The Tragedy of Julius Caesar

In plain English

All these men will die; their names are marked for death on the list.

What’s happening

Antony, Octavius, and Lepidus are drawing up a proscription list—condemning political enemies to death. The scene immediately follows the mob violence against Cinna the poet, creating a chilling parallel: the rabble killed a man for his name, and now the new triumvirate does the same with bureaucratic efficiency. Antony speaks with cold authority, treating mass murder as a administrative task.

Worth knowing

'Pricked' means checked off or marked with a pin/pen on a written list. The proscription lists of the Second Triumvirate were historical fact—over 300 senators and 2,000 equites were named and killed, their property seized. Cicero was the most famous victim.

Playing the moment

The line should land with chilling matter-of-factness—the bureaucratic calm after the mob's chaos. A slight pause before 'pricked' allows the word its full weight. Some actors deliver it with weary efficiency; others with quiet relish. Either choice must contrast sharply with the preceding frenzy.

In plain English

Your brother must also be put to death. Do you agree, Lepidus?

What’s happening

The triumvirate is drawing up a proscription list — political enemies to be executed. Antony has just read his list of condemned men. Now Octavius tests Lepidus by demanding the death of Lepidus's own brother. It's a cold power play: Lepidus's consent will prove his loyalty to the alliance and his willingness to sacrifice personal ties for political expediency.

Worth knowing

Lepidus's brother was Lucius Paullus, who had supported the assassins' faction. Historically, Lepidus did consent to his brother's execution, demonstrating the brutal realpolitik of the triumvirate's consolidation of power.

Playing the moment

Deliver with chilling clinical detachment. Octavius is the youngest of the three but here asserts authority — this is a test of Lepidus's obedience, not a question. A slight pause before 'Lepidus?' can land it as a dare rather than an inquiry. Keep the voice level, almost casual; the horror is in the calmness.

In plain English

I agree—

What’s happening

The triumvirate is drawing up a proscription list of political enemies to execute. Octavius has just asked Lepidus to consent to his own brother's death. Lepidus is the weakest member of the trio, and his immediate compliance shows either genuine political ruthlessness or, more likely, his subordinate position and eagerness to please. His hesitation emerges in the following lines when he tries to bargain.

Worth knowing

The proscription scene echoes the historical triumviral proscriptions of 43 BCE, where the three rulers exchanged the lives of relatives to demonstrate mutual trust and commitment. Lepidus consenting to his own brother's death mirrors Plutarch's account.

Playing the moment

Play the dash as a pause—Lepidus starts to agree, then catches himself. The line should carry a beat of discomfort or calculation before he qualifies his consent with conditions. Some actors play it as reflexive submission to Octavius's authority; others as a shrewd pause to leverage a counter-demand. The energy is guarded, not enthusiastic.

In plain English

Write his name on the death list too, Antony.

What’s happening

Octavius冷酷地确认Lepidus已同意处决自己的兄弟，并立即转向Antony，以确保这个名字被正式记录在死刑名单上。亲李们刚刚在街道上暴力致死无辜市民的景象，与此形成对比的是，这三重奏内部同样冷酷、事务性的暴力。Octavius正在维护他的权威，并确保Antony执行这个决定。

Worth knowing

"Prick"这个词指的是在名单上的名字旁边做一个标记——用针或笔在羊皮纸上刺孔——以表示某人的死刑判决。莎士比亚的观众会认出这是一个常见的行政行为，它使杀戮的官僚性质显得更加明显。

Playing the moment

简短、锐利、事务性。Octavius不是一个询问或建议的人；他在指示。能量应该具有权威性和冰冷的效率。不要过度发挥这条线——它的力量在于它的简短和漫不经心。一些演员强调亲李的混乱暴力和这三重奏有条理、平静的暴力之间的对比。

In plain English

I agree—on the condition that Publius is also killed, since he's your sister's son, Mark Antony.

What’s happening

The triumvirate is drawing up a proscription list of political enemies to execute. Lepidus has just consented to his own brother's death, and now he bargains: he'll agree only if Antony's nephew Publius is added too. This is retaliation—Lepidus refuses to be the only one sacrificing family. The moment reveals how coldly transactional these killings have become.

Worth knowing

The historical proscriptions of 43 BCE did involve mutual sacrifice of relatives among the triumvirs. Plutarch reports that Antony demanded Lepidus's brother be killed, and Lepidus retaliated by demanding Antony's uncle. Shakespeare compresses and rearranges these details.

Playing the moment

Play the line as a sharp counter-strike, not a plea. Lepidus is the weakest member of the trio, but here he seizes a moment of leverage. He should sound firm, even vindictive—this is the one time he can make Antony bleed. Some productions play Lepidus as merely weak throughout, but this speech gains power if you show him briefly dangerous.

