JULIUS CAESAR

Act 4 Scene 1

(Enter Antony with papers, Octavius, and Lepidus)
l1l	Antony	 These many, then, shall die# their names are pricked.
l2l	Octavius	(to Lepidus)
		 Your brother too must die. Consent you, Lepidus?
l3l	Lepidus	I do consent.
	Octavius	Prick him down, Antony.
l4l	Lepidus	Upon condition Publius shall not live,
l5l		Who is your sister’s son, Mark Antony.
l6l	Antony	He shall not live. Look, with a spot I damn him.
l7l		But Lepidus, go you to Caesar’s house#
l8l		Fetch the will hither, and we shall determine
l9l		How to cut off some charge in legacies.
l10l	Lepidus	 What, shall I find you here?
l11l	Octavius	Or here or at the Capitol.
		(Exit Lepidus)
l12l	Antony	 This is a slight, unmeritable man,
l13l		Meet to be sent on errands. Is it fit,
l14l		The three-fold world divided, he should stand
l15l		One of the three to share it?
	Octavius	So you thought him,
l16l		And took his voice who should be pricked to die
l17l		In our black sentence and proscription.
l18l	Antony	Octavius, I have seen more days than you,
l19l		And though we lay these honours on this man
l20l		To ease ourselves of divers sland’rous loads,
l21l		He shall but bear them as the ass bears gold,
l22l		To groan and sweat under the business,
l23l		Either led or driven as we point the way#
l24l		And having brought our treasure where we will,
l25l		Then take we down his load, and turn him off,
l26l		Like to the empty ass, to shake his ears
l27l		And graze in commons.
	Octavius	You may do your will#
l28l		But he’s a tried and valiant soldier.
l29l	Antony	So is my horse, Octavius, and for that
l30l		I do appoint him store of provender.
l31l		It is a creature that I teach to fight,
l32l		To wind, to stop, to run directly on,
l33l		His corporal motion governed by my spirit#
l34l		And in some taste is Lepidus but so.
l35l		He must be taught, and trained, and bid go forth—
l36l		A barren-spirited fellow, one that feeds
l37l		On objects, arts, and imitations,
l38l		Which, out of use and staled by other men,
l39l		Begin his fashion. Do not talk of him
l40l		But as a property. And now, Octavius,
l41l		Listen great things. Brutus and Cassius
l42l		Are levying powers. We must straight make head.
l43l		Therefore let our alliance be combined,
l44l		Our best friends made, our meinies stretched,
l45l		And let us presently go sit in council,
l46l		How covert matters may be best disclosed,
l47l		And open perils surest answerèd.
l48l	Octavius	Let us do so, for we are at the stake
l49l		And bayed about with many enemies#
l50l		And some that smile have in their hearts, I fear,
l51l		Millions of mischiefs.
		(Exeunt)