Shakespeare's First Folio Part 648

Char. By your most gracious pardon, I sing but after you

Cleo. My Sallad dayes, When I was greene in iudgement, cold in blood, To say, as I saide then. But come, away, Get me Inke and Paper, he shall haue euery day a seuerall greeting, or Ile vnpeople Egypt.

Exeunt.

Enter Pompey, Menecrates, and Menas, in warlike manner.

Pom. If the great G.o.ds be iust, they shall a.s.sist The deeds of iustest men

Mene. Know worthy Pompey, that what they do delay, they not deny

Pom. Whiles we are sutors to their Throne, decayes the thing we sue for

Mene. We ignorant of our selues, Begge often our owne harmes, which the wise Powres Deny vs for our good: so finde we profit By loosing of our Prayers

Pom. I shall do well: The people loue me, and the Sea is mine; My powers are Cressent, and my Auguring hope Sayes it will come to'th' full. Marke Anthony In Egypt sits at dinner, and will make No warres without doores. Caesar gets money where He looses hearts: Lepidus flatters both, Of both is flatter'd: but he neither loues, Nor either cares for him

Mene. Caesar and Lepidus are in the field, A mighty strength they carry

Pom. Where haue you this? 'Tis false

Mene. From Siluius, Sir

Pom. He dreames: I know they are in Rome together Looking for Anthony: but all the charmes of Loue, Salt Cleopatra soften thy wand lip, Let Witchcraft ioyne with Beauty, l.u.s.t with both, Tye vp the Libertine in a field of Feasts, Keepe his Braine fuming. Epicurean Cookes, Sharpen with cloylesse sawce his Appet.i.te, That sleepe and feeding may prorogue his Honour, Euen till a Lethied dulnesse- Enter Varrius.

How now Varrius?

Var. This is most certaine, that I shall deliuer: Marke Anthony is euery houre in Rome Expected. Since he went from Egypt, 'tis A s.p.a.ce for farther Trauaile

Pom. I could haue giuen lesse matter A better eare. Menas, I did not thinke This amorous Surfetter would haue donn'd his Helme For such a petty Warre: His Souldiers.h.i.+p Is twice the other twaine: But let vs reare The higher our Opinion, that our stirring Can from the lap of Egypts Widdow, plucke The neere l.u.s.t-wearied Anthony

Mene. I cannot hope, Caesar and Anthony shall well greet together; His Wife that's dead, did trespa.s.ses to Caesar, His Brother wan'd vpon him, although I thinke Not mou'd by Anthony

Pom. I know not Menas, How lesser Enmities may giue way to greater, Were't not that we stand vp against them all: 'Twer pregnant they should square between themselues, For they haue entertained cause enough To draw their swords: but how the feare of vs May Ciment their diuisions, and binde vp The petty difference, we yet not know: Bee't as our G.o.ds will haue't; it onely stands Our liues vpon, to vse our strongest hands Come Menas.

Exeunt.

Enter En.o.barbus and Lepidus.

Lep. Good En.o.barbus, 'tis a worthy deed, And shall become you well, to intreat your Captaine To soft and gentle speech

En.o.b. I shall intreat him To answer like himselfe: if Caesar moue him, Let Anthony looke ouer Caesars head, And speake as lowd as Mars. By Iupiter, Were I the wearer of Anthonio's Beard, I would not shaue't to day

Lep. 'Tis not a time for priuate stomacking

Eno. Euery time serues for the matter that is then borne in't

Lep. But small to greater matters must giue way

Eno. Not if the small come first

Lep. Your speech is pa.s.sion: but pray you stirre No Embers vp. Heere comes the n.o.ble Anthony.

Enter Anthony and Ventidius.

Eno. And yonder Caesar.

Enter Caesar, Mecenas, and Agrippa.

Ant. If we compose well heere, to Parthia: Hearke Ventidius

Caesar. I do not know Mecenas, aske Agrippa

Lep. n.o.ble Friends: That which combin'd vs was most great, and let not A leaner action rend vs. What's amisse, May it be gently heard. When we debate Our triuiall difference loud, we do commit Murther in healing wounds. Then n.o.ble Partners, The rather for I earnestly beseech, Touch you the sowrest points with sweetest tearmes, Nor curstnesse grow to'th' matter

Ant. 'Tis spoken well: Were we before our Armies, and to fight, I should do thus.

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