In plain English

He's dead—I'm marking him for death right now. But Lepidus, go to Caesar's house, bring the will here, and we'll figure out how to reduce some of the bequests Caesar left to the people.

What’s happening

Antony has just agreed to condemn his own nephew to death with chilling casualness, marking the name as casually as checking off an item on a list. He immediately pivots to practical business, sending Lepidus on an errand to fetch Caesar's will—the same will Antony used to rouse the plebeians in Act 3. This moment reveals Antony's cold political calculation: having used the will to stir the crowd, he now plans to quietly renege on Caesar's promises. The swift pivot from condemning his nephew to administrative business shows how efficiently Antony separates emotion from power.

Worth knowing

The word 'damn' in line 1812 carries weight beyond mere condemnation—it echoes the religious language of eternal judgment, making Antony's casual mark on a list feel like he's playing God. 'Charge' in line 1815 means expense or financial burden; the triumvirs plan to honor the letter of Caesar's will while reducing what they actually pay out—a tidy bit of political corruption.

Playing the moment

The line should land with unsettling ease. 'With a spot I damn him' can be played almost playfully—Antony makes a literal mark on a list, but the word 'damn' should carry a frisson of menace. Some actors underline the bitter irony by pausing before 'damn' to savor the power. The pivot to 'But, Lepidus' should feel crisp and efficient—Antony dismisses the murder of his own sister's son as settled business and moves on without a flicker. This moment is often played to show Antony's true colors emerging from beneath his affable exterior.

In plain English

Will you two still be here when I get back?

What’s happening

Lepidus has just been ordered to fetch Caesar's will, essentially sent on an errand by the men who are supposedly his political equals. He needs to confirm where to meet them upon his return. It's a simple logistical question, but it reveals his subordinate position in the triumvirate.

Playing the moment

Play the line as straightforward and practical — Lepidus is compliant, eager to be useful. But a subtle edge of uncertainty or deference can hint that he senses, unconsciously, his diminished status. Don't telegraph the coming betrayal; that's for Antony and Octavius to reveal next.

What’s happening

Lepidus is being sent on an errand to fetch Caesar's will so the triumvirate can rewrite it to save money. Octavius brushes off Lepidus's question about where to meet with a curt, dismissive answer. The brevity signals Octavius's impatience with administrative details and his comfort with power — he's already moving past Lepidus mentally.

Playing the moment

Deliver this line quickly and dismissively — Octavius barely looks up. The curt indifference should contrast with the vicious political scheming that follows. A wave of the hand or already-turned-away body language works well. This is a young man already comfortable wielding power, treating a co-ruler's question as a minor logistical annoyance.

In plain English

This man is insignificant and undeserving—only good enough to run errands. Is it really appropriate that, now the whole world has been divided into three parts, he should be one of the three rulers to share it?

What’s happening

The moment Lepidus leaves, Antony turns on him with contempt. He has just agreed to condemn his own nephew to death without flinching, but now reveals he considers Lepidus utterly unworthy of real power. Antony is testing Octavius, probing whether the young Caesar shares his assessment—or whether Octavius might actually respect Lepidus.

Worth knowing

The historical Lepidus was indeed the weakest member of the Second Triumvirate and was eventually stripped of power by Octavian (the future Augustus). Shakespeare draws on Plutarch's portrayal, which emphasizes Lepidus as a tool used and discarded by the stronger two.

Playing the moment

The shift should be immediate and revealing—contempt replacing the businesslike politeness from moments before. Some actors deliver 'slight, unmeritable' almost as a spit; others keep the tone dangerously cool, saving heat for the question. The rhetorical question 'Is it fit' should land as a genuine challenge to Octavius, not merely venting. Pace should quicken slightly as Antony's disdain builds.

In plain English

You had a higher opinion of him before — you even let him have a say in who should be marked for death in our bloody proscription list.

What’s happening

Octavius is pushing back against Antony's sudden contempt for Lepidus. Antony has just dismissed Lepidus as an errand-boy, but Octavius points out the hypocrisy: Antony himself respected Lepidus enough moments ago to let him help decide who lives and dies. This is an early power struggle between the two remaining triumvirs — Octavius is young but already testing Antony.

Worth knowing

The proscription was a historical event in which the triumvirs compiled an official death list of political enemies. 'Prick'd' refers to the practice of marking a name with a pin or tick on a written list — the physical act of condemning someone to death.

