Enter CESAR, MECENAS, and AGRIPPA.

Ant. If we compose well here, to Parthia:

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

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,

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

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

Chiefly i' the world; more laugh'd at, that I should
Once name you derogately, when to sound your name
It not concern'd me.

Ant.

What was 't to you?

My being in Egypt, Cæsar,

Cæs. 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.

Ant.

How intend you, practis'd?
Cæs. You may be pleas'd to catch at mine intent

Your wife and brother

By what did here befal me.

Made wars upon me; and their contestation

Was theme for you, you were the word of war.

Ant. 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(32) to make it with,
It must not be with this.

Cæs.

You praise yourself By laying defects of judgment to me; but

You patch'd up your excuses.

Ant.
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:

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 uncurbable, her garboils, 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.

He fell upon me ere admitted: then

Sir,

Three kings I had newly feasted, and did want

Of what I was i' the morning: but next day
I told him of myself; 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.

Ant.

Lepidus, let him speak:

Soft, Cæsar!

No,

The honour is sacred which he talks on now,

Supposing that I lack'd 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 denied.

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 Egypt, made wars here;
For which myself, the ignorant motive, do
So far ask pardon as befits mine honour

To stoop in such a case.

Lep.

"Tis noble 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. I do not much dislike the matter, but The manner of his speech; for 't cannot be We shall remain in friendship, our conditions So differing in their acts. Yet, if I knew What hoop should hold us stanch, from edge to edge O' the world I would pursue it.

Agr.

Cæs. Speak, Agrippa.

Give me leave, Cæsar,

Agr. Thou hast a sister by the mother's side, Admir'd Octavia: great Mark Antony

Is now a widower.

Cæs.

Say not so,(33) Agrippa:

If Cleopatra heard you, your reproof

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 tales,(34)
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.

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

Ant.

If I would say, "Agrippa, be it so,"

To make this good?

Cæs.

What power is in Agrippa,

The power of Cæsar, and

To this good purpose, that so fairly shows,
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, defy him.

Lep.

Time calls upon 's:

Of us must Pompey presently be sought,

Or else he seeks out us.

What's his strength

Cæs. About the Mount Misenum.(35)

Ant.

By land?

Cæs. Great and increasing: but by sea

He is an absolute master.

Would we had spoke together! Haste we for it:
Yet, ere we put ourselves in arms, dispatch we

The business we have talk'd of.

Cæs.

And do invite you to my sister's view,

Whither straight I'll lead you.

Ant.

Not lack your company.

Lep.

With most gladness;

Let us, Lepidus,

Noble Antony,

Not sickness should detain me.

[Flourish. Exeunt CESAR, ANTONY, and LEpidus.