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Name Instructor Course Date The End of the Republic: Three Views Sallust blames the corruption of morals amongst the Roman people for the decline of the empire. The lust for power and money amongst rulers undermined the values of honesty and integrity and replaced them with arrogance, insolence, and cruelty CITATION Spi13 p 137 l 2057 (Spielvogel 137). Ambition and self-interest were the drivers of deception by the authorities. Slowly, a just government turned cruel and intolerable. At this point, its fall was inevitable. Caesar justified his actions through a feeling of entitlement to the throne. He felt the Senate was unjustly standing in his way to the consulship. He had made a formal request for consulship and was denied. He was ready to give up his armies if he got a chance to run for the consulship. However, asking him to relinquish control over these armies would have made him vulnerable. He, therefore, sought to use all means to acquire power. Cicero felt Caesar’s actions were unjustified. He felt there was no moral ground for Caesar to act as he had. Cicero explains that the quest for sole power is the only motivation for acting in such a mannerCITATION Spi13 p 137 l 2057 (Spielvogel 137). He illustrates his contempt for the matter by explaining that he would choose a thousand deaths than entertain thoughts of such autocracies. This invasion of the city was just a power grab on Caesars's part. Caesar complains of having numerous enemies, which indicates his reluctance to relinquish power. Furthermore, in the light of subsequent events, Caesar proceeded to consolidate his power up until his assassination. His motivation was not the welfare of the republic.
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