Beholding the Body of Brutus (Julius Ceaser, 5.5) | Teen Ink

Beholding the Body of Brutus (Julius Ceaser, 5.5)

January 13, 2019
By Willatree BRONZE, Bedford, Massachusetts
Willatree BRONZE, Bedford, Massachusetts
2 articles 0 photos 0 comments

Favorite Quote:
“Tell me, what do you plan to do with your one, wild and precious life?” - Mary Oliver


This was the noblest roman of them all.

Now that he has his last faults breathed away

And eyes of pain that hath so recently

Starred, desperate, into the void of Caesar

Fall open, still, and blind, and glistening—

Now that the bloodied blade that killed for Rome

Hath turned toward the shaken hand which wielded it

And guided tearful eyes to emptiness

His sword that pierced with honor struck me so;

That his death hath brought my pride it’s senses.

This was in fact this honorable man

A man that cracked a serpent's harmless egg

Before it’s chance to grow into a ruler.

Would Caesar have ruled with mercy and with peace

Whilst Brutus doth place no reckless means for trust.

And again in the case of Caesar's rule

Would ambition seize up armies at his whim?

Or gentleness supply the needs of poor?

What are we but irritable knaves

When faced with such responsibility

But in the wake of Brutus’ honored life

Methinks but the absolute man may lead

And till he comes no ruler shale know calm.

To combat this come common, goodly men

Who stain pure flesh in sunsets of their fear.

What is it to lead and then to follow?

to be captive to any tyranny?

Wherefore did god create a powr’ as this

That noble men kill and die, themselves, again


The author's comments:

This sonnet is from the perspective of Mark Antony, who was a supporter of Julius Caeser, and therefore had his doubts about Brutus. In this monologue I tried to exemplify the complexity of the historical figures/charecters who question and analyze power, honer and ambition. It beggins with Mark Antony’s line from the play: “This was the noblest Roman of them all” before launching into my own Shakespeare fan fiction. 


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