SCENE IV. Athens. A Room in Antony's House. Enter ANTONY and OCTAVIA. Ant. Nay, nay, Octavia, not only that,That were excusable, that, and thousands more Of semblable import,-but he hath wag'd New wars 'gainst Pompey; made his will, and read it Spoke scantly of me: when perforce he could not Oct. And the good gods will mock me presently, O, bless my brother! Husband win, win brother, Gentle Octavia, Ant. Let your best love draw to that point, which seeks Best to preserve it: If I lose mine honour, I lose myself: better I were not yours, Than yours so branchless. But, as you requested, Or did it from his teeth.] Whether this means, as we now say, in spite of his teeth, or that he spoke through his teeth, so as to be purposely indistinct, is uncertain. Yourself shall go between us: The mean time, lady, your soonest haste; Oct. Thanks to my lord. The Jove of power make me most weak, most weak, Your reconciler! Wars 'twixt you twain would be2 As if the world should cleave, and that slain men Should solder up the rift. Ant. When it appears to you where this begins, Can equally move with them. Provide your going; SCENE V. The same. Another Room in the same. Enter ENOBARBUS and EROS, meeting. Eno. How now, friend Eros? Eros. There's strange news come, sir. Eno. What, man? Eros. Cæsar and Lepidus have made wars upon Pompey. Eno. This is old; What is the success? Eros. Cæsar, having made use of him in the wars 'gainst Pompey, presently denied him rivality; would not let him partake in the glory of the action: and not resting here, accuses him of letters he had Wars 'twixt you twain would be, &c.] The sense is, that war between Cæsar and Antony would engage the world between them, and that the slaughter would be great in so extensive a commotion. 3 rivality;] Equal rank. formerly wrote to Pompey; upon his own appeal,* seizes him: So the poor third is up, till death enlarge his confine. Eno. Then, world, thou hast a pair of chaps, no more; And throw between them all the food thou hast, They'll grind the one the other. Where's Antony? Eros. He's walking in the garden-thus; and spurns The rush that lies before him; cries, Fool, Lepidus! And threats the throat of that his officer, That murder'd Pompey. Eno. Our great navy's rigged. Eros. For Italy, and Cæsar. More, Domitius;5 My lord desires you presently: my news I might have told hereafter. Eno. "Twill be naught: [Exeunt. But let it be.-Bring me to Antony. Eros. Come, sir. SCENE VI. Rome. A Room in Cæsar's House. Enter CESAR, AGRIPPA, and MECENAS. Cæs. Contemning Rome, he has done all this: In Alexandria, here's the manner of it, upon his own appeal,] To appeal, in Shakspeare, is to accuse; Cæsar seized Lepidus without any other proof than Cæsar's accusation. More, Domitius;] I have something more to tell you, which I might have told at first, and delayed my news. Antony requires your presence. Were publickly enthron'd: at the feet, sat He gave Of lower Syria, Cyprus, Lydia, Absolute queen. Mec. This in the publick eye? Cas. I' the common show-place, where they exercise. His sons he there proclaim'd, The kings of kings: He gave to Alexander; to Ptolemy he assign'd In the habiliments of the goddess Isis Mec. Inform'd. gave Let Rome be thus audience Agr. Who, queasy with his insolence Already, will their good thoughts call from him. Cas. The people know it; and have now receiv'd His accusations. Agr. Whom does he accuse? Cæs. Cæsar: and that, having in Sicily Sextus Pompeius spoil'd, we had not rated him His part o' the isle: then does he say, he lent me Some shipping unrestor'd: lastly, he frets, That Lepidus of the triumvirate Should be depos'd; and, being, that we detain Agr. Sir, this should be answer'd. Cæs. 'Tis done already, and the messenger gone. I have told him, Lepidus was grown too cruel; That he his high authority abus'd, And did deserve his change; for what I have conquer'd, I grant him part; but then, in his Armenia, Mec. He'll never yield to that. Enter OCTAVIA. Oct. Hail, Cæsar, and my lord! hail, most dear Cæs. That ever I should call thee, cast-away! come not Like Cæsar's sister: The wife of Antony Oct. Cas. • The ostent of our love,] for-ostentation. |