Flourish.
Caes Welcome to Rome
Ant. Thanke you
Caes Sit
Ant. Sit sir
Caes Nay then
Ant. I learne, you take things ill, which are not so: Or being, concerne you not
Caes I must be laught at, if or for nothing, or a little, I Should say my selfe offended, and with you Chiefely i"th" world. More laught at, that I should Once name you derogately: when to sound your name It not concern"d me
Ant. My being in Egypt Caesar, what was"t to you?
Caes No more then my reciding heere 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?
Caes You may be pleas"d to catch at mine intent, By what did heere befall me. Your Wife and Brother Made warres vpon me, and their contestation Was Theame for you, you were the word of warre
Ant. You do mistake your busines, my Brother neuer Did vrge me in his Act: I did inquire it.
And haue my Learning from some true reports That drew their swords with you, did he not rather Discredit my authority with yours, And make the warres alike against my stomacke, Hauing alike your cause. Of this, my Letters Before did satisfie you. If you"l patch a quarrell, As matter whole you haue to make it with, It must not be with this
Caes You praise your selfe, by laying defects of iudgement to me: but you patcht vp your excuses
Anth. Not so, not so: I know you could not lacke, I am certaine on"t, Very necessity of this thought, that I Your Partner in the cause "gainst which he fought, Could not with gracefull eyes attend those Warres Which fronted mine owne peace. As for my wife, I would you had her spirit, in such another, The third oth" world is yours, which with a Snaffle, You may pace easie, but not such a wife
En.o.bar. Would we had all such wiues, that the men might go to Warres with the women
Anth. So much vncurbable, her Garboiles (Caesar) Made out of her impatience: which not wanted Shrodenesse of policie to: I greeuing grant, Did you too much disquiet, for that you must, But say I could not helpe it
Caesar. I wrote to you, when rioting in Alexandria you Did pocket vp my Letters: and with taunts Did gibe my Misiue out of audience
Ant. Sir, he fell vpon me, ere admitted, then: Three Kings I had newly feasted, and did want Of what I was i"th" morning: but next day I told him of my selfe, which was as much As to haue askt him pardon. Let this Fellow Be nothing of our strife: if we contend Out of our question wipe him
Caesar. You haue broken the Article of your oath, which you shall neuer haue tongue to charge me with
Lep. Soft Caesar
Ant. No Lepidus, let him speake, The Honour is Sacred which he talks on now, Supposing that I lackt it: but on Caesar, The Article of my oath
Caesar. To lend me Armes, and aide when I requir"d them, the which you both denied
Anth. Neglected rather: And then when poysoned houres had bound me vp From mine owne knowledge, as neerely as I may, Ile play the penitent to you. But mine honesty, Shall not make poore my greatnesse, nor my power Worke without it. Truth is, that Fuluia, To haue me out of Egypt, made Warres heere, For which my selfe, the ignorant motiue, do So farre aske pardon, as befits mine Honour To stoope in such a case
Lep. "Tis n.o.ble spoken
Mece. If it might please you, to enforce no further The griefes betweene ye: to forget them quite, Were to remember: that the present neede, Speakes to attone you
Lep. Worthily spoken Mecenas
En.o.bar. Or if you borrow one anothers Loue for the instant, you may when you heare no more words of Pompey returne it againe: you shall haue time to wrangle in, when you haue nothing else to do
Anth. Thou art a Souldier, onely speake no more
En.o.b. That trueth should be silent, I had almost forgot
Anth. You wrong this presence, therefore speake no more
En.o.b. Go too then: your Considerate stone
Caesar. I do not much dislike the matter, but The manner of his speech: for"t cannot be, We shall remaine in friendship, our conditions So diffring in their acts. Yet if I knew, What Hoope should hold vs staunch from edge to edge Ath" world: I would persue it
Agri. Giue me leaue Caesar
Caesar. Speake Agrippa
Agri. Thou hast a Sister by the Mothers side, admir"d Octauia: Great Mark Anthony is now a widdower
Caesar. Say not, say Agrippa; if Cleopater heard you, your proofe were well deserued of rashnesse
Anth. I am not marryed Caesar: let me heere Agrippa further speake
Agri. To hold you in perpetuall amitie, To make you Brothers, and to knit your hearts With an vn-slipping knot, take Anthony, Octauia to his wife: whose beauty claimes No worse a husband then the best of men: whose Vertue, and whose generall graces, speake That which none else can vtter. By this marriage, All little Ielousies which now seeme great, And all great feares, which now import their dangers, Would then be nothing. Truth"s would be tales, Where now halfe tales be truth"s: her loue to both, Would each to other, and all loues to both Draw after her. Pardon what I haue spoke, For "tis a studied not a present thought, By duty ruminated
Anth. Will Caesar speake?
Caesar. Not till he heares how Anthony is toucht, With what is spoke already
Anth. What power is in Agrippa, If I would say Agrippa, be it so, To make this good?
Caesar. The power of Caesar, And his power, vnto Octauia
Anth. May I neuer (To this good purpose, that so fairely shewes) Dreame of impediment: let me haue thy hand Further this act of Grace: and from this houre, The heart of Brothers gouerne in our Loues, And sway our great Designes
Caesar. There"s my hand: A Sister I bequeath you, whom no Brother Did euer loue so deerely. Let her liue To ioyne our kingdomes, and our hearts, and neuer Flie off our Loues againe
Lepi. Happily, Amen
Ant. I did not think to draw my Sword "gainst Pompey, For he hath laid strange courtesies, and great Of late vpon me. I must thanke him onely, Least my remembrance, suffer ill report: At heele of that, defie him
Lepi. Time cals vpon"s, Of vs must Pompey presently be sought, Or else he seekes out vs
Anth. Where lies he?
Caesar. About the Mount-Mesena
Anth. What is his strength by land?
Caesar. Great, and encreasing: But by Sea he is an absolute Master
Anth. So is the Fame.