Lep.
Good Enobarbus, 'tis a worthy deed,
And shall become you well, t'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,
^{2 note}
Were I the wearer of Antonio's beard,
I would not shav't to day.

Lep.
'Tis not a time for private stomaching.

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

Lep.
But small to greater matters must give way.

Eno.
Not, if the small come 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 Cæsar, Mecænas, and Agrippa.

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

Cæs.
I do not know; Mecænas, ask Agrippa.

Lep.
Noble friends,

That which combin'd us was most great, and let not
A leaner action rend us. What's amiss,
May it be gently heard. When we debate
Our trivial difference loud, we do commit
Murther in healing wounds. Then, noble partners,
(The rather, for I earnestly beseech,)
Touch you the sowrest points with sweetest terms,
Nor curstness grow to th' matter.

Ant.
'Tis spoken well;
Were we before our armies, and to fight,
I should do thus. [Flourish.

Cæs.
Welcome to Rome.

Ant.
Thank you.

Cæs.
Sit.

Ant.
Sit, Sir.

Cæs.
Nay, then—

Ant.
I learn, you take things ill, which are not so:
Or, being, concern you not.

Cæs.
I must be laught at,
If, or for nothing, or a little, I
Should say myself offended, and with you
Chiefly i'th' world; More laught at, that I should
Once name you derogately, when to found
Your name it not concern'd me.

Ant.
My being in Ægypt, Cæsar, what was't to you?

Cæs.
No more than my residing here at Rome
Might be to you in Ægypt: yet, if you there
Did practise on my state, your being in Ægypt
Might be my question.

Ant.
How intend you, practis'd?

Cæs.
You may be pleas'd to catch at mine intent,
By what did here befall. ^{3 note}

Made wars upon me; and their contestation
Was theam'd for you, you were the word of war.

Ant.
You do mistake your business: ^{4 note}
my brother never
Did urge me in his act: I did require it,
And have my learning from some true reports
That drew their swords with you. Did he not rather
Discredit my authority with yours,
And make the wars alike against my stomach,
Having alike your cause? of this, my letters
Before did satisfie you. If you'll patch a quarrel,
(As matter whole you've 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 up your excuses.

Ant.
Not so, not so;
I know you could not lack, (I'm certain on't,)
Very necessity of this thought, that I,
Your Partner in the cause 'gainst which he fought,
Could not with grateful eyes attend those wars,
Which fronted mine own peace. As for my Wife,
I would, you had her spirit in such another;
The third o'th' world is yours, which with a snaffle
You may pace easie; 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 her garboiles, 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 on me, ere admitted: then
Three Kings I had newly feasted, and did want
Of what I was i'th' morning: but, next day,
^{5 note}I told him of my self; which was as much
As to have ask'd him pardon. Let this fellow
Be nothing of our strife: if we contend,
Out of our question wipe him.

Cæs.
You have broken
The article of your oath, which you shall never
Have tongue to charge me with.

Lep.
Soft, Cæsar.—

Ant.
No, Lepidus, let him speak;
^{6 note}The Honour's sacred which he talks on now,
Supposing, that I lackt it: but on, Cæsar,
The article of my oath—

Cæs.
To lend me arms and aid, when I requir'd them,
The which you both deny'd.

Ant.
Neglected, rather:
And then, when poison'd 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 Ægypt, made wars here;

For which my self, the ignorant motive, do
So far ask pardon, as befits mine Honour
To stoop in such a case.

Lep.
'Tis nobly spoken.

Mec.
If it might please you, to enforce no further
The griefs between ye: to forget them quite,
Were to remember, that the present Need
Speaks to atone you.

Lep.
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.

Ant.
You wrong this Presence, therefore speak no more.

Eno.
Go to then: your considerate stone.—

Cæs.
^{7 note}

Agr.
Give me leave, Cæsar.

Cæs.
Speak, Agrippa.

Agr.
Thou hast a Sister by the Mother's side,
Admir'd Octavia! great Mark Antony
Is now a Widower.

Cæs.
Say not so, Agrippa;
If Cleopatra heard you, your Approof
Were well deserv'd of rashness.

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,
And all great fears, which now import their dangers,
Would then be nothing. Truths would be but tales,
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 'tis a studied, not a present thought,
By duty ruminated.

Ant.
Will Cæsar speak?

Cæs.
Not 'till he hears, how Antony is touch'd
With what is spoke already.

Ant.
What Power is in Agrippa
(If I would say, “Agrippa, be it so,”)
To make this good?

Cæs.
The Power of Cæsar, and
His Power unto Octavia.

Ant.
May I never
To this good purpose, that so fairly shews,
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, 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, defie him.

Lep.
Time calls upon's:
Of us must Pompey presently be sought,
Or else he seeks out us.

Ant.
Where lyes 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.
'Would, we had spoke together! haste we for it;
Yet, ere we put our selves in arms, dispatch we
The business we have talk'd of.

Cæs.
With most gladness;
And do invite you to my Sister's view,
Whither straight I'll lead you.

Ant.
Let us, Lepidus, not lack your company.

Lep.
Noble Antony, not sickness should detain me. [Flourish. Exeunt.

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