| ACT IV SCENE I | 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. | 5 |
| LEPIDUS | Upon condition Publius shall not live, | |
| | Who is your sister's son, Mark Antony. | |
| 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 | 10 |
| | How to cut off some charge in legacies. | |
| LEPIDUS | What, shall I find you here? | |
| 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, | 15 |
| | 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. | 20 |
| 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, | |
| | He shall but bear them as the ass bears gold, | |
| | To groan and sweat under the business, | 25 |
| | 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. | 30 |
| 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: | |
| | It is a creature that I teach to fight, | 35 |
| | 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 | 40 |
| | 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 | 45 |
| | 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, | 50 |
| | 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, | |
| | Millions of mischiefs. | 55 |
| | Exeunt | |
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