Manipulation Quotes - Julius Caesar | Julius Caesar- Summary, Themes & Characters - Novels PDF Download

CASSIUS

'Tis just,

And it is very much lamented, Brutus,

That you have no such mirrors as will turn

Your hidden worthiness into your eye,

That you might see your shadow. I have heard

Where many of the best respect in Rome,

Except immortal Caesar, speaking of Brutus

And groaning underneath this age's yoke,

Have wished that noble Brutus had his eyes.

BRUTUS 

Into what dangers would you lead me, Cassius,

That you would have me seek into myself

For that which is not in me? (1.2.60-71)

Cassius sure is smarmy, don't you think?  It's obvious he wants Brutus to join the conspiracy against Caesar, but instead of coming right out and asking him, he tries to stroke Brutus' ego by suggesting that the people are clamoring for Brutus to lead Rome.   

CASSIUS

Men at some time are masters of their fates.

The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars,

But in ourselves that we are underlings.

'Brutus' and 'Caesar'—what should be in that  'Caesar'?

Why should that name be sounded more than  yours?

Write them together, yours is as fair a name;

Sound them, it doth become the mouth as well;

Weigh them, it is as heavy; conjure with 'em,

'Brutus' will start a spirit as soon as 'Caesar.' (1.2.146-156)

Cassius seems to think that by playing on his desire for personal glory, he can sway Brutus to join the conspirators.  The thing is, we're not sure if Brutus is interested in self-gain.  It seems Cassius keeps bringing up personal gain because it's his motivation for taking down Caesar.

CASCA

Three or four 

wenches where I stood cried, 'Alas, good soul!' and 

forgave him with all their hearts. But there's no 

heed to be taken of them; if Caesar had stabbed 

their mothers, they would have done no less. (1.2.282-286)

Casca suggests that public opinion is easily won and is therefore meaningless.  Plus, even though the Romans are supposed to be a republic of equal citizens, those in charge think everyone else is dumb and treat them accordingly.  (All Romans are equal, but some are more equal than others.)

CASSIUS

Well, Brutus, thou art noble. Yet I see

Thy honorable mettle may be wrought

From that it is disposed. Therefore it is meet

That noble minds keep ever with their likes;

For who so firm that cannot be seduced? (1.2.320-324)

Even though Cassius thinks Brutus is a "noble" guy, he also thinks that just about anyone, including Brutus, can be manipulated or "seduced." 

CASSIUS

I will this night,

In several hands in at his windows throw,

As if they came from several citizens,

Writings, all tending to the great opinion

That Rome holds of his name, wherein obscurely

Caesar's ambition shall be glancèd at

And after this, let Caesar seat him sure,

For we will shake him, or worse days endure. (1.2.327-334)

Cassius hopes that by planting fake letters from "citizens" urging Brutus to lead Rome, Brutus will be convinced to join the conspiracy against Julius Caesar.

CASCA

I can as well be hanged as tell the manner of it. 

It was mere foolery; I did not mark it. I saw Mark 

Antony offer him a crown (yet 'twas not a crown neither; 'twas one of these coronets), and, as I told you, he put it by once; but for all that, to my thinking, he would fain have had it. Then he offered it to him again; then he put it by again; but to my thinking, he was very loath to lay his fingers off it. 

And then he offered it the third time. He put it the third time by, and still as he refused it the rabblement hooted and clapped their chopped hands and threw up their sweaty nightcaps and uttered such a deal of stinking breath because Caesar refused the  crown that it had almost choked Caesar, for he swooned and fell down at it. And for mine own part, 

I durst not laugh for fear of opening my lips and receiving the bad air. (1.2.245-261)

Caesar deliberately deceives the public here.  It's clear he's putting on a great show by refusing the crown, even though he'd secretly love to have it. He understands that public refusal is a smart political maneuver to get the people to love him more and think him less ambitious.

DECIUS

This dream is all amiss interpreted.

It was a vision fair and fortunate.

Your statue spouting blood in many pipes,

In which so many smiling Romans bathed,

Signifies that from you great Rome shall suck

Reviving blood, and that great men shall press

For tinctures, stains, relics, and cognizance.

This by Calphurnia's dream is signified.

CAESAR

And this way have you well expounded it.

DECIUS

I have, when you have heard what I can say.

And know it now: the Senate have concluded

To give this day a crown to mighty Caesar.

If you shall send them word you will not come,

Their minds may change. Besides, it were a mock

Apt to be rendered, for someone to say

'Break up the Senate till another time,

When Caesar's wife shall meet with better dreams.'

If Caesar hide himself, shall they not whisper

'Lo, Caesar is afraid'?

Pardon me, Caesar, for my dear dear love

To your proceeding bids me tell you this,

And reason to my love is liable. (2.2.88-109)

This is pretty brazen lying on Decius' part, but Caesar wants to hear it – he eats it up.  Decius is particularly wily – he knows Caesar will not refuse the crown again.  The suggestion of power, and Caesar's own attraction to it, is all it takes to draw Caesar out to his doom.

ANTONY

Yet Brutus says he was ambitious,

And sure he is an honorable man.

I speak not to disprove what Brutus spoke,

But here I am to speak what I do know.

You all did love him once, not without cause.

What cause withholds you then to mourn for him?— 

O judgement, thou art fled to brutish beasts,

And men have lost their reason!—Bear with me;

My heart is in the coffin there with Caesar,

And I must pause till it come back to me. [He weeps.] (3.2.107-117)

Antony doesn't suggest the people adopt his judgments; instead he masterfully suggests they think back on their own past judgments.  It's not just that Antony loved Caesar, but that the people did too.  This is a masterful rhetorical move: Antony gets the crowd to come to the conclusion he wants them to without their realizing it. Now if they go against what they used to believe, they'd seem fickle, which nobody likes.  Antony even gives them the time they'd need to reflect on their past beliefs and come to his conclusion.

ANTONY

Have patience, gentle friends, I must not read it.

It is not meet you know how Caesar loved you.

You are not wood, you are not stones, but men.

And, being men, hearing the will of Caesar,

It will inflame you; it will make you mad.

'Tis good you know not that you are his heirs,

For if you should, O, what would come of it? (3.2.152-158)

This is the point at which Antony begins using some really questionable methods of rhetoric (the art of persuasion).  It's obvious to the reader that Antony wants a disastrous outcome, and he's inviting it by playing on the public's own willingness to be taunted and deceived by this game of peek-a-boo with a dead man's will.  For shame.

ANTONY

Here is the will, and under Caesar's seal:

To every Roman citizen he gives,

To every several man, seventy-five drachmas.

SECOND PLEBEIAN

Most noble Caesar! We'll revenge his death.

THIRD PLEBIAN

O royal Caesar!

ANTONY

Hear me with patience.

PLEBEIANS 

Peace, ho!

ANTONY

Moreover, he hath left you all his walks,

His private arbors, and new-planted orchards,

On this side Tiber. He hath left them you,

And to your heirs forever—common pleasures

To walk abroad and recreate yourselves.

Here was a Caesar! When comes such another?

FIRST PLEBEIAN

Never, never!—Come, away, away!

We'll burn his body in the holy place

And with the brands fire the traitors' houses.

Take up the body. (3.2.254-270)

Something like ten minutes ago, the people swore with Brutus that they loved their freedom as Romans above all else.  But Antony, with the promise of two months' wages and some public gardens, convinces the people to riot.  They forget all about the tyranny Brutus just warned them of.