Front Page Quotations Other Quotes Week of 28 February, 2005
About this Quotation: The image of Caesar as the general and
then dictator who turned Rome from a republic into an empire
fascinated 18th century intellectuals. There seemed to be two
schools of thought on the issue: those who focused on Brutus the
assassin who used violence to end Caesar’s life in order to save
the Republic (an act of tyrannicide); and those who focused on
Cato who used political and moral suasion to oppose Caesar.
Shakespeare and Voltaire wrote plays in which Brutus played an
important role. Trenchard and Gordon in Cato’s Letters and
Addison in this play turned to the figure of Cato. This debate
came to mind in early 2005 when Liberty Fund published its
edition of Addison’s play. Other quotes from this week: Other
quotes about Literature & Music: 28 February, 2005 Read the full
quote in context here. In Act II Scene II of Addison’s play,
Decius, the Ambassador from Caesar, asks Cato what it would take
for Cato to be Caesar’s "frie