Julius Caesar - Duet Performance

The passage we chose is the one where Brutus and Cassius engage in a fight. Presently, Brutus and his army are awaiting Cassius and his own army to join them so they can start the war with Antony over Rome. Brutus has just declined a request from Cassius arguing against the banishment of Lucius Pella, a man who had been taking bribes from the Sardians. Meanwhile, Brutus is outraged that Cassius’ refusal for money. Brutus was then talking with Pindarus when Cassius arrives with his own army. Both fuming at each other, they get enter a private tent before they burst out, accusing and nagging each other constantly. However, Cassius then tactically exposed his chest for Brutus to stab at and demanded that Brutus do so. Brutus, miserable from the news of Portia’s suicide, all of a sudden decided to forgive Cassius of his intense verbal attack and soon they are like brothers again, the whole argument forgotten.
This passage is significant because it shows how the conspirators are questioning Caesar’s death. It shows Brutus becoming desperate, and clinging onto any reason that assassinating Caesar was an honorable act. This passage is also significant because it shows how Cassius, thus far, has been relying on Brutus being gullible and being easily manipulated by Cassius. Therefore, if Brutus was to accept all the flattery and become the ruler of Rome, Cassius would be able to control his decisions and therefore “control Rome”. This is majorly significant because it determines if Cassius’ original plan will work, or if he had underestimated Brutus, and therefore determines the characters’ destinies and the whole course of the remaining story.

This passage is in Act 4, scene 3 and is from lines 65 to 122 and 142 to 161.


BRUTUS
You have done that you should be sorry for.
There is no terror, Cassius, in your threats,
For I am arm'd so strong in honesty
That they pass by me as the idle wind,
Which I respect not. I did send to you
For certain sums of gold, which you denied me:
For I can raise no money by vile means:
By heaven, I had rather coin my heart,
And drop my blood for drachmas, than to wring
From the hard hands of peasants their vile trash
By any indirection: I did send
To you for gold to pay my legions,
Which you denied me: was that done like Cassius?
Should I have answer'd Caius Cassius so?
When Marcus Brutus grows so covetous,
To lock such rascal counters from his friends,
Be ready, gods, with all your thunderbolts;
Dash him to pieces!


CASSIUS
I denied you not.


BRUTUS
You did.


CASSIUS
I did not: he was but a fool that brought
My answer back. Brutus hath riv’d my heart:
A friend should bear his friend's infirmities,
But Brutus makes mine greater than they are.


BRUTUS
I do not, till you practise them on me.


CASSIUS
You love me not.


BRUTUS
I do not like your faults.


CASSIUS
A friendly eye could never see such faults.


BRUTUS
A flatterer's would not, though they do appear
As huge as high Olympus.


CASSIUS
Come, Antony, and young Octavius, come,
Revenge yourselves alone on Cassius,
For Cassius is aweary of the world;
Hated by one he loves; brav’d by his brother;
Check'd like a bondman; all his faults observed,
Set in a note-book, learn'd, and conn'd by rote,
To cast into my teeth. O, I could weep
My spirit from mine eyes! There is my dagger,
And here my naked breast; within, a heart
Dearer than Plutus' mine, richer than gold:
If that thou be'st a Roman, take it forth;
I, that denied thee gold, will give my heart:
Strike, as thou didst at Caesar; for, I know,
When thou didst hate him worst, thou lovedst him better
Than ever thou lovedst Cassius.


BRUTUS
Sheathe your dagger:
Be angry when you will, it shall have scope;
Do what you will, dishonour shall be humour.
O Cassius, you are yoked with a lamb
That carries anger as the flint bears fire;
Who, much enforced, shows a hasty spark,
And straight is cold again.


CASSIUS
Hath Cassius lived
To be but mirth and laughter to his Brutus,
When grief, and blood ill-temper'd, vexeth him?


BRUTUS
When I spoke that, I was ill-temper'd too.


CASSIUS
Do you confess so much? Give me your hand.


BRUTUS
And my heart too.


CASSIUS
O Brutus!


BRUTUS
What's the matter?


CASSIUS
Have not you love enough to bear with me,
When that rash humour which my mother gave me
Makes me forgetful?


BRUTUS
Yes, Cassius; and, from henceforth,
When you are over-earnest with your Brutus,
He'll think your mother chides, and leave you so.

BRUTUS
Lucius, a bowl of wine!


LUCIUS Exits


CASSIUS
I did not think you could have been so angry.


BRUTUS
O Cassius, I am sick of many griefs.


CASSIUS
Of your philosophy you make no use,
If you give place to accidental evils.


BRUTUS
No man bears sorrow better.
Portia is dead.


CASSIUS
Ha! Portia!

BRUTUS
She is dead.


CASSIUS
How 'scaped I killing when I cross'd you so?
O insupportable and touching loss!
Upon what sickness?


BRUTUS
Impatient of my absence,
And grief that young Octavius with Mark Antony
Have made themselves so strong:--for with her death
That tidings came;--with this she fell distract,
And, her attendants absent, swallow'd fire.


CASSIUS
And died so?


BRUTUS
Even so.


CASSIUS
O ye immortal gods!


enter LUCIUS, with wine and taper


BRUTUS
Speak no more of her. Give me a bowl of wine.
In this I bury all unkindness, Cassius.


CASSIUS
My heart is thirsty for that noble pledge.
Fill, Lucius, till the wine o'erswell the cup;
I cannot drink too much of Brutus' love.


My partner is Meagen.