Lepidus, seated at a Table.
Ant.
These many then shall die; their names are prick'd.
-- 107 --
Oct.
Your brother too must die; Consent you, Lepidus?
Lep.
I do consent.
Oct.
Prick him down, Antony.
Lep.
Upon condition Publius shall not live6 note
,
Who is your sister's son, Mark Antony.
-- 108 --
Ant.
He shall not live; look, with a spot I damn him7 note
.
But, Lepidus, go you to Cæsar's house;
Fetch the will hither, and we will determine
How to cut off some charge in legacies.
Lep.
What, shall I find you here?
Oct.
Or here, or at the Capitol.
[Exit Lepidus.
Ant.
This is a slight unmeritable man,
Meet to be sent on errands: Is it fit,
The three-fold world divided, he should stand
One of the three to share it?
Oct.
So you thought him;
And took his voice who should be prick'd to die,
In our black sentence and proscription.
Ant.
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 gold8 note
,
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.
Oct.
You may do your will;
-- 109 --
But he's a tried and valiant soldier.
Ant.
So is my horse, Octavius; and, for that,
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 objects, arts, and imitations9 note
;
-- 110 --
Which, out of use, and stal'd by other men,
Begin his fashion1 note
: Do not talk of him,
But as a property2 note
. And now, Octavius,
Listen great things.—Brutus and Cassius,
Are levying powers: we must straight make head:
Therefore, let our alliance be combin'd,
Our best friends made, our means stretch'd to the utmost3 note
;
-- 111 --
And let us presently go sit in council,
How covert matters may be best disclos'd,
And open perils surest answered.
Oct.
Let us do so: for we are at the stake4 note
,
And bay'd about with many enemies;
And some, that smile, have in their hearts, I fear,
Millions of mischiefs.
[Exeunt.
James Boswell [1821], The plays and poems of William Shakspeare, with the corrections and illustrations of various commentators: comprehending A Life of the Poet, and an enlarged history of the stage, by the late Edmond Malone. With a new glossarial index (J. Deighton and Sons, Cambridge) [word count] [S10201].
