Reading Caesar X (Redux)

The rise of August, er ... Augustus

The scene opens at Antony’s house. The triumvirate has just drawn up a list of people who need some killing. We get to watch them cold bloodedly add more names to the list.

A house in Rome. ANTONY, OCTAVIUS, and LEPIDUS, seated at a table

ANTONY

These many, then, shall die; their names are prick'd.

OCTAVIUS

Your brother too must die; consent you, Lepidus?

LEPIDUS

I do consent—

OCTAVIUS

Prick him down, Antony.

LEPIDUS

Upon condition Publius shall not live, Who is your sister's son, Mark Antony.

ANTONY

He shall not live; look, with a spot I damn him. But, Lepidus, go you to Caesar's house; Fetch the will hither, and we shall determine How to cut off some charge in legacies.

Exit LEPIDUS

ANTONY

This is a slight unmeritable man, Meet to be sent on errands: is it fit, The three-fold world divided, he should stand One of the three to share it?

OCTAVIUS

So you thought him; And took his voice who should be prick'd to die, In our black sentence and proscription.

ANTONY

Octavius, I have seen more days than you: And though we lay these honours on this man, To ease ourselves of divers slanderous loads, He shall but bear them as the ass bears gold, To groan and sweat under the business, Either led or driven, as we point the way; And having brought our treasure where we will, Then take we down his load, and turn him off, Like to the empty ass, to shake his ears, And graze in commons.

OCTAVIUS

You may do your will; But he's a tried and valiant soldier.

ANTONY

So is my horse, Octavius; and for that I do appoint him store of provender: It is a creature that I teach to fight, To wind, to stop, to run directly on, His corporal motion govern'd by my spirit. And, in some taste, is Lepidus but so; He must be taught and train'd and bid go forth; A barren-spirited fellow; one that feeds On abjects, orts and imitations, Which, out of use and staled by other men, Begin his fashion: do not talk of him, But as a property. And now, Octavius, Listen great things:—Brutus and Cassius Are levying powers: we must straight make head: Therefore let our alliance be combined, Our best friends made, our means stretch'd And let us presently go sit in council, How covert matters may be best disclosed, And open perils surest answered.

OCTAVIUS

Let us do so: for we are at the stake, And bay'd about with many enemies; And some that smile have in their hearts, I fear, Millions of mischiefs.

Exeunt

At first Antony appears to be in charge, but Octavius does not simply follow Antony’s orders, and even seems to order him. Now there is an arrangement between the three men – Antony, Octavius, and Lepidus. Antony is not really too keen on having Lepidus there and they send him on an errand. The man is like an ass, but a good soldier; he is like Antony’s horse.

• So, why keep Lepidus around? They do so to give him the slanderous load. You should think here of Cesare Borgia and Ramiro D’Orco. They keep the third to ease themselves of the reputation of the harsh, bloody, but necessary act of killing people without due cause. They are good Machiavellians.

• This scene, moreover, show a tendency of three man rule to degenerate into two man rule, which in turn tends toward one man rule. They still have to decide who will be on top. It should be noted that nothing in nature has two rulers. Well, there is one thing – the family, where we can speak of parental authority instead of paternal authority (but we will see more of that in Locke). Deciding who will come out on top sets the stage for civil war, which is exactly what ends up happening.

Now, let’s turn to the conspirators:

Enter CASSIUS and his powers

CASSIUS

Stand, ho!

BRUTUS

Stand, ho! Speak the word along.

FIRST SOLDIER

Stand!

SECOND SOLDIER

Stand!

THIRD SOLDIER

Stand!

CASSIUS

Most noble brother, you have done me wrong.

BRUTUS

Judge me, you gods! wrong I mine enemies? And, if not so, how should I wrong a brother?

CASSIUS

Brutus, this sober form of yours hides wrongs; And when you do them—

BRUTUS

Cassius, be content. Speak your griefs softly: I do know you well. Before the eyes of both our armies here, Which should perceive nothing but love from us, Let us not wrangle: bid them move away; Then in my tent, Cassius, enlarge your griefs, And I will give you audience.

CASSIUS

Pindarus, Bid our commanders lead their charges off A little from this ground.

BRUTUS

Lucilius, do you the like; and let no man Come to our tent till we have done our conference. Let Lucius and Tintinius guard our door.

