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LITERATURE IN ENGLISH Std. 10
JULIUS CAESAR 2024-2025
ACT 4 SCENE 1 & 2
Reference
Antony
These many, then, shall die, their names are prick’d.
Octavious
Your brother too must die; consent you, Lepidus?
1) a) Where was Antony? Who else was with them?
Ans: Antony was in a room in his house, in Rome.
Lepidus was with Antony and Octavious.
b) What have they formed? What is a Proscription?
Ans: They have formed the second triumvirate after Julius Caeser’s assassination.
A Proscription List was a recognized method of taking vengeance upon one’s political
enemies, those they want to kill. A list was drawn by the second triumvirate with the names of
people who supported Brutus and Cassius.
2) What errand has Lepidus been sent on? What did Antony want to do with it? What does this
reveal about Antony’s character?
Ans: Lepidus has been sent to Caesar’s house to fetch Caesar’s will.
Antony wants to determine how to cut off some charge in legacies and keep it for themselves.
This reveals that Antony is opportunistic and ruthless and can go to any lengths to be powerful.
3) a) What question does Antony ask immediately after he has called Lepidus ‘a slight
unmeritable man’?
Ans: After calling Lepidus a weak and unworthy man meant to be sent on errands. Antony asks if
he should be considered as one of the three rulers when the world is divided into three parts of
Europe, Africa and Asia.
b) How does Octavius defend him?
Ans: Octavius asks Antony that if he considers Lepidus an unmeritable man, then why did he take
his vote on who to add to the proscription list.
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4) How does Antony retort back? Describe the comparison of Lepidus with an ass.
Ans: Antony retorts back saying that he has seen more days than Octavius and thus has more
experience than him.
Antony compares Lepidus to an ass that carries a rich load of gold for its master, struggles under
it, led or driven by the master. Once the load has been brought to its destination, it is taken off the
ass. The ass then shakes its ears and starts grazing. In the same manner, Lepidus will take away
some of the slanderous blame from Antony and Octavious, after which the power they have given
him will be taken away from him rendering him to become a common citizen again, deprived of
his fortune.
5) What does Octavius say then?
Ans: Octavius tells Antony that he may what pleases him but Lepidus is a tried and valiant soldier.
6) What does Antony then compare Lepidus to? Explain.
Ans: Antony then compares Lepidus to his horse. Antony’s horse is an experienced and brave
fighting creature, and for that Antony provides it food. He teaches it how to fight, to wind (turn),
to stop or to run directly on (straight ahead). All its corporal movements (bodily movements) are
controlled by Antony’s spirit. Similarly, Lepidus is so, to some extent. He needs to be taught, and
trained, and instructed by others to go ahead.
7) What did Antony then suggest to Octavius that they should do? Why did they want ‘to sit in
council’?
Ans: Since Brutus and Cassius are raising armies, Antony and Octavius too must immediately get
support from their allies and combine the troops into one united army. They must make best use of
their resources and advance against Brutus and Cassius.
They want to ‘sit in council’ to decide as to how things that are not known to the public be
revealed to them, and how the open perils can be best dealt with.
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ACT IV SC 2
Brutus
He greets me well. Your master, Pindarus,
In his own change, or by ill officers,
Hath given me some worthy cause to wish
Things done undone. But, if he be at hand,
I shall be satisfied
1) Where does this scene take place? Who is ‘He’ referred to here? Who is Lucilius?
Ans: This scene takes place in a camp near Sardis ( present day Turkey), in the rebel camp
Cassius is referred to as ‘He’ in the above extract.
Lucilius is a friend of Brutus and Cassius.
2) What does he ask when Brutus calls Lucillius to speak to him privately?
Ans: Brutus asks Lucillius how Cassius had received him, to know if there was any change in his
attitude towards them.
3) How does Brutus describe his relationship with ‘He’? How does he continue to describe
hollow men?
Ans: Brutus describes his relationship with Cassius as a ‘hot friend cooling.’
Brutus says that when love begins to sicken and decay, it becomes an enforced ceremony
(unnatural and constrained formality). In friendship, there are no tricks (deceits). According to
Brutus, hollow (insincere) men make a gallant show of being hot at hand (eager) so long as they
are held back. But when they are put to the test, they fall (droop) their crests (proud necks) like
worthless horses. Brutus compares the ‘hollow men’ to ‘horses’.
4) Why is this scene important?
Ans: This scene reveals the weakness of the republican party, as we see a rift between Brutus and
Cassius.
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