Duet Acting

Context

Lauren and I will be acting out the scene after the feat of Lupercal, in which the smart Cassius is trying to convince the worrisome Brutus to join the conspiracy to kill Caesar. However Brutus is struggling to make a decision, knowing that he is honorable and loyal to mighty Caesar.

Significance

This passage is very significant in the play because it is the scene in which Cassius uses his great persuasion skills to win over Brutus, so he can come and join the conspiracy to kill Caesar. This is the beginning of a gruesome act that will be forever remembered.

Where?

This long conversation can be found in Act 1, scene 2, lines # 25 to130, pages 28 to 34.

Passage

Cassius

Will you goo 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 to stubborn and too strange a hand

Over your friend that loves you.

Brutus

Cassius,

Be not deciev'd:if I have veil'd my look,

I turn the trouble of my countenance

Merley upon myself. Vexed I am

Of late with passions of some difference,

Conceptions only proper to myself,

Which give some soil, perhaps, to my behaviors;

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

Among which number,Cassius, be you one-

Not 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 eye 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 your 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 laugher, 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
The name of honour more that 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.

Partner

Lauren McNamara