Now Cassius talks about Brutus’s ancestor
“There was a Brutus once that would have brooked Th’ eternal devil to keep his state in Rome as easily as a king”.
This is effective in persuading Brutus since family and pride plays an important role in Rome.
Cassius also tries to conceal the real idea of murder by shimmering the idea of comparison in front of it.
“ ’Caesar’
Why should that name be sounded more than
Yours”
What Cassius does here is reveal the true ‘glory’ of Caesar. Always giving reasons for murdering him. This is great in convincing Brutus because what affects Brutus the most is the fact of murder. What Cassius cleverly does is take this ‘murder’, twists and turns it to ‘murder with good reason’.
Cassius also manages to fit in Caesar’s physical weakness twice. Firstly in line 111;
“ ‘Help me Cassius, or I sink’. This took place when Caesar challenged Cassius to swim in the River Tibet. Again he outlines his weakness in line 127
“Give me some drink Titinius”
This took place in Spain. From these quotes we can see that Cassius is outraged by the fact that Rome bows down to this unfit ruler. In between he uses sarcasm “Tis true, this god did shake”
Cassius decides to mockingly refer to Caesar as a god only to emphasis his dislike of him. This is effective in revealing to the Brutus who everyone considers a god. In one way Cassius isn’t exaggerating because Mark Antony says “When Caesar says, ‘do this ‘ , it is performed. “ From this we can conclude that everyone does consider Caesar as a God.
Cassius’s articulate quick thinking attitude is seen when he mentions
in line 257: “No, Caesar hath it not; but you and I and honest Casca, we have the falling sickness”
In my opinion this is one of the most effective lines Cassius has made. Fully knowing that Caesar has the falling sickness he hints that everyone else has the falling sickness. This means that Caesar disillusions everyone and they have become his slaves.
In this scene Brutus does all the listening while Cassius dominates the scene through carefully chosen words and effective speeches. At the very start Brutus shows Cassius that he loves Caesar and wont go against him;
“Into what dangers would you lead me Cassius that you would have me seek into myself for that which is not in me”
This is because Brutus is still loyal to Caesar and Cassius hasn’t had much time with him. This is the reply Cassius receives when he throws his first accusation “Except immortal Caesar”.
We can also see a hint of clumsiness by Brutus. This is due to the troubled mind Brutus is dealing with and therefore is more likely to let slip his true feelings. This also makes it easier for Cassius to dominate the scene. Brutus is also very passive in this scene. The remark about Caesar gets Brutus thinking. After hearing the shouting he says
“What means this shouting k, I do fear the people choose Caesar for their king. This intrigues Cassius and causes him to say
“Ay do you fear it”. Cassius has planned this attack on Brutus, just waiting for the right time to spring it on him. Now Brutus realises his mistake and tries to justify what he has just said.
In act 2 sc. 1 Brutus is very much the dominating character opposed to Cassius as seen in act 1 sc. 2. The conspirators have been formed and now Brutus is clear on what he need to do and therefore takes on a more authoritative role along with strong character. Cassius in reply to this has turned passive.
Brutus meets with the other conspirators when Cassius proposes an oath.
“And let us swear our resolution “
Brutus replies “no not an oath”
And then produces a long speech stretching 27 lines. This is unexpected to the audience but is a clear example of Brutus starting to take authority. Cassius even though surprised shows no feeling of this and continues with the plan.
This is followed by a conversation between the conspirators, about the advantage of introducing Cicero into the group of conspirators. Cassius is straight for it “I think he will stand very strong with us” and Casca too
“Let us not leave him out” and also Cinna “No by no means”
Mettallus even give 6 lines about why Cicero will greatly help the conspirators.
But Brutus doesn’t stand for this and again shows his authority by destroying these thoughts with three lines.
“O name him not; let us not break with him
for he will never follow anything that other men begin”
As soon as this happens the conspirators truly take Brutus as their leader. This is due to the fact that everyone changes their minds after hearing his.
