Page:Julius Caesar (1919) Yale.djvu/79

Julius Cæsar, IV. i  And though we lay these honours on this man, To ease ourselves of divers slanderous loads, 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, Like to the empty ass, to shake his ears, And graze in commons.

Oct. You may do your will; But he's a tried and valiant soldier.

Ant. So is my horse, Octavius; and for that I do appoint him store of provender. 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; A barren-spirited fellow; one that feeds On objects, arts, and imitations Which, out of use and stal'd by other men, Begin his fashion: do not talk of him But as a property. And now, Octavius, Listen great things: Brutus and Cassius Are levying powers; we must straight make head; Therefore let our alliance be combin'd, Our best friends made, and our best means stretch'd out;  26 empty: unladen, worthless 27 commons: public pasture 30 appoint: assign 32 wind: turn 34 taste: measure, degree 36 barren-spirited: lacking initiative 37 objects: objects of interest, in general; cf. n. arts: works of art; cf. n. imitations: conventional forms, empty counterfeits 38 stal'd: outworn, made stale 39 Begin his fashion: are to him the height of fashion 40 property: instrument, tool 41 Listen: hear 42 powers: armed forces make head: raise an army 43 combin'd: confirmed 44 made: made sure stretch'd out: strained to the utmost 