Julius Caesar 2: Ethos and Pathos Rhetoric is the faculty of observing in any given case the available means of persuasion ESH101 Shakespeare 2017-18 (Aristotle, The Art of Rhetoric, 1.2) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1bng_6hzlpm https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9igyidtfgi Brutus and his confederates came into the market place to speake unto the people, who gave them such audience, that it seemed they neither greatly reproved, nor allowed the fact: for by their great silence they showed, that they were sory for Caesars death, and also that they did reverence Brutus. 1
When [Antony] saw that the people were very glad and desirous also to heare Caesar spoken of, and his praises uttered: he mingled his oration with lamentable wordes, and by amplifying of matters did greatly move their harts and affections unto pitie and compassion. In fine to conclude his oration, he unfolded before the whole assembly the bloudy garments of the dead, thrust through in many places with their swords, and called the malefactors, cruell and cursed murtherers. With these words he put the people into such a fury, that they presently toke Caesars body, and burnt it in the market place. CINNA Liberty! Freedom! Tyranny is dead! Run hence, proclaim, cry it about the streets. CASSIUS Some to the common pulpits, and cry out, Liberty, freedom, and enfranchisement! BRUTUS People and senators, be not affrighted. [Exeunt in a tumult LEPIDUS, POPILLIUS, other senators, ARTEMIDORUS, SOOTHSAYER, and citizens] Fly not! Stand still! Ambition s debt is paid. CASSIUS Go to the pulpit, Brutus. Plutarch, Lives of the Noble Grecians and Romans, trans. Sir Thomas North (1579) 3.1.79-84 (N3E p. 1720) BRUTUS By your pardon; I will myself into the pulpit first, And show the reason of our Caesar's death: What Antony shall speak, I will protest He speaks by leave and by permission, And that we are contented Caesar shall Have all true rites and lawful ceremonies. It shall advantage more than do us wrong. CASSIUS I know not what may fall; I like it not. BRUTUS Mark Antony, here, take you Caesar s body. You shall not in your funeral speech blame us; But speak all good you can devise of Caesar, And say you do t by our permission; Else shall you not have any hand at all About his funeral. And you shall speak In the same pulpit whereto I am going, After my speech is ended. 3.1.238-245, N3E p. 1724 3.1.246-53 (N3E p. 1724) 2
11/24/17 CASSIUS Will you be prick'd in number of our friends; Or shall we on, and not depend on you? ANTONY Therefore I took your hands, but was, indeed, Sway'd from the point, by looking down on Caesar. Friends am I with you all and love you all, Upon this hope, that you shall give me reasons Why and wherein Caesar was dangerous. BRUTUS Or else were this a savage spectacle: Our reasons are so full of good regard 3.1.218-26 (N3E p. 1723) BRUTUS I am not gamesome; I do lack some part Of that quick spirit that is in Antony (1.2.28-29) CASCA O, he sits high in all the people s hearts, And that which would appear offence in us, His countenance, like richest alchemy, Will change to virtue and to worthiness. (1.3.157-60) 3
BRUTUS Romans, countrymen, and lovers! hear me for my cause, and be silent, that you may hear: believe me for mine honour, and have respect to mine honour, that you may believe: censure me in your wisdom, and awake your senses, that you may the better judge. 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. Had you rather Caesar were living and die all slaves, than that Caesar were dead, to live all free men? As Caesar loved me, I weep for him; as he was fortunate, I rejoice at it; as he was valiant, I honour him: but, as he was ambitious, I slew him. There is tears for his love; joy for his fortune; honour for his valour; and death for his ambition. Who is here so base that would be a bondman? If any, speak; for him have I offended. 