I rather tell thee what is to be feared

Thou hast described A hot friend cooling. There are no tricks in plain and simple faith. But hollow men, like horses hot at hand, Make gallant show and promise of their mettle.

But when they should endure the bloody spur, They fall their crests and, like deceitful jades, Sink in the trial. Comes his army on? Stand not to answer. Caesar, thou art revenged, Even with the sword that killed thee. I know where I will wear this dagger then. Cassius from bondage will deliver Cassius. Therein, ye gods, you make the weak most strong. Therein, ye 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. Let me tell you, Cassius, you yourself Are much condemned to have an itching palm, To sell and mart your offices for gold To undeservers. Previous section Antony Next section Octavius. Popular pages: Julius Caesar. Take a Study Break. Well, honor 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. The torrent roared, and we did buffet it With lusty sinews, throwing it aside And stemming it with hearts of controversy.

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. 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. You gods, it doth amaze me A man of such a feeble temper should So get the start of the majestic world And bear the palm alone. Exactly, says Cassius. He knows how honorable Brutus is, which is why it's so wrong for Caesar to be in charge.

Cassius harps on the fact that Caesar isn't any better than them, so they have no reason to be his subjects. In fact, Cassius adds, Caesar is a gutless wonder. Cassius tells a story of how Caesar challenged him to a race on the Tiber River, but Caesar got so tired that Cassius had to rescue him from drowning.

Cassius describes how Caesar became sick in Spain, had a seizure, and whimpered. Cassius is clearly implying that Caesar is weak and not fit to be a king.

I do believe that these applauses are For some new honors that are heaped on Caesar. The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, But in ourselves, that we are underlings. Age, thou art shamed! Rome, thou hast lost the breed of noble bloods!

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 one only man. There's some more shouting that seems to imply that the people are the crowning Caesar, which helps Cassius' cause. Cassius drives his point home: Brutus is just as good as Caesar, and they would be cowards if they didn't do something to stop Caesar becoming the "first man" of Rome.

Cassius then appeals to Brutus' family history. Apparently one of Brutus' ancestors helped establish the Roman Republic by fighting the tyrant Tarquin. Cassius is basically calling for Brutus to uphold the family name. Did you catch the famous line?

What you would work me to, I have some aim. How I have thought of this, and of these times, I shall recount hereafter. For this present, I would not, so with love I might entreat you, Be any further moved. What you have said I will consider; what you have to say I will with patience hear, and find a time Both meet to hear and answer such high things.

Till then, my noble friend, chew upon this: Brutus had rather be a villager Than to repute himself a son of Rome Under these hard conditions as this time Is like to lay upon us. Brutus promises he's not suspicious of Cassius' motives or flattery but asks him to lay off trying to get him to kill Caesar for a little bit. Brutus will think about whatever Cassius has to say, and they can talk more later. He gives Cassius hope with the final thought that he'd rather be a peasant than call himself a citizen of Rome if it winds up being ruled by a tyrannical monarch who runs it into the ground When Caesar returns, Brutus notices he and the rest of his crew look pretty unhappy.

Cassius says they can get the lowdown from Casca. Yond Cassius has a lean and hungry look. He thinks too much. Such men are dangerous. He is a noble Roman, and well given. Caesar spots Cassius giving him the stink eye and calls out instructions to Antony: he'd like to be surrounded with fat, happy men, because the "lean and hungry look" of Cassius strikes him as dangerous. Antony assures Caesar that Cassius is noble and not dangerous.

But I fear him not. Yet if my name were liable to fear, I do not know the man I should avoid So soon as that spare Cassius. He reads much, He is a great observer, and he looks Quite through the deeds of men. He loves no plays, As thou dost, Antony; he hears no music; Seldom he smiles, and smiles in such a sort As if he mocked himself and scorned his spirit That could be moved to smile at anything.

Caesar continues to say mean things about Cassius: that he doesn't like music or smiling and that he can't stand to be around people who are better than he is at anything. Obviously, Caesar has figured out that he should not trust Cassius. Tell us what hath chanced today That Caesar looks so sad. CASCA Why, there was a crown offered him; and, being offered him, he put it by with the back of his hand, thus, and then the people fell a-shouting.

Then he offered it to him again; then he put it by again; but to my thinking, he was very loath to lay his fingers off it. And then he offered it the third time. He put it the third time by, and still as he refused it the rabblement hooted and clapped their chopped hands and threw up their sweaty nightcaps and uttered such a deal of stinking breath because Caesar refused the crown that it had almost choked Caesar, for he swooned and fell down at it.

Read it, great Caesar. This seems like a bad time for Caesar to be self-sacrificing. Then again, we've only seen Caesar be really arrogant when he's being challenged. What evidence do we have that Caesar would put his own affairs above the affairs of the state? They that have done this deed are honorable.

What private griefs they have, alas, I know not, That made them do it. They are wise and honorable And will no doubt with reasons answer you. I come not, friends, to steal away your hearts.

I am no orator, as Brutus is, But, as you know me all, a plain blunt man That love my friend, and that they know full well That gave me public leave to speak of him. For I have neither wit, nor words, nor worth, Action, nor utterance, nor the power of speech To stir men's blood. I only speak right on. I tell you that which you yourselves do know, Show you sweet Caesar's wounds, poor dumb mouths, And bid them speak for me.

False humility is often worse than arrogance. Antony sets himself up as an ignoble and untrustworthy character here. 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 4.

Antony is shamelessly arrogant when speaking about Lepidus. He displays the same trait Caesar had: he thinks he's naturally above others, giving him freedom to do and say whatever he wants. Antony can't see his own prideful arrogance. Perhaps he doesn't see himself as arrogant, but just honest. Antony, a little party-hearty fellow, arguably has a lot more to prove.