Ant.

What was't to you?

My being in Egypt, Cæfar,

Caf. No more than my refiding 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? Caf. You may be pleas'd to catch at mine intent, By what did here befal 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 bufinefs; my brother never Did urge me in his act: I did enquire it ;

And have my learning from fome true reports,

That drew their fwords with you. Did he not rather
Difcredit my authority with yours;

And make the wars alike against my stomach,
Having alike your caufe? Of this, my letters
Before did fatisfy you. If you'll patch a quarrel,
As matter whole you have not to make it with,
It must not be with this.

Caf.

You praise yourself By laying defects of judgement to me; but You patch'd up your excuses.

Ant.

Not fo, not fo:

I know you could not lack, I am certain on't,
Very neceffity of this thought, that I,

Your partner in the cause 'gainit which he fought,
Could not with graceful eyes attend those wars
Which 'fronted mine own peace. As for my wife,

I would you had her spirit in fuch another:
The third o' the world is yours; which with a fnaffle
You may pace easy, but not such a wife.

Eno.

Eno. 'Would, we had all fuch wives, that the men might go to wars with the women!

Ant. So much uncurbable, her garboils, Cæfar,
Made out of her impatience, (which not wanted
Shrewdnefs of policy too,) I grieving grant,
Did you too much difquiet: for that, you must
But fay, I could not help it.

Caf.

I wrote to you,
When rioting in Alexandria; you

Did pocket up my letters, and with taunts
Did gibe my miffive 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 myfelf; which was as much
As to have afk'd him pardon: Let this fellow
Be nothing of our ftrife; if we contend,

Out of our queftion wipe him.

Lepidus, let him speak;

The honour's facred which he talks on now,

Suppofing that I lack'd it: But on, Cæfar;

The article of my oath,

Caf. To lend me arms, and aid, when I requir'd them; The which you both deny'd.

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 fuch 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 prefent need

Speaks to atone you.

Lep.

Worthily fpoke, Mecænas.

Eno. Or, if you borrow one another's love for the inftant, 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 foldier only; fpeak no more.

Eno. That truth fhould be filent, I had almost forgot.
Ant. You wrong this presence, therefore speak no more.
Eno. Go to then; your confiderate stone.
Caf. I do not much dislike the matter, but
The manner of his fpeech: for it cannot be,
We shall remain in friendship, our conditions
So differing in their acts. Yet, if I knew

What hoop should hold us staunch, from edge to edge
O' the world, I would purfue it.

Agr.

Caf. Speak, Agrippa.

Give me leave, Cæfar,

Agr. Thou haft a fifter by the mother's fide, Admir'd Octavia: great Mark Antony

Is now a widower.

Caf.

Say not fo, Agrippa;

If

If Cleopatra heard you, your reproof

Were well deferv'd of rafhnefs.

Ant. I am not married, Cæfar: let me hear Agrippa further speak.

Agr. To hold you in perpetual amity,

To make you brothers, and to knit your hearts
With an unflipping knot, take Antony

Octavia to his wife whofe beauty claims

:

No worse a husband than the best of men;
Whofe virtue, and whofe general graces, speak
That which none else can utter. By this marriage,
All little jealoufies, which now feem great,
And all great fears, which now import their dangers,
Would then be nothing: truths would be but 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.

Caf. Not till he hears how Antony is touch'd With what is fpoke already.

To this good purpose, that fo 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 fway our great defigus !

Caf.

Caf.

There is my hand.

A fifter I bequeath you, whom no brother

Did ever love fo dearly: Let her live`

To join our kingdoms, and our hearts; and never
Fly off our loves again!

Ant. I did not think to draw my fword 'gainst Pompey; For he hath laid ftrange courtefies, and great,

Of late upon me: I must thank him only,

Left my remembrance suffer ill report;

At heel of that, defy him.

Lep.

Time calls upon us:

Of us muft Pompey prefently be fought,

Or else he seeks out us.

Caf. Great, and increasing: but by fea

He is an abfolute master.

'Would, we had spoke together! Hafte we for it: Yet, ere we put ourselves in arms, despatch we The business we have talk'd of.

Not fickness fhould detain me.

[Flourish. Exeunt CESAR, ANTONY, and LEPIDUS.

Mec. Welcome from Egypt, fir.

Eno