[Script Info]
Title: 
[Events]
Format: Layer, Start, End, Style, Name, MarginL, MarginR, MarginV, Effect, Text
Dialogue: 0,0:00:06.75,0:00:11.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,What would you do if you thought \Nyour country was on the path to tyranny?
Dialogue: 0,0:00:11.78,0:00:16.09,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,If you saw one man gaining too much power,\Nwould you try to stop him?
Dialogue: 0,0:00:16.09,0:00:20.43,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Even if that man was\None of your closest friends and allies?
Dialogue: 0,0:00:20.43,0:00:27.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,These were the questions haunting\NRoman Senator Marcus Junius Brutus in 44 BCE,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:27.33,0:00:31.52,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the year Julius Caesar \Nwould be assassinated.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:31.52,0:00:35.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Opposing unchecked power \Nwasn't just a political matter for Brutus;
Dialogue: 0,0:00:35.78,0:00:37.47,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it was a personal one.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:37.47,0:00:40.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,He claimed descent\Nfrom Lucius Junius Brutus,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:40.38,0:00:45.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,who had helped overthrow the tyrannical\Nking known as Tarquin the Proud.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:45.68,0:00:47.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Instead of seizing power himself,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:47.48,0:00:51.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the elder Brutus\Nled the people in a rousing oath
Dialogue: 0,0:00:51.14,0:00:54.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to never again allow a king to rule.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:54.78,0:00:56.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Rome became a republic
Dialogue: 0,0:00:56.00,0:01:00.24,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,based on the principle that no one man\Nshould hold too much power.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:00.24,0:01:04.76,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now, four and a half centuries later,\Nthis principle was threatened.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:04.76,0:01:08.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Julius Ceasar's rise \Nto the powerful position of consul
Dialogue: 0,0:01:08.38,0:01:10.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,had been dramatic.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:10.08,0:01:14.37,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Years of military triumphs \Nhad made him the wealthiest man in Rome.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:14.37,0:01:18.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And after defeating his rival\NPompey the Great in a bitter civil war,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:18.78,0:01:21.54,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,his power was at its peak.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:21.54,0:01:25.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,His victories and initiatives, \Nsuch as distributing lands to the poor,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:25.30,0:01:27.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,had made him popular with the public,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:27.14,0:01:32.24,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and many senators vied for his favor \Nby showering him with honors.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:32.24,0:01:34.83,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Statues were built, \Ntemples were dedicated,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:34.83,0:01:40.20,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and a whole month was renamed,\Nstill called July today.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:40.20,0:01:42.65,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,More importantly, the title of dictator,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:42.65,0:01:45.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,meant to grant\Ntemporary emergency powers in wartime,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:45.96,0:01:50.44,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,had been bestowed upon Caesar \Nseveral times in succession.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:50.44,0:01:54.44,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And in 44 BCE, \Nhe was made dictator perpetuo,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:54.44,0:01:56.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,dictator for a potentially unlimited term.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:59.33,0:02:01.77,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,All of this was too much for the senators
Dialogue: 0,0:02:01.77,0:02:06.63,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,who feared a return to the monarchy\Ntheir ancestors had fought to abolish,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:06.63,0:02:09.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,as well as those whose \Nown power and ambition
Dialogue: 0,0:02:09.14,0:02:12.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,were impeded by Caesar's rule.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:12.04,0:02:15.79,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,A group of conspirators \Ncalling themselves the liberators
Dialogue: 0,0:02:15.79,0:02:20.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,began to secretly discuss\Nplans for assassination.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:20.02,0:02:23.45,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Leading them were\Nthe senator Gaius Cassius Longinus
Dialogue: 0,0:02:23.45,0:02:26.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and his friend and brother-in-law, Brutus.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:26.93,0:02:30.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Joining the conspiracy was not \Nan easy choice for Brutus.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:30.62,0:02:34.43,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Even though Brutus had sided with Pompey \Nin the ill-fated civil war,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:34.43,0:02:38.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Caesar had personally intervened \Nto save his life,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:38.68,0:02:42.89,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,not only pardoning him\Nbut even accepting him as a close advisor
Dialogue: 0,0:02:42.89,0:02:45.71,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and elevating him to important posts.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:45.71,0:02:50.40,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Brutus was hesitant to conspire against\Nthe man who had treated him like a son,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:50.40,0:02:51.45,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but in the end,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:51.45,0:02:58.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Cassius's insistence and Brutus's own fear\Nof Caesar's ambitions won out.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:58.18,0:03:01.71,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The moment they had been waiting for\Ncame on March 15.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:01.71,0:03:02.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,At a senate meeting
