Cæs. I must be laugh'd at, 30 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, Cas. No more than my residing here at Rome Might be to you in Egypt: yet, if you there Did practise on my state, your being in Egypt Might be my question. Ant. How intend you, practised? 40 Cæs. You may be pleased to catch at mine intent 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. never Did urge me 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 *Reporters. Discredit my authority with yours; Cæs. You praise yourself Ant. Your partner in the cause 'gainst which he fought, The third o' the world is yours; which with a snaffle You may pace easy, but not such a wife. *Opposed. Eno. Would we had all such wives, that the men might go to wars with the women! Ant. So much uncurbable, her garboils,* Cæsar, *Uproars Made out of her impatience, which not wanted Cæs. Did pocket up my letters, and with taunts He fell upon me ere admitted: then *Messenger. Sir, Three kings I had newly feasted, and did want Cæs. 80 *Conversation. You have broken The article of your oath; which you shall never Have tongue to charge me with. Lep. Lepidus, let him speak: Soft, Cæsar! No, The honour is sacred which he talks on now, Cæs. To lend me arms and aid when I required them; The which you both denied. Ant. Neglected, rather; And then when poison'd hours had bound me up 90 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 Lep. 'Tis noble spoken. Mec. If it might please you, to enforce no further The griefs between ye: to forget them quite ΙΟΟ Were to remember that the present need Speaks to atone* you. Lep. *Reconcile. 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. ΙΙΟ Ant. You wrong this presence; therefore speak no more. Eno. Go to, then; your considerate stone. What hoop should hold us stanch, from edge to edge O' the world I would pursue it. Agr. Cas. Speak, Agrippa. *Dispositions. 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 Ant. I am not married, Cæsar: let me hear Agr. To hold you in perpetual amity, To make you brothers, and to knit your hearts 121 130 That which none else can utter. By this mar riage, All little jealousies, which now seem great, And all great fears, which now import their dangers, Would then be nothing: truths would be tales, Ant. Will Cæsar speak? 140 Cæs. Not till he hears how Antony is touch'd With what is spoke already. Ant. If I would say, 'Agrippa, be it so,' Cæs. 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, Cæs. There is my hand. 150 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; At heel of that, defy him. Lep. Time calls upon's: 160 Of us must Pompey presently be sought, Where lies he? Ant. Cæs. Great and increasing: but by sea He is an absolute master. So is the fame. Ant. Cæs. Ant. With most gladness: 170 Let us, Lepidus, Noble Antony, Not sickness should detain me. Mec. [Flourish. Exeunt Cæsar, Antony, and Lepidus. Welcome from Egypt, sir. Eno. Half the heart of Cæsar, worthy Mecænas! My honourable friend, Agrippa! Agr. Good Enobarbus! Mec. We have cause to be glad that matters are so well digested. You stayed well by 't in Egypt. 180 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. 190 Eño. 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, Burn'd on the water: the poop was beaten gold; Purple the sails, and so perfumed that The winds were love-sick with them; the oars were silver, Which to the tune of flutes kept stroke, and made |