Playing the moment

Play this as cool, measured challenge — not hot anger. Octavius is the youngest man in the room and knows it, but he is staking his authority. A slight pause before 'And took his voice' lets the accusation land. The emphasis should fall on 'you' and 'his voice' — highlighting Antony's hypocrisy. Some productions play Octavius as quietly icy throughout this scene, letting the tension build toward his later dominance.

In plain English

Octavius, I'm older and more experienced than you. We're only giving Lepidus these honors to use him as a beast of burden — he'll carry out our dirty work, then we'll discard him like a donkey turned out to graze on common land once he's delivered what we need.

What’s happening

Antony reveals his cynical manipulation of Lepidus the moment Lepidus leaves the room. He's asserting dominance over Octavius, reminding him who has more experience. This speech exposes Antony's ruthless pragmatism — he views their fellow triumvir as a disposable tool.

Worth knowing

The extended ass metaphor draws from Aesop's fables and was a common Renaissance image for a beast of burden. 'Graze in commons' refers to common grazing land — the lowest form of pasture, reinforcing Lepidus's low status in Antony's eyes.

Playing the moment

Play the shift from public politician to private schemer. Antony drops his diplomatic mask. Some actors play this with amused contempt; others with cold efficiency. The metaphor should build — let the audience see Antony's contempt deepen as he savors the comparison. Physical ease and relaxation can make the cruelty more chilling.

What’s happening

Octavius is pushing back against Antony's contemptuous dismissal of Lepidus. He concedes Antony's authority—he's not picking a fight—but refuses to let Lepidus be discarded without acknowledging the man's proven military worth. A quiet assertion of his own judgment.

Playing the moment

Deliver with restraint—this is a younger man respectfully but firmly disagreeing with an older, more experienced ally. The first line concedes; the second holds ground. Avoid heat; Octavius is measuring his words. A beat between the two lines lets the challenge land without aggression.

In plain English

My horse is also a valiant soldier, and I reward him with plenty of food. He's a creature I train to fight—to wheel, stop, and charge straight ahead, his body controlled by my will. Lepidus is essentially the same: an empty man who copies what others have already discarded. Treat him as a tool, nothing more. Now—Brutus and Cassius are raising armies. We must prepare immediately.

What’s happening

Antony has just dismissed Lepidus as a mere beast of burden; Octavius protested that Lepidus is a brave soldier. Antony's response is devastating—he compares Lepidus to his warhorse to demonstrate that martial courage without intellect makes one an animal, not a leader. Having humored Octavius, Antony pivots sharply to real business: the conspirators are mobilizing, and the triumvirate must plan strategy.

Worth knowing

The word 'property' in this context means a prop or stage property—Antony literally reduces Lepidus to the status of an object. 'Taste' here means 'degree' or 'measure.' The horse metaphor would have resonated with Elizabethan audiences familiar with dressage and warhorse training. Shakespeare's sources (Plutarch) confirm Lepidus was historically marginalized by Antony and Octavius after the triumvirate was formed.

Playing the moment

The speech divides cleanly in two: the contemptuous horse metaphor (lines 1837–1848) and the urgent strategic pivot (1849–1855). The first section should drip with amused disdain—Antany enjoys his own wit. The horse-training verbs ('wind, to stop, to run directly on') can be punched rhythmically, almost like issuing military commands. The turn at 'And now, Octavius, / Listen great things' should shift the energy entirely: faster tempo, sharper consonants, forward momentum. Antony seizes control of the conversation here—he's not just winning an argument, he's taking command. Some actors play the shift as sudden and alarming; others let the strategic section build gradually.

In plain English

Let's do it — we're cornered like animals at the stake, surrounded by enemies, and some of those who smile at us are, I'm afraid, plotting terrible harm.

What’s happening

Octavius cuts short Antony's condescending rant about Lepidus with urgent pragmatism. While Antony enjoys flexing his rhetorical superiority, Octavius focuses on the real threat: Brutus and Cassius are raising armies. This moment reveals Octavius as the more strategically minded leader, less interested in petty power games than in survival. He needs to redirect Antony's energy toward action.

Worth knowing

"At the stake" refers to bear-baiting, a popular Elizabethan entertainment where a chained bear was tormented by attacking dogs. Octavius compares the triumvirate's position to the bear's — surrounded and under siege. "Bayed" is a hunting term for when hounds surround and corner their prey, barking ferociously.

Playing the moment

This speech should land as a decisive shift in energy — Octavius pulls focus from Antony's self-satisfied monologue back to crisis. Some actors play Octavius throughout as quietly watchful, making this the moment he first asserts real authority. The final line on 'mischiefs' should carry weight; it's not naive fear but cold strategic awareness. The contrast between 'smile' and 'millions of mischiefs' invites a dark, knowing delivery.