Dialogue: 0,0:03:02.84,0:03:07.17,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,held shortly before Caesar was to depart\Non his next military campaign,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:07.17,0:03:10.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,as many as 60 conspirators surrounded him,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:10.38,0:03:15.55,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,unsheathing daggers from their togas\Nand stabbing at him from all sides.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:15.55,0:03:17.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,As the story goes,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:17.06,0:03:21.63,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Caesar struggled fiercely\Nuntil he saw Brutus.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:21.63,0:03:25.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Despite the famous line, "Et tu, Brute?" \Nwritten by Shakespeare,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:25.18,0:03:28.51,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,we don't know Caesar's actual dying words.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:28.51,0:03:31.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Some ancient sources claim\Nhe said nothing,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:31.08,0:03:33.85,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,while others record the phrase, \N"And you, child?",
Dialogue: 0,0:03:33.85,0:03:39.52,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,fueling speculation that Brutus may have\Nactually been Caesar's illegitimate son.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:39.52,0:03:43.07,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But all agree that when \NCaesar saw Brutus among his attackers,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:43.07,0:03:46.74,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,he covered his face and gave up the fight,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:46.74,0:03:51.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,falling to the ground \Nafter being stabbed 23 times.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:51.68,0:03:52.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Unfortunately for Brutus,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:52.98,0:03:57.21,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,he and the other conspirators \Nhad underestimated Caesar's popularity
Dialogue: 0,0:03:57.21,0:03:58.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,among the Roman public,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:58.86,0:04:01.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,many of whom saw \Nhim as an effective leader,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:01.28,0:04:04.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and the senate as a corrupt aristocracy.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:04.62,0:04:08.76,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Within moments of Caesar's assassination,\NRome was in a state of panic.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:08.76,0:04:11.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Most of the other senators had fled,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:11.26,0:04:14.85,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,while the assassins barricaded themselves\Non the Capitoline Hill.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:14.85,0:04:17.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Mark Antony, \NCaesar's friend and co-consul,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:17.90,0:04:20.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,was swift to seize the upper hand,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:20.50,0:04:24.25,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,delivering a passionate speech \Nat Caesar's funeral days later
Dialogue: 0,0:04:24.25,0:04:28.23,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that whipped the crowd into a frenzy \Nof grief and anger.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:28.23,0:04:31.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,As a result, the liberators \Nwere forced out of Rome.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:31.56,0:04:35.29,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The ensuing power vacuum \Nled to a series of civil wars,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:35.29,0:04:40.63,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,during which Brutus, \Nfacing certain defeat, took his own life.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:40.63,0:04:42.64,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Ironically, the ultimate result
Dialogue: 0,0:04:42.64,0:04:46.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,would be the opposite of what\Nthe conspirators had hoped to accomplish:
Dialogue: 0,0:04:46.10,0:04:47.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the end of the Republic
Dialogue: 0,0:04:47.48,0:04:51.65,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and the concentration of power \Nunder the office of Emperor.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:51.65,0:04:55.74,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Opinions over the assassination of Caesar \Nwere divided from the start
Dialogue: 0,0:04:55.74,0:04:57.39,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and have remained so.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:57.39,0:04:58.72,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,As for Brutus himself,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:58.72,0:05:02.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,few historical figures have inspired \Nsuch a conflicting legacy.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:02.70,0:05:06.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In Dante's "Inferno," he was placed \Nin the very center of Hell
Dialogue: 0,0:05:06.99,0:05:12.20,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and eternally chewed by Satan himself\Nfor his crime of betrayal.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:12.20,0:05:14.15,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But Swift's "Gulliver's Travels"
Dialogue: 0,0:05:14.15,0:05:18.52,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,described him as one of the most\Nvirtuous and benevolent people to have lived.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:18.52,0:05:22.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The interpretation of Brutus as either\Na selfless fighter against dictatorship
Dialogue: 0,0:05:22.99,0:05:25.29,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,or an opportunistic traitor
Dialogue: 0,0:05:25.29,0:05:28.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,has shifted with the tides \Nof history and politics.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:28.38,0:05:31.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But even today, over 2000 years later,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:31.33,0:05:33.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,questions about the price of liberty,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:33.34,0:05:37.65,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the conflict between \Npersonal loyalties and universal ideals,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:37.65,0:05:42.17,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and unintended consequences\Nremain more relevant than ever.