Julius Caesar (1953)

James Mason: Brutus

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Quotes 

• Brutus : The abuse of greatness is when it disjoins remorse from power.

• Cassius : Tell me, good Brutus, can you see your face?

  Brutus : No, Cassius, for the eye sees not itself but by reflection, by some other things.

• Brutus : I love the name of honor more than I fear death.

• Brutus : Into what dangers would you lead me, Cassius, that you would have me seek into myself for that which is not in me?

• Brutus : My noble friend, chew upon this: Brutus had rather be a villager than to repute himself a son of Rome under these hard conditions as this time is like to lay upon us.

• Brutus : And so it is. For this time I will leave you. Tomorrow, if you please to speak with me, I will come home to you. Or, if you will, come home to me, and I will wait for you.

  Cassius : I will do so. Till then - think of the world.

• Brutus : Good gentlemen, look fresh and merrily. Let not our looks put on our purposes.

• Portia : Within the bond of marriage, tell me, Brutus, is it excepted I should know no secrets that appertain to you? Am I yourself but, as it were, in sort or Iimitation, to keep with you at meals, comfort your bed, and talk to you sometimes. Dwell I but in the suburbs of your good pleasure? If it be no more, Portia is Brutus' harlot, not his wife!

  Brutus : You are my true and honorable wife, as dear to me as are the ruddy drops that visit my sad heart.

• Brutus : Kneel not, gentle Portia.

  Portia : I should not need if you were gentle Brutus.

• Brutus : Portia, go in a while. And by and by thy bosom shall partake the secrets of my heart. All my engagements I will construe to thee, all the charactery of my sad brows.

• Caius Ligarius : What's to do?

  Brutus : A piece of work that will make sick men whole.

  Caius Ligarius : But are not some whole but we must make sick?

  Brutus : That must we also.

• Brutus : Fates, we will know your pleasures. That we shall die, we know. 'Tis but the time and drawing days out that men stand upon.

  Cassius : Why, he that cuts off 20 years of life, cuts off so many years of fearing death.

  Brutus : Grant that, and then is death a benefit. So we, Caesar's friends, that have abridged his time of fearing death.

• Brutus : Stoop, Romans, stoop! And let us bathe our hands in Caesar's blood.

• Brutus : Our reasons are so full of good regard that were you, Antony, the son of Caesar, you should be satisfied.

  Marc Antony : That's all I seek, and am moreover suitor that I may produce his body to the marketplace, and in the pulpit, as becomes a friend, speak in the order of his funeral.

  Brutus : You shall, Mark Antony.

  Cassius : Brutus, a word with you.

  [takes Brutus aside] 

• Brutus : O Antony, beg not your death of us. Though now we must appear bloody and cruel, as by our hands and this our present act, you see we do, yet see you but our hands and this the bleeding business they have done, our hearts you see not. They are pitiful. And pity to the general wrong of Rome, as fire drives out fire, so pity, pity, hath done this deed on Caesar.

• Brutus : If there be any in this assembly, any dear friend of Caesar's, to him I say that Brutus' love to Caesar was no less than his. If then that friend demand why Brutus rose against Caesar, this is my answer. Not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more.

• Brutus : There's tears for his love, joy for his fortune, honor for his valor, and *death* for his ambition.

• Brutus : Who is here so *rude* that would not be a Roman? If any, speak, for him have I offended. Who is here so *vile* that will not love his country? If any, *speak*, for him have I offended. I pause for a reply.

• Brutus : Had you rather Caesar were living, and die all slaves, than that Caesar were dead, to live all free men?

• Brutus : As Caesar loved me, I weep for him. As he was fortunate, I rejoice at it. As he was valiant, I honor him. *But,* as he was ambitious, I slew him.

• Brutus : Cassius, be content. Speak your griefs softly. I do know you well. Before the eyes of both our armies here, which should perceive nothing but love from us, let us not wrangle.

• Brutus : Your master, Pindarus, in his own change, or by ill officers, hath given me some worthy cause to wish things done, undone; but if he be at hand, I shall be satisfied.

• Brutus : I'd rather be a dog and bay the moon than such a Roman.

• Brutus : Must I budge? Must I observe you? Must I stand and crouch under your testy humor? By the gods, you shall digest the venom of your spleen.

• Brutus : Let me tell you, Cassius, you yourself are much condemned to have an itching palm, to sell and mart your offices for gold to undeservers.

  Cassius : I, an itching palm!

• Brutus : Ill spirit, I would hold more talk with thee!

• Brutus : There is no terror, Cassius, in your threats, for I am armed so strong in honesty, that they pass by me as the idle wind, which I respect not.

• Brutus : Canst thou hold up thy heavy eyes awhile, and touch thy instrument a strain or two?

  Lucius : Ay, my lord, an't please you.

  Brutus : It does, my boy. I trouble thee too much, but thou art willing.

  Lucius : 'Tis my duty, sir.

  Brutus : I should not urge thy duty past thy might. I know young bloods look for a time of rest.

• Brutus : There is a tide in the affairs of men, which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune. Omitted, all the voyage of their life is bound in shallows and in miseries. On such a full sea are we now afloat, and we must take the current when it serves, or lose our ventures.

• Brutus : This same day must end that work the Ides of March begun.

• Brutus : Good reasons must, of force, give place to better.

• Brutus : Whether we shall meet again I know not. Therefore, our everlasting farewell take. Forever and forever, farewell, Cassius.

• Brutus : O, that a man might know the end of this day's business ere it come. But it sufficeth that the day will end, and then the end is known.

• Brutus : Our enemies have beat us to the pit. It is more worthy to leap in ourselves than tarry till they push us.

• Brutus : Brutus' tongue hath almost ended his life's history. Night hangs upon mine eyes. My bones would rest, that have but labored to attain this hour.

• Brutus : Since Cassius first did whet me against Caesar, I have not slept. Between the acting of a dreadful thing and the first motion, all the interim is like a phantasma, or a hideous dream. The genius and the mortal instruments are then in council, and the state of man, like to a little kingdom, suffers then the nature of an insurrection.