Category: Anne of Green Gables

edMe Reading app for Anne of Green Gables(TM). It has high-quality formative questions to ensure that your student gets the most out of this great book.

Posted on by

Question #13

What does Mark Antony mean in this quote?

""It is a creature that I teach to fight,
To wind, to stop, to run directly on,
His corporal motion govern'd by my spirit."Act 4, Scene 1, Line 35–37





Posted on by

Act 4, page 0

Table of Contents

ACT IV SCENE I Setting: A house in Rome.

ANTONY, OCTAVIUS, and LEPIDUS, seated at a table.

ANTONY These many, then, shall die; their names are prick'd.
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. 5
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? 10
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 three–fold world divided, he should stand
One of the three to share it?
OCTAVIUS So you thought him;
And took his voice who should be prick'd 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 slanderous loads, 20
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, 25
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: 30
It is a creature that I teach to fight,
To wind, to stop, to run directly on,
His corporal motion govern'd by my spirit.
And, in some taste, is Lepidus but so;
He must be taught and train'd and bid go forth; 35
A barren–spirited fellow; one that feeds
On abjects, orts 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, 40
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 stretch'd
And let us presently go sit in council, 45
How covert matters may be best disclosed,
And open perils surest answered.
OCTAVIUS Let us do so: for we are at the stake,
And bay'd about with many enemies;
And some that smile have in their hearts, I fear, 50
Millions of mischiefs.
Exeunt

Posted on by

Act 4, page 1

Table of Contents

ACT IV SCENE II Setting: Camp near Sardis. Before BRUTUS's tent.

Drum. Enter BRUTUS, LUCILIUS, LUCIUS, and Soldiers; TITINIUS and PINDARUS meeting them.

BRUTUS Stand, ho!
LUCILIUS Give the word, ho! and stand.
BRUTUS What now, Lucilius! is Cassius near?
LUCILIUS He is at hand; and Pindarus is come
To do you salutation from his master. 5
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.
PINDARUS I do not doubt 10
But that my noble master will appear
Such as he is, full of regard and honour.
BRUTUS He is not doubted. A word, Lucilius;
How he received you, let me be resolved.
LUCILIUS With courtesy and with respect enough; 15
But not with such familiar instances,
Nor with such free and friendly conference,
As he hath used of old.
BRUTUS Thou hast described
A hot friend cooling: ever note, Lucilius,
When love begins to sicken and decay, 20
It useth an enforced ceremony.
There are no tricks in plain and simple faith;
But hollow men, like horses hot at hand,
Make gallant show and promise of their mettle;
But when they should endure the bloody spur, 25
They fall their crests, and, like deceitful jades,
Sink in the trial. Comes his army on?
LUCILIUS They mean this night in Sardis to be quarter'd;
The greater part, the horse in general,
Are come with Cassius.
BRUTUS Hark! he is arrived. 30
Low march within
March gently on to meet him.
Enter CASSIUS and his powers.
CASSIUS Stand, ho!
BRUTUS Stand, ho! Speak the word along.
First Soldier Stand!
Second Soldier Stand! 35
Third Soldier Stand!
CASSIUS Most noble brother, you have done me wrong.
BRUTUS Judge me, you gods! wrong I mine enemies?
And, if not so, how should I wrong a brother?
CASSIUS Brutus, this sober form of yours hides wrongs;
And when you do them––
BRUTUS Cassius, be content. 41
Speak your griefs softly: I do know you well.
Before the eyes of both our armies here,
Which should perceive nothing but love from us,
Let us not wrangle: bid them move away;
Then in my tent, Cassius, enlarge your griefs,
And I will give you audience.
CASSIUS Pindarus,
Bid our commanders lead their charges off
A little from this ground.
BRUTUS Lucilius, do you the like; and let no man 50
Come to our tent till we have done our conference.
Let Lucius and Titinius guard our door.
Exeunt

Posted on by

Question #15

What does Brutus mean in this quote?

"By the gods
You shall digest the venom of your spleen,
Though it do split you; for, from this day forth,
I'll use you for my mirth, yea, for my laughter,
When you are waspish."Act 4, Scene 3, Line 50–55