Marcus Brutus

(Marcus Junius Brutus)

84–42

HERE, SHELTERED BY THE STEEP CLIFFS, HE SAT DOWN TO REST.

Marcus Brutus, along with Cassius Longinus, were the two primary conspirators against Caesar. Both fought on the side of Pompey against Caesar in the battle of Pharsalia, but Caesar went out of his way to instruct his solders not to kill Brutus, and after the battle pardoned Brutus and made him governor of Cisalpine Gaul. Caesar had a high regard for Brutus's reputation for honesty and for his scholarship, and it was due to the influence of Brutus that Caesar also pardoned Cassius. Cassius however, continued to hate Caesar and began to plot against him. He believed that it was imperative to have Brutus on his side, because he thought that Brutus's oratorical skills and reputation of honesty would help persuade the people of the necessity of the assassination after the fact. Brutus took a great deal of convincing, but he eventually agreed to becoming a leader of the conspiracy, and it was in fact Brutus who gave a speech to the people immediately after Caesar was killed. His work of persuasion, however, was undone by Antony who so inflamed the people against Cassius and Brutus that they were driven from the city. They went east and there raised an army to fight in the name of the republic. Their armies were defeated in a very close battle at Philippi by the combined forces of Antony and Octavius. Although the battle was close, and the republican cause was not yet hopeless, both leaders committed suicide after the defeat.

Marcus Brutus is often confused with Decimus Brutus, another less prominent member of the conspiracy against Caesar. It was Decimus who was an especially close friend of Caesar, and was his heir after Octavius. It was Decimus to whom Caesar spoke his final words, "Et tu, Brute?".

Key events during the life of Marucs Junius Brutus:

Year	Event
48 BC	Fought at Pharsalia with Pompey, but Caesar pardoned and befriended him afterwards.
46 BC	Served as governor of Cisalpine Gaul.
44 BC	Served as praetor. Joined with Cassius in plot to kill Caesar. Gave speech justifying murder after his death.
42 BC	Defeated by Octavius and Antony at battle of Philippi. Committed suicide.

Other Resources

Story Links	Book Links
Conspiracy  in	Julius Caesar  by  Jacob Abbott
Cato, Brutus, and Porcia  in	Roman Life in the Days of Cicero  by  Alfred J. Church
Caesar's Friend and Enemy  in	Tales of the Romans: The Children's Plutarch  by  F. J. Gould
Death of Caesar  in	The Story of the Romans  by  H. A. Guerber
Vision of Brutus  in	The Story of the Romans  by  H. A. Guerber
Marcus Brutus  in	Our Young Folks' Plutarch  by  Rosalie Kaufman
Brutus Speaks to the Citizens  in	The Story of Rome  by  Mary Macgregor
Battle of Philippi  in	The Story of Rome  by  Mary Macgregor
Assassination of Caesar  in	Historical Tales: Roman  by  Charles Morris
Brutus  in	Plutarch's Lives W. H. Weston  by

Image Links
Marcus Junius Brutus  in Roman Life in the Days of Cicero	The Assassination of Julius Caesar  in  Augustus—His Life and Work	Suicide of Brutus  in Greatest Nations - Rome
Here, sheltered by steep cliffs, he sat down to rest.  in The Story of Rome	The Assassination of Caesar  in Historical Tales: Roman	The murder of Caesar  in Plutarch's Lives W. H. Weston
Brutus and his companions after the Battle of Philippi  in Plutarch's Lives W. H. Weston

Contemporary	Short Biography
Julius Caesar	Conquered Gaul, prevailed in civil war. Mastermind of Roman empire. Killed by senators.
Antony	With Octavius, led empire after Caesar's death. Liaison with Cleopatra caused downfall.
Cassius	Mastermind of conspiracy to assassinate Caesar. Committed suicide at Philippi.
Portia	Wife of Brutus and daughter of Cato the Younger.