2.2.2Enter Enobarbus and Lepidus. Good Enobarbus, 'tis a worthy deed
2.2.4680And shall become you well to entreat your captain
To soft and gentle speech. I shall entreat him
2.2.6683To answer like himself. If Caesar move him,
2.2.7684Let Antony look over Caesar's head
2.2.8685And speak as loud as Mars. By Jupiter,
2.2.9686Were I the wearer of Antonio's beard,
I would not shave't today. 'Tis not a time
For private stomaching. Every time
2.2.12Serves for the matter that is then
690born in't.
But small to greater matters must give way.
Not if the small come first.
Not if the small come first. Your speech is passion.
2.2.15But pray you stir
694no embers up. Here comes
695Enter Antony and Ventidius [at one door in conversation]. The noble Antony. And yonder Caesar.
2.2.17697Enter Caesar, Maecenas, and Agrippa [at another door in conversation]. If we compose well here, to Parthia.
I do not know, Maecenas; ask Agrippa.
Noble friends:
2.2.22702That which combined us was most great, and let not
2.2.23703A leaner action rend us. What's amiss,
2.2.24704May it be gently heard. When we debate
2.2.25705Our trivial difference loud, we do commit
2.2.26706Murder in healing wounds. Then, noble partners,
2.2.28708Touch you the sourest points with sweetest terms,
Nor curstness grow to'th'matter. 'Tis spoken well.
2.2.30711Were we before our armies, and to fight,
2.2.31712I should do thus.
[Embracing Caesar] Welcome to Rome.
Thank you.
Sit.
Sit, sir.
Nay, then.
2.2.38[Caesar sits, then Antony.] I learn you take things ill which are not so,
Or, being, concern you not. I must be laughed at
2.2.41If, or for nothing or a little,
2.2.42I
721should say myself offended, and with you
2.2.43722Chiefly i'th'world. More laughed at that I should
2.2.44723Once name you derogately, when to sound your name
My being in Egypt, Caesar, what was't to you?
No more than my residing here at Rome
2.2.48727Might be to you in Egypt. Yet if you there
2.2.49728Did practise on my state, your being in Egypt
Might be my question. How intend you "practised"?
You may be pleased to catch at mine intent
2.2.52732By what did here befall me. Your wife and brother
2.2.53733Made wars upon me, and their contestation
2.2.54734Was theme for you. You were the word of war.
You do mistake your business. My brother never
2.2.56736Did urge me in his act. I did enquire it,
2.2.57737And have my learning from some true reports
2.2.58738That drew their swords with you. Did he not rather
2.2.60740And make the wars alike against my stomach,
2.2.61741Having alike your cause? Of this, my letters
2.2.62742Before did satisfy you. If you'll patch a quarrel--
2.2.63743As matter whole you have to make it with--
It must not be with this. You praise yourself
2.2.65By laying defects of judge
746ment to me;
2.2.66But you patched up your excuses.
But you patched up your excuses. Not so, not so:
2.2.67748I know you could not lack--I am certain on't--
2.2.68749Very necessity of this thought, that I,
2.2.69750Your partner in the cause 'gainst which he fought,
2.2.70751Could not with graceful eyes attend those wars
2.2.71752Which fronted mine own peace. As for my wife,
2.2.72753I would you had her spirit in such another;
2.2.73754The third o'th'world is yours, which with a snaffle
2.2.74755You may pace easy, but not such a wife.
Would we had all such wives, that the men
757might go to wars with the women.
So much uncurbable her garboils, Caesar--
2.2.77759Made out of her impatience, which not wanted
2.2.78760Shrewdness of policy too--I grieving grant
2.2.79761Did you too much disquiet. For that you must
But say I could not help it. I wrote to you,
2.2.81When rioting in Alexandria you
2.2.82764Did pocket up my letters, and with taunts
2.2.83765Did gibe my missive out of audience.
Did gibe my missive out of audience. Sir,
2.2.84He fell upon me ere admitted, then.
2.2.85767Three kings I had newly feasted, and did want
2.2.86768Of what I was i'th'morning; but next day
2.2.87769I told him of myself, which was as much
2.2.88770As to have asked him pardon. Let this fellow
2.2.89771Be nothing of our strife; if we contend,
You have broken the article of your oath,
2.2.92774Which you shall never have tongue to charge me with.
Soft, Caesar.
Soft, Caesar. No, Lepidus, let him speak:
2.2.94777The honor is sacred which he talks on now,
2.2.95778Supposing that I lacked it. But on, Caesar:
To lend me arms and aid when I required
781them,
2.2.98The which you both denied.
The which you both denied. Neglected, rather;
2.2.99783And then when poisoned hours had bound me up
2.2.100784From mine own knowledge. As nearly as I may
2.2.101785I'll play the penitent to you. But mine honesty
2.2.102786Shall not make poor my greatness, nor my power
2.2.105789For which myself, the ignorant motive, do
To stoop in such a case. 'Tis noble spoken.
If it might please you to enforce no further
2.2.109794The griefs between ye. To forget them quite
Speaks to atone you. Worthily spoken, Maecenas.
Or if you borrow one another's love for the
799instant, you may when you hear no more words of
800Pompey return it again. You shall have time to wrangle
801in when you have nothing else to do.
Thou art a soldier only; speak no more.
That truth should be silent, I had almost for
804got.
