The Sunday News
I STATED last week that the supernatural by definition is anything that is not according to the usual course of nature, and includes the element of superstition as well as the ghosts and apparitions. But the question which many scholars ask is: was Caesar’s ghost meant to be real (that is, an external, objective phenomenon) or was it the product of Brutus’ imagination, and so not supernatural at all?
However, evidence given by critics seems to favour the latter opinion. Brutus sees the ghost when he has just heard of Portia’s shocking death. He says Portia unable to endure his absence, and due to grief that young Octavius and Mark Antony had united and are now so strong, fell distract or lost her senses and swallowed fire. Brutus has had a long argument with Cassius. Cassius says Brutus has wronged him; he has condemned Lucius Pella for taking bribes from Sardians though he wrote to him that the latter is an honourable man and asked Brutus to let him off.
Brutus says Cassius was wrong to recommend such a case. Cassius in response says in times as this when there is war, it is improper to try every trivial offence and condemn it as strongly as it should under normal times. It is wrong for Cassius to try and trivialise a case of corruption. Brutus is frank with Cassius telling him that he is notorious for taking bribes (has an itching palm). Cassius is livid over Brutus’ accusation that he takes bribes and threatens him with death.
But Brutus is unperturbed and reminds Cassius of the ides of March, the day they murdered Caesar. They murdered Caesar for justice. Not one of those who plunged their daggers in Caesar’s body was such a villain as to take the life of the foremost man for any cause other than justice. Shall they now soil their hands with base bribes and sell their honour for so much rubbish that can be had in such an evil manner? Brutus says he would rather be a dog and bay the (bark at the) moon than be such a Roman.
Cassius again warns Brutus not to provoke him, for he would not endure it. He tells Brutus not to put restraints on how to deal with his subordinates. He brags that he is a soldier of longer experience than him and abler than him. Brutus cannot take that and tells Cassius to stop it and disputes that Cassius is more able than him. When Cassius insists on that Brutus also remains unmoved on his word. Cassius is quick to threaten Brutus saying he will forget himself. Brutus hits harder and says: “Away slight man!” This means go away, useless man!
Cassius is taken aback and asks how it is possible for Brutus to use such words. Brutus is not relenting and tells Cassius to listen for he has to speak and asks whether he has to permit his anger to go unchallenged. Brutus asks: “Shall I be frighted when a madman stares?” When Cassius asks if he should tolerate all that, Brutus tells him all this and more. He further says he should fret till his heart breaks and should go and show how choleric he is to his slaves and make his bondmen tremble.
Brutus adds: “Must I budge? Must I observe you? Must I stand and crouch under your testy humour? By the gods, you shall digest the venom of your spleen.” He says he shall look at Cassius as a person who provokes laughter. Brutus challenges Cassius to prove that he is a better soldier not just make an empty statement. Cassius changes words saying Brutus wrongs him in every way for he said he is an elder soldier not better. Cassius is choleric and tells Brutus not to presume too much on his love for he might do what he shall be sorry for.
Brutus does not give up and candidly tells Cassius that he has already done that which he should be sorry for. He says there is no terror in Cassius’ threats for he is strongly armed in honesty that those threats pass by him as idle wind which he does not respect. Brutus tells Cassius that he asked for money which he denied him because he cannot raise money by vile means. He would rather spill his own blood than to squeeze money from poor peasants. He asked for money to pay his soldiers which Cassius denied him.
Cassius refutes the allegation and pushes the blame to the one who brought his answer back. He says Brutus has broken his heart. A friend should bear his friend’s infirmities, but Brutus makes his appear bigger. Cassius declares that Brutus does not love him, to which Brutus responds by telling him that he does not like his faults. Cassius says: “A friendly eye could never see such faults.” Brutus says they could be overlooked by a flatterer, even though they are as massive as Mount Olympus.
Cassius is devastated by Brutus’ words and calls on Antony and Octavius to come revenge themselves alone on Cassius, because Cassius is tired of the world. He is hated and rebuked by his friend and brother. He accuses Brutus of having observed his faults minutely, memorised them, only to throw them at his face. He wishes he could weep his life away through his eyes. Cassius offers his dagger to Brutus, offers his naked breast, saying Brutus should take it if he is a worthy Roman and plunge it and pluck his heart out.
Brutus as before is unmoved by Cassius’ wild call and tells him to sheathe his dagger and be angry when he desires, and he would let it have free scope. Any dishonour of Cassius will be treated as whim of the moment. He tells Cassius that he is tied to a man who is as meek as a lamb. His anger is like a flint which flashes only when struck hard; it sparkles for a moment and cools the very next moment.
Cassius tones down and asks: “Has Cassius liv’d to be but mirth and laughter to his Brutus, when grief and blood ill-temper’d vexeth him?” Brutus accepts that he too behaved rudely when he spoke of Cassius that way. Cassius is conciliatory and asks for Brutus’ hand and Brutus offers his heart as well.
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