ACT 4
[ANTONY, OCTAVIUS, and LEPIDUS, seated at a table]
ANTONY
These many, then, shall die; their names are pricked.
Then, all these men will die; we’ve marked their names.
OCTAVIUS
Your brother too must die; consent you, Lepidus?
Your brother too must die. Agreed, Lepidus?
LEPIDUS
I do consent--
Agreed.
OCTAVIUS
Prick him down, Antony.
Then mark his name down, Antony.
LEPIDUS
Upon condition Publius shall not live,
Upon condition Publius will not live;
Who is your sister's son, Mark Antony.
He is your sister’s son, Mark Antony.
ANTONY
He shall not live; look, with a spot I damn him.
He will not live; I’ve marked him down for death.
But, Lepidus, go you to Caesar's house;
But, Lepidus, go down to Caesar’s house,
Fetch the will hither, and we shall determine
And bring his will back here, and we will find
How to cut off some charge in legacies.
Some ways to cut some cost from his commitments.
LEPIDUS
What, shall I find you here?
Will I still find you here?
OCTAVIUS
Or here, or at the Capitol.
Yes, here, or at the Capitol.
[Exit LEPIDUS]
ANTONY
This is a slight unmeritable man,
He is a weak and undeserving man,
Meet to be sent on errands: is it fit,
Just suited running errands. Is it right,
The three-fold world divided, he should stand
If all the world were split in three, he’d be
One of the three to share it?
One of the three to share it?
OCTAVIUS
So you thought him;
That’s what you thought;
And took his voice who should be pricked to die,
You listened to him when he said who should die
In our black sentence and proscription.
As we wrote out that damning list of names.
ANTONY
Octavius, I have seen more days than you:
Octavius, I’ve been living longer than you,
And though we lay these honours on this man,
And, though we spread the burden on this man
To ease ourselves of divers slanderous loads,
To ease the challenges that face us both,
He shall but bear them as the ass bears gold,
He does them like a donkey hauling gold,
To groan and sweat under the business,
By sweating, groaning, struggling at each task,
Either led or driven, as we point the way;
And only does a task as we direct him;
And having brought our treasure where we will,
And when he’s done the task as we’ve instructed,
Then take we down his load, and turn him off,
Then we can let him go and set him loose,
Like to the empty ass, to shake his ears,
Just like a donkey, free to shake his ears
And graze in commons.
And graze on common ground.
OCTAVIUS
You may do your will;
Do as you please,
But he's a tried and valiant soldier.
But he’s a tried and tested fearless soldier.
ANTONY
So is my horse, Octavius; and for that
So is my horse, Octavius, and for that
I do appoint him store of provender:
I make sure that he’s always properly fed.
It is a creature that I teach to fight,
It’s just a creature that I teach to fight,
To wind, to stop, to run directly on,
To turn, to stop, to run directly on,
His corporal motion governed by my spirit.
His body going just where I’ve instructed;
And, in some taste, is Lepidus but so;
In some degree, Lepidus is the same.
He must be taught and trained and bid go forth;
He must be taught and trained, told where to go—
A barren-spirited fellow; one that feeds
He’s lacking in pizzazz, and he’s concerned
On abjects, orts and imitations,
With things and fashions, arts and false ideals,
Which, out of use and staled by other men,
Which long ago have fallen out of vogue,
Begin his fashion: do not talk of him,
But that’s where he begins. Don’t think of him as
But as a property. And now, Octavius,
Anything but a worker. Now, Octavius,
Listen great things:--Brutus and Cassius
Let’s talk of greater things. Brutus and Cassius
Are levying powers: we must straight make head:
Are building up their army. We must stop them.
Therefore let our alliance be combined,
And so we must combine both of our armies,
Our best friends made, our means stretched
Unite in friendship, and do all we can;
And let us presently go sit in council,
So let’s all have a meeting to discuss now
How covert matters may be best disclosed,
How all our secret plans should be revealed,
And open perils surest answered.
And how the open risks should be addressed.
OCTAVIUS
Let us do so: for we are at the stake,
OK; we’ve got our backs against the wall,
And bayed about with many enemies;
And we’re surrounded by our enemies,
And some that smile have in their hearts, I fear,
And some of those that smile at us, I fear,
Millions of mischiefs.
Are full of mischief.
[Exeunt]
