Of both is flattered; but he neither loves,'
Nor either cares for him.

Men. Cæsar and Lepidus are in the field;
A mighty strength they carry.

Pom. Where have you this? 't is false.
Men.

From Silvius, sir.

Pom. He dreams; I know they are in Rome together,
Looking for Antony. But all the charms of love,
Salt Cleopatra, soften thy waned lip!

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 honour
Even till a Lethed dulness-3

Enter VARRIUS.

How now, Varrius?

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

Expected; since he went from Egypt, 't is

A

space for farther travel.4

Pom.

I could have given less matter

A better ear.-Menas, I did not think

This amorous surfeiter would have donned his helm

For such a petty war: his soldiership

Is twice the other twain:5 but let us rear

1 He neither loves.] He loves neither.

2 But all the charms.] But may all the charms.

• Prorogue his honour, &c.] Put off his thoughts, prolong his disregard, of honour, even till he becomes quite oblivious about it.

'Tis a space, &c.] There has been more than time for him to

reach Rome.

The other twain.] The soldiership of Cæsar and Lepidus.

The higher our opinion,1 that our stirring
Can from the lap of Egypt's widow 2 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 warred upon him; although, I think,
Not moved by Antony.

Pom.

I know not, Menas,

How lesserenmities may give way to greater.

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

'Twere pregnant they should square between themselves;3 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.

[Exeunt.

SCENE II.-Rome. A Room in the House of Lepidus.

Enter ENOBARBUS and LEPIDUS.

Lep. Good Enobarbus, 't is a worthy deed,
And shall become you well, to entreat your captain
To soft and gentle speech.

1 Our opinion.] The estimation of ourselves.

2 Egypt's widow.] Cleopatra is so called as having been married to her own brother Ptolemy Dionysius. See p. 20, note 3.

■ 'Twere pregnant, &c.] It would be readily apparent that they should quarrel.

4 Stands our lives upon.] Is incumbent on our lives, that is, incumbent on us for the sake of our lives. So in K. Richard II. ii. 3 It stands your grace upon to do him right.' See the Editor's Hamlet, p. 150, note 1, and K. Lear, p. 127, note 2.

I shall entreat him

Eno.

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

And speak as loud as Mars.

By Jupiter,

Serves for the matter that is then born in 't.

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

Lep.

Your speech is passion :

But, pray you, stir no embers up. Here comes
The noble Antony.

Enter ANTONY and VENTIDIUS.

Eno.

And yonder Cæsar.

Enter CESAR, MECENAS, and AGrippa.

Ant. If we compose well here-to Parthia !1
Hark, Ventidius.

Cæs. I do not know, Mecænas; ask Agrippa.
Lep. Noble friends,

That which combined us

A leaner action rend us.

was most great, and let not
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,-

If we compose, &c.] If we come to good agreement here, we will proceed to Parthia.

2 That which combined us.] That which led to our triumvirate.

Touch you the sourest points with sweetest terms,
Nor curstness grow to the matter.1

Ant.

'T is spoken well.

Were we before our armies, and to fight,

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

Or being,2 concern you not.

Cæs.

If, or for nothing or a little, I

I must be laughed at,

Should say myself offended; and with you,

Chiefly i' the world, more laughed at, that I should
Once name you derogately, when to sound 3

Your name it not concerned me.

Ant. My being in Egypt, Cæsar, what was 't to you?
Cas. No more than my residing here at Rome

Might be to you in Egypt: yet, if you there
Did practise on1 my state, your being in Egypt
Might be my question.

Ant.

How intend you, practised? Cæs. You may be pleased to catch at mine intent.5 By what did here befal me. Your wife and brother Made wars upon me; and their contestation

1 Nor curstness grow, &c.] And let not ill temper mingle with our business. I was never curst; I have no gift at all in shrewishness.' Midsummer Night's Dream, iii. 2.

2 Or being.] Or if they be.

3 To sound.] To utter.

Practise on.] Form designs against.

5 To catch at mine intent.] To guess my meaning.

Was theme for you; you were the word of war.2

Ant. You do mistake your business; my brother never Did urge me 3 in his act: I did inquire it;

And have my learning from some true reports,

That drew their swords with you. Did he not rather
Discredit my authority with yours; 4

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.

Cæs.

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,

6

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 mine own peace. As for my wife,

1 Was theme for you.] This reading rather awkwardly expresses the apparently intended meaning—Had you for its theme or motive.

2 The word of war.] The signal word of battle. So in the Julius Cæsar of North's Plutarch Brutus' men ran to give charge upon their enemies, and tarried not for the word of the battle, nor commandment to give charge.'

• Did urge me.] Put my name forward.

• With yours.] In discrediting yours.

Having.] I having.

• Could not lack, &c.] Could not but be under the necessity of thinking.

"Which fronted mine own peace.] Which were against my wife and my brother.

c 3