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The Advantage Of Calpurnia And Decius In Persuading Caesar

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In William Shakespeare’s play; Julius Caesar, Decius in persuading Caesar to join him in the senate-house was more effective and convincing than Calpurnia. The three keys to Decius’ success were: he grasped the advantage of Caesar’s ambition, he understood Caesar’s mindset and he used Caesar’s self-arrogance to persuade him. However Calpurnia also put great effort and reasoning into persuading Caesar to stay home that day, for she feared he would perish in the senate-house. First Decius grasped the advantage of Caesar’s ambition and used against him. In doing this Decius took Calpurnia’s dream in which Caesar’s statue was pouring out blood and the people of the city went and drank from it, and turned it into not a bad, but a good omen. How so? He lied that this dream was only of the revival of Rome and not Caesar’s fall. Decius did this using a false interpretation that appealed to Caesar. Rather Calpurnia simply wished to see her dear husband again. Next Decius understands Caesar’s mindset …show more content…

This is the last reason why Decius was more convincing than Calpurnia. The first thing that Decius says to Caesar when he walks in the door is “Caesar all hail! Good morrow, worthy Caesar; I come to fetch you to the senate-house.”(Shakespeare 30) Flattery! Right from the moment he walks in the door. Decius has his plan laid out in front of him. And Caesar falls for it. Calpurnia tried to warn Caesar with her use of omens, dreams and self-pity, but Caesar wouldn’t listen. In conclusion, Decius, though deceivingly, better persuaded Caesar than Calpurnia. Calpurnia used pathos to convince Caesar to stay home by proclaiming that she is his wife and stay home for her and Decius used logos by claiming the senate would see him as a coward if he stayed home. Although Calpurnia did her best to help Caesar, his fatal flaws finally showed through. Caesar then fell for the plotting of

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