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| The Life and Death of Julius Caesar |
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| Julius Caeser
| Act 4, Scene 1
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ANTONY, OCTAVIUS, and LEPIDUS, seated at a tableANTONY
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,ANTONY
Who is your sister's son, Mark Antony.
He shall not live; look, with a spot I damn him.LEPIDUS
But, Lepidus, go you to Caesar's house;
Fetch the will hither, and we shall determine
How to cut off some charge in legacies.
What, shall I find you here?OCTAVIUS
Or here, or at the Capitol.ANTONY
Exit LEPIDUS
This is a slight unmeritable man,OCTAVIUS
Meet to be sent on errands: is it fit,
The three-fold world divided, he should stand
One of the three to share it?
So you thought him;ANTONY
And took his voice who should be prick'd to die,
In our black sentence and proscription.
Octavius, I have seen more days than you:OCTAVIUS
And though we lay these honours on this man,
To ease ourselves of divers slanderous loads,
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,
Like to the empty ass, to shake his ears,
And graze in commons.
You may do your will;ANTONY
But he's a tried and valiant soldier.
So is my horse, Octavius; and for thatOCTAVIUS
I do appoint him store of provender:
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;
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,
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,
How covert matters may be best disclosed,
And open perils surest answered.
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,
Millions of mischiefs.
Exeunt
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Shakespeare homepage
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| Act 4, Scene 1
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