Pom. He dreams; I know, they are in Rome to

gether,

Looking for Antony: But all charms of love,
Salt Cleopatra, soften thy wan'd 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. - How now, Varrius?

Enter Varrius.

Var. 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.

Pom.

I could have given less matter

A better ear.-Menas, I did not think,

This amorous surfeiter would have don'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.

Men.

I cannot hope,

Cæsar and Antony shall well greet together:
His wife, that's dead, did trespasses to Cæsar;
His brother warr'd upon him; although, I think,

Not mov'd by Antony.

Pom.

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 them

selves;

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 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 HOUSE OF LEPIDUS.

Enter Enobarbus and Lepidus.

Lep. Good Enobarbus, 'tis a worthy deed, And shall become you well, to entreat your captain

To soft and gentle speech.

Eno.

I shall entreat him

To answer like himself: if Cæsar move him,
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 shav't to-day.

Lep.

For private stomaching.
Eno.

'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 small come first.

Lep.

1

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 Cæsar, Mecenas, and Agrippa.

Ant. If we compose well here, to Parthia:

Hark you, Ventidius.

Cas.

I do not know,

Noble friends,

Mecænas; ask Agrippa.
Lep.

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 Or, being, concern you not.

Cas.

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,

Cus. 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, By what did here befal me. Your wife, and bro

ther,

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 ra

ther

Discredit my authority with yours;

And make the wars alike against my stomach,

Haying 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.

Cas.

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.