I would you had her spirit in such another: 1

The third o' the world is yours; which with a snaffle
You may pace easy,2 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,3 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.

Cæs.

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.

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; 7 which was as much
As to have asked him pardon.
Be nothing of our strife; if we
Out of our question wipe him.
Cæs.

Let this fellow contend,

You have broken

In such another.] In a wife of your own like her. 2 Pace easy.] Make to go at an easy pace. • So much uncurbable.]

pronoun her.

Shrewdness of policy.] Antony away from Egypt. 5 Missive.] Messenger.

king.'

The adjective here is an epithet to the

The policy was Fulvia's design to draw
See Extracts from Plutarch, 17.

So in Macbeth, v. 1, 'Missives from the

• Did want of what I was.] Wanted the sobriety which I had. 7 Told him of myself.] Informed him of the condition I was in on the preceding day.

The article of
your oath;
flave tongue to charge me with.
Lep. Soft, Cæsar!

Ant.

you

which shall never

No, Lepidus, let him speak

The honour's sacred which he talks on now,

Supposing that I lacked it.-But, on, Cæsar;

The article of my oath,—

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

Ant.

Neglected, rather;

And then when poisoned hours had bound me up
From mine 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.

"T is noble spoken.

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

1

Were to remember that the present need

Speaks to atone you.2

Lep.

Worthily spoken, Mecenas 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.

Griefs.] Grievances.

2 Speaks to atone you.] Speaks what should reconcile you. To atone is to set at one, or reconcile.

Ant. You wrong this presence; therefore speak no

more.

Eno. Go to then; your considerate stone.1
Cæs. I do not much dislike the matter, but
The manner of his speech: for 't cannot be
We shall remain in friendship, our conditions 2
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.

Cæs. 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.

Cæs.

Say not so, Agrippa;

If Cleopatra heard you, your reproof

Were well deserved of rashness.3

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,

1 Your considerate stone.] I shall be silent as a stone, and only consider what is said by others.

2 Our conditions.] Our dispositions.

3 Your reproof, &c.] The reproof you would get would be well deserved by such rashness.

19.

Take Antony.] Let Antony take. See Extracts from Plutarch,

And all great fears, which now import their dangers,
Would then be nothing: truths would be tales,1
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 't is a studied, not a present2 thought,
By duty ruminated.3

Ant.

Will Cæsar speak?

Cæs. Not till he hears how Antony is touched With what is spoke already.

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.

There is my hand.

A sister I bequeath 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,5 amen!

1 Truths would be tales.] Truths unfavourable would be treated as idle tales.

Present.] Newly suggested.

3 By duty ruminated.] One maturely considered under a sense of duty.

5

Power unto.] Power in relation to; influence over.

Happily.] This occurs happily.

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;1
At heel of that, defy him.

Lep.

Time calls upon 's:

Of us must Pompey presently be sought,

Or else he seeks out us.

Ant.

Where lies he?

Cæs. About the Mount Misenum.

Ant. What is his strength by land?

Cæs. Great and increasing: but by sea he is An absolute master.

Ant.

So is the fame.2

Would we had spoke together! Haste we for it:
Yet, ere we put ourselves in arms, despatch we
The business we have talked of.

Cæs.

And do invite you to my sister's view,

Whither straight I'll lead you.

Ant.

Not lack your company.

Lep.

With most gladness ;

Let us, Lepidus.

Noble Antony,

Not sickness should detain me.

[Flourish. Exeunt CESAR, ANT., and LEPIDUS.

Mec. Welcome from Egypt, sir.

Eno. Half the heart of Cæsar,3 worthy Mecenas !—My honourable friend, Agrippa!—

Agr. Good Enobarbus!

1 Lest my renumbrance, &c.] Lest incur censure for being unmindful of favours.

2 So is the fame.] Such is the rumour.

Half the heart of Cæsar.] Thou half of Cæsar's heart.