I know that virtue to be in you, Brutus,
As well as I do know your outward favour.
Well, honour is the subject of my story.
I cannot tell what you and other men
Think of this life; but, for my single self,
I had as lief not be as live to be
In awe of such a thing as I myself.
I was born free as Caesar; so were you:
We both have fed as well, and we can both
Endure the winter's cold as well as he:
For once, upon a raw and gusty day,
The troubled Tiber chafing with her shores,
Caesar said to me 'Darest thou, Cassius, now
Leap in with me into this angry flood,
And swim to yonder point?' Upon the word,
Accoutred as I was, I plunged in
And bade him follow; so indeed he did.
The torrent roar'd, and we did buffet it
With lusty sinews, throwing it aside
And stemming it with hearts of controversy;
But ere we could arrive the point proposed,
Caesar cried 'Help me, Cassius, or I sink!'
I, as Aeneas, our great ancestor,
Did from the flames of Troy upon his shoulder
The old Anchises bear, so from the waves of Tiber
Did I the tired Caesar. And this man
Is now become a god, and Cassius is
A wretched creature and must bend his body,
If Caesar carelessly but nod on him.
Context: Cassius is speaking to Brutus during the feast of Lupercal; Caesar has come back from defeating Pompey and a celebration is going on. Cassius is trying to get Brutus to join his conspiracy against Caesar.
Significance: Cassius is talking to Brutus, because he wants Brutus to join the conspiracy against Caesar. Cassius thinks that Caesar is getting too powerful, and that could mean an end to the Republic. The reason that Cassius wants Caesar to die is because Caesar doesn't like Cassius, and if he becomes too powerful, then he could be a threat to Cassius. But Cassius also knows that Brutus is a very honourable man, and would do anything for the good of Rome, and to keep the Republic running. Cassius is a very calculating man, and knows that Brutus is very close to Caesar, but if he can convince him that killing Caesar is what's best for Rome, then Brutus will join the conspiracy. The significance of this passage is that it shows Cassius's characterization. From this, you can see that Cassius is characterized as arrogant, cocky, and with a lot of hubris. He compares himself to the founder of Rome just because he rescued his friend from drowning.
