SCENE IV. Athens. A room in MARK ANTONY's
house
Enter MARK ANTONY and OCTAVIA
MARK ANTONY
Nay, nay, Octavia, not only that,--
That were excusable, that, and thousands more
Of semblable import,--but he hath waged
New wars 'gainst Pompey; made his will, and read it
To public ear:
Spoke scantly of me: when perforce he could not
But pay me terms of honour, cold and sickly
He vented them; most narrow measure lent me:
When the best hint was given him, he not took't,
Or did it from his teeth.
OCTAVIA
O my good lord,
Believe not all; or, if you must believe,
Stomach not all. A more unhappy lady,
If this division chance, ne'er stood between,
Praying for both parts:
The good gods me presently,
When I shall pray, 'O bless my lord and husband!'
Undo that prayer, by crying out as loud,
'O, bless my brother!' Husband win, win brother,
Prays, and destroys the prayer; no midway
'Twixt these extremes at all.
MARK ANTONY
Gentle Octavia,
Let your best love draw to that point, which seeks
Best to preserve it: if I lose mine honour,
I lose myself: better I were not yours
Than yours so branchless. But, as you requested,
Yourself shall go between's: the mean time, lady,
I'll raise the preparation of a war
Shall stain your brother: make your soonest haste;
So your desires are yours.
OCTAVIA
Thanks to my lord.
The Jove of power make me most weak, most weak,
Your reconciler! Wars 'twixt you twain would be
As if the world should cleave, and that slain men
Should solder up the rift.
MARK ANTONY
When it appears to you where this begins,
Turn your displeasure that way: for our faults
Can never be so equal, that your love
Can equally move with them. Provide your going;
Choose your own company, and command what cost
Your heart has mind to.
Exeunt
SCENE V. The same. Another room
Enter DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS and EROS, meeting
DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS
How now, friend Eros!
EROS
There's strange news come, sir.
DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS
What, man?
EROS
Caesar and Lepidus have made wars upon Pompey.
DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS
This is old: what is the success?
EROS
Caesar, having made use of him in the wars 'gainst
Pompey, presently denied him rivality; would not let
him partake in the glory of the action: and not
resting here, accuses him of letters he had formerly
wrote to Pompey; upon his own appeal, seizes him: so
the poor third is up, till death enlarge his confine.
DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS
Then, world, thou hast a pair of chaps, no more;
And throw between them all the food thou hast,
They'll grind the one the other. Where's Antony?
EROS
He's walking in the garden--thus; and spurns
The rush that lies before him; cries, 'Fool Lepidus!'
And threats the throat of that his officer
That murder'd Pompey.
DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS
Our great navy's rigg'd.
EROS
For Italy and Caesar. More, Domitius;
My lord desires you presently: my news
I might have told hereafter.
DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS
'Twill be naught:
But let it be. Bring me to Antony.
EROS
Come, sir.
Exeunt
SCENE VI. Rome. OCTAVIUS CAESAR's
house
Enter OCTAVIUS CAESAR, AGRIPPA, and MECAENAS
OCTAVIUS CAESAR
Contemning Rome, he has done all this, and more,
In Alexandria: here's the manner of't:
I' the market-place, on a tribunal silver'd,
Cleopatra and himself in chairs of gold
Were publicly enthroned: at the feet sat
Caesarion, whom they call my father's son,
And all the unlawful issue that their lust
Since then hath made between them. Unto her
He gave the stablishment of Egypt; made her
Of lower Syria, Cyprus, Lydia,
Absolute queen.
MECAENAS
This in the public eye?
OCTAVIUS CAESAR
I' the common show-place, where they exercise.
His sons he there proclaim'd the kings of kings:
Great Media, Parthia, and Armenia.
He gave to Alexander; to Ptolemy he assign'd
Syria, Cilicia, and Phoenicia: she
In the habiliments of the goddess Isis
That day appear'd; and oft before gave audience,
As 'tis reported, so.
MECAENAS
Let Rome be thus Inform'd.
AGRIPPA
Who, queasy with his insolence
Already, will their good thoughts call from him.
OCTAVIUS CAESAR
The people know it; and have now received
His accusations.
AGRIPPA
Who does he accuse?
OCTAVIUS CAESAR
Caesar: and that, having in Sicily
Sextus Pompeius spoil'd, we had not rated him
His part o' the isle: then does he say, he lent me
Some shipping unrestored: lastly, he frets
That Lepidus of the triumvirate
Should be deposed; and, being, that we detain
All his revenue.
AGRIPPA
Sir, this should be answer'd.
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