Julius Caesar — Act IV, Scenes 1 to 3: Section by section

Section 1 — The proscription (IV.1)

• What happens: Antony, Octavius and Lepidus mark the names of men to be killed; Lepidus gives up his brother and Antony his nephew Publius.
• Key lines explained:
  • "These many, then, shall die; their names are prick'd." — prick'd = marked with a pin-prick on a list.
  • "He shall not live; look, with a spot I damn him." — Antony condemns his own nephew Publius with a mark of the pen.
  • "How to cut off some charge in legacies" — reduce the money Caesar left the people; the will was only a weapon for Antony.
• Exam focus: contrast with Antony's attitude in the Forum.

Section 2 — Antony on Lepidus (IV.1)

• What happens: Antony belittles Lepidus as soon as he leaves; Octavius defends him mildly.
• Key lines explained:
  • "This is a slight unmeritable man, / Meet to be sent on errands" — insignificant, without merit, fit only to run errands. (2025 specimen Q1(iv))
  • "He shall but bear them as the ass bears gold" — simile; Lepidus will carry the blame and burden for them and then be turned out to graze.
  • "So is my horse, Octavius" — Antony compares Lepidus to his horse: trained, fed, useful, but without a will of its own.
  • "He must be taught, and train'd, and bid go forth; / A barren-spirited fellow" — without original ideas or spirit. (2027 specimen Q1(iv))
  • "do not talk of him, / But as a property" — think of him only as a tool.
  • "we are at the stake, / And bay'd about with many enemies" — imagery of bear-baiting: a bear tied to a stake and surrounded by barking dogs.

Section 3 — Before the tent (IV.2)

• What happens: Lucilius reports Cassius's cooler manner; Cassius arrives with a complaint; they go inside to argue.
• Key lines explained:
  • "A hot friend cooling" — a friendship losing its warmth.
  • "When love begins to sicken and decay, / It useth an enforced ceremony" — failing friendship hides behind forced politeness.
  • "hollow men, like horses hot at hand … like deceitful jades, / Sink in the trial" — simile; false friends make a fine show but fail when tested.
  • "Most noble brother, you have done me wrong." — Cassius's opening complaint.
  • "Before the eyes of both our armies here … Let us not wrangle" — Brutus's concern for appearances and discipline.

Section 4 — The accusations (IV.3)

• What happens: Cassius complains about Lucius Pella; Brutus accuses Cassius of an itching palm; Brutus recalls the Ides of March.
• Key lines explained:
  • "You have condemn'd and noted Lucius Pella / For taking bribes here of the Sardians" — noted = publicly disgraced. (2025 specimen Q3(iv))
  • "every nice offence should bear his comment" — nice = trivial; Cassius thinks small faults should be overlooked in war.
  • "you yourself / Are much condemn'd to have an itching palm" — a greedy hand, always wanting money.
  • "Remember March, the ides of March remember: / Did not great Julius bleed for justice' sake?" — Brutus holds on to the ideal that justified the assassination.
  • "I had rather be a dog, and bay the moon, / Than such a Roman." — he would rather be a howling dog than a corrupt Roman.

Section 5 — The heat of the quarrel (IV.3)

• What happens: insults and threats are exchanged; Brutus is scornful, Cassius wounded.
• Key lines explained:
  • "I am a soldier, I, / Older in practice, abler than yourself / To make conditions." — Cassius claims more military experience.
  • "I said, an elder soldier, not a better" — Cassius backs down on the word.
  • "There is no terror, Cassius, in your threats, / For I am arm'd so strong in honesty / That they pass by me as the idle wind" — Brutus's pride in his honesty; simile.

Section 6 — The gold (IV.3)

• What happens: Brutus complains that Cassius refused him gold to pay his legions.
• Key lines explained:
  • "I can raise no money by vile means" — Brutus will not raise money dishonestly. (2025 specimen Q3(iii))
  • "I had rather coin my heart, / And drop my blood for drachmas, than to wring / From the hard hands of peasants their vile trash / By any indirection" — vivid metaphor; vile trash = money; indirection = crooked means.
  • "he was but a fool that brought / My answer back" — Cassius blames the messenger. (2025 specimen Q3(ii))
  • "A friend should bear his friend's infirmities" — friends should tolerate each other's weaknesses.
  • "A flatterer's would not, though they do appear / As huge as high Olympus" — hyperbole.
• Exam focus: Brutus's hypocrisy (2027 specimen Q1(iii)).

Section 7 — Cassius's outburst and the reconciliation (IV.3)

• What happens: Cassius invites death; Brutus softens; they shake hands.
• Key lines explained:
  • "Come, Antony, and young Octavius, come, / Revenge yourselves alone on Cassius" — frustration and despair. (2027 specimen Q1(vi))
  • "Hated by one he loves; braved by his brother; / Check'd like a bondman" — defied and scolded like a slave.
  • "Strike, as thou didst at Caesar" — emotional blackmail; he reminds Brutus that he loved Caesar more.
  • "yoked with a lamb / That carries anger as the flint bears fire" — Brutus's anger is like a spark from flint: quick, then cold.
  • "Give me your hand. — And my heart too." — the reconciliation.

Section 8 — Portia, Philippi and the Ghost (IV.3)

• What happens: Brutus reveals Portia's death; news of the proscriptions and the enemy's march; the council of war; the Ghost.
• Key lines explained:
  • "No man bears sorrow better. Portia is dead." — Stoic restraint hides deep grief.
  • "In this I bury all unkindness, Cassius." — the bowl of wine seals their friendship.
  • "'Tis better that the enemy seek us" — Cassius's plan. (2025 specimen Q1(v))
  • "There is a tide in the affairs of men, / Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune" — extended metaphor of the sea and tides.
  • "Thy evil spirit, Brutus." / "thou shalt see me at Philippi" — the Ghost's prophecy.