By what did here befal me. Your wife, and brother, 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 enquire it; And have my learning from some true reports, Discredit my authority with yours; Did he not rather And make the wars alike against my stomach, It must not be with this. Cas. You praise yourself Ant. 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, Cæs. I wrote to you, Ant. He fell upon me, ere admitted: then Sir, Three kings I had newly feasted, and did want Cas. You have broken The article of your oath, which you shall never Lep. Soft, Cæsar. Ant. No, Lepidus, let him speak: The honour's sacred which he talks on now, Cæs. To lend me arms and aid when I requir'd them, The which you both denied. Ant. Lep. 'Tis nobly spoken. Mec. If it might please you, to enforce no farther The griefs between ye: to forget them quite, Were to remember that the present need Speaks to atone1 you. Lep. Worthily spoken, Mecænas. 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. more. Eno. Go to then; you considerate stone. Cas. I do not much dislike the matter, but The manner of his speech; for it cannot be, We shall remain in friendship, our conditions So differing in their acts. Yet, if I knew What hoop should hold us staunch, from edge to edge O' the world I would pursue it. Agr. Give me leave, Cæsar,― 1 Reconcile. 2 your: in folio. Cas. Speak, Agrippa. Agr. Thou hast a sister by the mother's side, Admir'd Octavia: great Mark Antony Is now a widower. Cas. 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 Ant. Will Cæsar speak? Cas. 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,' 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 : 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.* To join our kingdoms, and our hearts; and never 1 of: in f. e. 2 Not in f. e. Lep. 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 At heel of that, defy him. Lep. Of us must Pompey presently be sought, Or else he seeks out us. Ant. Time calls upon us: Where lies he? What's his strength Cæs. About the Mount Misenum. Ant. By land? Cas. Great, and increasing; but by sea He is an absolute master. Ant. So is the fame. Would we had spoke together! Haste we for it; Cæs. With most gladness; And do invite you to my sister's view, Whither straight I'll lead you. Ant. Not lack your company. Lep. Let us, Lepidus, Noble Antony, Not sickness should detain me. [Flourish. Exeunt CÆSAR, ANTONY, and LEPIDUS. Mec. Welcome from Egypt, sir. Eno. Half the heart of Cæsar, worthy Mecanas !— 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; Which to the tune of flutes kept stroke, and made As amorous of their strokes. For her own person, In her pavilion, (cloth of gold and' tissue) Agr. And made a gap in nature. Agr. Rare Egyptian ! Eno. Upon her landing Antony sent to her, Invited her to supper: she replied, It should be better he became her guest, Which she entreated. Our courteous Antony, Whom ne'er the word of "No" woman heard speak, Being barber'd ten times o'er, goes to the feast; And for his ordinary pays his heart 1 of: in f. e. 2 glove in folio. Swell in f. e. 4 Nimbly. |