He's a noble Roman and well given." He was no doubt expressing sentiments popular at the time. When Caesar tells Antony that Cassius is dangerous, Antony answers, "Fear him not, Caesar he's not dangerous. But he also has a certain nobility of mind that is generally recognized. He envies Caesar he becomes an assassin and he will consent to bribery, sell commissions, and impose ruinous taxation to raise money. Ironically, his success leads directly to a continuous decline of his own influence within the republican camp.Ĭlearly, Cassius has his negative aspects. Cassius sees Brutus as the catalyst that will unite the leading nobles in a conspiracy, and he makes the recruitment of Brutus his first priority. Throughout the action, Cassius remains relatively unconcerned with the unscrupulous means he is willing to use to further the republican cause, and at Sardis, he and Brutus come almost to breaking up their alliance because Brutus objects to his ways of collecting revenue to support the armies. Cassius later uses similar means to bring Casca into the plot. Later, he is more outrightly devious in the use of forged notes, the last of which prompts Brutus to leave off contemplation and to join the conspiracy. In the conversation, he appeals to Brutus' sense of honor, nobility, and pride more than he presents concrete examples of Caesar's tyrannical actions. To accomplish his goal of removing Caesar from power, he resorts to using his keen insight into human nature to deceive Brutus by means of a long and passionate argument, coupled with bogus notes. He does not resent following the almost dictatorial pronouncements of his equal, Brutus, although he does disagree heatedly with most of Brutus' tactical decisions. They have allowed a man to gain excessive power therefore, they have the responsibility to stop him, and with a man of Caesar's well-known ambition, that can only mean assassination.Ĭassius intensely dislikes Caesar personally, but he also deeply resents being subservient to a tyrant, and there are indications that he would fight for his personal freedom under any tyrant. Caesar says of him, "He reads much / He is a great observer and he looks / Quite through the deeds of men." The great irony surrounding Cassius throughout the play is that he nullifies his greatest asset when he allows Brutus to take effective control of the republican faction.Ĭassius believes that the nobility of Rome are responsible for the government of Rome. The most significant characteristic of Cassius is his ability to perceive the true motives of men.
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