Ethos Pathos Logos In Julius Caesar

"The ides of March are come/Ay, Caesar, but not [yet] gone." (III.i.1­2) Sure enough, the Soothsayer was unmistaken, and on that very day (March 15), Julius Caesar would take his last breath. At this marking, the movement of the conspirators began in "liberating" Rome. However, they were not alone- with Mark Antony rising in fury for justice to Caesar. Each opposer gave a speech at the funeral of Caesar for their cause. Brutus in formality, attempted to convey his reasoning in executing the murder, as a representative of the conspirators. Using many rhetorical devices including pathos and logos, the crowd is swooned with his perception. Brutus's victory is short lived, because as soon as Mark Antony steps up, his tactics of persuasion,

Brutus uses logic to explain why Caesar would have been an ambitious and selfish ruler. The reasoning is explained when he says, "As Caesar loved me, I weep for him. As he/ was fortunate, I rejoice at it. As he was valiant, I/honor him. But as he was ambitious, I slew him." (III.ii.26­-28) In this sense, it shows that Brutus cares about Caesar, but when it seems to be affecting the country he loves, he will take any measures to stop it. As one standing in the midst of the crowd, it would appear through logic that Brutus did not kill Caesar out of anything personal, but rather he was slain to prevent a dominating ruler from forming.On the other hand, Antony takes the very words that defended Brutus, and makes them his downfall. Antony brings the plebeians back to the time where," I thrice presented him a kingly crown,/which he did thrice refuse. Was this ambition?/ Yet Brutus says he is ambitious." (III.ii.105-­107) Antony rebukes this statement in explaining that if was indeed an ambitious man, he would have instantly taken the crown.This was not the case since at the public square, Caesar had refused the crown three times. Antony with the use of logos, obtained the upper hand in this point over

Brutus on the other hand does not use irony, and this adds up to why Mark Antony had the better speech. Mark Antony reveals the actions of the conspirators, using the body of Caesar and in irony remarks, "I fear I wrong the honorable men/ whose daggers have stabbed Caesar." (III.ii.163­164) This is ironic, because men cannot be honored if they just killed a man that was falsely accused of being ambitious. Although Antony still abides by the restrictions that he cannot say anything bad against the conspirators, his tone is so sarcastic and ironic that even the plebeians figure it out and reply with, "They were traitors. Honorable men?" (III.ii.165) Another time where Antony uses irony is when he says that he does not want the crowd to be angry after he has been yelling at the crowd to avenge justice. "Good friends, sweet friends, let me not stir you up/ to such a sudden flood of mutiny." (III.iii.203-204) This is what Antony says through irony, explaining that he does not want the crowd to get all worked up. In reality, Antony is quite pleased with the outcome of his speech and his delighted to see that he has the support of the people. Brutus did not approach this tactic, and taking it from the straightforward approach, he showed the less effective speech. Once again, the powerful speech of Mark Antony angers the plebeians for his public through irony, conveying that