Julius Caesar: Act 4, Scenes 1 & 2
Death sentences are signed as alliances fracture.
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ACT 4
Scene 1
Enter Antony, Octavius, and Lepidus.
ANTONY
These many, then, shall die; their names are
pricked.
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. Lepidus exits.
ANTONY
This is a slight, unmeritable man,
Meet to be sent on errands. Is it fit, 15
The threefold world divided, he should stand
One of the three to share it?
OCTAVIUS So you thought him
And took his voice who should be pricked to die
In our black sentence and proscription. 20
ANTONY
Octavius, I have seen more days than you,
And, though we lay these honors on this man
To ease ourselves of diverse sland’rous 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 governed by my spirit;
And, in some taste, is Lepidus but so.
He must be taught and trained and bid go forth—
A barren-spirited fellow, one that feeds 40
On objects, arts, 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 stretched;
And let us presently go sit in council
How covert matters may be best disclosed 50
And open perils surest answerèd.
OCTAVIUS
Let us do so, for we are at the stake
And bayed about with many enemies,
And some that smile have in their hearts, I fear,
Millions of mischiefs. 55
They exit.
Scene 2
Drum. Enter Brutus, Lucilius, Lucius, and the Army.
Titinius and Pindarus meet them.
BRUTUS Stand ho!
LUCILIUS Give the word, ho, and stand!
BRUTUS
What now, Lucilius, is Cassius near?
LUCILIUS
He is at hand, and Pindarus is come
To do you salutation from his master. 5
BRUTUS
He greets me well.—Your master, Pindarus,
In his own change or by ill officers,
Hath given me some worthy cause to wish
Things done undone, but if he be at hand
I shall be satisfied. 10
PINDARUS I do not doubt
But that my noble master will appear
Such as he is, full of regard and honor.
BRUTUS
He is not doubted. Brutus and Lucilius walk aside.
A word, Lucilius, 15
How he received you. Let me be resolved.
LUCILIUS
With courtesy and with respect enough,
But not with such familiar instances
Nor with such free and friendly conference
As he hath used of old. 20
BRUTUS Thou hast described
A hot friend cooling. Ever note, Lucilius,
When love begins to sicken and decay
It useth an enforcèd ceremony.
There are no tricks in plain and simple faith; 25
But hollow men, like horses hot at hand,
Make gallant show and promise of their mettle,
Low march within.
But when they should endure the bloody spur,
They fall their crests and, like deceitful jades,
Sink in the trial. Comes his army on? 30
LUCILIUS
They mean this night in Sardis to be quartered.
The greater part, the horse in general,
Are come with Cassius.
Enter Cassius and his powers.
BRUTUS Hark, he is arrived.
March gently on to meet him. 35
CASSIUS Stand ho!
BRUTUS Stand ho! Speak the word along.
FIRST SOLDIER Stand!
SECOND SOLDIER Stand!
THIRD SOLDIER Stand! 40
CASSIUS
Most noble brother, you have done me wrong.
BRUTUS
Judge me, you gods! Wrong I mine enemies?
And if not so, how should I wrong a brother?
CASSIUS
Brutus, this sober form of yours hides wrongs,
And when you do them— 45
BRUTUS Cassius, be content.
Speak your griefs softly. I do know you well.
Before the eyes of both our armies here
(Which should perceive nothing but love from us),
Let us not wrangle. Bid them move away. 50
Then in my tent, Cassius, enlarge your griefs,
And I will give you audience.
CASSIUS Pindarus,
Bid our commanders lead their charges off
A little from this ground. 55
BRUTUS
Lucius, do you the like, and let no man
Come to our tent till we have done our conference.
Let Lucilius and Titinius guard our door.
All but Brutus and Cassius exit.