The Power and Risks of Rhetoric in Julius Caesar

In Julius Caesar, Brutus defends his action in terms that would fit nicely into Diboti's work. This line comes in the first of the paired speeches delivered by Brutus and Mark Antony to the Roman people. By contrast, it's pretty evident from Julius Caesar what Shakespeare thinks about rhetoric. In this light, it's interesting to note that Cicero is present in Julius Caesar mostly by being absent.