In “Julius Caesar,” by William Shakespeare, Cassius is a significant character who is integral to the plot to kill Caesar. Shakespeare portrays Cassius as a person who can inspire the other conspirators to support his cause and possesses strong leadership skills. This essay will examine how well Shakespeare portrays Cassius as the conspirators’ effective leader through his deeds, words, and interactions with other play characters.

First off, Cassius is portrayed by Shakespeare as being an effective leader due to his capacity for manipulation and sway over the other conspirators. By appealing to Brutus’ sense of loyalty to Rome and his love for the republic, Cassius is able to persuade him to join the conspiracy. In Act 1, Scene 2, Cassius says to Brutus, “Why, man, he doth bestride the narrow world like a Colossus, and we petty men walk under his huge legs and peep about to find ourselves dishonorable graves. Men at some time are masters of their fates. The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but in ourselves, that we are underlings.”