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.

SCENE II. Rome.

Enter ENOBARBUS, and LEPIDUS.

[Exeunt

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 himfelf: if Cæfar move him,
Let Antony look over Cæfar's head,
And fpeak as loud as Mars. By Jupiter,
Were I the wearer of Antonius' beard,
I would not fhave't to-day.

Lep. 'Tis not a time for private ftomaching.
Eno. Every time

Serves for the matter that is then borne in it.
Lep. But fmall 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.

The noble Antony.

Here comes

Enter ANTONY, and VENTIDIUS.

Eno. And yonder, Cæfar.

Enter CESAR, MECENAS, and AGRIPPA.

Ant. If we compofe well here, to Parthia:

Hark you, Ventidius.
Caf. I do not know,

Mecenas; afk Agrippa.

Lep.

Lep. Noble friends,

That which combin'd us was moft 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 curftnefs grow to the matter.

Ant. 'Tis fpoken well:

Were we before our armies, and to fight,
Į should do thus.

Caf. Welcome to Rome.

Ant. Thank you.

Caf. Sit.

Ant. Sit, fir!

Caf. Nay, then

Ant. I learn, you take things ill, which are not so; 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. My being in Egypt, Cæfar,

What was't to you?

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 Ægypt. Might be my queftion.

Ant. How intend you, practis'd?

Caf. You may be pleas'd to catch at mine intent, what did here befal me. Your wife, and brother,

C 3

Made

Made wars upon me; and their conteftation
Was theme for you you were the word of war.

Ant. You do mistake

business; my your

Did urge me in his act: I did inquire it;

brother

[never

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 praife yourself,

By laying defects of judgment 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 spirit in fuch another:
The third o' the world is yours; which with a fnaffle
You may pace easy, but not fuch a wife.

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

Ant. So much uncurbable, her garboils, Cæfar,
Made out of her impatience (which not wanted
Shrewdnefs of policy too) I grieving grant,
Did you too much difquiet: for that, you must
But fay, I could not help it.

Caf. I wrote to you,

When rioting in Alexandria; you

Did pocket up my letters, and with taunts

Did gibe my miffive 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 myfelf; which was as much
As to have aik'd him pardon: Let this fellow
Be nothing of our ftrife; if we contend,
Out of our question wipe him.

Caf. You have broken

The article of your oath; which you fhall never
Have tongue to charge me with.

Lep. Soft, Cæfar.

Ant. No, Lepidus, let him fpeak;

The honour is facred which he talks on now,
Suppofing that I lack'd it :-But on, Cæfar

The article of my oath,—

Caf. To lend me arms, and aid, when I requir'd

The which you both deny❜d.

Ant. Neglected, rather;

[them;

And then, when poifon'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 Egypt, made wars here;
For which myself, the ignorant motive, do
So far afk pardon, as befits mine honour
To ftoop in fuch a case.

Lep. 'Tis nobly spoken.

Mec. If it might please you, to enforce no further The griefs between you: to forget them quite,

Were to remember that the prefent need

Speaks to atone you.

Lep. Worthily fpoken, Mecænas.

Eng.

Eno. Or, if you borrow one another's love for the inftant, you may, when you hear no more words of Pompey, return it again: you fhall have time to wrangle in, when you have nothing else to do.

Ant. Thou art a foidier only; fpeak no more. Eno. That truth fhall be filent, I had almost forgot, Ant. You wrong this prefence, therefore fpeak ne Eno. Go to then; your confiderate ftone. [more. Caf. I do not much diflike the matter, but The manner of his fpeech: for it cannot be, We fhall remain in friendship, our conditions So differing in their acts. Yet, if I knew What hoop fhould hold us ftaunch, from edge to edge O'the world I would purfue it.

Agr. Give me leave, Cæfar,→

Caf. Speak, Agrippa.

Agr. Thou haft a sister by the mother's fide,
Admir'd Octavia: great Mark Antony
Is now a widower.

Caf. Say not fo, Agrippa;

If Cleopatra heard you, your reproof
Were well deferv'd of rafhnefs.

Ant. I am not married, Cæfar: let me hear
Agrippa further speak.

Agr. To hold you in perpetual amity, To make you brothers, and to knit your hearts With an unflipping knot, take Antony Octavia to his wife: whofe beauty claims No worfe a husband than the best of men ; Whofe virtue, and whofe general graces, fpeak That which none elfe can utter. By this marriage, All little jealoufies, which now feem great, And all great fears, which now import their dangers, Would then be nothing: truths would be tales,

Where