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, 2 That drew their swords with you. Did he not rather

Discredit my authority with yours;

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.

Cœ.

You praise yourself By laying defects of judgment to me; but

You patch'd up your excuses.

Not so, not so:

Ant.
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
Which 'fronted 3 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.

1 Their contest was proposed as an example for you to follow on a yet more extensive plan.'-Steevens.

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

Ant. So much uncurbable her garboils,1 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.

Ca.

I wrote to you,
When rioting in Alexandria: you
Did pocket up my letters, and with taunts
Did gibe my missive 2 out of audience.

Ant.

Sir,

He fell upon me, ere admitted; then
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 3 wipe him.

Cœ.

You have broken

The article of your oath; which you shall never

Have tongue to charge me with.

Lep.

Soft, Cæsar.

Ant. No, Lepidus, let him speak:

The honor's sacred which he talks on now,
Supposing that I lack'd it: but on, Cæsar:
The article of my oath.-

1 Commotions.
• Conversation.

2 Messenger.

Ca. To lend me arms and aid, when I required

them;

The which you both denied.

Neglected, rather;

Ant. And then, when poison'd hours had bound me up From mine own knowlege. 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.1 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 honor To stoop in such a case.

Lep.

'Tis nobly spoken.

Mec. If it might please you, to enforce no farther The griefs between ye: to forget them quite,

2

Were to remember that the present need

Speaks to atone 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. Eno. That truth should be silent, I had almost forgot.

Ant. You wrong this presence; therefore speak

no more.

1 i. e. without my honesty.

2 Grievances.

Eno. Go to then; your considerate stone. Ca. I do not much dislike the matter, but The manner of his speech; for it cannot be, We shall remain in friendship, our conditions 1 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.

Ca. Speak, Agrippa.

Give me leave, Cæsar,

Agr. Thou hast a sister by the mother's side, Admired Octavia: great Mark Antony

Is now a widower.

Cæ.

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 farther speak.

hearts

Agr. To hold you in perpetual amity, To make you brothers, and to knit your 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,

1 Dispositions.

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?

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

Ant.

If I would say, 'Agrippa, be it so,'

To make this good?

Ca.

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!

Cœ.

There is my hand.

A sister I bequeathe you, whom no brother

Did ever love so dearly. Let her live

To join our kingdoms and our hearts; and never Fly off our loves again!

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,

Lest my remembrance suffer ill report;