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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 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? 'Tis false.

Men.

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 wanned 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 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 further travel.

Pom.

I could have given less matter

A better ear.-Menas, I did not think
This amorous surfeiter would have donned his helm

1 Old copy, "My powers are crescent," &c. The judicious emendation was made by Theobald.

2 i. e. declined, faded, alluding to her having passed the bloom of youth.

3 i. e. delay his sense of honor from exerting itself till he is become habitually sluggish; till was anciently used for to.

4 i. e. since he quitted Egypt, a space of time has elapsed in which a longer journey might have been performed than from Egypt to Rome.

VOL. VI.

15

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.

Men.

I cannot hope 2
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 lesser enmities may give way to greater. Were't not that we stand up against them all, 'Twere pregnant they should square between themselves;

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.

4

[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,

1 Julius Cæsar had married Cleopatra to young Ptolemy, who was

afterwards drowned.

2 i. e. I cannot expect.

3 i. e. quarrel.

4 i. e. it is incumbent upon us for the preservation of our lives.

And speak as loud as Mars. By Jupiter,
Were I the wearer of Antonius' beard,

I would not shave't to-day.1

Lep.

For private stomaching.

Eno.

"Tis not a time

Every time

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.

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Enter CESAR, MECENAS, and AGRIPPA.

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

Cæs.

Mecænas; ask Agrippa.
Lep.

I do not know,

That which combined us
A leaner action rend us.

Noble friends,

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,)

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

Ant.

3

'Tis spoken well.

Were we before our armies, and to fight,

I should do thus.

Cæs. Welcome to Rome.

1 i. e. I would meet him undressed, without any show of respect.

2 That is, if we come to a lucky composition or agreement.

3 "Let not ill-humor be added to the real subject of our difference."

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Ant. I learn you take things ill, which are not so; Or, being, 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 your name It not concerned me.

Ant.

What was't to you

?

My being in Egypt, Cæsar,

Cæs. 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.3

Ant.

2

How intend you, practised?

Cæs. You may be pleased to catch at mine intent, By what did here befall me. Your wife and brother Made wars upon me; and their contestation

4

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.5 I did inquire it;

And have my learning from some true reports,
That drew their swords with you.

Discredit my authority with yours;

Did he not rather

And make the wars alike against my stomach,
Having alike your cause? Of this, my letters

1 The note of admiration here was added by Steevens, who thinks that Antony meant to resent the invitation Cæsar gives him to be seated, as indicating a consciousness of superiority.

2 To practise is to use unwarrantable arts or stratagems.

3 Theme or subject of conversation.

4 The meaning evidently is, “You were the theme or subject for which your wife and brother made their contestation; you were the word of war."

5 i. e. never did make use of my name as a pretence for the war. 6 Reporters.

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 patched up your excuses.

Ant.

Not so, not so;

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 eyes1 attend those wars
Which 'fronted 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.

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

Ant. So much uncurable, 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;3 which was as much,
As to have asked him pardon. Let this fellow
Be nothing of our strife; if we contend,
Out of our question wipe him.

Cæs.

The article of your oath; which
Have tongue to charge me with.

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i e. could not look graciously upon them, could not approve them. 'Fronted is affronted, opposed.

2 Messenger.

3 "I told him the condition I was in when he had his last audience."

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