Exeunt

Here we get Brutus waiting for Cassius who arrives at the end of the scene with his powers – Shakespeare highlights that they have separate armies.

• Brutus does not want to speak in public; he doesn’t want to speak, to air grievances in front of their armies, so they go into Brutus’s tent.

  • Why would that be? Why not have the subsequent discussion in public? Why keep it private?

  • It is important from the perspective of keeping military discipline that the rank and file do not see dissention and discontentment between the leaders. Here Brutus, for the first time, is more aware than is Cassius. So they enter the tent, which gives us the third scene.

Enter BRUTUS and CASSIUS

CASSIUS

That you have wrong'd me doth appear in this: You have condemn'd and noted Lucius Pella For taking bribes here of the Sardians; Wherein my letters, praying on his side, Because I knew the man, were slighted off.

BRUTUS

You wronged yourself to write in such a case.

CASSIUS

In such a time as this it is not meet That every nice offence should bear his comment.

BRUTUS

Let me tell you, Cassius, you yourself Are much condemn'd to have an itching palm; To sell and mart your offices for gold To undeservers.

We see Cassius’s complaint right away: Brutus is inflexible in matters where he should be flexible. Cassius tries to explain that in such times you cannot be completely virtuous. But Brutus doesn’t get it. The scene itself is very revealing of Brutus’s character.

CASSIUS

I an itching palm! You know that you are Brutus that speak this, Or, by the gods, this speech were else your last.

BRUTUS

The name of Cassius honours this corruption, And chastisement doth therefore hide his head.

CASSIUS

Chastisement!

BRUTUS

Remember March, the ides of March remember: Did not great Julius bleed for justice' sake? What villain touch'd his body, that did stab, And not for justice? What, shall one of us That struck the foremost man of all this world But for supporting robbers, shall we now Contaminate our fingers with base bribes, And sell the mighty space of our large honours For so much trash as may be grasped thus? I had rather be a dog, and bay the moon, Than such a Roman.

CASSIUS

Brutus, bay not me; I'll not endure it: you forget yourself, To hedge me in; I am a soldier, I, Older in practise, abler than yourself To make conditions.

BRUTUS

Go to; you are not, Cassius.

CASSIUS

I am.

BRUTUS

I say you are not.

CASSIUS

Urge me no more, I shall forget myself; Have mind upon your health, tempt me no further.

BRUTUS

Away, slight man!

CASSIUS

Is't possible?

BRUTUS

Hear me, for I will speak. Must I give way and room to your rash choler? Shall I be frighted when a madman stares?

CASSIUS

O ye gods, ye gods! must I endure all this?

BRUTUS

All this! ay, more: fret till your proud heart break; Go show your slaves how choleric you are, And make your bondmen tremble. Must I budge? Must I observe you? must I stand and crouch Under your testy humour? By the gods You shall digest the venom of your spleen, Though it do split you; for, from this day forth, I'll use you for my mirth, yea, for my laughter, When you are waspish.

CASSIUS

Is it come to this?

BRUTUS

You say you are a better soldier: Let it appear so; make your vaunting true, And it shall please me well: for mine own part, I shall be glad to learn of noble men.

CASSIUS

You wrong me every way; you wrong me, Brutus; I said, an elder soldier, not a better: Did I say 'better'?

BRUTUS

If you did, I care not.

CASSIUS

When Caesar lived, he durst not thus have moved me.

BRUTUS

Peace, peace! you durst not so have tempted him.

CASSIUS

I durst not!

BRUTUS

No.

CASSIUS

What, durst not tempt him!

BRUTUS

For your life you durst not!

CASSIUS

Do not presume too much upon my love; I may do that I shall be sorry for.

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 rived 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; braved by his brother; Cheque'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.

This is the first time Brutus first mentions that Caesar was killed for justice. Notice, he completely reinterprets the reason for killing Caesar, which was ambition and the protection of the republic, simply so as to prove Cassius wrong. Caesar was struck down for supporting robbers, thus Cassius is wrong for taking money for this war. One could say that the same things motivate the assassination and the war – money and honor.

Consider how Cassius responds to these charges. And consider why Brutus is constantly raising himself up. He is so honest that he will not take money or steal money for war – but he had Cassius steal the money for him! What kind of man has others do their dirty work? Brutus won’t go get money by vile means, but will tell Cassius to get money by vile means.

