Arguments are the pinnacle of progress, development and change. People with conflicting ideas and beliefs engage in this activity all the time. However, did you know that arguments actually come down to a science? In the 4th century BCE, Aristotle hypothesized that a well-formed argument must include the following elements: ethos (an appeal to ethics, what is right versus what is wrong), pathos (an appeal to emotion) and logos (an appeal to logic and logic). sense). This theory, so widespread, even shaped the success of the arguments in Shakespeare's plays. In Act II of Julius Caesar, Decius and Calpurnia clash over whether Caesar should attend the Senate. Although Calpurnia used strong pathos, Decius used a combination of pathos and logos which proved more powerful (as he appealed to Caesar's pride and provided logical reasoning), and ultimately led Caesar to attend the Senate. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Calpurnia's first attempt to convince Caesar not to attend the Senate comes in the form of highly detailed images from her terrifying dream. She hopes that by using pathos she can keep him from attending the meeting. Part of his description reads: “Who shed blood on the Capitol” (9). She tries to tell Caesar that her dream foreshadows his death in a way that would cause fear. Although Caesar is a man of war and violence, she recognizes that he has a softer side and she wants to appeal to that aspect of him. However, Caesar responds that he does not fear death, forcing Calpurnia to try from a different angle. Calpurnia's second attempt to convince Caesar comes in the form of another Pathos appeal. She begs him not to go to the Senate and pleads: “Let me, on my knees, prevail in this matter.” » (34). After realizing that Caesar does not care about his own safety, Calpurnia informs him that it would bother her greatly if he left and that she is ready to take any responsibility for his absence. She hopes that Caesar will care more about his wife's feelings and be willing to change his mind for her. Decius, on the other hand, takes a different approach than Calpurnia. He begins his argument by providing a logical and alternative interpretation of Calpurnia's dream: "Your statue gushing blood into many pipes, in which so many smiling Romans bathed, means that from you great Rome will suck the life-giving blood" (47 -50). Decius' use of simple logos to explain the meaning of the dream is very powerful in convincing Caesar. If the dream was actually a prophecy of Caesar's success, why would he try to challenge it? Decius' argument is also supported by the fact that he is known as an intelligent man and has advised Caesar closely in the past. Additionally, Decius also uses pathos to thwart Calpurnia's pleas. He uses his knowledge of Caesar's desires and foreshadows: "To give a crown this day to mighty Caesar." (56). Not only does Decius tell Caesar that if he goes to the Senate he will be rewarded with what he wants most, power, but he also plays with his pride by calling him "mighty Caesar." Decius is very clever in the way he structures his words, making Caesar desperate to follow his advice. By using such personal and powerful pathos, Caesar plays into Decius's hands. Decius had a more compelling argument because he used both strong pathos and logos while Calpurnia only had a semi-strong pathos argument..