Julius Caesar Power Quotes Page 1

This passage is interesting for a couple of reasons.  First, even though Brutus says he "love[s]" Caesar "well," he says he also fears that his friend will be crowned king, which goes against the ideals of the Roman Republic.  Second, even though Brutus, Cassius, and the fellow conspirators want to eliminate Caesar's threat, it's obvious that the commoners, or plebeians, adore Caesar.  When Caesar returns from defeating Pompey's sons in the first act, he's met with a huge celebration and is treated like a rock star.  

As Cassius tries to convince Brutus that Caesar needs to be taken down, he conjures up a vivid image of the Roman leader as a "Colossus" – a giant statue, like the Colossus of Rhodes.  The funny thing is, Cassius also likes to go around talking about what a wimp Caesar is.  Just a few lines earlier, Cassius tells Brutus the story of how Caesar almost drowned as a young boy and how he once became so ill that he acted like a "sick girl."  So what's the deal with all of these competing images of Caesar in the play?  Is he really an all-powerful figure, or is he made out to be a bigger threat than he really is?  

Caesar makes light of his desire to be surrounded by fat and complacent yes-men, yet he realizes this is necessary to the safety of his power.  What does this suggest about his leadership style and ideas about how Rome should be governed?