Pricked

After Caesar's death, the triumvirate exchanged these pleasantries, according to W.S.:

ANTONY
These many, then, shall die. Their names are pricked.

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.

ANTONY
He shall not live. Look, with a spot I damn him.

In these gentler times, at least for the rich and powerful, we tend not to assassinate individuals and take their homes, treasures and slaves, rather we rub out the private institutions that hold wealth. Lehman Bros. was pricked, Merrill Lynch was pricked, over in Europe they're just getting started pricking.

We're seeing one of the greatest redistribution of wealth (and thus power) of all times.

Who gets to live, and who will die? Paulson is just the hit man, the equivalent of the triumvirate is still hidden, but their hands are at work, pricking away.