Julius Caesar - Duet Acting

Context

Caesar has just returned from his victory against Pompey. The Romans and Caesar himself are parading throughout the streets, when Brutus, a nobleman, leaves the precession. Cassius, a friend of Brutus, joins him. Cassius tries to convince Brutus to be the leader of a conspiracy against Caesar. Brutus loves Caesar as a friend, but doesn't agree with how he runs Rome. Brutus is unsure whether is should join Cassius, and kill Caesar in order to make Rome a Republic, or not do anything at all.

Significance

The significance of the passage is that this is when Cassius tries to manipulates Brutus into joining the conspiracy to kill Caesar. Brutus is at war with himself because he loves Caesar, but he wants to save Rome from a monarchy. Brutus is giving the opportunity to save what his ancestors fight for; a republic. This dialogue is the beginning of secrets, death, and war.

Passage - Pg 28 Lines 25-129

Cassius: Will you go see the order of the course?

Brutus: Not I.

Cassius: I pray you, do

Brutus: I am not gamesome: I do lack some part

Of that quick spirit that is in Antony.

Let me not hinder, Cassius, your desires;

I'll leave you

Cassius: Brutus, I do observe you now of late:

I have not from your eyes that gentleness

And show of love as I was wont to have.

You bear too stubborn and too strange a hand

Over your friend that loves you.

Brutus: Cassius,

Be not deceiv'd: If I have veil'd my look,

I turn the trouble of my countenance

Merely upon myself. Vexed I am

Of late with passions of some difference,

Conceptions only proper to myself,

Which give some soil, perhaps, to my behaviours;

But let not therefore my good friends be grieve'd -

Among which number, Cassius, be you one -

Nor construe any further my neglect,

Than that poor Brutus, with himself at war,

Forgets the shows of love to other men.

Cassius: Then, Brutus, I have much mistook your passion;

By means whereof this breast of mine hath buried

Thoughts of great value, worthy cogitations.

Tell me, good Brutus, can you see your face?

Brutus: No, Cassius; for the eyes sees not itself

But by reflection, by some other things

Cassius: 'Tis just;

And it is very much lamented, Brutus,

That you have no such mirrors as will turn

Your hidden worthiness into you eye,

That you might see your shadow. I have heard,

Where many of the best respect in Rome,

Except immortal Caesar, speaking of Brutus,

And groaning underneath this age's yoke,

Have wish'd that noble Brutus had his eyes.

Brutus: Into what dangers would you lead me, Cassius,

That you would have me seek into myself

For that which is not in me?

Cassius

Therefore,good Brutus, be prepar'd to hear;

And since you know you cannot see yourself

So well as by reflection,I,your glass,

Will modestly discover to yourself

That of yourself which you yet know not of.

And be not jealous on me, gentle Brutus:

Were I a common laughter, or did use

To stale with ordinary oaths my love

To every new protester;if you know

That I do fawn on men and hug them hard,

And after scandal them;or if you know

That i profess myself in banqueting

To all the rout, then hold me dangerous.

(Flourish and shout)

Brutus: What means this shouting? I do fear the people

Choose Caesar for their king.

Cassius
Ay, do you fear it?
Then must I think you would not have it so.

Brutus: I would not, Cassius; yet I love him well

But wherefore do you hold me here so long?

What is it that you would impart to me?

If it be aught toward the general good,

Set honour in one eye, and death i'th' other,

And I will look on both indifferently;

For let the gods so speed me as I love

This name of honour more then I fear death.

Cassius:

I know that virtue to be in you, Brutus,
As well as I do know your outward favour.
Well,honour is the subject of my story.
I cannot tell what you and other men
Think of this life; but for my single self,
I had as lief not be as live to be
In awe of such a thing as I myself.
I was born free as Caesar; so were you;
We both have fed as well, and we can both
Endure the winter's cold as well as he:
For once, upon a raw and gusty day,
The troubled Tiber chafing with her shores,
Caesar said to me,'Dar'st thou, Cassius, now
Leap in with me into this angry flood,
And swim to yonder point?' Upon the word,
Accoutred as I was, I plunged in
And bade him follow; so indeed he did
The torrent roar'd, and we did buffet it
With lusty sinews, throwing it aside
And stemming it with hearts of controversy.
But ere we could arrive the point propos'd
Caesar cried, 'Help me, Cassius, or I sink.'
I, as Aeneas, our great ancestor,
Did from the flames of Troy upon his shoulder
The old Anchises bear, so from the waves of Tiber
Did i the tired Caesar. And this man
Is now become a god, and Cassius is
A wretched creature, and must bend his body
If Caesar carelessly but nod on him.
he had a fever when he was in Spain,
And when the fit was on him, I did mark
How he did shake; 'tis true, this god did shake;
His coward lips did from their colour fly,
And that same eye whose bend doth awe the world
Did lose his lustre; I did hear him groan;
Ay, and that tongue of his, that bade the Romans
Mark him and write speeches in their books,
Alas, it cried, 'Give me some drink, Titinius,'
As a sick girl. Ye gods, it doth amaze me
A man of such feeble temper should
So get the start of the majestic world,
And bear the palm alone.