Act+I+Character+speeches+and+analysis

Cassius- Act I Scene 2 ll 96- 138 Pages 9-10 in the Signet Classics Newly Revised Edition __**
 * __Charater Speeches and Analysis 

I know that the virtue to be in you, Brutus,/ as well as I do know your outward favor.,/ Well, honor is the subject of my story.,/ I cannot tell what you and the 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 roared, and we did buffet it,/ with lusy sinews, throwing it aside,/ and stemming it with hearts of controversy.,/ But ere we could arrive the point proposed,,/ 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, Idid mark,/ how he did shake. ' Tis true, this god did, shake!,/ His coward lips did from their color fly,,/ and that same eye whose bend doth awe the world,/ did lose his luster. 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 a feeble temper should,/ so get the the start of the majestic world,/ and bear the palm alone,/

**__Analysis__** This speech delivered by Cassius is trying to show Brutus the ridiculousness of treating Casear as a God. Cassius is extremely jelous of the way the people treat Caesar. He tries to build off this idea to trick Brutus into joining the conspirators. The speech is also ment to show Brutus that he is, if not better than, equal to Caesar. By comparing themselves to Ceasar, Cassius was able to prove to Brutus that there was no signicant difference between them and Ceasar. After receiting his speech, Cassius, some how suddenly remembers a story but due to Cassius's deseptive nature, one is unsure how much truth lies behind Cassius's tale. His story begins with Caesar and him diving into the Tiber, one of the great rivers Rome is founded on, and how that he had to help Ceasar and save his life from drowning. By showing him that even the great Caesar has flaws and weaknesses he is supporting, what he previously stated, that they are, if not better than Caesar, they are equal. From this story he aslo conveys to Brutus how demeaning it was to have the people call him a god, and making the people under his reign lesser and insignificant. After Cassius shatters the illusion of Caesar's infalibility and unhumanly strength he tells another story of Caesar and him, while they were abroad. While in Spain, Ceasar caught something and became very ill. If it weren't for the care of others he surely would have died. Witnessing these events enrages Cassius. That anyone would treat a man who has such weaknesses like a god whom deserves to have absolute power, is uncomprehendable for Cassius.  **__Act I Scene 2 ll 68-78__**

Therefore, good Brutus, be prepared 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 laughter, or did use To stale with ordinar oaths my love To every new protester; if you know That I profess myself in the banqueting To all te rout, then hold me dangerous.
 * __Analysis__**

Cassius has realized that Brutus does not care for anything he has been saying. Originally he tried saying how Caesar was weak, and unfit to rule but after realizing that it was futile, he worked off of that, and started to try to make it personal to Brutus. Cassius tries to appeal to Brutus' ego by saying how great he thinks Brutus is. This shows Cassius' true manipulative nature, and how he is able to make a decision to without hesitation. The speech itself demonstrates more of Cassius' characteristics to the audience. The audience begins to see the slyness and cunningness of Cassius. The audeicne starts to see how envy leads people to do crazy things. It also shows that he will do try making a rebellion or an uprising against Caesar no matter what the price is. His reasons or intentions may not be clear yet, but the fact that he is going so low as in to recruit one of Caesar's best friends is enough to show that he not only wants to remove Caesar from power, he wants to completely crush him.

__**Cassius Act 1 scene 2 ll 136-162**__

Why, man he doth bestride the narrow world/ like a colossus, and we petty men/ walk under his huge legs and peep about/ to find ourselves dishonorable graves./ Men at some time are masters of their fates./ The fault, dear Brutus, is no in our stars/ But in ourselves, that we are underlings./ Brutus and Caesar--what should be in that "Caesar"?/ Why should that name be sounded more than yours?/ Write them together, yours is as fair a name./ Sound them, It doth become the mouth as well./ wigh them, it is as heavy. Conjure with'em,/ "Brutus" will start a spirt as soon as "Caesar"./ Now in the names of all the gods at once,/ Upon what meat doth this our Caesar feed/ that he is grown so great? AGe, thou ar shamed!/ Rome, thou hast lost the breed of noble bloods!/ When went there by an age, since the great flood,/ When could they say till now, that talked of Rome,/ That her wide walks encompassed but one Man?/ Now is it Rome indeed, and room enough,/ When there is in it but only one man./ Oh, you and i have heard our fathers say,/ there was a Brutus once that would have brooked/ th' eternal devil to keep his state of Rome/ As Easily as a king./


