Cæsar and Antony shall well greet together: How lesser enmities may give way to greater. Were 't not that we stand up against them all, 'T were pregnant they should square between themselves; To draw their swords: but how the fear of us [Exeunt. SCENE II. Rome. A Room in the House of Lepidus. Enter ENOBARBUS and LEpidus. Lep. Good Enobarbus, 't is a worthy deed, And shall become you well, to entreat your captain To soft and gentle speech. I shall entreat him Eno. Let Antony look over Cæsar's head, And speak as loud as Mars. By Jupiter, Were I the wearer of Antonius' beard, I would not shave 't to-day. Lep. For private stomaching. Eno. 'Tis not a time Every time Serves for the matter that is then born in 't. Lep. But small to greater matters must give way. Your speech is passion: But, pray you, stir no embers up. Here comes The noble Antony. Eno. Enter ANTONY and VENTIDIUS. And yonder, Cæsar. Enter CESAR, and AGRIPPA. Ant. If we compose well here, to Parthia: Hark you, Ventidius. That which combin'd us was most great, and let not May it be gently heard: when we debate Our trivial difference loud, we do commit Murder in healing wounds. Then, noble partners, Touch you the sourest points with sweetest terms, 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. If, or for nothing, or a little, I I must be laugh'd at, 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. My being in Egypt, Cæsar, Cæs. No more than my residing here at Rome Ant. How intend you, practis'd? Cæs. 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 business: my brother never Did urge me in his act: I did enquire it; And have my learning from some true reports, That drew their swords with you. Did he not rather And make the wars alike against my stomach, Having alike your cause? Of this my letters As matter whole you have to make it with, It must not be with this. I know you could not lack, I am certain on 't, Your partner in the cause 'gainst which he fought, The third o' the world is yours, which with a snaffle 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 Cœs. I wrote to you, When rioting in Alexandria; you Did pocket up my letters, and with taunts Ant. Sir, He fell upon me, ere admitted: then Out of our question wipe him. Cœs. You have broken The article of your oath, which you shall never Lep. Soft, Cæsar. Ant. No, Lepidus, let him speak: 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 Lep. 'Tis noble spoken. Mec. If it might please you, to enforce no farther 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. Eno. Thou art a soldier only: speak no more. That truth should be silent, I had almost forgot. Ant. You wrong this presence; therefore, speak no more. Cæs. I do not much dislike the matter, but What hoop should hold us staunch, from edge to edge 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, Agrippa: If Cleopatra heard you, your reproof Were well deserv'd of rashness. Ant. I am not married, Cæsar: let me hear Agr. To hold you in perpetual amity, No worse a husband than the best of men, Whose virtue and whose general graces speak |