Was Brutus considered a snake by the Romans? The perception of Brutus among the Romans is a complex and historically batted content. Brutus, specifically Marcus Junius Brutus, is best known for being one of the leading conspirators in the assassination of Julius Caesar in 44 BCE. The conspirators, including Brutus, claimed they were acting in defense of the Roman Republic against what they saw as Caesar’s growing power and implicit despotism.
Brutus himself justified his conduct by asserting that he was motivated by a desire to save the Roman Republic and help it from turning into a absolutism under Caesar. His notorious line” Et tu, Brute?”( meaning” And you, Brutus?”) Attributed to Shakespeare’s portrayal of Julius Caesar, it suggests that Caesar was actually betrayed by someone he considered a close friend.
Public opinion about Brutus in ancient Rome was probably divided. While some might have seen him as a protector of the Republic, others may have viewed him as a snake for sharing in the murder of a popular leader. The fate of Caesar’s assassination led to a series of civil wars and eventually the rise of Caesar’s grandnephew and espoused son, Octavian( latterly known as Augustus), as the first Roman Emperor.
In the end, as Augustus solidified his power and established the Roman Empire, the narrative around Caesar and his cutthroats may have been shaped to favor the victors. Augustus, for political reasons, may have sought to portray Caesar as a idol and those who opposed him, including Brutus, as deceived or treacherous.
So, while some Romans may have considered Brutus a idol for his supposed defense of the Republic, others likely viewed him as a snake who played a part in destabilizing Rome and paving the way for the eventual establishment of the Roman Empire.
