The Tragedy of Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare presents the story of the ruler of the Roman Empire whose friendship is betrayed by Brutus, a noble Roman who takes part in the assassination conspiracy. To describe the relationship between the two conspirators, Shakespeare employs the literary device known as a foil, a character who is used to contrast with another character. Cassius and Brutus, the two main conspirators, differ from each other in many ways. For example, Cassius is manipulative, self-serving, and dishonorable, while Brutus is gullible, patriotic, and honorable. In Julius Caesar, Shakespeare presents Cassius as a foil to Brutus in order to show the reader that Brutus was the noblest Roman of them all.

A pivotal aspect in the conspirators' relationship that initiates the assassination is Cassius' manipulative behavior aimed at Brutus' gullibility. In this play, Cassius is a very street-smart character that uses perceptive and...