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Act 4, Scene 1 — Caesar’s Camp at Alexandria.
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The argument Caesar reads Antony's challenge to single combat with contemptuous amusement, orders the final battle for tomorrow, and feeds his army on Antony's deserters.
Enter Caesar, Agrippa, and Maecenas, with his army.
Caesar reading a letter.
CAESAR ≋ verse CAESAR speaks

He calls me boy, and chides as he had power

To beat me out of Egypt. My messenger

He hath whipped with rods; dares me to personal combat,

Caesar to Antony. Let the old ruffian know

I have many other ways to die; meantime

Laugh at his challenge.

He calls me boy, and chides as he had power To beat me out of Egypt. My messenger He hath whipped with rods; dares me to personal combat, Caesar to Antony. Let the old ruffian know I have many other ways to die; meantime Laugh at his challenge.

He calls me boy, and chides as he had power To beat me out of Egypt. My messenger He hath whipped with rods; dares me to personal combat, Caesar to Antony. Let the old ruffian know I have many other ways to die; meantime Laugh at his challenge.

he calls me boy, and chides as he had power to beat me out of egypt. my messenger he hath whipped with rods; dares me to personal combat, caesar to an

MAECENAS ≋ verse MAECENAS speaks

Caesar must think,

When one so great begins to rage, he’s hunted

Even to falling. Give him no breath, but now

Make boot of his distraction. Never anger

Made good guard for itself.

Caesar must think, When one so great begins to rage, he’s hunted Even to falling. Give him no breath, but now Make boot of his distraction. Never anger Made good guard for itself.

Caesar must think, When one so great begins to rage, he’s hunted Even to falling. Give him no breath, but now Make boot of his distraction. Never anger Made good guard for itself.

caesar must think, when one so great begins to rage, he’s hunted even to falling. give him no breath, but now make boot of his distraction. never ange

CAESAR ≋ verse CAESAR speaks

Let our best heads

Know that tomorrow the last of many battles

We mean to fight. Within our files there are,

Of those that served Mark Antony but late,

Enough to fetch him in. See it done,

And feast the army; we have store to do’t,

And they have earned the waste. Poor Antony!

Let our best heads Know that tomorrow the last of many battles We mean to fight. Within our files there are, Of those that served Mark Antony but late, Enough to fetch him in. See it done, And feast the army; we have store to do’t, And they have earned the waste. Poor Antony!

Let our best heads Know that tomorrow the last of many battles We mean to fight. Within our files there are, Of those that served Mark Antony but late, Enough to fetch him in. See it done, And feast the army; we have store to do’t, And they have earned the waste. Poor Antony!

let our best heads know that tomorrow the last of many battles we mean to fight. within our files there are, of those that served mark antony but late

🎭 Dramatic irony Caesar says he has enough of Antony's former men in his ranks to capture him — and the audience has just watched Enobarbus decide to leave in 3-13. He is about to become exactly one of those men.
[_Exeunt._]

The Reckoning

A brief, cold scene of winning. Caesar doesn't rage at Antony's challenge — he laughs. Then he feeds his army on the men who used to serve Antony. The phrase 'Poor Antony!' as the final word of the scene is Caesar's truest self: not cruelty, but a kind of efficient pity for a man he has already defeated in his mind.

If this happened today…

The winning bidder in an acquisition hears that the old CEO sent a personal challenge to a public debate. He chuckles, shows it to his advisor. 'Should we respond?' 'Of course not.' 'Good. Throw a party for the staff — the ones who transferred over.' He signs off on the catering order. 'Poor guy,' he says, walking out.

Continue to 4.2 →