Table of Contents
ACT IV SCENE I Setting: A house in Rome.
ANTONY, OCTAVIUS, and LEPIDUS, seated at a table.
| ANTONY | These many, then, shall die; their names are prick'd. | |
| OCTAVIUS | Your brother too must die; consent you, Lepidus? | |
| LEPIDUS | I do consent–– | |
| OCTAVIUS | Prick him down, Antony. | |
| LEPIDUS | Upon condition Publius shall not live, | |
| Who is your sister's son, Mark Antony. | 5 | |
| ANTONY | He shall not live; look, with a spot I damn him. | |
| But, Lepidus, go you to Caesar's house; | ||
| Fetch the will hither, and we shall determine | ||
| How to cut off some charge in legacies. | ||
| LEPIDUS | What, shall I find you here? | 10 |
| OCTAVIUS | Or here, or at the Capitol. | |
| Exit LEPIDUS. | ||
| ANTONY | This is a slight unmeritable man, | |
| Meet to be sent on errands: is it fit, | ||
| The three–fold world divided, he should stand | ||
| One of the three to share it? | ||
| OCTAVIUS | So you thought him; | |
| And took his voice who should be prick'd to die, | ||
| In our black sentence and proscription. | ||
| ANTONY | Octavius, I have seen more days than you: | |
| And though we lay these honours on this man, | ||
| To ease ourselves of divers slanderous loads, | 20 | |
| He shall but bear them as the ass bears gold, | ||
| To groan and sweat under the business, | ||
| Either led or driven, as we point the way; | ||
| And having brought our treasure where we will, | ||
| Then take we down his load, and turn him off, | 25 | |
| Like to the empty ass, to shake his ears, | ||
| And graze in commons. | ||
| OCTAVIUS | You may do your will; | |
| But he's a tried and valiant soldier. | ||
| ANTONY | So is my horse, Octavius; and for that | |
| I do appoint him store of provender: | 30 | |
| It is a creature that I teach to fight, | ||
| To wind, to stop, to run directly on, | ||
| His corporal motion govern'd by my spirit. | ||
| And, in some taste, is Lepidus but so; | ||
| He must be taught and train'd and bid go forth; | 35 | |
| A barren–spirited fellow; one that feeds | ||
| On abjects, orts and imitations, | ||
| Which, out of use and staled by other men, | ||
| Begin his fashion: do not talk of him, | ||
| But as a property. And now, Octavius, | 40 | |
| Listen great things:––Brutus and Cassius | ||
| Are levying powers: we must straight make head: | ||
| Therefore let our alliance be combined, | ||
| Our best friends made, our means stretch'd | ||
| And let us presently go sit in council, | 45 | |
| How covert matters may be best disclosed, | ||
| And open perils surest answered. | ||
| OCTAVIUS | Let us do so: for we are at the stake, | |
| And bay'd about with many enemies; | ||
| And some that smile have in their hearts, I fear, | 50 | |
| Millions of mischiefs. | ||
| Exeunt |