Cæsar and Lepidus Are in the field: a mighty strength they carry. Let witchcraft join with beauty, lust with both : Var. This is most certain, that I shall deliver. Pom. May cement their divisions, and bind up [Exeunt. SCENE II.-Rome. A Room in the House of LEPIDUS. Lep. Good Enobarbus, 'tis a worthy deed, Eno. I shall entreat him To answer like himself: if Cæsar move him, And speak as lond as Mars. By Jupiter, I would not shave 't to-day. Lep. For private stomaching. Eno. "Tis not a time Every time Serves for the matter that is then born in 't. Lep. But small to greater matters must give way. Your speech is passion: Eno. Enter ANTONY and VENTIDIUS. Enter CESAR, MECENAS, and AGRIPPA. Cæs. Mecænas; ask Agrippa. Lep. I do not know, Noble friends, That which combin'd us was most great, and let not May it be gently heard: when we debate I could have given less matter Touch you the sourest points with sweetest terms, A better ear.-Menas, I did not think, Is twice the other twain. But let us rear I cannot hope, Pom. For they have entertained cause enough To draw their swords: but how the fear of us Cæs. No more than my residing here at Rome Ant. Ant. You do mistake your business: my brother never And make the wars alike against my stomach, Cæs. You praise yourself By laying defects of judgment to me; but You patch'd up your excuses. Ant. Not so; not so; Your partner in the cause 'gainst which he fought, Eno. Would we had all such wives, that the men might go to wars with the women! Ant. So much uncurbable, her garboils, Cæsar, I wrote to you, Ant. Sir, Ant. Thou art a soldier only: speak no more. Is now a widower. Cæs. Say not so, Agrippa: If Cleopatra heard you, your reproof Were well deserv'd for rashness. Ant. I am not married, Cæsar: let me hear Agrippa farther speak. Agr. To hold you in perpetual amity, To make you brothers, and to knit your hearts With an unslipping knot, take Antony Octavia to his wife; whose beauty claims No worse a husband than the best of men, Whose virtue and whose general graces speak That which none else can utter. By this marriage, All little jealousies, which now seem great, And all great fears, which now import their dangers, Would then be nothing: truths would be tales, Where now half tales be truths: her love to both, Would, each to other, and all loves to both, Draw after her. Pardon what I have spoke, For 'tis a studied, not a present thought, My duty ruminated. Ant. Will Cæsar speak? Cæs. Not till he hears how Antony is touch'd With what is spoke already. Ant. What power is in Agrippa, If I would say, "Agrippa, be it so," To make this good? Cæs. The power of Cæsar, and His power unto Octavia. Ant. May I never To this good purpose, that so fairly shows, Dream of impediment!-Let me have thy hand: Further this act of grace, and from this hour, The hearts of brothers govern in our loves, And sway our great designs. Cæs. There is my hand. A sister I bequeath you, whom no brother [ANT. takes it. Did ever love so dearly: let her live Lep. Happily, amen. Ant. I did not think to draw my sword 'gainst Pom pey; For he hath laid strange courtesies, and great, Of late upon me: I must thank him, only Would we had spoke together! Haste we for it; Cæs. Ant. Not lack your company. Lep. With most gladness; Let us, Lepidus, Noble Antony, Not sickness should detain me. Eno. Half the heart of Cæsar, worthy Mecænas!my honourable friend, Agrippa !— Agr. Good Enobarbus! Mec. We have cause to be glad, that matters are so well digested. You stay'd well by it in Egypt. Eno. Ay, sir; we did sleep day out of countenance, and made the night light with drinking. Mec. Eight wild boars roasted whole at a breakfast, and but twelve persons there; is this true? Eno. This was but as a fly by an eagle: we had much more monstrous matter of feast, which worthily deserved noting. Mec. She's a most triumphant lady, if report be square to her. Eno. When she first met Mark Antony, she pursed up his heart, upon the river of Cydnus. Agr. There she appeared indeed, or my reporter devised well for her. Eno. I will tell you. The barge she sat in, like a burnish'd throne, The winds were love-sick with them: the oars were silver; Agr. For what his eyes eat only. Agr. Royal wench! She made great Cæsar lay his sword to bed; He plough'd her, and she cropp'd. Eno. I saw her once Hop forty paces through the public street; And, breathless, power breathe forth. Mec. Now Antony must leave her utterly. Age cannot wither her, nor custom stale Mec. If beauty, wisdom, modesty, can settle Agr. Let us go. Good Enobarbus, make yourself my guest, Whilst you abide here. Eno. SCENE III.-The Same. A Room in CÆSAR's House. Humbly, sir, I thank you. [Exeunt. Enter CESAR, ANTONY, OCTAVIA between them; Attendants. Ant. The world, and my great office, will sometimes Divide me from your bosom. Octa. All which time, Before the gods my knee shall bow with prayers To them for you. Ant. Good night, sir.—My Octavia, Read not my blemishes in the world's report: I have not kept my square, but that to come Shall all be done by the rule. Good night, dear lady.— Good night, sir. Cæs. Good night. [Exeunt CESAR and OCTAVIA. Enter a Soothsayer. Ant. Now, sirrah: you do wish yourself in Egypt. Sooth. Would I had never come from thence, nor you thither! Ant. If you can, your reason? Sooth. I see it in my motion, have it not in my tongue but yet hie you to Egypt again. Ant. Say to me, whose fortune shall rise higher, Cæsar's, or mine? Sooth. Cæsar's. Therefore, O Antony! stay not by his side: Ant. When he shines by. I say again, thy spirit Get thee gone: Ant. [Exit Soothsayer. I' the east my pleasure lies.