A man no mightier than you or I in ability, yet grown as huge and
frightening as tonight's strange happenings.
CASCA
80
'Tis Caesar that you mean. Is it not, Cassius?
CASCA
You're talking about Caesar, right, Cassius?
CASSIUS
Let it be who it is. For Romans now
Have thews and limbs like to their ancestors,
But—woe the while!—our fathers'
minds are dead,
And we are governed with our mothers' spirits.
85
Our yoke and sufferance show us womanish.
CASSIUS
Let it be who it is. Romans today still have the powerful bodies
of their ancestors, but, unfortunately, we don't have their
manly spirits, and instead we take after our mothers. Our tolerance
for slavery and oppression shows us to be weak, like women.
CASCA
Indeed, they say the senators tomorrow
Mean to establish Caesar as a king,
And he shall wear his crown by sea and land
In every place save here in Italy.
CASCA
Indeed, they say that the senators plan to establish Caesar as a
king tomorrow, and he'll wear his crown at sea and on land
everywhere except here in Italy.
CASSIUS
90
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,
95
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,
100
That part of tyranny that I do bear
I can shake off at pleasure.
CASSIUS
I know where I'll wear this dagger, then. I'll
kill myself to save myself from slavery. In suicide, gods make the
weak strong. In suicide, gods allow tyrants to be defeated. No stony
tower, no brass walls, no airless dungeon, no iron chains can
contain a strong mind. But if a man becomes weary of these
obstacles, he can always kill himself. Let everyone beware: I can
shake off the tyranny that now oppresses me whenever I
choose.
Thunder still
Thunder continues.
CASCA
So can I.
So every bondman in his own hand bears
The power to cancel his captivity.
CASCA
So can I. In fact, every imprisoned man holds in his own hand the
tool to free himself.
