Reading Caesar IV (Redux)
Prudent imprudence or imprudent prudence?
Read Act 1 scene 3 lines 1-40.
Thunder and lightning. Enter Casca and Cicero.
CICERO
Good even, Casca. Brought you Caesar home? Why are you breathless? And why stare you so?CASCA
Are not you moved, when all the sway of earth shakes like a thing unfirm? O Cicero, I have seen tempests when the scolding winds Have rived the knotty oaks, and I have seen th’ ambitious ocean swell and rage and foam to be exalted with the threat’ning clouds; but never till tonight, never till now, did I go through a tempest dropping fire. Either there is a civil strife in heaven, or else the world, too saucy with the gods, incenses them to send destruction.CICERO
Why, saw you anything more wonderful?CASCA
A common slave (you know him well by sight) Held up his left hand, which did flame and burn like twenty torches joined; and yet his hand, not sensible of fire, remained unscorched. Besides (I ha’ not since put up my sword), against the Capitol I met a lion, who glazed upon me and went surly by without annoying me. And there were drawn upon a heap a hundred ghastly women, transformed with their fear, who swore they saw men all in fire walk up and down the streets. And yesterday the bird of night did sit even at noonday upon the marketplace, hooting and shrieking. When these prodigies do so conjointly meet, let not men say “These are their reasons, they are natural,” for I believe they are portentous things unto the climate that they point upon.CICERO
Indeed, it is a strange-disposed time. But men may construe things after their fashion, clean from the purpose of the things themselves. Comes Caesar to the Capitol tomorrow?CASCA
He doth, for he did bid Antonius send word to you he would be there tomorrow.CICERO
Good night then, Casca. This disturbed sky is not to walk in.CASCA
Farewell, Cicero.
Cicero exits.
The scene opens with Casca and Cicero speaking against the backdrop of a raging thunder storm. What we get here is a chance to see how each reacts to the storm. By the differences in their reactions, Shakespeare shows us that various philosophies are vying for acceptance in Rome, that the singlemindedness of Rome is gone, that it has been penetrated by Greekness, at least among the patricians (we are not yet sure about the plebs). Thus, the question of the good life is up for grabs; there is no authoritative answer within the political community.
In Cicero’s reaction we see he is calm, naturalistic, in fact, he is the representative of the philosopher.
Casca, on the other hand, is fearful and superstitious; he believes in the gods.
Cassius will be dismissive of Casca’s fears.
Each in turn is a representative of Platonic or Aristotelian thought (Cicero), Epicureanism (Cassius), and Roman superstition (Casca).
Casca is here to give a message to Cicero: Caesar will come to the capitol tomorrow. Notice, Cicero expected Casca to dine with Caesar and Casca at least dined with Anthony or met with him, but we know Anthony was to have told Cicero. We should ask ourselves: where is Cicero here? Is he with Caesar or with the conspiracy? Cicero is a famous orator and philosopher, if he spoke at the capitol would it help or hinder Caesar’s plan?
Enter Cassius.
CASSIUS
Who’s there?CASCA
A Roman.
CASSIUS
Casca, by your voice.
CASCA
Your ear is good. Cassius, what night is this!
CASSIUS
A very pleasing night to honest men.
CASCA
Who ever knew the heavens menace so?
CASSIUS
Those that have known the Earth so full of faults. For my part, I have walked about the streets, submitting me unto the perilous night, and thus unbraced, Casca, as you see, have bared my bosom to the thunder-stone; and when the cross blue lightning seemed to open the breast of heaven, I did present myself even in the aim and very flash of it.
So Cicero departs and Cassius comes on the scene – we find out that he has bad eyes, but really good ears. Recall he heard three shouts, when we only heard two, and he tells Casca from his voice.
Now, from what we have seen thus far, Casca has been either at Caesar’s side or with his entourage for the duration of the play. Here is the leader of the conspiracy trying to feel out someone who for all appearances is a loyal partisan of Caesar. How does he do this, especially in light of his earlier comment to Brutus that Casca puts on his dullness?