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. ALL None, Brutus, none. BRUTUS Then none have I offended. I have done no more to Caesar than you shall do to Brutus. Enter ANTONY and others, with CAESAR's body Here comes his body, mourned by Mark Antony With this I depart,--that, as I slew my best lover for the good of Rome, I have the same dagger for myself, when it shall please my country to need my death. ALL Live, Brutus! live, live!... THIRD CITIZEN Let him be Caesar. Of the modes of persuasion furnished by the spoken word there are three kinds. The first kind depends on the personal character of the speaker [ETHOS]; the second on putting the audience into a certain frame of mind [PATHOS]; the third on the proof, or apparent proof, provided by the words of the speech itself [LOGOS]. We believe good men more fully and more readily than others. his character may almost be called the most effective means of persuasion he possesses. Secondly, persuasion may come through the hearers, when the speech stirs their emotions. There are, then, these three means of effecting persuasion. The man who is to be in command of them must, it is clear, be able (1) to reason logically, (2) to understand human character and goodness in their various forms, and (3) to understand the emotions-that is, to name them and describe them, to know their causes and the way in which they are excited. Aristotle, Rhetoric I.2 (1356a) Aristotle, Rhetoric I.2 (1356a) 4
SECOND PLEBEIAN Give him a statue with his ancestors! THIRD PLEBEIAN Let him become Caesar! FOURTH PLEBEIAN Caesar s better parts Shall be crowned in Brutus! FIRST PLEBEIAN We ll bring him to his house with shouts and clamors. BRUTUS My countrymen SECOND PLEBEIAN Peace, silence! Brutus speaks. FIRST PLEBEIAN Peace, ho! BRUTUS Good countrymen, let me depart alone. And, for my sake, stay here with Antony. Do grace to Caesar s corpse, and grace his speech Tending to Caesar s glories, which Mark Antony By our permission is allowed to make. I do entreat you, not a man depart, Save I alone, till Antony have spoke. ANTONY Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears. I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him. The noble Brutus Hath told you Caesar was ambitious. If it were so, it was a grievous fault, For Brutus is an honourable man, So are they all, all honourable men Come I to speak in Caesar s funeral. He was my friend, faithful and just to me. But Brutus says he was ambitious, And Brutus is an honourable man. When that the poor have cried, Caesar hath wept. Ambition should be made of sterner stuff. Yet Brutus says he was ambitious, And Brutus is an honourable man. (3.2.71-92) ANTONY I am no orator, as Brutus is; But, as you know me all, a plain blunt man, That love my friend; and that they know full well That gave me public leave to speak of him: For I have neither wit, nor words, nor worth, Action, nor utterance, nor the power of speech, To stir men's blood: I only speak right on; I tell you that which you yourselves do know; Show you sweet Caesar s wounds, poor poor dumb mouths, And bid them speak for me: but were I Brutus, And Brutus Antony, there were an Antony Would ruffle up your spirits and put a tongue In every wound of Caesar that should move The stones of Rome to rise and mutiny. ALL We ll mutiny. (3.2.215-229) You all did love him once, not without cause: What cause withholds you then, to mourn for him? O judgment! thou art fled to brutish beasts, And men have lost their reason. (3.2.100-103) They that have done this deed are honourable: What private griefs they have, alas, I know not, That made them do it: they are wise and honourable, And will, no doubt, with reasons answer you. (3.2.210-13) 5
But here's a parchment with the seal of Caesar; I found it in his closet, 'tis his will: Let but the commons hear this testament-- Which, pardon me, I do not mean to read-- And they would go and kiss dead Caesar's wounds And dip their napkins in his sacred blood, Yea, beg a hair of him for memory ALL The will, the will! we will hear Caesar's will. ANTONY Have patience, gentle friends, I must not read it; It is not meet you know how Caesar loved you 'Tis good you know not that you are his heirs; For, if you should, O, what would come of it! You will compel me, then, to read the will? Then make a ring about the corpse of Caesar, And let me show you him that made the will. Shall I descend? and will you give me leave? ALL THE PLEBEIANS Come down. FOURTH PLEBEIAN Descend. THIRD PLEBEIAN You shall have leave. [ANTONY descends from the pulpit] FIFTH PLEBEIAN A ring. Stand round. FIRST PLEBEIAN Stand from the hearse. Stand from the body. FOURTH PLEBEIAN Room for Antony, most noble Antony! [Enter ANTONY below] ANTONY Nay, press not so upon me. Stand far off. ALL THE PLEBEIANS Stand back! Room! Bear back! ANTONY If you have tears, prepare to shed them now. You all do know this mantle: I remember The first time ever Caesar put it on 6