When Artemidorous first urges Caesar to read his letterwhy does Caesar refue?

Answer 1

Artemidorus first urges Caesar to read his letter in ACT II SCENE III. ARTEMIDORUS O Caesar, read mine first; for mine's a suit That touches Caesar nearer: read it, great Caesar. CAESAR What touches us ourself shall be last served. What Caesar says is that I will serve my own needs last, inferring that he will serve others first. This could be interpreted two ways. 1. That Caesar really does believe in Rome and the people so higly that he puts himself after the well being of all others. 2. That Caesar, now in full blown ego, is making a show that he puts all others first. I think the latter is more true, in that it fits with his behavior and ego pumping he was given at the end of the second act and that continues right up until they stab him. This furthers the irony of the situation in that if he was behaving in a truly egotistical fashion he would have looked at that which touches him nearer(is more important to him) and might have gotten out alive.