Julius Caesar Duet Acting Scene

Brutus and Cassius have been forced from Rome by a civil uprising lead by sweet-tongued Antony and later young Octavius. Brutus and Cassius are now gathering their troops in Asia Minor, by Sardis, in order to win back Rome. However, there is discord between the two generals. Brutus is furious that Cassius refused him money, and then had the nerve to ask pardon for a dishonest man in their army who accepted bribes. Cassius too is angry at Brutus, because he has been accused of an itching palm by Brutus himself. Brutus even mentions that the death of Caeser was for justice, and that now their act has turned into murder since their army may refuse justice itself. Although the two maintain a weak composure in the public eye, they erupt inside Brutus’s tent. Brutus provokes Cassius with his chidings, Cassius threatens to go to physical violence.
As the quarrel progresses, Cassius, mad with rage, begs Brutus to kill him. Both men come to the realization that their argument has gone to far and repent. Within a few sentences they are back to old friends again. Brutus admits the true cause of his belligerence: he is heartsick over his wife Portia’s suicide.
The significance of this scene is that the lead conspirators are cracking under the pressure or war with their home city, and questioning the killing of Caesar. This is a turning point because honorable Brutus has begun to snap. It clearly establishes the at first hopeless, weary mood. Throughout everything there is a mood of stress. The theme that is being established here is a classic: no matter how stressful the situation is, friendship will always light matters up. The many changes that have occoured in Rome (the government change from Caeser to Antony and Octavius, the loss of Portia, ect). It foreshadows that the Rome that Brutus knows no longer exists and that Rome will never accept him again. Even if he triumphed, he would still grieve.

Act four, scene three, lines 65 – 122; 142-161 (pages 166, 168, 170,172)

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 riv’d 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; brav’d by his brother;

Check'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.

BRUTUS 
Lucius, a bowl of wine!


Exit LUCIUS


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!


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.



Annie is my partner for the duet acting.