Antony and Cleopatra | Page 9

wrote to you?When rioting in Alexandria; you?Did pocket up my letters, and with taunts?Did gibe my missive out of audience.
ANTONY.?Sir,?He fell upon me ere admitted: then?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.
CAESAR.?You have broken?The article of your oath; which you shall never?Have tongue to charge me with.
LEPIDUS.?Soft, Caesar!
ANTONY.?No; Lepidus, let him speak.?The honour is sacred which he talks on now,?Supposing that I lack'd it.--But on, Caesar;?The article of my oath.
CAESAR.?To lend me arms and aid when I requir'd them;?The which you both denied.
ANTONY.?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.
LEPIDUS.?'Tis noble spoken.
MAECENAS.?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.
LEPIDUS.?Worthily spoken, Maecenas.
ENOBARBUS.?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.
ANTONY.?Thou art a soldier only: speak no more.
ENOBARBUS.?That truth should be silent I had almost forgot.
ANTONY.?You wrong this presence; therefore speak no more.
ENOBARBUS.?Go to, then; your considerate stone!
CAESAR.?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.
AGRIPPA.?Give me leave, Caesar,--
CAESAR.?Speak, Agrippa.
AGRIPPA.?Thou hast a sister by the mother's side,?Admir'd Octavia: great Mark Antony?Is now a widower.
CAESAR.?Say not so, Agrippa:?If Cleopatra heard you, your reproof?Were well deserv'd of rashness.
ANTONY.?I am not married, Caesar: let me hear?Agrippa further speak.
AGRIPPA.?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,?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.
ANTONY.?Will Caesar speak?
CAESAR.?Not till he hears how Antony is touch'd?With what is spoke already.
ANTONY.?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 unto Octavia.
ANTONY.?May I never?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!
CAESAR.?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!
LEPIDUS.?Happily, amen!
ANTONY.?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.
LEPIDUS.?Time calls upon's:?Of us must Pompey presently be sought,?Or else he seeks out us.
ANTONY.?Where lies he?
CAESAR.?About the Mount Misenum.
ANTONY.?What is his strength?By land?
CAESAR.?Great and increasing; but by sea?He is an absolute master.
ANTONY.?So is the fame.?Would we had spoke together! Haste we for it:?Yet, ere we put ourselves in arms, despatch we?The business we have talk'd of.
CAESAR.?With most gladness;?And do invite you to my sister's view,?Whither straight I'll lead you.
ANTONY.?Let us, Lepidus,?Not lack your company.
LEPIDUS.?Noble Antony,?Not sickness should detain me.
[Flourish. Exeunt CAESAR, ANTONY, and LEPIDUS.]
MAECENAS.?Welcome from Egypt, sir.
ENOBARBUS.?Half the heart of Caesar, worthy Maecenas!--my honourable friend, Agrippa!--
AGRIPPA.?Good Enobarbus!
MAECENAS.?We have cause to be glad that matters are so well digested. You stay'd well by it in Egypt.
ENOBARBUS.?Ay, sir; we did sleep day out of countenance, and made the night light with drinking.
MAECENAS.?Eight wild boars roasted whole at a breakfast, and but twelve persons there. Is this true?
ENOBARBUS.?This was but as a fly by an eagle: we had much more monstrous matter of feast, which worthily deserved noting.
MAECENAS.?She's a most triumphant lady, if report be square to her.
ENOBARBUS.?When she first met Mark Antony she pursed up his heart, upon the river of Cydnus.
AGRIPPA.?There she appeared indeed; or my reporter devised well for her.
ENOBARBUS.?I will tell you.?The barge she sat in, like a