Act at a glance
- IV.1 (Rome): the triumvirs prick names; Lepidus's brother and Antony's nephew Publius condemned; Lepidus sent for the will "to cut off some charge in legacies"; "a slight unmeritable man, / Meet to be sent on errands"; "as the ass bears gold"; "So is my horse"; "a barren-spirited fellow"; "a property"; Brutus and Cassius levying powers; "at the stake, / And bay'd about".
- IV.2 (near Sardis): "a hot friend cooling"; "enforced ceremony"; "hollow men … like deceitful jades"; "Most noble brother, you have done me wrong"; into the tent.
- IV.3 (the tent): Lucius Pella and the Sardians; "an itching palm"; "Remember March"; "bay the moon"; "elder soldier, not a better"; "arm'd so strong in honesty"; the gold for his legions — "coin my heart"; "I denied you not" — the messenger a fool; "Come, Antony, and young Octavius, come"; "Strike, as thou didst at Caesar"; the lamb and the flint; "Give me your hand." "And my heart too."; the Poet; "Portia is dead" — swallowed fire; wine; Messala: a hundred senators, Cicero dead, enemy to Philippi; Cassius: wait; Brutus: "There is a tide …"; Lucius's music; the Ghost: "thou shalt see me at Philippi".
Common traps
| Trap | Correct idea |
|---|---|
| "slight unmeritable man" = Octavius | It is Lepidus (2025 specimen). |
| Cassius wanted to march to Philippi | Cassius wanted to wait; Brutus wanted to march. |
| Cassius admitted refusing the gold | He blamed the messenger: "I denied you not." |
| Lucius Pella was Brutus's friend | He was defended by Cassius and condemned by Brutus. |
| Portia was killed by soldiers | She swallowed fire, in grief and distraction. |
| Everyone saw the Ghost | Only Brutus saw it. |