Julius Caesar

Roles

• Cassius - Adult (36-50), Senior (>50), Male

About this piece

Cassius describes Caesar's weakness to Brutus

Summary

Caesar is celebrating his victory over Pompey with a military parade through the streets of Rome. The people of Rome show great support for him and some fear that Caesar has gained too much power and will become a dictator. In the first scene of the play we find two tribunes, Flavius and Murellus, scolding two commoners for celebrating Caesar's victory and remove decorations from all Caesar's statues. In scene 2, ACT I, we find Cassius, an unscrupulous Roman general who is envious of Caesar's power, and Brutus, a longtime friend of Caesar's and a great supporter of the Roman Republic. Brutus tells Cassius that has been "at war with himself", is in no mood for celebration and has not been a good friend lately. Cassius reassures him that everybody in Rome respects him even if it might not appear so to him. The conversation then turns to Caesar's victory. Brutus is afraid the people of Rome might elect him king. Brutus, as a supporter of the Republic, is afraid of one man having too much power, even if Caesar is his friend. In this monologue Cassius tells Brutus that he is perplexed that Caesar, a weak man, has now so much power in Rome. He narrates two episodes when Caesar proved to be a weak man, one when Cassius had to save him from drowning in the river Tiber, and one when he had a fever in Spain and behaved like a sick girl.

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