Would he were fatter! But I fear him not: Yet if my name were liable to fear, I do not know the man I should avoid So soon as that spare Cassius. He reads much; He is a great observer and he looks Quite through the deeds of men: he loves no plays, As thou dost, Antony; he hears no music; Seldom he smiles, and smiles in such a sort As if he mock’d himself and scorn’d his spirit That could be moved to smile at any thing. Such men as he be never at heart’s ease Whiles they behold a greater than themselves, And therefore are they very dangerous. I rather tell thee what is to be fear’d Than what I fear; for always I am Caesar. Come on my right hand, for this ear is deaf, And tell me truly what thou think’st of him.
I wish he were fatter! But I’m not afraid of him: But if I were ever afraid, I wouldn’t know who I should avoid more than that thin Cassius. He reads a lot; He’s very observant, and he sees right through people’s actions: he doesn’t enjoy plays, like you do, Antony; he doesn’t listen to music; He rarely smiles, and when he does, it’s a smile like he’s mocking himself, or scornful of his own spirit that could be moved to smile at anything. Men like him are never at ease when they see someone greater than themselves, which makes them very dangerous. I’d rather tell you what I’m afraid of than what I actually fear; because I’m always Caesar. Stand on my right, since this ear is deaf, and tell me honestly what you think of him.
Octavius Caesar · Act 1, Scene 2
Caesar watches Cassius in the crowd and tells Antony he fears him, then immediately insists that he, Caesar, is not afraid. The passage is remembered because it shows Caesar understanding danger perfectly while denying it — he sees that lean, thoughtful men are dangerous, that such men are never at ease when they see someone greater than themselves. Yet Caesar's self-contradiction, his claiming to fear nothing while listing everything he fears, will define him right up to his death.