-O! come, Ventidius, You must to Parthia: your commission's ready; Follow me, and receive it. [Exeunt. Cleo. Let it alone; let 's to billiards: come, Charmian. Char. My arm is sore, best play with Mardian. Cleo. As well a woman with an eunuch play'd, As with a woman.-Come, you'll play with me, sir? Mar. As well as I can, madam. Mess. First, madam, he is well. But, sirrah, mark, we use Why, there's more gold. To say, the dead are well: bring it to that, The gold I give thee will I melt, and pour Down thy ill-uttering throat. Mess. Good madam, hear me. Well, go to, I will; 'Twas merry, when You wager'd on your angling; when your diver Did hang a salt-fish on his hook, which he With fervency drew up. Cleo. : That time,-O times!I laugh'd him out of patience; and that night I laugh'd him into patience and next morn, Ere the ninth hour, I drunk him to his bed; Then, put my tires and mantles on him, whilst I wore his sword Philippian. Enter ELIS, a Messenger. Mess. Will't please you hear me? Cleo. I have a mind to strike thee, ere thou speak'st: Yet, if thou say, Antony lives, 'tis well; Or friends with Cæsar, or not captive to him, I'll set thee in a shower of gold, and hail Rich pearls upon thee. O! from Italy?— Ram thou thy fruitful tidings in mine ears, That long time have been barren. Mess. Cleo. Madam, he's well. Well said. But yet, madam,Cleo. I do not like "but yet," it does allay The good precedence; fie upon "but yet!" "But yet" is as a gaoler to bring forth Some monstrous malefactor. Pr'ythee, friend, Pour out the pack of matter to mine ear, The good and bad together. He's friends with Cæsar; In state of health, thou say'st; and, thou say'st, free. Mess. Free, madam? no; I made no such report: He's bound unto Octavia. Melt Egypt into Nile! and kindly creatures Though it be honest, it is never good Mess. I have done my duty. Is he married? I cannot hate thee worser than I do, If thou again say, Yes. He's married, madam. Cleo. The gods confound thee! dost thou hold there still? Mess. Should I lie, madam? Cleo. O! I would, thou didst, So half my Egypt were submerg'd, and made A cistern for scal'd snakes. Go, get thee hence: Hadst thou Narcissus in thy face, to me Thou would'st appear most ugly. He is married? Mess. I crave your highness' pardon. Cleo. He is married? Mess. Take no offence, that I would not offend you: To punish me for what you make me do, Seems much unequal. He is married to Octavia. Cleo. O! that his fault should make a knave of thee, That art not! What! thou'rt sure of?-Get thee hence: The merchandise which thou hast brought from Rome, Are all too dear for me: lie they upon thy hand, And be undone by 'em! [Exit Messenger. Char. Good your highness, patience. Cleo. In praising Antony, I have disprais'd Cæsar. Char. Many times, madam. Cleo. Lead me from hence; I am paid for't now. I faint.-O Iras! Charmian!-'Tis no matter.- The colour of her hair: bring me word quickly.— [Exit ALEXAS. Let him for ever go?-let him not-Charmian, [To MARDIAN. Bring me word, how tall she is.-Pity me, Charmian, But do not speak to me.-Lead me to my chamber. [Exeunt. SCENE VI.-Near Misenum. Flourish. Enter POMPEY and MENAS, at one side, with Drum and Trumpet: at another, CESAR, LEPIDUS, ANTONY, ENOBARBUS, MECENAS, with Soldiers marching. Pom. Your hostages I have, so have you mine; And we shall talk before we fight. Cæs. Most meet, That first we come to words; and therefore have we Pom. Το you all three, 815 The senators alone of this great world, Chief factors for the gods.-I do not know, Wherefore my father should revengers want, Having a son, and friends; since Julius Cæsar, Who at Philippi the good Brutus ghosted, There saw you labouring for him. What was it, That mov'd pale Cassius to conspire? And what Made the all-honour'd, honest, Roman Brutus, With the arm'd rest, courtiers of beauteous freedom, To drench the Capitol, but that they would Have one man but a man? And that is it Hath made me rig my navy, at whose burden The anger'd ocean foams; with which I meant To scourge th' ingratitude that despiteful Rome Cast on my noble father. Cæs. Take your time. Ant. Thou canst not fear us, Pompey, with thy sails; How much we do o'er-count thee. We'll speak with thee at sea at land, thou know'st Pom. At land, indeed, Thou dost o'er-count me of my father's house: But, since the cuckoo builds not for himself, Remain in't as thou may'st. Lep. (For this is from the present) The offers we have sent you. Cæs. how you take Be pleas'd to tell us, There's the point. Ant. Which do not be entreated to, but weigh What it is worth embrac'd. Cæs. To try a larger fortune. Pom. And what Of Sicily, Sardinia; and I must Cæs. Ant. Lep. That's our offer. Know then, I came before you here, a man prepar'd Pom. Let me have your hand. I did not think, sir, to have met you here. [They take Hands. Ant. The beds i' the east are soft; and thanks to you, That call'd me timelier than my purpose hither, For I have gain'd by it. Cæs. There is a change upon you. Pom. What counts harsh fortune casts upon my face, Well met here. Cæs. That's the next to do. Pom. We'll feast each other, ere we part; and let us Draw lots who shall begin. Ant. That will I, Pompey. Pom. No, Antony, take the lot; but, first |