• The things said between the two of them are like those said between a couple heading towards divorce – you may think such things, but you never say them. There is no taking them back.

Their bickering is interrupted by a poet whose antics help to reconcile them to one another.

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!

So they drink and Brutus reveals that he is sick with grief: his wife Portia is dead. So at this point we know that Brutus knows that Portia is dead. What are we to make of what follows then?

Re-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.

BRUTUS

Come in, Tintinius!

Exit LUCIUS. Re-enter Tintinius, with MESSALA.

Welcome, good Messala. Now sit we close about this taper here, And call in question our necessities.

CASSIUS

Portia, art thou gone?

BRUTUS

No more, I pray you. Messala, I have here received letters, That young Octavius and Mark Antony Come down upon us with a mighty power, Bending their expedition toward Philippi.

MESSALA

Myself have letters of the selfsame tenor.

BRUTUS

With what addition?

MESSALA

That by proscription and bills of outlawry, Octavius, Antony, and Lepidus, Have put to death an hundred senators.

Brutus

Therein our letters do not well agree; Mine speak of seventy senators that died By their proscriptions, Cicero being one.

CASSIUS

Cicero one!

MESSALA

Cicero is dead, And by that order of proscription. Had you your letters from your wife, my lord?

BRUTUS

No, Messala.

MESSALA

Nor nothing in your letters writ of her?

BRUTUS

Nothing, Messala.

MESSALA

That, methinks, is strange.

BRUTUS

Why ask you? hear you aught of her in yours?

MESSALA

No, my lord.

BRUTUS

Now, as you are a Roman, tell me true.

MESSALA

Then like a Roman bear the truth I tell: For certain she is dead, and by strange manner.

BRUTUS

Why, farewell, Portia. We must die, Messala: With meditating that she must die once, I have the patience to endure it now.

MESSALA

Even so great men great losses should endure.

CASSIUS

I have as much of this in art as you, But yet my nature could not bear it so.

Brutus acts as though he did not know that Portia was dead so that he can act the stoic part, so he have act strongly, so as to preserve his appearance of legendary virtue.

At this point they turn to questions of strategy:

BRUTUS

Well, to our work alive. What do you think Of marching to Philippi presently?

CASSIUS

I do not think it good.

BRUTUS

Your reason?

CASSIUS

This it is: 'Tis better that the enemy seek us: So shall he waste his means, weary his soldiers, Doing himself offence; whilst we, lying still, Are full of rest, defense, and nimbleness.

BRUTUS

Good reasons must, of force, give place to better. The people 'twixt Philippi and this ground Do stand but in a forced affection; For they have grudged us contribution: The enemy, marching along by them, By them shall make a fuller number up, Come on refresh'd, new-added, and encouraged; From which advantage shall we cut him off, If at Philippi we do face him there, These people at our back.

CASSIUS

Hear me, good brother.

BRUTUS

Under your pardon. You must note beside, That we have tried the utmost of our friends, Our legions are brim-full, our cause is ripe: The enemy increaseth every day; We, at the height, are ready to decline. There is a tide in the affairs of men, Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune; Omitted, all the voyage of their life Is bound in shallows and in miseries. On such a full sea are we now afloat; And we must take the current when it serves, Or lose our ventures.

CASSIUS

Then, with your will, go on; We'll along ourselves, and meet them at Philippi.

BRUTUS

The deep of night is crept upon our talk, And nature must obey necessity; Which we will niggard with a little rest. There is no more to say?

CASSIUS

No more. Good night: Early to-morrow will we rise, and hence.

What is the best time for offense and defense? Who is right: Brutus or Cassius? You should note that this exchange prefaces the greatest disaster of the war.

BRUTUS

It was well done; and thou shalt sleep again; I will not hold thee long: if I do live, I will be good to thee.

Music, and a song

This is a sleepy tune. O murderous slumber, Lay'st thou thy leaden mace upon my boy, That plays thee music? Gentle knave, good night; I will not do thee so much wrong to wake thee: If thou dost nod, thou break'st thy instrument; I'll take it from thee; and, good boy, good night. Let me see, let me see; is not the leaf turn'd down Where I left reading? Here it is, I think.

