Anthony and Cleopatral.

Act 2. Scene.2.

Published Oct: 1.1900, by Vernor & Hood, Poultry.

Be it as our gods will have it! It only stands
Our lives upon, to use our strongest hands.
Come, Menas.

[Exeunt.

SCENE II.

Rome. A Room in the Houfe of Lepidus.

Enter ENOBARBUS and LEPIDUS.

Lep. Good Enobarbus, 'tis a worthy deed,
And shall become you well, to entreat your captain
To foft and gentle speech.

Eno.

I fhall entreat him

To answer like himself: if Cæfar move him,

Let Antony look over Cæfar's head,

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

I would not shav't to-day.

Lep.

Eno.

For private ftomaching,

'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 fmall come first.

Lep.

Your fpeech is paffion :

But, pray you, ftir no embers up. Here comes

Enter CESAR, MECENAS, and AGRIPPA.

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

Caf. Mecænas;

I do not know,

ask Agrippa.

Lep.

Noble friends,

That which combin'd us was most great, and let not
A leaner action rend us, What's amifs,

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 befeech,)

Touch you the foureft points with sweetest terms,
Nor curftness grow to the matter.

Ant.

'Tis spoken well;

Were we before our armies, and to fight,

Ant. I learn, you take things ill, which are not fo;

Or, being, concern you not.

Caf.

I must be laugh'd at,

If, or for nothing, or a little, I

Should fay myself offended; and with you

Chiefly i' the world: more laugh'd at, that I should

Once name you derogately, when to found your name
It not concern'd me.

Ant.

Ant.

What was't to you?

My being in Egypt, Cæfar,

Caf. No more than my refiding here at Rome Might be to you in Egypt: Yet, if you there Did practife on my state, your being in Egypt Might be my question.

Ant.

How intend you, practis'd? Caf. You may be pleas'd 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.

Ant. You do mistake your bufinefs; my brother never Did urge me in his act : I did enquire it ;

And have my learning from fome true reports,

That drew their fwords with you. Did he not rather
Difcredit my authority with yours;

And make the wars alike against my stomach,

Having alike your caufe? Of this, my letters

Before did fatisfy you. If you'll patch a quarrel,
As matter whole you have not to make it with,
It must not be with this.

Caf.

You praise yourself By laying defects of judgement to me; but You patch'd up your excufes.

Ant.

Not fo, not fo:

I know you could not lack, I am certain on't,
Very neceffity 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 fpirit in fuch another:
The third o' the world is yours; which with a fnaffle
You may pace easy, but not fuch a wife.

Eno.