ACT II. SCENE I.-Messina.-A Room in Pompey's House. Enter POMPEY, MENECRATES, and MENAS. Pom. If the great gods be just, they shall assist The deeds of justest men. Mene. Know, worthy Pompey, That what they do delay, they not deny. Pom. Whiles we are suitors to their throne, de. cays The thing we sue for. Mene. We, ignorant of ourselves, Beg often our own harms, which the wise powers Deny us for our good; so find we profit By losing of our prayers. Pom. I shall do well: The people love me, and the sea is mine; My power's a crescent, and my auguring hope In Egypt sits at dinner, and will make No wars without doors: Cæsar gets money, where Of both is flatter'd ; but he neither loves, 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 charms of love, lip! Let witchcraft join with beauty, lust with both! Tie up the libertine in a field of feasts, Keep his brain fuming; Epicurean cooks, That sleep and feeding may prorogue his honour, 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, * Declined, faded. + To. This amorous surfeiter would have don'd his helm + For such a petty war: his soldiership Is twice the other twain: but let us rear Men. I cannot hope, Cæsar and Antony shall well greet together: Pom. I know not, Menas, How lesser enmities may give way to greater. For they have entertained cause enough Be it as our gods will have it! It only stands [Exeunt. SCENE II.-Rome.-A Room in the House of Le pidus. 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, And speak as loud as Mars. By Jupiter, Were I the wearer of Antonius' beard, I would not shave to-day. Lep. 'Tis not a time For private stomaching. Eno. Every time Serves for the matter that is then born in it. Eno. Not if the small come first. Done on; i. e. put on. + Quarrel. + Helmét. Lep. Your speech is passion: But, pray you, stir no embers up. Here comes Enter ANTONY and VENTIDIUS. Eno. And yonder, Cæsar. Enter CESAR, MECENAS, and AGRIPPA. Ant. If we compose well here, to Parthia: Hark you, Ventidius. Cas. I do not know, Mecænas; ask Agrippa. Lep. Noble friends, That which combined us was most great, and let not A leaner action rend us. What's amiss, 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. 'Tis spoken well: Were we before our armies, and to fight, I should do thus. Cas. Welcome to Rome. Ant. Thank you. Cas. Sit. Ant. Sit, Sir! Cas. Nay, Then Ant. I learn, you take things ill, which are not Or, being, concern you not. Cæs. I must be laugh'd at, If, or for nothing, or a little, I Should say myself offended; and with you name It not concern'd 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 • Agree. + Let not ill-humour be added. Did practise on my state, your being in Egypt. Might be my question +. Ant. How intend you, practised? Cas. 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 never Did urge me in this act: I did inquire it; And have my learning from some true reports 1, That drew their swords with you. Did he not rather Discredit my authority with yours; And make the wars alike against my stomach, Cas. You praise yourself By laying defects of judgment to me; but Ant. Not so, not so; I know you could not lack, I am certain on't, Your partner in the cause 'gainst which he fought, 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, Cesar, 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. Cas. I wrote to you, When rioting in Alexandria; you Did pocket up my letters, and with taunts Use bad arts or stratagems. + Subject of conversation. Opposed. • Messenger. Bridle. Reporters. Commotions. Ant. Sir, He fell upon me, ere admitted; then Cæs. You have broken you shall never Ant. No, Lepidus, let him speak; The honour's sacred which he talks on now, The article of my oath, Cas. 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 To have me out of Egypt, made wars here; To stoop in such a case. Lep. 'Tis nobly spoken. Mac. If it might please you, to enforce no fur ther The griefs between ye: to forget them quite, Speaks to atone ‡ you. Lep. Worthily spoke, 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. Conversation. + Grievances. + Reconcile. |