Tomorrow is the fifteenth of March, and if you know anything about Roman history (or if you paid attention that one day in Literature), you know March 15th is the day Julius Caesar ate it. He was killed by a conspiracy involving enemies and friends alike, men who were worried he would bring the downfall of the Romans upon them. The tragedy is best known by the Shakespeare play (my favorite of his works), and while most of the senators come off like jerks in the play, Brutus—the friend—is presented largely as a sympathetic figure, dragged into going along with the conspiracy by the real villains.
If you ask me, though, Brutus is the worst of the villains (I don’t care what Mark Antony says), being too weak to stand up for what he knew to be right.
~Incoming Comparison to Jesus~
Like Caesar, our Lord was the subject of a conspiracy to kill Him, organized by the religious ruling class and one of His own disciples. The ruling class worried that Jesus’ radical teaching would stir up a violent reaction from (ironically, in comparison to Julius Caesar) the Roman Empire. They justified killing Jesus in the name of “preserving their own lives” (John 11:50) and found a helpful ally in Judas (whose name coincidentally rhymes with Brutus 
) to pull it off.
The big difference between Julius Caesar and Jesus Christ? Jesus rose from the dead. Also, a big difference: Caesar’s death sparked a war between Mark Antony / Octavius against Cassius / Brutus, filled with violence on both sides. On the other hand, the war that followed Christ’s death (and resurrection) is a spiritual one, where the soldiers of the Lord fight, not to end lives but to save them.
I like that much better.
.
Anyway, here’s a poem I wrote summarizing Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar play. You can skip this if you’re not interested; it’s not part of the devo.
One Ides of March evening,
in ancient old Rome,
There once was a murder,
that’s now quite well-known.
.
Poor Julius was Caesar,
but he was despised.
He had those around him,
who looked with green eyes.
.
The Senators gathered,
enraged and delirious.
Their names you know well,
Cassius and Flavius.
.
The others too plotted,
for Caesar to fall,
but Caesar thought he,
was loved by them all.
.
He marched through the streets,
the common man cheered,
but also a stranger,
stood by acting queer.
.
The soothsayer spoke,
to Caesar so boldly.
He spoke of his death;
he spoke it quite knowingly.
.
One Ides of March Evening,
The soothsayer warned,
beware of that day;
you’ll die before morn.’
.
But Caesar ignored
the prophet’s foretell,
and meanwhile his foes,
were plotting quite well.
.
To Brutus they go,
and try to recruit,
but he shrugged them off,
as rambling old cooks.
.
To Brutus, you see,
Julius was friend.
To him betray you’d have
to force his own hand.
.
He’d not turn on him,
not while he took breath.
But the plotters were cunning,
to plan Caesar’s death.
.
Some letters were forged,
to make Brutus suspect
that Caesar just might,
be evil and wretch’d.
.
He finds the notes and,
he joins in their cause.
But killing Mark Antony?
Well that gives him pause.
.
The plotters agree,
just one kill’s enough.
And so they plan how,
Caesar’s life they will snuff.
.
Julius meanwhile,
had trouble at home.
His wife had been dreaming,
of being widowed alone.
.
She begs her dear Julius,
to stay home tomorrow.
The Ides of March cometh,
bringing nothing but sorrow.
.
Pitying his wife,
kind Caesar agrees.
Tomorrow we’ll take
a walk ‘tween the trees.
.
When Brutus discovers,
his friend Caesar’s plans,
he hurries to see him,
but not tip his hands.
.
Oh Caesar my friend,
old Brutus did say,
you must go tomorrow,
just think what they’ll say.
.
That Caesar is scared,
he’s old and he’s slow.
They’ll grab hold your power,
and not let it go.
.
The soothsayer tried,
to warn him again.
But Caesar decided,
not to be done in.
.
The Ides of March came;
the plotters surrounded.
They drew their knives and,
with blades on him pounded.
.
Mark Antony fled;
they allowed him to go.
At the funeral the people,
demanded to know.
.
Why did they kill,
the Caesar they cared for?
They answered the people;
with fake tears they did pour.
.
They crook’d all the people,
against Caesar that day.
But then came Mark Antony,
with something to say.
.
Friends, Romans Countrymen,
lend me your ears,
look close at my face,
see genuine tears.
.
He spoke of his friend,
once loved by them all:
How cruelly a murder,
was done to us all.
.
The people turned and,
for vengeance they sought.
The plotters all fled,
their plan, all for naught.
.
Mark Antony and
Octavious perused.
The Ides of March would be,
a day plotters’ rued.
.
Meanwhile old Brutus,
had met an old friend:
The ghost of king Julius,
back from the dead.
.
At Philippi, Brutus,
said the ghost dark and thin,
you too will also,
soon be done in.
.
The civil war raged,
it spread over Rome.
Poor Brutas, his conscience,
longed to go home.
.
At Philippi, forces
met to do battle.
Some were victorious,
some fell from their saddles.
.
Cassius was defeated,
but Octavius was too.
A stalemate it seemed,
was all they could do.
.
Cassius believed,
his end was soon near.
He took his own life,
with Pindarus’ own spear.
.
Brutus at last,
was left all alone.
He begged soldiers kill him,
to send him on home.
.
None would agree,
to do the dark deed.
So finally in anguish,
his soul he set free.
.
He fell on the ground,
dead by his own sword.
When Antony arrived,
he spoke a few words.
.
Of Cassius and plotters,
he had no good to say,
but of Brutus he found,
kind words on that day.
.
He spoke of his conscience,
how it drove him to fall.
Of all Romans he said,
He was noblest of all.
~Matthew