adminWE have already seen part of Julius Caesar’s character. Is he ambitious? Does he really want to become king? These questions come about as a result of the dismissal of the Soothsayer who is warning him to beware the Ides of March — March 15. After asking to see the man’s face, he dismisses him as a dreamer and says they should leave him.
When all go away Cassius asks Brutus if he is going to see the order of the course, the latter says he will not. Cassius tries to convince him to go but Brutus says he is not gamesome and he lacks that quick spirit which is in Antony. We already suspect that Mark Antony liked games hence Caesar asked him not to forget in the haste to touch his wife, Calpurnia, for it was said by their elderly men that barren women when touched in this holy race may have their curse of sterility removed.
Cassius accuses Brutus of no longer showing any affection he once showed towards him. Brutus replies telling Cassius that he has been troubled with a certain turmoil within himself which makes him neglect his friends. “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 passion of some difference, conceptions only proper to myself, which gives some soil perhaps to my behaviours.”
Cassius is cunning and says all this to get a way of talking Brutus into joining the conspiracy to kill Caesar. Cassius confesses that because of this he has kept quiet about many things he would have liked to talk over with Brutus. “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?”
Obviously nobody can see oneself except by reflection and that is exactly what Brutus tells him. He goes on to say that it is lamented that Brutus has no such mirror as will turn his hidden worth into his eye. He adds that he has heard many respectable people of Rome except immortal Caesar speaking of Brutus and groaning under this age’s yoke (oppression) and these people who feel the pain of oppression have wished Brutus had his eyes.
Brutus appears cautious and asks Cassius into what dangers he is driving him to? Is it not ironic that Brutus foresees that Cassius is driving him into danger but later on joins the conspiracy? Cassius tells Brutus to be prepared to hear since he knows that he cannot see himself so well as by reflection, him (Cassius) as his glass will make him discover that things about himself that he does not know.
Still engaged in their conversation, Brutus and Cassius hear shouting from a distance. Brutus explains the shout to mean that the people are choosing Caesar for their king. By so doing Brutus falls into Cassius’ trap. Cassius comes in with a vicious blow saying to Brutus: “Ay, do you fear it? Then must I think you would not have it so.” Brutus agrees with Cassius that he would not have it though he loves Caesar well.
Brutus asks Cassius to come out clearly as to what he wants to tell him. He goes on saying that if it is for the good of the state on one side and death on the other, then he would consider both impartially. He says let the gods not prosper me at all if I do not live up the reputation of being an honourable man. The bottom line is that he fears lack of honour more than death.
Cassius is encouraged by Brutus’ words and says he is sure of this virtue in Brutus as well as he is sure of his face now. He says honour is the subject of his story. He says he does not know what Brutus and other men think of this life, but as for himself he would willingly die than live in fear of Caesar, who is mortal like himself. Then he goes wild in his talk.
He says he was born free as Caesar, so was Brutus. They have eaten as well as Caesar and can endure winter as much as he can. Cassius goes on to show Caesar’s physical weaknesses. He says once on a stormy day, when the troubled Tiber chafing with her shores — simply put, the Tiber was flooded hitting against its banks, Caesar told Cassius to jump with him into those angry waters and swim to the other side.
He says he jumped into the river with his clothes on and asked Caesar to follow him which he did. The torrential waters of the river Tiber beat against the shore while they beat it back with their muscles, pushing it aside with resolute courage. But Cassius says before they arrived at the designated point Caesar cried out: “Help me, Cassius, I sink.” Cassius then shows off saying that as their ancestor, Aeneas, rescued Anchises from the flames of Troy, “I lifted up and saved the exhausted Caesar.”
What puts off Cassius is that a man who showed all these weaknesses of being a mortal is now thought to be a god, and him, Cassius is considered no better than a wretched creature and must bend low before Caesar and let him carelessly nod at him. He relates that Caesar got frightened while in Spain and as he was afraid he did mark how he was shaking. “It’s true this god did shake. Colour left his lips which became white with fear, just as a cowardly soldier deserts the battlefield.”
Finally he says such a powerful man who arrogantly ordered the Romans to mark carefully every word that fell from it and record it in their books, cried like a sick girl. Alas, it cried: “Give me some drink, Titinius,” as a sick girl.
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Bongani Ndlovu