Journal 26: Caesar's Ghost

Rachel White

Mr. Allam

English II

11 March 2011  

People of Rome! I, the ghost of the late Julius Caesar, am amongst you once again, but only briefly, to tell you of what I, in death, have learned.  Many of you believe that a friend is always one whom you are always able to trust. This, I have learned, is not true. You see, my former people, not everyone is as much of a friend as they claim to be, for a true friend will not turn against you as Brutus did me, and a true friend will also defend you even after death, even like Antony.

                Brutus may tell you otherwise. Brutus may say that if it is for the greater good of the people, you can take down even those who care most for you. Brutus may also say that a friend will help you accomplish your goals. Yet Brutus, Brutus who I once loved so, is not a friend. He does not understand what true friendship means.

One point of true friendship is that betrayal is never an option. Yet Brutus felt the need to dispose of what he wrongly saw as a threat. One such as him is blind to the truth. He was blind to how much I cared for him. As I died I said “Et tu, Brutѐ?”(III.i.77) Oh, how my heart ached to see him as one of my assassins. I could not understand how one of my most trusted could turn around and allow me perish at his hands. Truly, betrayal by your friend is far worse than betrayal by any other ally.

Another part of true friendship, I should add, is that they will protect and defend you even after death. Antony is a fine example of such, for as he spoke to you he defended me against Brutus, saying “Did this in Caesar seem ambitious? …Yet Brutus says he was ambitious, and Brutus is an honorable man.”(III.ii.92, 95-96) In this saying did Antony disprove what lies he believed Brutus was spreading about me. Now, my friends, do you not want for your own friends to protect you even when you are not around? Many times have people had the chance to, hearing others disrespect their friends, and yet pass up such a chance. Yet Antony, true friend that he is, did not. He took that chance to defend me when others would have forgotten all I had done for them.

Truly, in friendship, betrayal is not an option. Rather instead, the better choice is to defend them, even when you are not in their presence. I hope, my people, that you will take these sayings to heart, and live by them through all eternity. With that, I bid you all farewell.