Cassius wrote a letter to Brutus, which he had Cinna leave for him to find. He had already talked to Brutus and convinced him to join the conspiracy against Caesar, but he wanted to make sure Brutus would actually go through with their plot. This is why he left him the letter. Cassius wanted Brutus to think the citizens were clamoring for him to act against Caesar.
CASSIUS
Be you content: good Cinna, take this paper,
And look you lay it in the praetor's chair,
Where Brutus may but find it; and throw this
In at his window; set this up with wax
Upon old Brutus' statue (Act I, Scene 3).
Meanwhile, Brutus has a discussion with himself. In a soliloquy, he essentially talks himself into joining the conspiracy, comparing Caesar to a baby snake in its shell because his ambition is too great. He convinces himself that even though he has nothing against Caesar personally, he should act before Caesar gets more dangerous.
When Brutus finds the letter, which is given to him by his servant Lucius, it makes him thoughtful.
My ancestors did from the streets of Rome
The Tarquin drive, when he was call'd a king.
'Speak, strike, redress!' Am I entreated
To speak and strike? O Rome, I make thee promise:
If the redress will follow, thou receivest
Thy full petition at the hand of Brutus (Act II, Scene 1)!
Brutus knows his name and his ancestors are important to the cause. He thinks the people of Rome are looking to him for guidance and action. He promises them he is going to act.
The letter serves to move the plot along because it helps convince Brutus to join the conspiracy. Soon after this soliloquy, Brutus meets with the other conspirators to talk about their plan. Brutus is very take-charge. He does not want to be just a nominal head of the group. He overrules Cassius’s decisions, and makes his own.
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