You wrong this presence, therefore speak no
806more.
Go to, then. Your considerate stone.
I do not much dislike the matter but
2.2.118809The manner of his speech. For't cannot be
2.2.119810We shall remain in friendship, our conditions
2.2.120811So diff'ring in their acts. Yet if I knew
2.2.121812What hoop should hold us staunch, from edge to edge
Give me leave, Caesar.
Speak, Agrippa.
Thou hast a sister by the mother's side,
Is now a widower. Say not so, Agrippa;
2.2.129Were well deserved of rashness.
I am not married, Caesar. Let me hear
To hold you in perpetual amity,
2.2.133823To make you brothers, and to knit your hearts
2.2.135825Octavia to his wife, whose beauty claims
2.2.136826No worse a husband than the best of men,
2.2.137827Whose virtue and whose general graces speak
2.2.138828That which none else can utter. By this marriage,
2.2.139829All little jealousies which now seem great
2.2.140830And all great fears which now import their dangers
2.2.141831Would then be nothing. Truth's would be tales,
2.2.142832Where now half tales be truth's. Her love to both
2.2.143833Would each to other, and all loves to both
2.2.144834Draw after her. Pardon what I have spoke,
2.2.145835For 'tis a studied not a present thought,
Will Caesar speak?
Not till he hears how Antony is touched
What power is in Agrippa,
To make this good? The power of Caesar,
And his power unto Octavia. May I never
2.2.154846To this good purpose that so fairly shows
2.2.155847Dream of impediment! Let me have thy hand
2.2.156848Further this act of grace, and from this hour
2.2.157849The heart of brothers govern in our loves
And sway our great designs. There's my hand.
2.2.159[
Caesar and Antony shake hands.] 2.2.162854To join our kingdoms and our hearts, and never
Fly off our loves again. Happily, amen.
I did not think to draw my sword 'gainst Pompey,
2.2.165858For he hath laid strange courtesies and great
At heel of that, defy him. Time calls upon's.
Or else he seeks out us. Where lies he?
About the Mount Misena.
About the Mount Misena. What is his strength
By land? Great and increasing,
869but by sea
He is an absolute master. So is the fame.
2.2.174871Would we had spoke together. Haste we for it.
2.2.175872Yet ere we put ourselves in arms, dispatch we
The business we have talked of. With most gladness;
Whither straight I'll lead you. Let us, Lepidus,
Not lack your company. Noble Antony,
2.2.181880Flourish. Exeunt 881all but Enobarbus, Agrippa, Maecenas. Welcome from Egypt, sir.
Half the heart of Caesar, worthy Maecenas! My
884honorable friend Agrippa!
Good Enobarbus!
We have cause to be glad that matters are so
887well digested. You stayed well by't in Egypt.
Ay, sir, we did sleep day out of countenance,
889and made the night light with drinking.
Eight wild boars roasted whole at a break
891fast, and but twelve persons there. Is this true?
This was but as a fly by an eagle. We had much
893more monstrous matter of feast which worthily deser
894ved noting.
She's a most triumphant lady, if report be
896square to her.
When she first met Mark Antony, she pursed
898up his heart upon the river of Cydnus.
There she appeared indeed, or my reporter de
900vised well for her.
I will tell you:
2.2.193902The barge she sat in like a burnished throne
2.2.194903Burned on the water. The poop was beaten gold,
2.2.196905The winds were love-sick
906with them. The oars were silver,
2.2.197907Which to the tune of flutes kept stroke, and made
2.2.198908The water which they beat to follow faster,
2.2.199909As amorous of their strokes. For her own person--
2.2.200910It beggared all description. She did lie
2.2.201911In her pavilion, cloth of gold, of tissue,
2.2.203913The fancy outwork nature. On each side her
2.2.204914Stood pretty dimpled boys like smiling Cupids,
2.2.205915With divers-colored fans whose wind did seem
2.2.206916To glow the delicate cheeks which they did cool,
And what they undid did. O rare for Antony!
Her gentlewomen, like the Nereïdes,
2.2.210921And made their bends adornings. At the helm
2.2.211922A seeming mermaid steers. The silken tackle
2.2.212923Swell with the touches of those flower-soft hands
2.2.213924That yarely frame the office. From the barge
2.2.214925A strange invisible perfume hits the sense
2.2.217928Enthroned i'th'marketplace did sit alone,
2.2.218929Whistling to'th'air, which but for vacancy
And made a gap in nature. Rare Egyptian!
Upon her landing, Antony sent to her,
2.2.223935It should be better he became her guest,
2.2.224936Which she entreated. Our courteous Antony,
2.2.225937Whom ne'er the word of 'no' woman heard speak,
2.2.226938Being barbered ten times o'er goes to the feast;
For what his eyes eat only. Royal wench!
2.2.229942She made great Caesar lay his sword to bed;
He ploughed her and she cropped. I saw her once
2.2.231945Hop forty paces through the public street;
2.2.232946And having lost her breath, she spoke, and panted,
Now Antony must leave her utterly.
Never. He will not.
2.2.239953The appetites they feed, but she makes hungry
2.2.240954Where most she satisfies. For vilest things
2.2.241955Become themselves in her, that the holy priests
If beauty, wisdom, modesty can settle
A blessèd lottery to him. Let us go.
Whilst you abide here. Humbly, sir, I thank you.