'Twere pregnant they should square between themselves; For they have entertained cause enough To draw their swords: but how the fear of us May cement their divisions, and bind up Be it as our gods will have it! It only stands [Exeunt. SCENE II.-Rome. A Room in the House of LEpidus. Enter ENOBARBUS and LEPIDUS. Lep. Good Enobarbus, 'tis a worthy deed, And shall become you well, to entreat your captain To soft and gentle speech. Eno. I shall entreat him To answer like himself: If Cæsar move him, Let Antony look over Cæsar's head, And speak as loud as Mars. By Jupiter, Were I the wearer of Antonio's beard, I would not shave to-day. Lep. 'Tis not a time For private stomaching. Eno. Every time Serves for the matter that is then born in it. Lep. But small to greater matters must give way. Eno. Not if the small come first. Lep. Your speech is passion: But, pray you, stir no embers up. Here comes The noble Antony. Enter ANTONY and VENTIDIUS. Eno. And yonder, Cæsar. Enter CESAR, MECENAS, and AGRIPPA. Ant. If we compose well here, to Parthia: Hark you, Ventidius. Cæs. I do not know, Mecænas; ask Agrippa. Lep. Noble friends, That which combin'd us was most great, and let not A leaner action rend us. What's amiss, May it be gently heard: When we debate Our trivial difference loud, we do commit Murder in healing wounds: Then, noble partners, (The rather, for I earnestly beseech,) Touch you the sourest points with sweetest terms, Nor curstness grow to the matter. Ant. 'Tis spoken well; Were we before our armies, and to fight, I should do thus. Cas. Welcome to Rome. Ant. Thank you. Cæs. Sit. Ant. Sit, sir! Cas. Nay, Then Ant. I learn, you take things ill, which are not so; Or, being, concern you not. Cas. 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? Cas. 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? Cas. 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 business: my brother never Did urge me in his act: I did enquire it; And have my learning from some true reports, That drew their swords with you. Did he not rather And make the wars alike against my stomach, 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. Cas. You praise yourself By laying defects of judgment to me; but Ant. Not so, not so; I know you could not lack, I am certain on't, Your partner in the cause 'gainst which he fought, Which 'fronted mine own peace. As for my wife, Eno. 'Would we had all such wives, that the men might go to wars with the women! Ant. So much incurable, 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. Cas. I wrote to you, When rioting in Alexandria; you Did pocket up my letters, and with taunts Ant. Sir, He fell upon me, ere admitted; then Cæs. You have broken The article of your oath; which Have tongue to charge me with. Lep. Soft, Cæsar. you Ant. No, Lepidus, let him speak; shall never The honour's sacred which he talks on now, Cæs. To lend me arms, and aid, when I requir'd them; The which you both denied. Ant. Neglected, rather; And then, when poison'd hours had bound me up 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 spoke, Mecænas. Eno. 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. Eno. That truth should be silent, I had almost for got. Ant. You wrong more. this presence, therefore speak no Eno. Go to then; your considerate stone. Cæs. I do not much dislike the matter, but The manner of his speech: for it cannot be, We shall remain in friendship, our conditions |