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Oct. Sit.

Ant. Sit, sir.

Oct. Nay, then.

Ant. I learn you take things ill, which are not so ; Or, being, concern you not.

Oct. 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. My being in Egypt, Cæsar,

What was't to you?

Oct. 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?

Oct. You may be pleas'd to catch at mine intent, By what did here befall me: Your wife, and brother, 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 inquire it;

And have my learning from some true reports,
That drew their swords with you. Did he not rather
Discredit my authority with yours;

And make the wars alike against my stomach,
Having 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.

Oct. You praise yourself,

By laying to me defects of judgment: 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 you fought,
Could not with grateful 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.

Enub. '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.

Oct. 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. 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 your strife; if we contend,
Out of our question wipe him.

Oct. You have broken

The article of our oath; which you

Have tongue to charge me with.

Lep. Soft, Cæsar.

Ant. No,

Lepidus, let him speak;

shall never

The honour is sacred which he talks on now,
Supposing that I lack'd it :—but on, Cæsar;

The article of my oath,—

Oct. To lend me arms, and aid, when I required

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Ant. 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.

Lep. "Tis nobly spoken.

Mec. 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.

Lep. Worthily spoken, Mecenas.

Enob. 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.

Ant. Thou art a soldier only; speak no more.

Enob. That truth should be silent, I had almost forgot.

Ant. You wrong this presence, therefore speak no

more.

Oct. I do not much mislike the manner, but
The matter 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 would hold us staunch, from edge to edge
O' the world I would pursue it.

Agrip. Give me leave, Cæsar,—

Oct. Speak, Agrippa.

Agrip. Thou hast a sister by the mother's side, Admir'd Octavia: great Marc Antony

Is now a widower.

Oct. Say not so, Agrippa;

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If Cleopatra heard you, your reproof
Were well deserv'd of rashness.

Ant. I am not marry'd, Cæsar: let me hear
Agrippa further speak.

Agrip. 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: her love to both, Would each to other, and all loves to both Draw after her. Pardon what I have spoke; For 'tis a study'd, not a present thought, By duty ruminated.

Ant. Will Cæsar speak?

Oct. Not till he hears how Antony is touch'd With what is spoke already.

Ant. What power is in Agrippa,

If I would say," Agrippa, be it so,"

To make this good?

Oct. The power of Cæsar, and

His power unto Octavia.

Ant. 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!

Oct. 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!

Lep. Happily! Amen.

Ant. I did not think to draw my sword 'gainst
Pompey;

For he hath lay'd 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.

Lep. Time calls upon us:

Of us must Pompey presently be sought,
Or else he seeks out us.

Ant. Where lies he, Cæsar?

Oct. About the mount Misenum.
Ant. What's his strength

By land?

Oct. Great, and increasing: but by sea He is an absolute master.

Ant. 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.

Oct. With most gladness;
And do invite you to my sister's view,
Whither straight I'll lead you.

Ant. Let us, Lepidus,

Not lack your company.
Lep. Noble Antony,

Not sickness should detain me.

[Exeunt.

SCENE II.

Alexandria.

A Room in the Palace.

Enter Cleopatra, Charmian, Iras, and Alexas.

Cleo. Give me some music; music, moody food Of us that trade in love.

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