 * __Analysis__**

Cassius gave this speech in reaction to the crowd cheering a second time. He had already been angry about the whole situation, but hearing the crowd cheer again sent him over the edge. This speech like the one before it is trying to show Brutus that that Caesar is their equal not superior. Cassisus keeps trying to build off this idea until he eventualIy has it pounded into his head. As scene in the speeches above, Cassius mentions the same ideas over and over until he believes Brutus has caught on. In this speech, though, there seems to be a more cynical undertone. Also the manner of speech, for example, by asking rhetorical questions and exclamatory sentences makes he gives the speech a more angry tone. This speech gives the reader a glimpse at Cassius cynical nature. What is really effective though is how it gives almost a call to arms, a sense of duty, that it is more than just a political takeover, but a honorable act being committed for the greater good. This speech really won over Brutus. It was not formatted like the one before, putting the stress on Caesar as more as that it is fate that has chosen them to save rome, and where he insults Brutus at the end saying "Oh, you and i have heard our fathers say, there was a Brutus once that would have brooked th' eternal devil to keep his state of Rome as easily as a king" challenges Brutus to see that the empire being created is a bad thing and like his ancestors before he needs to tear it down.


 * __Caesar- Act 1 Scene 2 ll. 191-195 Page 13 in the Signet Classics Newly Revised Edition__**

Let me have men about me that are fat,,/ sleek-headed men and such as sleep a-nights.,/ Yond Cassius has a lean and hungry look.,/ He Thinks too much. Such men are dangerous,/

__**Analysis**__ Though a short speech, it has much power and insight into the charcter of Caesar. The meaning of Caesar's word usage is that he would rather have men, lazy and unperceptive around him; rather than people who are thirsty and thriving for what he has or what others have. This shows the reader two sides of him one, he is human and two, he has a lust for power. This shows the reader he is human because it shows that it is possible for him to feel the emotion of fear. To fear is to be weak and have doubt and if he were to be the god he was said to be, then he should have nothing to fear and he would have no reason to pay attention to danger of any sort. He is fearing that people could eventually take his power away from him and this is the one thing that he would hate the most. In a way, this speech adds to Cassius's speeches about Caesar not being godlike. For if Caesar was a god, then he could not contain the emotion of fear because fear as said earlier is a sign of weakness. The speech shows the reader that he has a lust for power by showing the reader that he does not want people to question or oppose him. He would prefer to have simple minded easily amused subjects that will do his bidding with no doubt in his word ; people who are trusting and easily manipulated. In a way it almost foreshadows what would have came if he were not killed. He probaly would have, like many dictators and tyrants have, start to attack men and women of intelligence and piece of mind. This speech justifies the actions of the consipirators and helps the reader identify with the plot to kill Ceasar. Also, in a way this speech shows irony because Caesar's fear eventually ends up getting to him later in the book.

**__Cassius Act I Scene 2 ll 320-334__**

Well brutus, though art noble. Yet i see/ Thy honorable mettle may be wrought/ From that is disposed. there fore it is meet/ That noble minds keep ever with their likes;/ For how so firm cannot be seduced?/ Caesar doth bear me hard, but he loves Brutus./ If I were Brutus now, and he were Cassius,/ He should not humor me. I will this night/ In several hands in at his windows throw,/ As if they came from several citizens,/ Writings, all tending to the great opinion/ That Rome holds of his name, wherein obscurely/ And after this, let Caesar seat him sure, interesting/ For we will shake him, or worse days endure/


 * __Analysis__**

Cassius shows his true colors in this speech. It shows his dark decieving side, where he admits to lying to get to the end result, but he raises a question because getting rid of a tyrant is a good thing. Even though it shows the reader that he will do evil conniving things for the benefit of his plan one must ask, well is it a good thing or a bad thing that he lies and cheats to get to a good end. Is it the journey or the end result that truly matters?

**__Cassius Act I Scene 3 ll 60-81__**

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 casue,/ why all these fires, why all thes gliding ghosts,/ why birds and beasts from quality and kind,/ why old men,fools, and childern, calculate,/ why all these things change from their ordinance,/ their natures, and preformed faculities,/ to monstrous quality--why, you shall find/ that haeaven hat infused them with these spirits/ to make them instruments of fear and warning/ Unto some monstrous state./ Now could i, Casca, name to them a man/ Most like this dreadful night,/ that thunders, lightens, gopens graves, and roars/ As does the lion in the Capitol;/ A man no mighier than thyself or me/ and fearful, as thes strange eruptions are/


 * __Analysis__**

This speech reveals more of cassius' manipulative and plotting character. The reader sees him now using the "omens" as a way to get Casca on his side. He takes advantage of Casca's superstitious beliefs and gullibility by leading him to believe that it is Caesar's doing for the Gods' wrath. This speech is very different though from the speeches addressed to Brutus. One way in which it is different is how he bluntly insults Casca for fearing the night and his beliefs'; it is almost as if he were talking to child instead of an equal. Also he is able to convince Casca without any substantial proof. He does not mention all the reasons why they are equal or stronger than Ceasar, as he did with Brutus, and how Caesar becoming emperor will destroy the state and enslave the people. Over all the speech makes the reader see how Cassius can a- change his dialect to appeal to a certain person and b-how he will use any means to raise his army and destroy Caesar.