“Indeed he is not fit”
Another reason why Brutus might not have wanted Cicero to join was because he was afraid of losing control over the conspirators. From the descriptions we have seen we can analyse that Cicero is a noble character who many conspirators would look up to.
In Act2 Scene 1 it is almost as if Cassius and Brutus have switched roles. Cassius plays a much more passive role. An example of this is when he agrees with Brutus without any argument what so ever about Cicero
“Then leave him out”.
Cassius has just agreed with the conspirators that Cicero will do well amongst them but delivers this line after Brutus disagrees. Also Cassius seems to become mentally weak maybe (either because he cant work on Brutus any more or because he uses Brutus as his pillar of strength realising Brutus’s true character).
“Yet I fear him”
“Him” meaning Anthony. Brutus now offers support “do not think of him”.
This is said to comfort Cassius.
After discussing the time of the assassination Brutus shows the conspirators that he can persuade and work on people, little knowing that he was once the victim of such acts.
“Send him but hither, and I’ll fashion him”
This is ironic because Cassius in Act 1 Scene 2 once worked him.
Act 4 Scene 3 is the scene with the most tension. It takes place in a tent with Brutus and Cassius, alone. Interestingly it is Brutus throwing accusations at Cassius. The first is of Cassius taking bribes.
“Are much condemned to have an itching palm;
To sell and mart your offices for gold
To underservers”
This basically means that to be promoted in Cassius’s army you would have to bribe. Itching palm meaning Cassius is hungry for money. Similar to the line Caesar made of Cassius having a “lean and hungry look”
Now Brutus moves on to the death of Julius Caesar.
“Did not great Julius Caesar bleed for justice’ sake?
What villain touched his body, that did stab,
And not for justice”.
Now Brutus is saying that their reasons for the assassination of Julius Caesar were different. Whilst Brutus took the idealistic views Cassius’s reasons laid on money and power.
Now Brutus takes a more direst approach
“Away slight man”
This is telling Cassius that he thinks he is insignificant. Brutus is belittling him.
Brutus also takes this oppurtunity to mock Cassius further
“I’ll use you for my mirth, yea for my laughter
When you are waspish”.
Brutus now addresses Cassius’s ill temper. He says that he will laugh at his ill temper from now on and wont take notice of this. There is a slight truth in what Brutus says here. Cassius does easily get angry and over reacts. After this comment Brutus says
“For I am armed so strong in honesty”
Which meant that he was self-righteous. And describes Cassius’s threats as non-existent.
“That they pass me as the idle wind”
This means that Brutus is unmoved by Cassius’s threats and he refuses to be dominated.
He now decides to move onto matters more important. We can see this in the sudden change of subject
“I did send to you
For certain sums of gold, which you denied me
For I can raise no money by vile means”
Brutus is being extremely hypocritical in saying this. First he mentions hoe noble and self-righteous he is that he wont accept bribes and since he has no money he asks Cassius who obtains this by the exact ‘vile means’ Brutus describes. In other words Brutus would rather have his ‘friend’ do the dirty work to sustain his noble title. He said he would rather
“Coin my heart” or “drop my blood for drachmas” meaning he would die rather than get money from these vile methods.
He lastly addresses Cassius by his for and surname
“Should I have answered Caius Cassius so”
This is only done to grab the readers attention and show the suspense involved in this moment.
Cassius creates shorts arguments through out the scene.
The first one of these arguments take place on line 33:
“Go to! You are not Cassius”
“I am”
“I say you are not”
This argument is about weather Cassius is Cassius. Offcoarse this is stupid but it keeps the scene flowing from one person to another.
The second one of these would start at line 83:
“I denied you not”
“You did”
“I did not”
This takes place after Brutus accuses Cassius of not sending him money.
After this Cassius looks for some sympathy.
“He was but a fool who brought
My answer back”
He says this hoping that Brutus will realise his mistake and forgive Cassius and feel sympathetic towards him.
Now comes Cassius’s self-dramatising speech. He also draws self pity into the first part of the speech.
