Does the virtue of thy house move thee nought, and nought the name of Brutus? Nought, the hard lot of thy groaning country, crushed by the tyrant and calling for thine aid? Nought the petitions in which the people lament that Brutus comes not to champion the state? If these things fail to touch thee, thy wife now gives thee rede enough that thou be a man; who has pledged her faith to thee in blood, thus avouching herself the offspring of thine uncle.[40]
He raises and meets the objections which his understanding offers:
Say you he is not king but dictator? If the thing be the same, what boots a different name? Say you he shuns that name, and rejects the crowns they proffer him: this is pretence and mockery, for why then did he remove the tribunes? True, he gave me dignities and once my life; with me my country outweighs them all. Whoso shows gratitude to a tyrant against his country’s interest, is ingrate while he seeks to be stupidly grateful.[41]
And his conclusion is
The sun reawakening to life saw the people under the yoke, and slaves: at his setting may he see them free.[42]
To him enters Cassius exultant that the day has arrived, impatient for the decisive moment, scarce able to restrain his eagerness. Only one scruple remains to him; should Antony be slain along with his master? Brutus answers:
Often already have I said that my purpose is this,
to destroy tyranny but save the citizens.
Cass. Then let it be destroyed from its deepest roots,
lest if only cut down, it sprout again at some time hereafter.