Enter the Ghost of CAESAR

How ill this taper burns! Ha! who comes here? I think it is the weakness of mine eyes That shapes this monstrous apparition. It comes upon me. Art thou any thing? Art thou some god, some angel, or some devil, That makest my blood cold and my hair to stare? Speak to me what thou art.

CAESAR

Thy evil spirit, Brutus.

BRUTUS

Why comest thou?

CAESAR

To tell thee thou shalt see me at Philippi.

BRUTUS

Well; then I shall see thee again?

CAESAR

Ay, at Philippi.

BRUTUS

Why, I will see thee at Philippi, then.

Exit Ghost

Now I have taken heart thou vanishest: Ill spirit, I would hold more talk with thee.

Now at the end of the act, Brutus sees the ghost of Caesar: What is this ghost? Does Brutus see it again at Philippi? Yes.

BRUTUS

Why, this, Volumnius: The ghost of Caesar hath appear'd to me Two several times by night; at Sardis once, And, this last night, here in Philippi fields: I know my hour is come.

VOLUMNIUS

Not so, my lord.

BRUTUS

Nay, I am sure it is, Volumnius. Thou seest the world, Volumnius, how it goes; Our enemies have beat us to the pit:

Low alarums

It is more worthy to leap in ourselves, Than tarry till they push us. Good Volumnius, Thou know'st that we two went to school together: Even for that our love of old, I prithee, Hold thou my sword-hilts, whilst I run on it.

VOLUMNIUS

That's not an office for a friend, my lord.

Alarum still

CLITUS

Fly, fly, my lord; there is no tarrying here.

BRUTUS

Farewell to you; and you; and you, Volumnius. Strato, thou hast been all this while asleep; Farewell to thee too, Strato. Countrymen, My heart doth joy that yet in all my life I found no man but he was true to me. I shall have glory by this losing day More than Octavius and Mark Antony By this vile conquest shall attain unto. So fare you well at once; for Brutus' tongue Hath almost ended his life's history: Night hangs upon mine eyes; my bones would rest, That have but labour'd to attain this hour.

Alarum. Cry within, 'Fly, fly, fly!'

CLITUS

Fly, my lord, fly.

BRUTUS

Hence! I will follow.

Exeunt CLITUS, DARDANIUS, and VOLUMNIUS

I prithee, Strato, stay thou by thy lord: Thou art a fellow of a good respect; Thy life hath had some smatch of honour in it: Hold then my sword, and turn away thy face, While I do run upon it. Wilt thou, Strato?

STRATO

Give me your hand first. Fare you well, my lord. 2730

BRUTUS

Farewell, good Strato.

Runs on his sword

Caesar, now be still: I kill'd not thee with half so good a will.

Dies.

Here we learn more about Brutus’s character and his reasons for killing Caesar. Moreover, we now get the final assessment of Brutus by Antony and Octavius.

Alarum. Retreat. Enter OCTAVIUS, ANTONY, MESSALA, LUCILIUS, and the army

OCTAVIUS

What man is that?

MESSALA

My master's man. Strato, where is thy master?

STRATO

Free from the bondage you are in, Messala: The conquerors can but make a fire of him; For Brutus only overcame himself, And no man else hath honour by his death.

LUCILIUS

So Brutus should be found. I thank thee, Brutus, That thou hast proved Lucilius' saying true.

OCTAVIUS

All that served Brutus, I will entertain them. Fellow, wilt thou bestow thy time with me?

STRATO

Ay, if Messala will prefer me to you.

OCTAVIUS

Do so, good Messala.

MESSALA

How died my master, Strato? 2750

STRATO

I held the sword, and he did run on it.

MESSALA

Octavius, then take him to follow thee, That did the latest service to my master.

ANTONY

This was the noblest Roman of them all: All the conspirators save only he Did that they did in envy of great Caesar; He only, in a general honest thought And common good to all, made one of them. His life was gentle, and the elements So mix'd in him that Nature might stand up And say to all the world 'This was a man!'

OCTAVIUS

According to his virtue let us use him, With all respect and rites of burial. Within my tent his bones to-night shall lie, Most like a soldier, order'd honourably. So call the field to rest; and let's away, To part the glories of this happy day.

Exeunt

Are they correct? And a final question, what exactly is the tragedy of Julius Caesar?