Rome. A Room in Antony's House.
 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.

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
	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,
	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.

Antony	Octavius, I have seen more days than you;
	And though we lay these honours on this man
	To ease ourselves of divers sland'rous 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.

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,
	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
	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
	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,
	And open perils surest answerd.

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.
													[Exeunt.
