Mark Antony is every hour in Rome
Expected: since he went from Egypt 'tis
A space for further travel.

Pom.

I could have given less matter

A better ear. Menas, I did not think

This amorous surfeiter would have donn'd his helm
For such a petty war: his soldiership

Is twice the other twain: but let us rear
The higher our opinion, that our stirring
Can from the lap of Egypt's widow pluck
The ne'er-lust-wearied Antony.

Men.
I cannot hope
Cæsar and Antony shall well greet together:
His wife that's dead did trespasses to Cæsar;
His brother warr'd upon him; although, I think,
Not moved by Antony.

Pom.

I know not, Menas,

How lesser enmities may give way to greater.

Were't not that we stand up against them all,

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'Twere pregnant they should square between themselves; For they have entertained cause enough

To draw their swords: but how the fear of us
May cement their divisions and bind up
The petty difference, we yet not know.
Be't as our gods will have't! It only stands
Our lives upon to use our strongest hands.
Come, Menas.

SCENE II. Rome. The house of Lepidus.

Enter ENOBARBUS and LEPIDUS.

Lep. Good Enobarbus, 'tis a worthy deed,

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[Exeunt.

And shall become you well, to entreat your captain
To soft and gentle speech.

Eno.

I shall entreat him

To answer like himself: if Cæsar move him,
Let Antony look over Cæsar's head

And speak as loud as Mars. By Jupiter,

Were I the wearer of Antonius' beard,

I would not shave't to-day.

Lep.

'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.
Eno. Not if the small come first.

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Lep.

Your speech is passion: But, pray you, stir no embers up. Here homes The noble Antony.

Enter ANTONY and VENTIDIUS.

Eno.

And yonder, Cæsar.

Enter CASAR, MECENAS, and AGRIPPA.

Ant. If we compose well here, to Parthia: Hark, Ventidius.

That which combined us was most great, and let not
A leaner action rend us. What's amiss,

May it be gently heard: when we debate

Our trivial difference loud, we do commit

Murder in healing wounds: then, noble partners,
The rather, for I earnestly beseech,

Touch you the sourest points with sweetest terms,
Nor curstness grow to the matter.

Ant.

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'Tis spoken well.

[Flourish.

Were we before our armies, and to fight,

I should do thus.

Nay, then.

Cas.

I must be laugh'd at,

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Ant. I learn, you take things ill which are not so,

Or being, concern you not.

If, or for nothing or a little, I

Should say myself offended, and with you

Chiefly i' the world; more laugh'd at, that I should

Once name you derogately, when to sound your name
It not concern'd me.

Ant.

What was't to you?

My being in Egypt, Cæsar,

Ces. No more than my residing here at Rome
Might be to you in Egypt: yet, if you there
Did practise on my state, your being in Egypt
Might be my question.

Ant.
Cas. You may be pleased to catch at mine intent
By what did here befal me. Your wife and brother

How intend you, practised?

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Made wars upon me; and their contestation
Was theme for you, you were the word of war.

Ant. You do mistake your business; my brother never Did urge me in his act: I did inquire it;

And have my learning from some true reports,
That drew their swords with you.

Discredit my authority with yours;

Did he not rather

And make the wars alike against my stomach,
Having alike your cause? Of this my letters
Before did satisfy you. If you'll patch a quarrel,
As matter whole you have not to make it with,
It must not be with this.

You praise yourself
By laying defects of judgment to me; but
You patch'd up your excuses.

Ant.
Not so, not so;
I know you could not lack, I am certain on't,
Very necessity of this thought, that I,

Your partner in the cause 'gainst which he fought,
Could not with graceful eyes attend those wars

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Which fronted mine own peace. As for my wife,

I would you had her spirit in such another:

The third o' the world is yours; which with a snaffle
You may pace easy, but not such a wife.

Eno. Would we had all such wives, that the men might go to wars with the women!

Ant. So much uncurbable, her garboils, Cæsar,

Made out of her impatience, which not wanted
Shrewdness of policy too, I grieving grant

Did you too much disquiet: for that you must
But say, I could not help it.

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Cas.

I wrote to you
When rioting in Alexandria; you

Did pocket up my letters, and with taunts
Did gibe my missive out of audience.

Ant.

He fell upon me ere admitted: then

Sir,

Three kings I had newly feasted, and did want
Of what I was i' the morning: but next day

I told him of myself; which was as much
As to have ask'd him pardon. Let this fellow
Be nothing of our strife; if we contend,
Out of our question wipe him.

You have broken

The article of your oath; which you shall never
Have tongue to charge me with.

Lep.

Soft, Caesar!

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Ant.

Lepidus, let him speak:

No,

The honour is sacred which he talks on now,
Supposing that I lack'd it. But, on, Cæsar;
The article of my oath.

Ces. To lend me arms and aid when I required them:
The which you both denied.

Ant.

Neglected, rather;

And then when poison'd hours had bound me up
From thine own knowledge. As nearly as I may,
I'll play the penitent to you: but mine honesty
Shall not make poor my greatness, nor my power
Work without it. Truth is, that Fulvia,
To have me out of Egypt, made wars here;
For which myself, the ignorant motive, do
So far ask pardon as befits mine honour
To stoop in such a case.

Lep.

"Tis noble spoken.

Mec. If it might please you, to enforce no further
The griefs between ye: to forget them quite
Were to remember that the present need

Speaks to atone you.

Lep.

Worthily spoken, Mecænas.

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100

Eno. Or, if you borrow one another's love for the instant, you may, when you hear no more words of Pompey, return it again: you shall have time to wrangle in when you have nothing else to do.

Ant. Thou art a soldier only: speak no more.

Eno. That truth should be silent I had almost forgot.
Ant. You wrong this presence; therefore speak no more.
Eno. Go to, then; your considerate stone.

Cues. I do not much dislike the matter, but

The manner of his speech; for't cannot be

We shall remain in friendship, our conditions

So differing in their acts. Yet, if I knew

What hoop should hold us stanch, from edge to edge
O' the world I would pursue it.

Agr.

Cars. Speak, Agrippa.

Give me leave, Cæsar,

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Agr. Thou hast a sister by the mother's side,

Admired Octavia: great Mark Antony

Is now a widower.

Cas.

Say not so, Agrippa:

If Cleopatra heard you, your reproof

Were well deserved of rashness.

Ant. I am not married, Cæsar: let me hear Agrippa further 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,

By duty ruminated.

Ant.

Will Cæsar speak?

Ces. Not till he hears how Antony is touch'd With what is spoke already.

What power is in Agrippa,

The power of Cæsar, and

May I never

His power unto Octavia."

Ant.

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 heart of brothers govern in our loves
And sway our great designs!

Cæs.

A sister I bequeath you, whom no brother

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140

150

There is my hand.

Lep.

Did ever love so dearly: let her live

To join our kingdoms and our hearts: and never

Fly off our loves again!

Happily, amen!

Ant. I did not think to draw my sword 'gainst Pompey; For he hath laid strange courtesies and great

Of late upon me: I must thank him only,

Lest my remembrance suffer ill report;

At heel of that, defy him

Lep.

Time calls upon's:

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Of us must Pompey presently be sought,
Or else he seeks out us.