SCENE I. Messina. POMPEY's house. Enter POMPEY, MENECRATES, and MENAS, in warlike manner POMPEY If the great gods be just, they shall assist The deeds of justest men. MENECRATES Know, worthy Pompey, That what they do delay, they not deny. POMPEY Whiles we are suitors to their throne, decays The thing we sue for. MENECRATES 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. POMPEY I shall do well:
The people love me, and the sea is mine;
My powers are 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: Caesar gets money where He loses hearts: Lepidus flatters both, Of both is flatter'd; but he neither loves, Nor either cares for him. MENAS Caesar and Lepidus Are in the field: a mighty strength they carry. POMPEY Where have you this? 'tis false. MENAS From Silvius, sir. POMPEY He dreams: I know they are in Rome together, Looking for Antony. But all the charms of love, Salt Cleopatra, soften thy waned 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 honour Even till a Lethe'd dulness!
Enter VARRIUS
How now, Varrius! VARRIUS 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. POMPEY I could have given less matter A better ear. Menas, I did not think This amorous surfeiter would have donn'd his helm 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. MENAS I cannot hope Caesar and Antony shall well greet together:
His wife that's dead did trespasses to Caesar;His brother warr'd upon him; although, I think, Not moved by Antony. POMPEY 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't as our gods will have't! It only stands Our lives upon to use our strongest hands.
Come, Menas.
Exeunt SCENE II. Rome. The house of LEPIDUS. Enter DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS and LEPIDUS LEPIDUS Good Enobarbus, 'tis a worthy deed, And shall become you well, to entreat your captain To soft and gentle speech. DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS I shall entreat him To answer like himself: if Caesar move him, Let Antony look over Caesar's head And speak as loud as Mars. By Jupiter, Were I the wearer of Antonius' beard, I would not shave't to-day. LEPIDUS 'Tis not a time For private stomaching. DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS Every time Serves for the matter that is then born in't. LEPIDUS But small to greater matters must give way. DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS Not if the small come first. LEPIDUS Your speech is passion:
But, pray you, stir no embers up. Here comes The noble Antony.
Enter MARK ANTONY and VENTIDIUS DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS And yonder, Caesar.
Enter OCTAVIUS CAESAR, MECAENAS, and AGRIPPA MARK ANTONY If we compose well here, to Parthia:
Hark, Ventidius. OCTAVIUS CAESAR I do not know, Mecaenas; ask Agrippa. LEPIDUS Noble friends, That which combined 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 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. MARK ANTONY 'Tis spoken well.
Were we before our armies, and to fight.
I should do thus.
Flourish OCTAVIUS CAESAR Welcome to Rome. MARK ANTONY Thank you. OCTAVIUS CAESAR Sit. MARK ANTONY Sit, sir. OCTAVIUS CAESAR Nay, then. MARK ANTONY I learn, you take things ill which are not so, Or being, concern you not. OCTAVIUS CAESAR I must be laugh'd at, If, or for nothing or a little, IShould say myself offended, and with you Chiefly i' the world; more laugh'd at, that Ishould Once name you derogately, when to sound your name It not concern'd me. MARK ANTONY My being in Egypt, Caesar, What was't to you? OCTAVIUS CAESAR 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. MARK ANTONY How intend you, practised? OCTAVIUS CAESAR 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. MARK ANTONY You do mistake your business; my brother 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 Discredit my authority with yours;And make the wars alike against my stomach, Having alike your cause? Of this my letters 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. OCTAVIUS CAESAR You praise yourself By laying defects of judgment to me; but You patch'd up your excuses. MARK ANTONY 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 eyes attend those wars Which fronted mine own peace. As for my wife, I would you had her spirit in such another:
