

Mark him and write his speeches in their books,

Alas, it cried, 'Alas, give me some drink, Titinius,'

As a sick girl. Ye gods, it doth amaze me 

A man of such a feeble temper should 

So get the start of the majestic world,

And bear the palm alone.

[Flourish and shout]

Brutus                                  Another general shout?

I do believe that these applauses are

For some new honors that are heap'd on Caesar.

Cassius     Why, man, he doth bestride the narrow world 

Like a Colossus, and we petty men

Walk under his huge legs, and peep about

To find ourselves dishonorable graves.

Men at some time are masters of their fates:

The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars,

But in ourselves, that we are underlings.

Brutus and Caesar: what should be in that 'Caesar'?

Why should that name be sounded more than yours?

Write them together, yours is as fair a name;

Sound them, it doth become the mouth as well;

Weigh them, it is as heavy; conjure with 'em,

'Brutus' will start a spirit as soon as 'Caesar'.

Now in the names of all the gods at once,

Upon what meat doth this our Caesar feed,

That he is grown so great? Age, thou art sham'd!

Rome, thou hast lost the breed of noble bloods!

When went there by an age, since the great flood,

But it was fam;d with more than with one man?

When could they say, till now, that talk'd of Rome,

That her wide walks encompass'd but one man?

Now is it Rome indeed, and room enough,

When there is in it but one only man.

O, you and I have heard our fathers say,

There was a Brutus once that would have brook'd

Th' eternal devil to keep his state in Rome

As easily as a king.

Brutus     That you do love me, I am nothing jealous;

What you would work me to, I have some aim:

How I have thought of this, and of these times,

I shall recount hereafter. For this present,

I would not, so with love I might entreat you,

Be any further mov'd. What you have said 

I will consider; what you have to say

I will with patience hear, and find a time

Both meet to hear and answer such high things.

Till then, my noble friend, chew upon this:

Brutus had rather be a villager 

Than to repute himself a son of Rome

Under these hard conditions as this time

Is like to lay upon us.

Cassius                                    I am glad

That my weak words have struck but thus much show

Of fire from Brutus.

Eiley Tarlton is my partner.