5

ACT II.

SCENE I.

Messina. A room in Pompey's house.

Enter POMPEY, MENECRATES, and MENAS,

Pom. If the great gods be just, they shall assist The deeds of justest men.

Menec.

Know, worthy Pompey,

That what they do delay they not deny.

Pom. Whiles we are suitors to their throne, de

cays

The thing we sue for.

Menec.

We, ignorant of ourselves,

Beg often our own harms, which the wise powers

Deny us for our good; so find we profit,

By losing of our prayers.

Pom.

I shall do well:

The people love me, and the sea is mine;

My power 's a crescent, and my auguring hope
Says, it will come to the full. Mark Antony
In Egypt sits at dinner, and will make

No wars without doors: Cæsar gets money, where
He loses hearts: Lepidus flatters both,

Of both is flatter'd; but he neither loves,

Nor either cares for him.

Menas.

Cæsar and Lepidus

Are in the field; a mighty strength they carry.
Pom. Where have you this? 'tis false.

Menas.

From Silvius, sir.

Pom. He dreams: I know, they are in Rome to

gether,

Looking for Antony: but all the charms of love,
Salt Cleopatra, soften thy waned 1 lip!

1

Let witchcraft join with beauty, lust with both!
Tie up the libertine in a field of feasts,
Keep his brain fuming; Epicurean cooks
Sharpen with cloyless sauce his appetite;
That sleep and feeding may prorogue his honor,
Even till a Lethed dulness.-How now, Varrius ?

Enter VARRIUS.

Var. This is most certain that I shall deliver : Mark Antony is every hour in Rome

Expected; since he went from Egypt, 'tis

A space for farther travel.

Pom.

I could have given less matter

A better ear. Menas, I did not think,

This amorous surfeiter would have don'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.

Menas.
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.

I know not, Menas,

Pom. How lesser enmities may give way to greater. Were 't not that we stand up against them all, 1 between them'Twere pregnant they should square

selves;

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 it as our gods will have it! It only stands
Our lives upon to use our strongest hands.
Come, Menas.

[Exeunt.

SCENE II.

Rome. A room in the house of Lepidus.
Enter ENOBARBUS and Lepidus.

Lep. Good Enobarbus, 'tis a worthy deed,
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.

1 Quarrel.

Lep.

'Tis not a time

Eno.

Every time

For private stomaching.

Serves for the matter that is then born in it.

Lep. But small to greater matters must give way. Eno. Not if the small come first.

Enter CESAR, MECENAS, and AGRIPPA.

Ant. If we compose 1 well here, to Parthia: Hark you, Ventidius.

Ca.

I do not know,

Noble friends,

Mecænas; ask Agrippa.

Lep.

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.

2

Ant.

'Tis spoken well.

1 Agree.

2 Ill humor.

Were we before our armies, and to fight,

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

so;

Or, being, concern you not.

Ca.

I must be laugh'd at,

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,

Ca. No more than my residing here at Rome Might be to you in Egypt: yet, if you there Did practise 1 on my state, your being in Egypt Might be my question.2

Ant.

How intend you, practised? Ca. You may be pleased to catch at mine intent, By what did here befal me. Your wife and brother

1 Use bad arts or stratagems.

2 Subject of conversation.