The third member of the triumvirate, Lepidus is noticeably weaker than both Antony and Octavius. On Pompey’s boat, he gets so drunk that he has to be carried off by servants. After the defeat of Pompey, he is quickly ousted from power by Octavius, paving the way for war between Octavius and Antony.
Lepidus Quotes in Antony and Cleopatra
The Antony and Cleopatra quotes below are all either spoken by Lepidus or refer to Lepidus. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Act 2, Scene 1
Quotes
My powers are crescent, and my auguring hope
Says it will come to the full. Mark Antony
In Egypt sits at dinner, and will make
No wars without doors: Caesar gets money where
He loses hearts: Lepidus flatters both,
Of both is flatter'd; but he neither loves,
Nor either cares for him.
Related Characters:
Sextus Pompey (speaker), Mark Antony, Octavius Caesar, Lepidus
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
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Lepidus Character Timeline in Antony and Cleopatra
The timeline below shows where the character Lepidus appears in Antony and Cleopatra. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Act 1, Scene 4
At Rome, Octavius complains to Lepidus about Antony, who he says drinks and wastes time “in revel.” He says that Antony...
(full context)
...soldier. He hopes that Antony’s shame will drive him to come to Rome. Octavius and Lepidus part, agreeing to meet the next day to discuss strategy regarding Pompey.
(full context)
Act 2, Scene 1
...and the sea is mine.” He thinks that Antony is busy carousing in Egypt, and Lepidus merely flatters Octavius and Antony, not having the true loyalty to either. Menas announces that...
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Pompey worries that Antony’s soldiers are twice as dangerous as those of Octavius and Lepidus, but tells Menas that they should take it as a compliment that their forces have...
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Act 2, Scene 2
In Rome, Lepidus tells Enobarbus to try to get Antony to speak kindly to Octavius. Enobarbus says Antony...
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Lepidus tries to mediate between Antony and Octavius, telling them to put aside their personal differences...
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Antony, Lepidus, and Octavius now turn their attention to Pompey, who is at Mount Misena, south of...
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Act 2, Scene 4
Lepidus speaks with Agrippa and Maecenas as they prepare to fight Pompey. They plan to meet...
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Act 2, Scene 6
Pompey, Octavius, Antony, and Lepidus meet to try to come to a truce before fighting. Pompey speaks of the death...
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...this will upset Octavius. Menas and Enobarbus leave together to join the feast with Pompey, Lepidus, Antony, and Octavius.
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Act 2, Scene 7
...boat, a great feast is taking place. Servants discuss how drunk everyone is getting, especially Lepidus. Antony tells Lepidus all about Egypt, the Nile, and “strange serpents” there. Pompey raises a...
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...table and they speak privately. Menas tells him that he could kill Antony, Octavius, and Lepidus all on the boat and become “lord of all the world.” Pompey says that he...
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The feast continues, and everyone drinks raucously. A servant carries a drunk Lepidus away. Enobarbus suggests that they dance “the Egyptian bacchanals,” and everyone starts dancing as music...
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Act 3, Scene 2
...Agrippa are discussing Octavia, who is sad to leave Rome and her brother. They discuss Lepidus, and joke about whether he loves Antony or Octavius more. Octavius, Antony, Octavia, and Lepidus...
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Act 3, Scene 5
...room of Antony’s house, one of his followers named Eros tells Enobarbus that Octavius and Lepidus have defeated Pompey, but that then Octavius did not let Lepidus “partake in the glory...
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