CASCA
But wherefore did you so much tempt the heavens? It is the part of men to fear and tremble when the most mighty gods by tokens send such dreadful heralds to astonish us.CASSIUS
You are dull, Casca, and those sparks of life that should be in a Roman you do want, or else you use not. You look pale, and gaze, and put on fear, and cast yourself in wonder, to see the strange impatience of the heavens. But if you would consider the true cause why all these fires, why all these gliding ghosts, why birds and beasts from quality and kind, why old men, fools, and children calculate, why all these things change from their ordinance, Their natures, and preformed faculties, To monstrous quality—why, you shall find that heaven hath infused them with these spirits to make them instruments of fear and warning unto some monstrous state. Now could I, Casca, name to thee a man most like this dreadful night, that thunders, lightens, opens graves, and roars as doth the lion in the Capitol; a man no mightier than thyself or me in personal action, yet prodigious grown, and fearful, as these strange eruptions are.CASCA
’Tis Caesar that you mean, is it not, Cassius?CASSIUS
Let it be who it is. For Romans now have thews and limbs like to their ancestors. But, woe the while, our fathers’ minds are dead, and we are governed with our mothers’ spirits. Our yoke and sufferance show us womanish.CASCA
Indeed, they say the Senators tomorrow mean to establish Caesar as a king, And he shall wear his crown by sea and land in every place save here in Italy.CASSIUS
I know where I will wear this dagger then; Cassius from bondage will deliver Cassius. Therein, you gods, you make the weak most strong; therein, you gods, you tyrants do defeat. Nor stony tower, nor walls of beaten brass, nor airless dungeon, nor strong links of iron, can be retentive to the strength of spirit; but life, being weary of these worldly bars, never lacks power to dismiss itself. If I know this, know all the world besides, that part of tyranny that I do bear I can shake off at pleasure.Thunder still.
CASCA
So can I. So every bondman in his own hand bears the power to cancel his captivity.
Notice the double entendre of the dagger image here – it is just as easy to believe he intends to kill himself to free himself as it is to believe that he would kill Caesar.
CASSIUS
And why should Caesar be a tyrant, then? Poor man, I know he would not be a wolf but that he sees the Romans are but sheep; he were no lion, were not Romans hinds. Those that with haste will make a mighty fire begin it with weak straws. What trash is Rome, what rubbish, and what offal when it serves for the base matter to illuminate so vile a thing as Caesar! But, O grief, where hast thou led me? I perhaps speak this before a willing bondman; then, I know my answer must be made. But I am armed, and dangers are to me indifferent.
Oh no, I’ve gone too far, what if I speak to one who really loves Caesar … I’m prepared to fight to the death!
Put yourself in Casca’s shoes: what would you say under such circumstances?
CASCA
You speak to Casca, and to such a man that is no fleering telltale. Hold. My hand.They shake hands.
Be factious for redress of all these griefs, And I will set this foot of mine as far
as who goes farthest.CASSIUS
There’s a bargain made. Now know you, Casca, I have moved already some certain of the noblest-minded Romans to undergo with me an enterprise of honorable-dangerous consequence. And I do know by this they stay for me in Pompey’s Porch. For now, this fearful night, there is no stir or walking in the streets; and the complexion of the element in favor ’s like the work we have in hand, most bloody, fiery, and most terrible.
They strike a bargain and Cassius speaks more freely about the conspiracy, but he does not name names. He displays some prudence here.
Enter Cinna.
CASCA
Stand close awhile, for here comes one in haste.CASSIUS
’Tis Cinna; I do know him by his gait. He is a friend.—Cinna, where haste you so?CINNA
To find out you. Who’s that? Metellus Cimber?CASSIUS
No, it is Casca, one incorporate to our attempts. Am I not stayed for, Cinna?CINNA
I am glad on ’t. What a fearful night is this! There’s two or three of us have seen strange sights.CASSIUS
Am I not stayed for? Tell me.
CINNA
Yes, you are. O Cassius, if you could but win the noble Brutus to our party—
CASSIUS, handing him papers
Be you content. Good Cinna, take this paper, and look you lay it in the Praetor’s chair, where Brutus may but find it; and throw this in at his window; set this up with wax upon old Brutus’ statue. All this done, repair to Pompey’s Porch, where you shall find us. Is Decius Brutus and Trebonius there?CINNA
All but Metellus Cimber, and he’s gone to seek you at your house. Well, I will hie and so bestow these papers as you bade me.CASSIUS
That done, repair to Pompey’s Theater. Come, Casca, you and I will yet ere day see Brutus at his house. Three parts of him is ours already, and the man entire upon the next encounter yields him ours.CASCA
O, he sits high in all the people’s hearts, and that which would appear offense in us his countenance, like richest alchemy, will change to virtue and to worthiness.Cinna exits.
CASSIUS
Him and his worth and our great need of him You have right well conceited. Let us go, for it is after midnight, and ere day we will awake him and be sure of him.They exit.
Now enter Cinna, whom Cassius recognizes, but who is not recognized immediately in return. They talk and name names now, undermining the discretion Cassius had earlier taken – Casca now knows the names of the following conspirators: Cassius, Cinna, Metellus Cimber, Decius Brutus, and Trebonius, as well as that they are trying to get Brutus – this is basically the entire conspiracy! This seems very imprudent to say the least.