Final answer:
Cassius and Brutus discuss their concerns about Caesar's growing power and the potential threat of tyranny to the Roman Republic, with Cassius planting the seeds of conspiracy in Brutus's mind.
Step-by-step explanation:
Immediately after Caesar and his followers leave, Cassius and Brutus engage in a crucial discussion wherein Cassius begins his attempts to sway Brutus into joining the conspiracy against Caesar. Their conversation is seen as laying the groundwork for the events that follow, including the assassination of Caesar on the Ides of March. Cassius senses Brutus’s discontent with Caesar’s growing power and expresses concern over what Rome is becoming under Caesar’s rule. This taps into Brutus's values and patriotic feelings for Rome, laying the initial seeds of doubt about Caesar's intentions and suitability as a ruler without limits, which aligns with Brutus’s Republican values. This conversation highlights the opposing ideals and fears that were circulating among the elite in Rome and sets the stage for the conflict between the desire to preserve the Republic and the perceived threat of tyranny.