Loyalty lasts as long as the battle, and when faced with the reality of life among the winners, one ought to change sides. Yet Antony gives a glimpse of the decidedly unromantic realities of war. This belief is an indication of the type of ruler he will be - one who is willing to forget both principles and loyalties. Antony believes that soldiers will always choose what is best for themselves without consideration for their principles and loyalty. Now that he is taken prisoner, and not killed, will Lucilius be as valuable a friend as Antony suggests? Lucilius seems the least likely person to switch allegiances, and by the end of the play there is no clear answer whether he will.
Antony enters the scene, however, tells the soldiers of their mistake, and robs Lucilius of a noble death. In this scene, Antony's soldiers mistake Lucilius for Brutus, the former having taken on the latter's identity in order to protect him, hoping to convince the soldiers that they have captured Brutus, and thus give up looking for him. Antony sets guard over the loyal Lucilius, and he sends his soldiers to search for Brutus and report to him later at Octavius' tent. When Antony arrives and asks for Brutus, Lucilius tells him that Brutus is alive and will never be taken prisoner. He is then left under guard as one of the soldiers runs to bring Antony to the prisoner whom he believes to be Brutus. Young Cato is killed, and Lucilius is captured by Antony's soldiers who think that he is Brutus. He exits, and Young Cato shouts his name and his loyalty to Rome, although some texts credit these lines, showing this loyalty to Brutus and Rome, to Lucilius. He urges them all to stand upright and brave.
On the battlefield, in the midst of fighting, Brutus enters with Young Cato, Lucilius, and others.
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